A Bodrum boat trip spends a day at sea in the bays of the Bodrum Peninsula, with swim stops at Orak Island and lunch cooked on board. Tours across Greece and its neighbours are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the routes, the day stop by stop, gulets and private boats, lunch, the season, packing and cruise days.
What is a Bodrum boat trip?
A Bodrum boat trip is a full day at sea that starts and ends at Bodrum harbour. A wooden boat or gulet carries guests to swim stops in quiet bays. Lunch is served on board, and the boat returns in the late afternoon.
Bodrum is a port town on the Bodrum Peninsula, at the entrance to the Gulf of Gökova. Islands, coves and rocky capes lie within a short sail of the town. Day boats leave the harbour each morning and head out into this sheltered water.
A Bodrum boat trip is a day out, not a ferry crossing. The boat itself is the outing, and the bays fill the hours between breakfast and dinner. Shared boats take mixed groups, while a private gulet carries one group. The wider list of Bodrum tours covers the castle, the ruins and land trips.
Where does a Bodrum boat trip go: Orak Island, Black Island and the bays?
A Bodrum boat trip goes to Orak Island, Kara Ada and the swimming bays along the Bodrum coast. Named stops include German Bay, Red Bay, Rabbit Nose and Aquarium Bay. Each operator sets its own route and order of stops.
Orak Island is an uninhabited island in the Gulf of Gökova, inside Bodrum district. It runs about 1,800 metres from end to end, with olive groves and a lighthouse. The cape on its south coast is a known spot for underwater sports. Boats anchor off its shore for a long swim and lunch.
Kara Ada means Black Island in Turkish, and the ancient Greeks called it Arkonnesos. It sits at the entrance to Bodrum harbour, so it is the shortest hop on any Bodrum boat trip. On its northern side, hot sulphur water and mud flow out of a cave. Tours list this spring and mud bath with a separate entry fee.
German Bay is a common first swim on the way out. Rabbit Nose, or Tavşan Burnu, is a calm bay with a clear, rocky sea floor. Aquarium Bay lies on the cape between Gümbet and Bitez, where land access is difficult. For visitors on the Greek side, a Bodrum day trip from Kos starts with the ferry across.
What happens on a full-day Bodrum boat trip, stop by stop?
A full-day Bodrum boat trip runs from a morning boarding at the harbour to a late-afternoon return. In between come a first swim stop and a long anchor for lunch. One or two more bays and a slow cruise home close the day.
The day begins at Bodrum harbour with a short welcome from the crew. Shared tours carry an English-speaking guide. The boat then leaves the port and cruises out to the first bay. There, swimmers get their first chance to enter the water.
- Boarding: guests meet the crew at the harbour and pick a spot on deck.
- First swim: German Bay or a nearby cove, with fruit and snacks on board.
- Lunch stop: about two hours at Orak Island, with a buffet of pasta, grilled chicken and fruit.
- Afternoon swims: Red Bay, Rabbit Nose or Kara Ada, set by the route.
- Return: the boat sails back into the harbour in the late afternoon.
Lunch is the centre of the day. Orak Island grows busy around noon, when the day boats arrive together. Drinks are not part of every Bodrum boat trip, so each listing states what the ticket covers. The afternoon stops stay shorter, and guests dry off on deck during the cruise back.
What is a gulet, and how does a gulet trip differ from a group boat?
A gulet is a traditional wooden sailing boat from Turkey, built mainly in Bodrum and Marmaris. The two-masted design is the standard form. A private gulet trip carries one group, while a group boat sells seats to individual guests.
Gulets range from about 14 to 35 metres long. The Bodrum type has a clipper stem and a rounded stern, known in Turkish as the watermelon stern. Today nearly every gulet runs on a diesel engine, and not every gulet is rigged to sail.
The writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, known as the Fisherman of Halicarnassus, made gulet voyages popular. He also gave them the name blue cruise. Bodrum builders later added deck cabins and seating, turning work boats into leisure craft.
