Cruises in Antalya

Sea trips from Antalya start in the Roman harbour beneath the old town's cliff. Excursion boats run along the rock face to the lower Düden waterfall — a case where the sight exists only from the water: the river drops off a twenty-metre wall straight into the sea, and no vantage point on land gives that angle. Further along the route Konyaaltı beach opens up, with the Taurus slopes rising immediately behind the city limits.

The second direction is not the sea but a reservoir. The Green Canyon on Oymapınar lies a couple of hours east: the boat moves slowly between wooded slopes, stops two or three times for swimming, and the water stays cold even in July because the basin is deep. Such programmes nearly always include lunch on board and soft drinks, and the day goes entirely, with hotel transfer both ways.

Full-day yacht trips are sold separately, taking in several bays with long swimming stops. What separates the offers: the size of the boat and the number of people on deck, whether alcohol is covered, how many swim stops are made. Practical notes: there is little shade on the upper deck, so bring a hat and sun cream; evening sailings are cooler than they look from shore, so pack something with long sleeves. The season holds from April to late October.