The island of Gokceada, the biggest of all Turkey's Aegean islands, is located west off the port of Kabatepe on Gelibolu Peninsula, and about two hours away by ferry from Turkey's mainlands. There are regular scheuled ferries to Gokceada from Kabatepe throughout the year, although the sailings in winter are much less frequent (only three times a week) and are often hampered by rough seas. During the summer months from May to September, there are several sailings per day from Kabatepe, which enable tourists from mainland Turkey to visit this unique Aegean island where ethnic Greeks and Turks still live together side by side in the same settlements.
The best time to visit the island is actually in May-June, as the weather is sunny and pleasant, not as scorching hot as it often is during the summer months. Gokceada has some of the best beaches one could find in Turkey, with virtually no crowd, lots of natural white sands, and an abundance of nature and wildlife seen only on this island. For those arriving from Istanbul or Izmir by bus, get off at the harbour of Eceabat and wait for the mini-buses (see photo below) at the fountain next to the local tea house. The mini-buses, whose departure time from Eceabat is coordinated with the sailing schedule of the passenger and car ferry from Kabatepe to Gokceada, would take you virtually straight to the ferry waiting in the harbour of Kabatepe.
Gokceada, also known by its Greek name of Imbros, has been on my list of 'must-see' places in Turkey because it is a place of great historical significance, at least for someone like me who is interested in the history of Greco-Turkish relations in the 20th century. Gokceada, alongside its smaller sister island of Bozcaada (Tenedos) and the province of Thrace, are among the few places within the boundary of modern Turkey whose ethnic Greek inhabitants were exempted from the compulsory popuation exchange that affected more than one million people in the aftermath of Greece's defeat in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.
Even before the island came under Greek administrations in 1912 on the eve of the Balkan Wars, the population on Gokceada was already overwhelmingly Greek. Due to their strategic locations at the entrance to the Straits of Dardanelles, both Gokceada and Bozcaada were returned to Turkey at the end of the Balkan Wars at the insistence of the western powers. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in WWI, the political ownership of the islands was scheduled to revert to Greece once more, but before the change could be effected, the newy proclaimed Turkish Republic refused to recognise the treaty signed by their Ottoman predecessors and waged war on the advancing Greek armies instead. With the retreat of the Greek armies from Anatolia and the Aegean coast, both Gokceada and Bozcaada remained under Turkish control.
Although the rights of the ethnic Greek minorities living in post-1923 Turkey were supposed to be respected, in reality successive Turkish governments had carried out a systematic policy of Turkification on these two islands, mostly by means of state-sponsored resettlement of ethnic Turks from other parts of Turkey to these islands. As a result of the continuous influx of ethnic Turks and the emigration of local Greeks to western Europe, Greece, the US and Australia, nowadays the ethnic Greeks of Gokceada have become the minority in their ancestral homeland.
The ferries from Kabatepe to Gokceada arrive at the so-called Kuzulimani, a huge harbour next to some sandy beaches and a small settlement. Regular local mini-bus departs from the entrance to the harbour to Cinarli, the main town on the island of Gokceada. From there one can change onto connecting mini-buses to other towns and villages on the island. Prior to boarding the ferry at the harbour of Kabatepe, first buy your ticket from the kiosk at the harbour before proceeding to board the ferry. Take some refreshments and food with you as the journey to Gokceada is about two hours and the snack bar on the ferry is a bit pricy. During the summer, the ferries are often full of Turkish tourists going to the island for a weekend retreat. Although there is no need to book your tickets in advance, it is advisable to take a seat inside the crowded air-conditioned lounge, otherwise one would have to stand under the burning sun on the deck for the duration of the journey as there is no seatings with covered roof on the ferry deck.
As the ferry approached the island, the first thing that came into sight was the rugged, hilly landscape and secluded sandy coves similar to the Greek island of Limnos. It was a pity I was in a hurry, and all I could do during the three hours 'hit and run' stay on the island was to walk around the town of Cinarli, took some photos, had something to eat in the local restaurant, before getting on the bus to the harbour to catch the ferry back to Kabatepe. It is advisable to have at least two full days on this island as there are several scenic villages with vineyards, olive groove, stunning beaches and old Greek stone mansions worth exploring.
As the total population on the island of Gokceada is less than 9000, and less than 600 people live in Cinarli, there are only two or three main streets in town, plus a couple of shops and supermarkets selling essential goods. In the centre of the village, next to the traffic roundabout is the bus stop for mini-buses to other villages on the island. There is also a tourist information centre next to the bus stop where visitors can obtain maps and information free of charge.
While wandering around the place I saw a Greek Orthodox church in the centre of Cinarli. The style of traditional houses in Cinarli consist largely of Greek stone houses typical of the Aegean region, although I must say the Greek houses on the island of Bozcaada look by far so much more appealing and attractive than those on Gokceada. While many old Greek mansions and houses in the main town on Bozcaada have been converted into exclusive and expensive boutique hotels catering to the affluent tourists, most hotels (with the exception of one) I find in Cinarli are looking like simple family pensions without much flaire or atmosphere. It is a pity really, as there are so many traditional Greek farmhouses which, if properly restored, have great potential to attract the kind of discerning clientele that are flocking to Bozcaada and Alacati.
Copyrights@2012. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
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