A private gulet tour from Bodrum includes lunch, and the group has the whole deck to itself. A shared Bodrum boat trip follows a set loop of bays and a set return. Families and friends who want a quiet deck book the private gulet. Solo travellers share a group boat and meet other swimmers.
What is Orak Island, and why is it called the Turkish Maldives?
Orak Island is an uninhabited island in the Gulf of Gökova, inside the Bodrum district of Muğla Province. Boat operators call it the Turkish Maldives because its shallow turquoise water sits over a white sandy seabed.
The Gulf of Gökova is an arm of the Aegean Sea between the Bodrum and Datça peninsulas. It runs for about 100 kilometres, and Bodrum is the only large city on its shore.
Nobody lives on Orak, so the island has no beach bars, sunbeds, shops or pier. A Bodrum boat trip drops anchor offshore, and guests swim from the deck into the shallows. Sunlight on the white sand gives the water its turquoise colour.
On the Orak Island group tour, the boat stays at the island for two hours of free time. Guests swim, relax on deck or explore the island before the boat sails on.
Which swim and snorkel stops does a Bodrum boat trip make?
A Bodrum boat trip to Orak stops at German Bay, Orak Island, Red Bay and Tavşan Burnu. Bodrum day boats on a six-hour route anchor at Black Island, Camel Beach and Aquarium Bay for swims.
German Bay is the first stop on the Orak route, a calm cove for cooling off. Red Bay takes its name from its red rocks. Tavşan Burnu, or Rabbit Cape, is a quiet beach for swimming and snorkelling. The boat then returns to Bodrum harbour.
Aquarium Bay, or Akvaryum Koyu, takes its name from clear water that shows fish under the hull. Camel Beach completes the three swim stops of the six-hour Bodrum boat trip.
Group boats carry life jackets for non-swimmers, who float near the boat or stay on deck. Private motor yachts list snorkelling gear among the equipment on board.
What does a Bodrum boat trip serve for lunch?
A Bodrum boat trip serves a hot lunch cooked on board. Group day boats grill chicken and serve it with rice or pasta and salad. The Orak Island boat cooks a barbecue lunch and adds fruit and tea.
A private Bodrum boat trip offers a choice of fish, chicken or a vegetarian plate at lunch. Seasonal fruit follows, with afternoon tea or coffee. The captain and crew cook and serve each course on board.
Drinks other than the included tea cost extra on day boats and on the private motor yacht. The Orak boat has a small bar for refreshments, and it bans outside food and drinks. Bring cash to pay at the bar. The scuba diving boat from Bodrum also includes lunch, but its drinks cost extra.
Guests with food allergies or a vegetarian diet tell the operator when booking. The Orak boat has two decks, indoor lounges with seating and a toilet. Guests eat in the shaded lounge or out on the sun deck.
Are private Bodrum boat trips worth it for families and groups?
A private Bodrum boat trip suits families and groups that want their own route and pace. A private gulet, motor yacht or speedboat carries only the booking party. The captain plans the bays around the group and its swimmers.
On the private motor yacht, a Bodrum boat trip lasts six hours and leaves Halikarnas Harbour in Kumbahçe. A captain and crew run the boat and serve lunch and seasonal fruit. The group picks how long to stay at each bay. A speedboat reaches distant bays faster, while a wooden gulet moves at a slower pace.
The private sunset yacht tour serves a light dinner on board as the sun sets. Sunset boats leave Bodrum in the late afternoon for about three hours. Routes reach Aquarium Bay or Black Island, with a swim and fishing before the meal. Dinner choices include fish, meatballs or chicken.
A private boat fits around other plans. The full-day private yacht from Bodrum Marina has no fixed itinerary, so the group sets the route. Families who visit Pamukkale from Bodrum save a Bodrum boat trip for a rest day. Others end the day at a Bodrum Turkish bath, where a foam wash clears the salt.
When is the season for a Bodrum boat trip?
A Bodrum boat trip fits the dry summer months. June, July and August are the driest months in Bodrum. Daily highs on land pass 35 °C in July and August. The sea is warmest in August.
