A Day on the Water: Antalya Boat Trips and the Sunken City of Kekova

The stretch of coast around Antalya is called the Turquoise Coast for a reason, and the colour of that water is best appreciated not from a beach but from a boat on it. A day at sea is one of the most rewarding things you can do here, and it comes in a range of forms — from a relaxed local bay-hopping trip to the extraordinary sunken city of Kekova further along the coast. Here is how to think about a day on the water.

The most accessible option is a straightforward boat day from a local harbour: cruising the coastline, stopping in quiet coves to swim in impossibly clear water, and lunching on board. These trips are relaxed and social, ideal for families and for anyone who just wants sun, sea and a change from the hotel pool. You do not need to travel far — boats run from harbours near the main resorts — and it is the easiest way to trade the beach for the open water for a day.

Further west along the coast, near the villages of Kaş and Demre, lies Kekova, and it is something special. Along the shore of the island and the little settlement of Kaleköy (ancient Simena), the ruins of an ancient town slipped beneath the water after earthquakes centuries ago. On a boat, often one with a glass bottom, you glide over submerged staircases, walls and foundations lying just below the surface — a genuinely haunting sight. Above the water, a Byzantine castle crowns the village. Kekova is one of the most atmospheric places on the whole coast.

The key thing to understand is that a local bay-hopping trip and a Kekova day are quite different in scale. A bay day starts from a nearby harbour and is easy. Kekova is much further along the coast toward Kaş, so it involves a longer drive to the departure point — a full day with real travel at each end. Both are worth doing; just plan the Kekova day knowing it is a bigger commitment, ideally with a comfortable private transfer to and from the harbour so the road part is easy.

The boat is only half of a sea day — you still have to get to and from the departure harbour, sometimes some distance from your resort, at fixed boarding times. A private transfer takes the stress out of that: a driver who knows the harbour, gets you there in comfort and on time for boarding, and is waiting when you step off the boat sun-tired at the end of the day. For the longer Kekova trip especially, that door-to-harbour comfort is what keeps the day relaxing rather than logistical.

• Bring sun protection, a hat and water — a day on open water is deceptively strong sun.
• Check what is included — meals, swimming stops and the boat type vary a lot between trips.
• For Kekova, choose a glass-bottom boat if seeing the sunken ruins clearly matters to you.
• Plan the harbour transfer around the boat's boarding time, with margin, so you are never rushing at the quay.

Whether it is a laid-back local bay-hopping day or the unforgettable sunken city of Kekova, a day on the water is the best way to experience the Turquoise Coast. Match the trip to your appetite for travel — bay day for easy, Kekova for special — and let a private transfer handle the harbour run, so all you have to do is enjoy the sea.