Boat Trips from Alanya & Side

On the sea: castle, caves and swim stops

The classic sea day from Alanya is the pirate boat cruise: six hours from the city harbour, past the Red Tower and the sea caves of the castle peninsula, with lunch on board and a foam party. The Legend Big Kral visits the same caves on a much bigger scale – 67 metres, six decks and nine hours, departing from Türkler harbour. Staying in Avsallar, Incekum or Okurcalar? The Avsallar boat day leaves close to your hotel and spends its time in calm bays to the west.

Quieter days and special interests

For something calmer, the fishing trip puts a rod in your hand for a morning at sea, and the scuba diving day takes beginners and certified divers on two boat dives. Groups who want the deck to themselves can hire a private boat with captain for four hours. Further afield, the Kekova tour ends with a boat ride over the sunken town and past Simena castle.

Lake and river instead of the sea

Inland, the Green Canyon cruise spends a whole day on the emerald reservoir behind the Oymapınar Dam, while the Green Canyon jeep safari combines off-road tracks with an hour on the same water. On Mondays and Thursdays the Manavgat river cruise drifts down to the sea and finishes at the weekly bazaar.

Before you go

Swimwear, a towel and sun cream are all you really need; lunch is included on most boat days, and each tour page says what costs extra on board. Wind and waves can change the order of the stops, so treat the timetable as a plan rather than a promise.