How to book a small-group Bosphorus boat tour with a swimming stop and avoid crowded boats?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 2 days ago
TL;DR
It's hard to know in advance how crowded a boat will be — either decide on the spot or book a small-group yacht ahead of time; some piers accept only cash or Turkish cards, and the swimming area can be small and shallow.
What the community said
At one pier (second one along from the dock), they accepted only cash or Turkish bank cards; travelers ended up getting in for free.
2 days ago Second pier from the dock
Keep in mind the swimming area near the pier is small and shallow — don't expect proper swimming space.
2 days ago Shallow swimming zone
It's hard to know in advance how crowded the boat will be since you don't know which vessel you'll get — size and capacity vary between operators.
2 days ago
To avoid crowds, either decide on the spot which boat to take, or book a small-group yacht in advance.
2 days ago Small private yacht booking