Blue Cruise Bays
Gocek Resort & Port ( Göcek ve Göcek Limanı )
Göcek is one of the ancient Lycian settlements
found between those of Fethiye and Caunos.
Regrettably there are only a few ruins remaining
from ancient Kalimche. The main settlement area
is unknown; therefore no further excavations
have been made to search further. Göcek is still
keeping its secrets, as historical writers have
not disclosed the region’s assets and history in
detail. Examples of rock tombs, monuments and
baths can be found in the bays and along the
Fethiye highway. There are also some ruins on
the Tersane islands belonging to both ancient
and recent history. One can well imagine the
Daidalos and Ikarus legends to be true for Göcek
if its geographical situation is examined.
The locations of the ancient cities of Krya,
Lisai and Lydai can be found on the Kapıdağ
peninsula that can be reached by boat. Boat
trips to these places operate regularly and
although the region has not been excavated
fully, several objects have recently been
recovered from these settlements.
Origin of the Gocek Name
The historical name of the
region is Daidala. Göcek was named when nomadic
people stopped and settled here. There are two
different theories as to how the name of Göcek
originated. Many local people will confirm these
variations.
The first version is Köçek.
Köçek means a male belly dancer dressed in
women’s clothing that danced with musical
instruments. A male belly dancer would be
employed for wedding ceremonies and for other
celebrations in this region. The male belly
dancers would entertain people from as far away
as Rhodes. This type of entertainment was used
for so long in this region that the village
became known as Köçekli (meaning ‘with male
belly dancers’) by the surrounding villages. The
villagers were so displeased with this name that
they stopped using male belly dancers for their
celebrations. The surrounding villages started
mocking the village name and for this reason the
name was changed to Göcek.
The second version is Göç
(meaning migration). The region’s people had a
nomadic life-style, they would move to the
plateau with due ceremony in the spring and
return back in the autumn. When the time came to
move they would discuss the number of people and
the date on which the move should take place.
Preparations would be made and, after
completion, they would contact each other the
day before the planned travel. In the dawn of
the morning the animals were loaded and the
villagers would say to each other “göçek”
(meaning it’s time to move from here) or “Göcek”
(meaning let us move from here).
This is the most probable origin
of the name and one that local inhabitants
believe to be more likely. The important point
is that by its very nature the name Göcek
describes the facts of its historical
association.
Blue Cruise Bays, Marmaris Bay and Marmaris Port, Bodrum Bay and Bodrum Bay, Fethiye Bay and Fethiye Port, Datca Bay and Datca Port, Gocek Bay and Gocek Port, Dalyan, Bozburun Bay, Sogut Bay, Hisaronu 