Best Anchorages in Fethiye & Göcek
The Fethiye-Göcek Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA) is Turkey's most celebrated cruising ground — a labyrinth of pine-covered islands, Lycian ruins, and turquoise coves in Skopea Limani. These 9 anchorages have been verified for depth, bottom type, and the 2026 SEPA smart mooring requirements.
2026 SEPA Smart Mooring System — Important for All Sailors
The Fethiye-Göcek SEPA now operates a mandatory smart mooring buoy reservation system (~200 buoys). You must book your buoy at least 48 hours in advance via the TÜÇA mobile app. Walk-up anchoring in designated buoy areas is no longer permitted in peak season. Maximum stay: 3 days per bay, 11 days total in Göcek bays. No discharging of any kind. Speed limit 6 knots in the Göcek zone. Fines doubled in the SEPA.
About the Fethiye-Göcek SEPA
Prevailing Wind
NW to W meltemi from June–September, strongest July–August. Many bays in Skopea Limani have daily sea breezes that die at sunset, leaving calm overnight conditions.
Best Season
May–June and September–October for settled weather, fewer crowds, and guaranteed buoy availability without 48-hour advance booking stress.
SEPA Mooring System
Mandatory smart buoy reservation via TÜÇA app (48h ahead). ~200 buoys across the Göcek bays. Max 3 days per bay, 11 days total. No anchoring in designated buoy zones without reservation.
Base Port
Göcek town marina (D-Marin Göcek, Skopea Marina, Club Marina) is the gateway to Skopea Limani. Fethiye marina for the eastern bays and Ölüdeniz approach.
9 Verified Anchorages
Yassıca Adaları
(Flat Islands)GoodYassıca Adaları — the Flat Islands — is the most iconic anchorage in the Göcek area and one of the most photographed sailing destinations on the entire Turkish coast.
Depth
2–5m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
55m
Crowds
Very Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Sarsala Bay
(Sarsala Koyu)GoodSarsala Bay is the largest and arguably the most practical anchorage in Skopea Limani — broad, well-sheltered from the prevailing northerlies, and unusually well-equipped thanks to road access and a waterfront restaurant.
Depth
10–20m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Crowds
Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Tersane Adası
(Boatyard Island)GoodTersane Adası — Boatyard Island — takes its name from the Ottoman-era tersane (shipyard) that operated here for centuries, built into the island's sheltered northwest creek.
Depth
5–10m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
70m
Crowds
Moderate
Full anchoring guide →
Bedri Rahmi Koyu
(Bedri Rahmi Bay)GoodBedri Rahmi Koyu is one of the most culturally distinctive anchorages on the Turkish coast.
Depth
10–15m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
75m
Crowds
Moderate
Full anchoring guide →
Wall Bay
(Duvar Koyu)GoodWall Bay — known in Turkish as Duvar Koyu or Manastır Koyu — takes its name from the dramatic Lycian stone wall that runs along the shoreline, a relic of a fortified ancient settlement that once guarded this fjord-like inlet in Skopea Limani.
Depth
8–15m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
80m
Crowds
Moderate
Full anchoring guide →
Hamam Koyu
(Cinnamon Bay)GoodHamam Koyu — Cinnamon Bay or Cleopatra's Bath — lies immediately adjacent to Wall Bay at the southern end of Skopea Limani, but has a distinctly quieter character.
Depth
8–12m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
75m
Crowds
Quiet
Full anchoring guide →
Tomb Bay
(Mezarlık Koyu)GoodTomb Bay — Mezarlık Koyu — is one of the most archaeologically spectacular anchorages in the Göcek area.
Depth
10–15m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
85m
Crowds
Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Gemiler Adası
(St. Nicholas Island)Fair — verify anchor setGemiler Adası — Boat Island — is one of the most extraordinary anchorages on the Turkish Riviera: a small Byzantine island covered in ruins of churches, fortified walls, and vaulted passages that date from the 4th to 7th centuries AD.
Depth
10–20m
Bottom
weed
Alarm Radius
90m
Crowds
Moderate
Full anchoring guide →
Ölüdeniz
(Blue Lagoon)GoodÖlüdeniz — the Blue Lagoon — is arguably the most photographed sailing destination in Turkey and one of the most photographed beaches in the world.
Depth
10–18m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
85m
Crowds
Very Busy
Full anchoring guide →
TÜÇA App — How to Book Your Göcek Bay Buoy
The TÜÇA (Tourism and Yacht Management System) mobile app manages all smart mooring buoy reservations in the Fethiye-Göcek SEPA. Download the app before departure and book at least 48 hours ahead. Fees are set by the ÇEYAŞ authority and vary by bay and season. Without a reservation, you risk being turned away from designated buoy zones by coast guard patrols. In peak season (July–August), popular bays like Yassıca Adaları can be fully booked days in advance.
Monitor Your Anchor Overnight in Göcek
Safety Anchor Alarm watches your GPS position continuously and sounds an instant alert if your boat drifts outside your set radius — so you can sleep through the Skopea night.
Download Free for iOS