Ayten Bay

Ayten Bay lies a few kilometres from the centre of Göcek, the yacht-charter town on Turkey's southwest coast that forms part of Fethiye district in Muğla province. Reachable by a short drive or by boat, it sits on the shore of the wider inlet toward the Kapıdağ peninsula, where the stretch closer to Göcek is known as Poruklu (or Porsuklu) Bay and the outer curve carries the name Ayten.

Pine forest runs down almost to the waterline, giving the bay natural shade and a backdrop that has made it a favourite stop for yachts cruising the Göcek area. The shore is stony rather than sandy and the water is clear and calm; local accounts describe a small spring feeding the bay year-round, which has long made it popular with residents as well as sailors. Unlike some of Göcek's more developed anchorages, Ayten Bay has no permanent cafés or facilities, which keeps it quiet even in the busier summer months.

Its seclusion and easy access from the water make it a natural stop on the wider cruising grounds of the region: the bay is best reached during a Fethiye gulet cruise, when boats moving between Göcek's islands and bays can anchor here for a swim in relative privacy.