Atakoy Marina – Atakoy

Atakoy Marina is a particularly special marina for many reasons. Not only does it boast an especially pleasant location - near to Istanbul but removed from the bustle of the town, it is also the first and only marina in Turkey and one of 16 worldwide to have been awarded Five Golden Anchors by the international Yacht Harbour Association.

Situated on the coast of Istanbul at the southern end of the Bosphorus Straits, this private marina is close to the city centre and only eight kilometres from international Ataturk Airport. The marina has seven pontoons of 150 metres, with jetties providing 700 berths, all protected by a 780 metre length breakwater.

All maintenance and reparation services are available on site with a 70 tonne travel lift on hand for works purposes or simply for docking. A mobile ten tonne lift is also offered. Other services include diving and diver tube filling. Each yacht can be connected on arrival to electricity, water, telephone and satellite television, while internet connection is available free from reception.

The marina will take care of all your domestic needs, with laundry and ironing services provided and toilets and showers available. Any communications requirements can be handled by reception, which also issues a daily weather forecast. 

Visitors are well-entertained during their leisure time, as the marina offers many attractions. There is a large outdoor pool for swimming and sunbathing, with a children's playground for the kids. If you need a work out, you can make use of the fitness centre and sauna, or have a game of tennis, volleyball or basketball on the marina courts.

The assets Atakoy Marina is most proud of, however, are its yacht club, sailing school and diving school. The Atakoy marina Yacht Club is one of the country's most prominent and has been the organiser of the Black Sea Yacht Rally at least four times. The purpose of the events was to encourage integration with neighbouring states such as Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia and in 2001, 52 yachts cruised along part of the Danube - making sailing history.

The yacht club has a sailing school open to all children between the ages of seven and 15. It offers a 25-day sailing course during the summer holidays, where young budding sailors are taught the essentials. These include basic navigation and sailing, general nautical terminology, tacking and jibbing, definition of wind - its formation and effects safety, as well as rescue on the water.

The diving course is open to all who wish to explore the wonderful submarine world of Turkey's turquoise seas. The club provides a range of diving courses from entry-level scuba diving to 2 star diver training and is accredited by the World Underwater Federation - CMAS - and its local affiliated Turkish Underwater Sports, Rescue, Water-ski and Fins Swimming Federation - SCSPF. It is certainly an opportunity not to be missed.