Want to take an unforgettable sailing trip? A gulet cruise in Turkey could be just what you are looking for.

There's always going to be something special about a sailing holiday. Moving from place to place with a boat as your home, having your meals cooked for you on board, and swimming and snorkeling where and when you please - there are truly few better ways to travel. There are many destinations where you can charter a boat, but one of the finest options for a luxurious sailing holiday is a Turkish gulet cruise.

Turkey is blessed with perhaps the finest coastline in Europe, packed with stunning beaches, secluded islands, and cosmopolitan resort towns. Not only is the coast a wonderful place to explore, but the ships themselves are something special - gulets, the traditional boats that are used, offer an experience that is far beyond that of a typical yacht or schooner.

The Boats

Gulets are traditional wooden sailing ships that were used by fishermen and merchants on the Turkish Coast. Long, narrow and handsome, there are few more beautiful ships on the water. The modern ships used on a modern gulet cruise continue to be made in the traditional way (a process taking more than a year) but are now designed for comfort, rather than trade - spacious cabins, indoor saloons, and diesel engines for when the wind dies are now standard fittings on these contemporary gulets. For a vessel that combines luxurious accommodation with traditional design, it's hard to beat a gulet.

A typical gulet will have between five and ten cabins for guests to stay in, an indoor saloon, bar and dining area, and a sun deck for you relax on during the day. Meals will be expertly cooked by a resident chef, and an experienced crew will see to all practical concerns of running the boat, so you don't have to worry about anything - you can just sit back and enjoy the journey!

The Sights

A typical gulet cruise will last one or two weeks, and given the sheer length of Turkey's West Coast, you won't be able to see all of the sights in a single trip. But with countless routes available, you'll be sure to find one that takes in the places you want to see.

A gulet cruise itinerary will usually mix trips to coastal resorts with explorations of natural sights. The bustling towns of Bodrum and Mamaris are often visited to give travellers a taste of the vibrant resort nightlife, though those in search of more peaceful visits to the shore will be tempted by the quieter resort towns of Kalkan and Kas. Another advantage of being on a gulet is that, rather than being tied to one or two beaches, you can see all of the major beaches as part of your trip, including Olu Deniz, Cleopatra and Kaputas. Finally, if you like to get active, there are plenty of opportunities for scuba diving, windsurfing, fishing, and swimming all along the coast.

For a holiday that combines luxurious accommodation with the pleasure of the open water, a gulet cruise in Turkey is one of the best options out there.