Malachite Kingdom: Green Canyon Boat Tour from Side in Turkey

Welcome to the Malachite Kingdom Green Canyon! Enjoy a full-day boat trip with breathtaking mountain views, swimming in cool emerald waters and fun fishing. Unlimited drinks and delicious lunch included. The best nature escape from Side!

Highlights:

• Boat cruise: Enjoy the views while sailing on the mountain lake
• Swimming: Dive into the cool malachite waters
• Fishing: Try to catch fish in the mountain river

Included:

• Unlimited drinks on the yacht: cola, Fanta, water, ayran, juice, tea, coffee, etc.
• Lunch (fish/meatballs/chicken, rice, salad)
• Round-trip transfer from your accommodation
• Yacht cruise through Green Canyon
• Services of an English/Russian-speaking group coordinator on the yacht
• Fishing equipment: fishing rod

Not Included:

• Personal expenses, Ice cream
• Photos and souvenirs
• Drinks at the restaurant during lunch

Please note: Child price for 4-7 years old.

• Distance from Side to the Canyon - 40 km
• This is a sightseeing boat tour of the canyon. It does not include a professional historical guide. There is a group coordinator on the boat who manages the group regarding meals, schedule, solves any issues, and gives brief information about the places you visit.

When you think about adventures in Turkey, the impressive Green Canyon definitely deserves the first place on your list. Located near Side, this wonderful tour offers a unique experience.

Tour Program:

08:30-09:30 Group transfer from your accommodation

10:30 Arrival at Green Canyon port. Boarding the boats

11:45 Cruise on the Small Canyon + swimming stop

13:00 Lunch stop on the shore of Green Canyon

13:30 Cruise on the Big Canyon + swimming stop

15:00 Return to Green Canyon port

15:30 Boarding the transfers, departure from the canyon

16:00-16:30 Arrival back to your accommodation

Green Canyon Turkey Boat Tour from Side Through Malachite Kingdom

This Green Canyon tour delivers genuine natural beauty just 40 km from Side. You cruise along Oymapınar Reservoir, a mountain lake formed in the 1980s when the Oymapınar Dam flooded the original river canyon, with emerald green water so vivid it almost looks unreal. The boat trip glides between steep forested cliffs, stops for swimming in refreshing malachite-colored pools, and hands you fishing rods if you feel like trying your luck. Lunch on the shore brings fresh fish, meatballs, or chicken with rice and salad. Unlimited drinks flow throughout the day. This Green Canyon boat tour remains one of Turkey's most scenic and relaxing nature escapes available.

Tips for a Smooth Green Canyon Tour from Side

A little preparation makes this day effortlessly enjoyable:

• Pickup transfer starts between 8:30 and 9:30 AM, the drive from Side covers just 40 km
• Bring swimwear, towel, and flip-flops, the tour includes two proper swimming stops
• Pack sunscreen and sunglasses, reflections off the green water amplify sunlight significantly
• Wear layered clothing, canyon walls create cool breezes even during peak summer heat
• Bring cash for ice cream, souvenirs, or extra drinks outside the included lunch spread
• April through October offers the warmest water temperatures for swimming in the canyon

Plan smartly and the tour delivers pure peace from start to finish.

More Facts About This Experience

Green Canyon's reservoir is genuinely unique. The Oymapınar Dam, completed in 1984, flooded the original river canyon and created this 100-meter-deep lake with its signature emerald color caused by mineral content and surrounding limestone cliffs. The James Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999) used similar Turkish canyon landscapes for visual inspiration, and the hit Turkish series Kuruluş Osman has filmed in nearby Manavgat nature areas. Turkish music videos regularly feature these waters. On TikTok and Instagram, Green Canyon boat trip footage consistently racks up millions of views, making this one of Turkey's most recognized natural destinations globally every year.

Complementary Activities Near Side

After your relaxing canyon day, Side offers plenty more excitement. Spending a day swimming alongside real marine creatures inside a massive aquarium pool complex delivers something genuinely unusual, kids and adults both love it. For adrenaline, white water rafting down the Köprülü River brings wild contrast to the calm Green Canyon cruise. And catching a dolphin show in the area wraps everything up with a family-friendly afternoon, making these complementary activities ideal pairings alongside canyon safari tours.

Who Will Enjoy This Green Canyon Tour

Couples seeking scenic calm, families with kids, and groups of friends wanting a relaxed lunch on the water genuinely love this experience. Solo travelers appreciate the easy atmosphere. Nature lovers and photographers find plenty of inspiration across every cove and cliff throughout the day.