Suluada Island: Antalya's Uninhabited Turquoise Detour

Suluada is a small volcanic island off Adrasan, an hour or so down the coast from Antalya, and it has earned its nickname of the Turkish Maldives honestly. Dark rock, two pale sand beaches, and water so clear across the shallows that anchored boats appear to hover rather than float.

Nobody lives there. No jetty, no kiosk, no beach bar, no sound system — which is precisely the appeal on a coastline that rarely offers silence. Boats anchor offshore and guests swim or tender in. The absence of facilities is the reason the water still looks like this, so the etiquette is simple: everything you carry ashore leaves with you again.

Departure is from Adrasan bay, a working fishing harbour tucked between the pine slopes of the Beydaglari. The route out passes cliffs, sea caves and small coves that no road reaches, with swim stops along the way. Lunch is included, water is provided, and a guide travels with the group. Hotel pickup and drop-off are arranged, so the drive down through the mountains becomes part of the trip rather than a problem to solve.

The water off the beaches shelves gently and stays warm from June into October. Further out it drops away fast and cools noticeably, which is excellent for snorkelling over the rock shelves and worth respecting if you swim past the anchored boats. Visibility is usually superb, and the fish are entirely used to company.

Take reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a long-sleeved layer: there is no natural shade on the sand and the glare off water and pale rock doubles your exposure. Water shoes help on the pebblier entries. If you are prone to seasickness, take something before departure rather than after symptoms start, and sit mid-boat. Carry a little cash for the harbour, not for the island — there is nothing there to buy, which is the entire point.