I was the only solo traveller on a cruise along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast – this is how I found it

Travelling alone comes with certain assumptions; you'll eat by yourself, you'll be the odd one out, everyone else will already have their person while you're left hovering awkwardly on the edge of conversations.

Those assumptions felt particularly relevant as I stepped aboard Notus, a traditional wooden Turkish gulet that would be my home for the next week, taking me along the Gulf of Gökova. There was no fixed itinerary, I only knew I’d start and finish the journey in Bodrum.

Carrying a maximum of 12 guests in seven en suite cabins – and crewed by a captain, chef and sailors – the ship was large enough to provide privacy, yet small enough that everyone would quickly learn each other's names. There were nine of us in total. I was the only solo traveller.

On paper, it was the type of set-up that those travelling without a companion would be warned about. Plus, on a vessel this size, there was little room for social anonymity; if our group didn't gel, we'd all know about it soon enough.

As it turned out, I needn't have worried.

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Dinner on the first evening brought everyone together around the aft deck communal table – where we’d take all our meals, as the sun disappeared behind the hills surrounding Bodrum. Plates of spring rolls, creamy mushroom salad, quinoa, warm chicken stew and rice emerged from the galley, followed by vanilla and chocolate ice cream.

Conversation flowed easily, helped perhaps by glasses of wine that seemed to replenish themselves whenever nobody was looking. By the end of the evening, the fact I’d arrived alone already felt far less significant than it had a few hours earlier.

That easy atmosphere remained throughout the week. Although I was the only solo traveller on board, the group dynamic never felt cliquey. Shared meals, swim stops and shore visits encouraged people to mix naturally, while the layout of the gulet offered plenty of opportunities to step away when you wanted a little space.

Some passengers gravitated towards the cushions at the bow, while I generally preferred the shaded stern where it was easy to read, watch the coastline drift past, and fall into conversation with whoever happened to be nearby. Because everyone else had arrived with companions, I'd expected to feel like an outsider. Instead, the voyage seemed to dissolve those invisible boundaries surprisingly quickly.

Having my own cabin with a wet room helped. Compact but comfortable, it provided a private retreat whenever I wanted one, although I spent surprisingly little time there. Most life happened outdoors, whether while lingering over coffees, shared meals around the aft deck table or conversations that drifted from travel and family to whatever stretch of coastline happened to be sliding past at that particular moment.

Life on board quickly settled into a rhythm. Breakfast was usually served around 9am, although weather occasionally dictated an earlier departure. One morning, the gulet slipped away at 6.30am before breakfast, puttering through calm water while the coastline emerged from the dawn light – and once in open water, there was the chance to hoist the sails for some proper sailing time.

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Travelling in May also meant cooler evenings than many people might expect from Turkey. I was grateful for the duvet, extra blanket and the pair of socks I'd packed for nights at anchor.

For me, the voyage was appealing because of the lack of a fixed itinerary. Beyond knowing we'd spend the week exploring the Gulf of Gökova before eventually returning towards Bodrum, there were very few guarantees. The captain adjusted plans according to weather conditions, sailing opportunities and local knowledge. Some travellers may find that frustrating. If you're the sort of traveller who likes laminated itineraries, colour-coded schedules and knowing exactly where you'll be from one day to the next, this probably isn't the voyage for you.

There are no guaranteed village markets, archaeological sites or specific anchorages because the route evolves throughout the week. Yet that unpredictability is also part of the appeal. Rather than rushing between predetermined attractions, the voyage encourages a slower approach, allowing the coast to reveal itself gradually.

That became apparent at Molla İbrahim Koyu. Swimming away from the boat on our first full day, I turned around and saw Notus properly for the first time. In Bodrum Harbour the ship had been squeezed between larger vessels and barely registered. Seen from the water, framed by pine-covered hills and startlingly clear sea, the varnished wooden hull and twin masts revealed itself exactly as a Turkish gulet should.

From there, the coast unfolded gradually. Seven Islands Bay brought long, lazy swims in crystal-clear water, while Sweet Water Harbour delivered the sort of turquoise and emerald colours that look almost unreal.

On the third day, English Harbour, named after British naval activity during the Second World War, became one of my favourite overnight stops. Surrounded by pine-covered hills and accessible only by boat, it felt entirely removed from the outside world. One afternoon, tea and biscuits appeared on deck in honour of its English connection, an unexpected touch that somehow felt entirely in keeping with the spirit of the voyage.

Meals punctuated the days in much the same way as swim stops. Freshly grilled fish, stuffed vegetables, salads and local dishes appeared in generous succession, while the crew remained both attentive and unobtrusive.

The sea itself dictated much of daily life. Whenever conditions allowed, the crew raised the sails. Watching them work was fascinating enough, ropes tightening and canvas unfurling overhead, but it was the atmosphere afterwards that stayed with me. As the engine fell silent and the sails filled with wind, the boat seemed to exhale. The sound of water against the hull and wind moving through canvas replaced mechanical noise. Conversations softened. Books closed. For a few moments, we simply sat and listened, a feeling less like travelling through the landscape and more like becoming part of it.

The voyage wasn't entirely spent at sea. At Cleopatra Island, famous for its beach and archaeological remains, we dispersed to explore. Some wandered off together while others explored independently. Travelling alone meant I could linger where I wanted, whether that meant examining ruins, photographing the coastline or simply sitting quietly and taking in the view.

The same was true at Kissebükü, where the remains of the ancient city of Anastasiapolis emerge from the trees overlooking a sheltered bay. One moment I found myself discussing Byzantine church walls with fellow passengers; the next I was wandering alone and appreciating them before a cooling dip in the sea from the ship.

By the time we returned to Bodrum at the end of the week, I realised the voyage had delivered something increasingly difficult to find in modern travel: permission to slow down. Without a fixed itinerary, there was no temptation to rush towards the next attraction or worry about what came tomorrow. Instead, the wind, weather and sea dictated the rhythm of each day, encouraging us all to focus on and enjoy the here and now rather than anticipate where we were going next.

Rebecca was a guest of Sailing Cruises in Comfort

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How to do it

SCIC Sailing (Sailing Cruises in Comfort) operates week-long shared voyages along Turkey's Turquoise Coast between May and October, aboard traditional wooden vessels including Notus and Nemesis. Prices range from £758 to £1,029 per person depending on the season. Solo travellers pay a £302 single-cabin supplement (sleeping in the same size cabin category as couples). Meals and drinks – including breakfast, lunch, five dinners, and wine, beer, spirits, tea, coffee and soft drinks – cost £518 per person. A £39 reservation fee per party also applies.

Flights, transfers, two dinners ashore and optional excursions are not included in this price. Transfers can be arranged at an additional cost.

EasyJet and Jet2 operate direct flights from major UK airports to Bodrum.