Kusadasi sits at the heart of one of the most beautiful stretches of the Aegean coastline, and the best way to experience it is from the water. The bays and coves that line the shores of the Dilek Peninsula are largely inaccessible by road, and a day spent cruising between them — stopping to swim in water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue depending on depth — offers a completely different perspective on a region that is already remarkable from land.

The traditional vessel of the Turkish Aegean is the gulet — a broad-beamed wooden sailing boat with covered deck space, sun loungers, and a small galley below. Gulet cruises range from half-day excursions visiting three or four bays to full-day trips that include lunch prepared on board, snorkeling equipment, and stops at beaches only accessible by sea. The experience is unhurried and genuinely relaxing in a way that resort pools simply cannot replicate.

For those based in Kusadasi on a longer stay, multi-day gulet cruises along the Aegean coastline are possible, covering the waters between Kusadasi and Bodrum — a route that takes in ancient ruins, fishing villages, and some of the most pristine water in the Mediterranean. Kusadasi is also the departure point for day trips by ferry to the Greek island of Samos, just 1.8 kilometers away at the narrowest crossing — a short journey that opens up the possibility of combining two countries in a single day.