Sea water in Bodrum reaches a mean daily high of 27.4 °C in August. February is the coldest month at sea, with lows near 15 °C. Warm water for swim stops belongs to the summer months for that reason.
The meltem is the dry summer wind of the Aegean. It blows through the summer until mid-September. The wind is strongest in the afternoon and dies down at night. It rises in clear weather without warning and reaches force 7 to 8.
Morning departures leave before the afternoon wind builds. Travellers prone to seasickness pick a morning slot for a calmer sea. Evening trips sail after the wind drops.
What do you pack for a Bodrum boat trip?
The packing list for a boat day is short: swimwear, a towel, sun cream, a hat and water. Add cash for drinks, motion-sickness tablets and a dry bag for the phone. Shoes with grip help on wet decks.
Bodrum records more than 2,700 hours of sunshine a year. Open decks take full sun, so sun cover matters from the first hour.
- Swimwear and towel: wear swimwear under clothes to be ready at the first stop.
- Sun cream, hat and sunglasses: reapply sun cream after each swim.
- Water: carry a full bottle for the hot hours at sea.
- Cash: drinks are paid on board.
- Dry bag: it keeps the phone, cash and passport dry.
For motion sickness, take tablets before boarding, not at sea. Sit in the middle of the boat and watch the horizon. Eat a light breakfast and skip alcohol until the boat moors.
Can cruise passengers join a Bodrum boat trip?
Cruise passengers join a Bodrum boat trip straight from the ship. Bodrum Cruise Port sits within walking distance of the town centre, 1 km from Bodrum Castle and the marina. Ship-friendly boats return before the all-aboard time.
Global Ports Holding runs the cruise port. The terminal has a taxi station, currency exchange, cafés and a guest information centre. Passengers change money there before the walk to the harbour boats.
GetYourGuide lists one boat trip built for ship guests: “Boattrip to Bodrum Maledives for Virgin Cruise Passengers”. The name ties it to Virgin cruise passengers in port for the day.
Check the all-aboard time on the daily ship sheet and book a boat that returns one hour earlier. Passengers who want ruins over swims book a land day to the ruins of Ephesus instead.
Which other sea trips leave from Bodrum?
Other sea trips from Bodrum include the ferry to Kos, pirate party boats and sunset cruises. Each one suits a different day. The options are a Greek island visit, a party at sea, or a calm evening on the water.
The ferry crosses 20 km of the Aegean to the island of Kos. The listing “Bodrum: Roundtrip Ferry to Kos with Hotel Pickup” adds the hotel transfer.
The “Bodrum: Pirate Party Boat with Lunch & Swim Stops” mixes a pirate theme with lunch and swims.
Sunset cruises leave in the early evening, as the meltem drops, and pass Bodrum Castle at the harbour mouth.
Which questions do travellers ask about a Bodrum boat trip?
How long does a Bodrum boat trip last?
Full-day boats from Bodrum to Orak Island list 6.5 hours, 8 hours or 6 to 9 hours on GetYourGuide. The Black Island trip lists 6 hours. A sunset cruise fills the evening only. The Kos ferry round trip takes a full day, since the island visit sits between the two crossings.
Do children enjoy a Bodrum boat trip?
Yes. Children enjoy jumping into warm water at the swim stops and watching the coast from the deck. Ask the operator about child life jackets before booking. Keep hats and sun cream on through the day, since July and August highs pass 35 °C.
Is lunch included on a Bodrum boat trip?
Yes, on day boats that list it in the trip name. The title “Orak Island Boat Trip with Lunch and Swimming Stops” states it plainly. So does the pirate party boat from Bodrum. Drinks are paid on board, so carry cash. A trip name without lunch means lunch sits outside the listing.
Do non-swimmers enjoy a Bodrum boat trip?
Yes. Non-swimmers enjoy the views, the sun deck and the stops in quiet bays. Boats carry life jackets, and a non-swimmer wears one to float near the ladder. The deck stays open through every swim stop. A sunset cruise or the Kos ferry suits travellers who skip the water.