The closeness of the small group of people on board promotes an atmosphere of friendship and sharing; relations among passengers and crew tend to be relaxed and casual. Unlike cruises on large ocean liners, on a gullet you can explore the secluded and often deserted bays and coves of the coastline. Usually the daily duration of cruising is not longer than 3-4 hours, and the rest of the day can be spent in a gorgeous cove enjoying the sun and the sea. Sunbathing on the deck, swimming in clear waters, snorkeling, windsurfing, water-skiing or just fishing... The boats will sail (winds permitting) or motor along your chosen route. There are a variety of itineraries to follow depending on your taste.
You can spend all of your time on board of the gulet if you like. The captain and the crew are continuously at your disposal in an effort to provide you with all your needs.
Or anchoring in a cove and trekking in the wild nature, visiting a nearby village and coming closer to the native people and their traditions or visiting one of the numerous ancient sites. Here, in the midst of the idyll, you can feel the touch of nature and history. The delicate Turkish wine and "raki" (national alcoholic spirit) contribute to this delight.

Children on board
For the safety of children, special care has been taken to ensure that the rails around the decks are sufficiently high. In addition, crews of the Holiday Gulets are particularly instructed to assist parents in ensuring the safety of their children during all aspects of life on board.

Meals On Board
Enjoying a foreign country also means exploring the local cuisine. In this case Turkey is one of your best choices, the variety of dishes is enormous and the quality excellent. The food is always fresh and the rich offer of vegetables and fruits display at local markets shows it the best and you can be sure that all the products from the field are without artificial fertilizers. With the added pleasure of dining outside on the aft deck of your gulet, the culinary experience can be a memorable part of your yacht charter. Your cook on board will serve dishes to have you lingering over meals, determined to discover the secret ingredients.

Whilst on board, your day will start with traditional Turkish breakfast , consisting of white cheese, similar to the Greek 'feta', olives, slices of cucumber and tomato, eggs, honey and jam. Bread is a particular treat - freshly baked every day and dangerously more-ish! At breakfast and throughout the day you will also be served the Turkish tea (called 'çay',) tea which is quite strong and served in small glasses without milk, of course, also coffee is served on board if preferred an some boats even carry a filter coffee machine, to prepare the coffee the German way.

A light lunch is next in line. Meals commence with 'mezes', or starters. Vegetarians relish these dishes:- egg plant (aubergine)or zucchini salads, hot and peppery tomato salad and 'cacik', yoghurt with finely shredded cucumber and lashings of garlic. Yoghurt is often served by itself, thick and creamy it's a good accompaniment to some of the drier mezes. Other favourites are 'dolma' ; green peppers and vine leaves stuffed with savoury rice, or even octopus caught by the crew, made into a salad or battered and fried; sprinkled with lemon juice it has a piquant flavour all of its own. Your table is never without a constant supply of fresh bread, helping you to savour every last mouthful of spicy sauce.

Main courses are lamb, beef or chicken based, never pork as Turkey is a Muslim country. Herbs and spices are used liberally in Turkish cooking in dishes such as 'köfte'; the spicy Turkish version of meatballs, meat and vegetable casseroles, pasta and barbecued dishes. 'Pilav', savoury rice often accompanies main courses, and a salad tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. Your gulet crew or local fishermen can supply fresh seafood, amongst the best are 'levrek' sea bass', 'karides' prawns, 'barbunya' red mullet and 'kiliç' sword fish depending on season.

No meal is complete without dessert; in a warm climate fruit is the favourite. Summer is the season for cherries, peaches and delicious honeydew and watermelon. 'Sweet' is how Turkish people prefer their desserts and amusingly some are named after parts of the female anatomy; 'Kadin Göbegi', Women's Navels, or 'Dilber Dudagi', A Beautiful Woman's lips. More common is 'Baklava' a honeyed nut filled pastry. For the finale try Turkish coffee, thick and bitter with grains resembling mud, but nevertheless sweetened precisely to your taste.

Liquid assistance is a must when embarking on a journey of gastronomic discovery. For Turkish people 'raki' is the ultimate accompaniment to any meal. The novice should beware however when partaking of this aniseed flavoured beverage, its potent effects are frequently delayed. Imported spirits are available but always more expensive than the local variety which are a bit of an acquired taste. Turkish wines are reasonably priced and the quality seems to be constantly improving. Teetotallers are well catered for with a selection of refreshing soft drinks such as peach, apricot and cherry juice.
Local drinks are excellent accompaniments to dinner - try raki with water and ice for a traditional touch, local beer for extra refreshment, or perhaps one of Turkey's range of home produced wines.

Without doubt dining in Turkey is a pleasurable experience, existing tastes are satisfied and many new ones acquired. In an atmosphere of congenial hospitality the innate Turkish ability to turn a simple meal into a warm hearted feast is infectious and when you express your pleasure the response will be a resounding 'Afiyet Olsun!', Bon Apetit!

The sailing area and Sightseeing
Turkey is a fascinating and friendly country where you can soak up the history of ancient civilizations, but also enjoy the atmosphere of market towns and villages. Whether on land or sea the scenery is spectacular. The Mediterranean and Aegean areas are still surprisingly unspoilt. The coast line of south western Turkey is consistently chosen by sea lovers from all over the world as the most beautiful cruising area of the Mediterranean. If you are interested in history and archaeology, you will agree that these shores are like on open air museum. Troughout your excursion you will see remains of amphi-theatres, markets, churches, tombs and towns of Lydian, Lycian, Carian, Ionian, Dorian, Hellenic and Roman civilizations. In addition to historical places, you can always find out for yourself what current life is like in our cozy little Mediterranean towns, and admire the local arts and handicrafts.