Sports in Alanya

Alanya's active programme rests on two rivers and one bay. Rafting runs down the Köprüçay inside Köprülü Canyon National Park, about an hour and a half west: the descent is built for beginners, the rapids are grade two and three, and the water stays cold all year because the river is fed by karst springs. Diving takes place off the Alanya peninsula itself, where the bottom shelves gently, grottoes open at the base of the cliffs and visibility holds up, with try-dives available to anyone without a certificate.

The third strand is the zipline over Tazı Canyon, a cable strung across the gorge with a drop of several hundred metres underneath. It is nearly always sold together with rafting: the river first, the flight afterwards, lunch in between. Alanya counts such bundles as two, three or even five activities in one day, adding buggy, cabrio safari and canyoning; the time saved is real, but each element gets roughly an hour.

Practical notes. Rafting provides helmet, vest and paddle; bring a change of clothes and shoes that will not come off your feet, and either leave phones in the car or use a sealed pouch. The usual minimum age on the river is seven, while ziplines go by weight rather than age. Dive centres work from April to November and the water warms up around June. Almost every programme includes hotel pick-up and takes the full day.