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We’re very happy to welcome Kevin Meyer & Diane Shenk to lead Circle Dancing onboard gulet East Meets West.As if gulet cruising along this beautiful coastline weren’t enough; you get to dance on deck with the feel of teak beneath your feet, amongst ancient ruins and maybe in the garden of a once nomadic family. We’ll take short walks in forests of pine with stunning coastal views and simply be immersed in nature.
One of the joys of this trip are the unplanned surprises. On an earlier trip it was happenstance that took us to the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre just as a class of schoolchildren were already dancing; of course their teachers immediately asked us to join in and were thrilled to discover tutor Anne Parry had already taught a Turkish dance “Damat Halayı” which we danced together. Who knows what little bit of magic may happen with Kevin and Diane.
| Type of boat: | Cabin with ensuite bathroom on comfort plus gulet East Meets West for 7 nights/8 days. |
| Full Board: | Turkish Breakfast, Cooked Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Biscuits, Cooked Dinner starting with dinner on day 1; finishing with breakfast on day 8. |
| Embarkation: | Marmaris or Fethiye or Bozburun depending upon actual itinerary |
| Disembarkation: | Marmaris or Fethiye or Bozburun depending upon actual itinerary |
| Optional excursions | Turkish Hamam |
| 27 Sept – 4 Oct 2025 | 1700 USD per person sharing a cabin |
| Deposit | 300 USD due at time of booking |
| Interim | 400 USD due 28 February 2025 |
| Balance | due 30 June 2025 |
Full Board
We have a very good reputation for our food which is cooked using fresh, locally grown vegetables; our olives, honey, fish and meat are locally sourced from truly organic smallholders.
Vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free are available but please advise before the holiday to help us with our provisioning. We may not be able to provide your food choices if you advise us on arrival.
Cabin: 7 nights in a twin or double cabin with ensuite private bathroom
Riverboat Cruise: relaxing cruise meandering through reedbeds on the Dalyan river, past ancient tombs high on the hillside, take a dip in thermal waters
Diesel: 3-4 hours cruising per day
Harbour Fees ,
Crew: food and wages
Flights: Please book your own flights. Dalaman is the local airport.
Turkish Bath: book onboard.
Drinks: there is a reasonably priced bar onboard stocked with water, soft and alcoholic drinks including beer, wine and spirits. Please do not bring your own drinks onboard.
Tips for the Crew. Tips are optional and discretionary – but if you have enjoyed your holiday a suggested recommendation is 60USD per traveller for the week
Port Fees 60 USD pp payable on arrival onboard
Travel Insurance: please remember to arrange your own travel insurance and provide a copy to the Captain on arrival.
You will need to book your own flights to/from Dalaman airport. If booking from the UK please check that your booking is ATOL protected and that you pay by credit card.
If you wanted to island hop you could take an hour long ferry journey between Rhodes and Marmaris or Fethiye.
We will arrange transfers between Dalaman airport and the gulet. We will co-ordinate your flight timings so that you can share the transfer wherever possible so reducing the cost for you.
| Dalaman to/from Marmaris one-way | 105USD |
| Dalaman to/from Fethiye one-way | 95 USD |
| Price is for the vehicle | |
| Private Transfer (5-14 pax) | |
| Dalaman to/from Marmaris one way | 110USD |
| Price is for the vehicle | |
| Shuttle service: | |
| Dalaman to/from Marmaris one-way | 45USD per person |
If your flights arrive outside the time of the group transfer we recommend that travellers book their transfers directly with us because occasionally the start/finish ports can change at the last minute due to weather conditions. If transfers are booked with us it is easy for us to ensure travellers are delivered to the correct port.
Our flexible itinerary will allow for at least one dancing session each day and plenty of time to relax, swim, enjoy the company of others or take time out for yourself.
Overview Marmaris – Fethiye*
Day 1 Arrive in Marmaris. Join the gulet and settle into your cabin before dinner. The Turkish kitchen is very diverse and these meal choices are described to give you an idea of the variety of foods prepared for you
Day 2 After having your Turkish breakfast onboard we take a short cruise across the bay for your first opportunity to dance. Dinner of Sea Bass, Aubergine meze, Purslane and Yoghurt salad, Green salad
Day 3 An opportunity to join a riverboat cruise for the afternoon, meandering through reedbeds, past ancient Lycian tombs created more than 3000 years ago, even bathe in a thermal pool. Alternatively, stay onboard for the afternoon to relax, rest or read your book.
