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Gocek is a small town in Fethiye district in Muðla Province, Turkey.
Gocek hosts four significant marinas that serve the yacht tourism in
the region. A prominent characteristic of the town is the fact that
it harbors islands and coves located in a large and secluded bay.
Due to its location, it naturally enjoys a high potential for yacht
tourism. Since Gocek is a Registered Area of Special Protection
where multi-storey buildings are not allowed, the boarding
facilities are two-storied hotels, motels, apart-hotels and pensions
situated in the town center and its periphery. Gocek has all the
necessary infrastructure, capacity and spaces expected in a tourism
center, yet it is renowned as a much more peaceful and quiet
settlement compared to other tourism areas.
Gocek is situated on Dalaman – Fethiye highway. Until 2006, it was
necessary to drive through a relatively narrow and winding road to
reach Gocek from Dalaman. The 980 meters long Gocek vehicle tunnel
completed in June 2006 has significantly increased the accessibility
of the town. The vehicle tunnel is the first example of
build-operate-transfer model and provides paid services.
The permanent population in Gocek is around 4,500. This number
exceeds 7,000 during the summer months. Since Gocek is a departure
and arrival point for Blue Cruises, there is heavy yacht traffic in
the town. With its secluded bay, Gocek is a quiet and safe harbor,
especially for long distance travelers arriving from international
waters. Gocek coves and the 12 islands that are described as a
hidden paradise, with clean Mediterranean water, green pine forests
and beaches, have rendered Gocek an indispensable destination for
seafarers. High quality boarding facilities, daily boat tours,
entertainment facilities on the seaside and numerous beaches and
coves in its vicinity provide various alternatives for local and
international tourists traveling by road to spend their vacation.
Gocek, named “Kalimche” in ancient times was located between
Telmessos – today Fethiye and Caunos – today Dalyan. According to
the legends, it is in the Gocek area that Ikarus landed in the sea
after his famous flight trying to escape from the tower where he is
imprisoned. Gocek was used as a harbour, for the ships loading
chrome ore collected from the mines in the mountains around during
the Ottoman period.
Gocek started to be known by group of artists and poets and some
fisherman from Bodrum by their cruising along the Turkish Turquoise
Coast, later called the “ Blue Voyage”.
This region, has been declared a special environmental protection
areas with strict building regulations since 1988.
The gulf of Gocek and Fethiye provides many opportunities to visit
cultural sites as, Caunos, Telmessos, Fethiye Museum, Tlos, Pýnara,
Letoon, Xanthos and Patara.
There are many restaurants, cafés and bars at
the promenade.
Guests come to Gocek either for the yachts and
boats in the harbour or boutique hotels and villas in the region. It
is a mixture of all nationalities who are out of “package tourism”
concept. Therefore, services given is with a view to quality but not
to quantity.
Gocek is the gateway to the wonderful unspoilt
islands in the gulf.
Due Gocek is a sailing base, there are four
marinas and one boat yard. The marinas are under the name of: Club
Marina, Skopea Marina, Municipality Marinas and Port Gocek Marina.
There will be a construction of the fifth
marina for mega yachts and also construction of a second boat yard
in the near future.
There is one beach belonging to Swiss Hotel
which you can enter by paying daily price or you get a seasonal
membership.
There is Inlice Beach out of Gocek which you
can reach within 10 minutes drive, running by the municipality of
Gocek.
Also the main island beach is reachable by
water taxi from the harbour.
Other beaches are easily accessible by car or
taxi. Amongst these is Sarigerme which is a long sandy beach. Beyond
Sarigerme is the fabulous protected beach of Iztuzu in the Dalyan
Delta. In the opposite direction the famous beach at Oludeniz is
only forty minutes drive away.
Gocek is settled in a position which you can
make Twelve Islands Tours by all manner of boats which are available
for private charter, simple fishing boats and wonderful yachts –
something to suit in every budget.
There is about twenty sailing and motor yacht
charter and brokerage aftersails companies which makes Gocek a high
class sailing place.
Accordingly, there are several technical yacht
services and chandleries and maintenance services.
There is a well maintained 24 hours open
Sanitary Office with five doctors and three pharmacies in the town.
There are two big grocery shops and several
other small ones, selling all the luxury food products. Besides the
groceries, there are two butchers only selling meat products.
Although many locals now earn most of their
income from tourism, in Gocek, life continues much as it has done
for centuries. The phrase used by villagers to describe
guests/foreigners as “guests of God”.
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