Turkey — Mediterranean Coast

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)Good

Yassıca 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

25m

Bottom

sand

Alarm Radius

55m

Crowds

Very Busy

Protected: N NE E SE S SW W NWTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Sarsala Bay

(Sarsala Koyu)Good

Sarsala 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

1020m

Bottom

sand

Alarm Radius

90m

Crowds

Busy

Protected: N NE E SE W NWExposed: S SWRestaurantWaterTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Tersane Adası

(Boatyard Island)Good

Tersane 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

510m

Bottom

mud

Alarm Radius

70m

Crowds

Moderate

Protected: N NE E SE S SW W NWRestaurantWaterTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Bedri Rahmi Koyu

(Bedri Rahmi Bay)Good

Bedri Rahmi Koyu is one of the most culturally distinctive anchorages on the Turkish coast.

Depth

1015m

Bottom

mud

Alarm Radius

75m

Crowds

Moderate

Protected: N NE E SE S SW W NWWaterTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Wall Bay

(Duvar Koyu)Good

Wall 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

815m

Bottom

mud

Alarm Radius

80m

Crowds

Moderate

Protected: E SE S SWExposed: NW NRestaurantWaterTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Hamam Koyu

(Cinnamon Bay)Good

Hamam 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

812m

Bottom

mud

Alarm Radius

75m

Crowds

Quiet

Protected: N NE E SE S SW W NWRestaurantTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Tomb Bay

(Mezarlık Koyu)Good

Tomb Bay — Mezarlık Koyu — is one of the most archaeologically spectacular anchorages in the Göcek area.

Depth

1015m

Bottom

sand

Alarm Radius

85m

Crowds

Busy

Protected: N NE E SE SW W NWExposed: SRestaurantWaterTÜÇA app required

Full anchoring guide →

Gemiler Adası

(St. Nicholas Island)Fair — verify anchor set

Gemiler 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

1020m

Bottom

weed

Alarm Radius

90m

Crowds

Moderate

Protected: N NE E SE S SW W NW

Full anchoring guide →

Ölüdeniz

(Blue Lagoon)Good

Ölüdeniz — the Blue Lagoon — is arguably the most photographed sailing destination in Turkey and one of the most photographed beaches in the world.

Depth

1018m

Bottom

sand

Alarm Radius

85m

Crowds

Very Busy

Protected: N NE E SEExposed: W SW SRestaurant

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