Day 4 An early cruise sees us in another turquoise bay where you can dance overlooked by the sunken ruins of Cleopatra’s Bath. Delicious lunch of Green Peppers stuffed with rice and tomatoes, Courgette and Aubergine Salad served with yoghurt
Day 5 Overlooked by Lycian tombs, dance in the atmospheric bay of Bedri Rahmi; hike along a coastal path with fabulous views of the Gocek Islands (2-3 hours) Delicious lunch of Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
Day 6 Plenty of opportunity to swim and snorkel or just relax as we cruise from one bay to another; dancing when the mood takes us. Dinner of Dalyan Kofte , Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Yoghurt, Broad Bean Salad
Day 7 A day of cruising, singing and relaxation. Healthy lunch of Chickpeas and Lamb in a fresh Tomato sauce, bulgur wheat and salad
Day 8 Say your goodbyes to the Captain and crew after breakfast.
Note
*This itinerary is flexible and open to change.
*The specific itinerary will be decided much nearer the time running between Marmaris and Fethiye or Marmaris and Bozburun in either direction. All of these ports have easy access to Dalaman airport.
*Air-conditioning can be available for 3 to 4 hours daily in summer months. The use of A/C in harbours is strictly forbidden.
Depending on sea and weather conditions, Meridian Travels & Yachting reserves the right to make necessary changes to the tour itinerary to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. The Captain’s decision is final.
Dancing
Kevin Meyer and Diane Shenk host community circle dance gatherings and workshops in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
” We love to bring people together to connect with each other, themselves, the Earth, and other peoples and cultures through the experience of sharing beautiful dances and music from all around the world.
We also absolutely love to travel and sail, especially along the crystalline blue waters of the Mediterranean, while tasting gorgeous local foods. On this trip we will have the opportunity to weave together some of our very favorite things into a very rich tapestry!
Dancing onboard this handcrafted gulet is a rare treat indeed and we’re sure it will cause us some interesting challenges; so like you we will have an open-mind and look forward to all and any possibilities to dance. We recently had the advantage of meeting Dianne who travelled all the way from Australia twice to circle dance on this very same boat. Who knows, you may even meet her on this trip.
Take a look at how we do what we do. We would love to welcome you onboard.
East Tennessee Sacred Circle Dance: www.InTheDance.com
On YouTube, with videos of some of our Knoxville dance gatherings and a mix of circle dance teaching videos: http://www.youtube.com/@kemilmeyer
Our local circle dance group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/182690433572426/ “
Those who would like to walk can join us once or twice during the cruise; pine forests and olive groves invariably invite us to connect with Mother Nature, perhaps giving us the opportunity to dance in a clearing in the forest, being aware of dappled shade, the sound of birdsong perhaps waves gently lapping against the shore.
We will be walking along forest and goat trails which are rocky, stony and uneven – this isn’t a hiking or walking holiday but rather these trails give us the opportunity to find space in nature, whether that’s under the canopy of the pine forest, in an olive grove or at the water’s turquoise edge. Space where we can gather in circle to dance, reflect and feel gratitude for Earth.
Probably not everyone will choose to walk but if you decide to come you will need to wear appropriate footwear such as hiking boots/shoes/sandals (trainers/sneakers or regular shoes are not robust enough)
You will need a reasonable level of fitness to participate in optional hikes and will need to bring a small backpack, suitable footwear (with/without ankle support), and you will find hiking poles are very useful. Bring a refillable, reusable container for water.
This trip is designed to be gentle but if you want to comfortably participate in all activities then you should be able to walk on uneven surfaces in nature and be able to join us when we transfer to the shore in the dinghy. However, it is absolutely possible to have the most wonderful experience without doing any of those things.
Your home for the week will be East Meets West, a 100 foot wooden yacht known as a gulet (pronounced a little bit like gullet and a little bit like goolet!). She is handcrafted in mahogany, iroko, teak and ash. Cabins are smaller than you’d expect in a hotel but larger than on a sailing yacht, have a small wardrobe with storage under the bed for luggage. Every cabin has a private en-suite bathroom with toilet, hand basin and shower; hot water is available in the evenings. A bath towel, hand towel and a beach towel are provided.
With plenty of sunbeds on the fore and aft decks choose how to relax; sunbathing, reading, chatting or perhaps you’ll even sleep here under the stars. Meals are usually taken on the aft deck where you have a different view for almost every meal.
We create an area to dance by moving the tables and chairs to create your very own teak dancefloor!
