The best beaches on the Turkish Riviera

The coast from Dalyan to Alanya has beaches for every taste: long sandy strands where small children can paddle for hours, pebbly coves with water so clear you can see the bottom at five metres, and wild protected beaches where sea turtles nest. Here are the 12 we think are worth planning a day around, from west to east, with what each is really like and who it suits.

The best beaches at a glance

Click a beach name for the guide to that area. The last column shows the drive from the nearest airport.

Drive times are from the airport shown for each beach: Kaputaş, Patara, Ölüdeniz and İztuzu from Dalaman, Cleopatra Beach from Gazipaşa, the rest from Antalya.

The beaches

İztuzu, Dalyan

İztuzu is a 4.5 km sand spit with the Dalyan delta on one side and the open sea on the other. There are no buildings on the beach, only a few simple facilities at the ends, and the sand is soft and shallow, so it suits children well. Most people arrive by river boat from Dalyan, which is half the fun. It is a protected loggerhead turtle nesting beach and closes at night in summer. More in our Dalyan guide.

Ölüdeniz and Belcekız

The lagoon at Ölüdeniz is the picture on half the postcards of Türkiye: a sheltered arm of turquoise water edged with pines. The lagoon is part of a nature park with a small entry fee and is very calm; the long public beach next to it, Belcekız, is free, with paragliders landing on the shingle all day. Both are pebbly, so bring water shoes. See the Ölüdeniz guide.

Patara

Patara is one of the longest beaches in Türkiye, around 18 km of sand and dunes with nothing built on it. You reach it through the ruins of the ancient Lycian city, and the site ticket covers the beach. There is little shade and the open sea can bring waves in the afternoon, so go in the morning with an umbrella and plenty of water. It is also a turtle nesting beach. Stay nearby in Kalkan or the village of Gelemiş.

Kaputaş

Kaputaş is a small cove where a gorge meets the sea between Kaş and Kalkan, famous for its almost unreal blue colour. Around 180 steps lead down from the coast road. The beach is fine pebble and sand, the water deepens quickly and is very clear, and in high summer it fills up by late morning, so arrive early or late in the afternoon. Shade is limited to rented umbrellas. See the Kaş guide.

Adrasan

Adrasan is a quiet bay south of Olympos, with a beach of sand and pebbles, calm water and forested mountains all around. Small hotels and pensions line the back of the beach, and boats leave from here for the coves and islands of the area. Nearer Kemer, the three small coves of ancient Phaselis are another lovely swimming spot, with an entry ticket for the site. More in the Olympos, Çıralı and Adrasan guide.

Çıralı

Çıralı is a 3 km natural beach backed by orange groves and low pensions instead of resorts. The beach is pebble and coarse sand with very clear water; at its northern end you can walk into the ruins of ancient Olympos. Turtles nest here too, so the beach is left dark at night. In the evening, the flames of the Chimaera burn on the hillside above. See the Çıralı guide.

Konyaaltı, Antalya

Konyaaltı is Antalya's city beach: about 7 km of pebbles with a promenade, parks and cafés behind it and the Taurus Mountains rising straight out of the sea in the background. It is public and free, with sunbeds for rent, and has a Blue Flag. The water gets deep quickly, which strong swimmers love and small children do not. See the Antalya city guide.

Lara

Lara is the long sandy beach east of Antalya, most of it in front of big all-inclusive resorts. The sand is fine and the sea floor slopes very gently, which makes it one of the easiest beaches for small children. There are public sections too, and nearby the lower Düden waterfall plunges from the cliffs straight into the sea. See the Lara and Kundu guide.

Belek

Belek has around 16 km of fine sand, almost all of it used by resort hotels with pine forest and golf courses behind. The water is shallow near the shore and the beaches are well kept, so this is family territory. Belek is also an important turtle nesting area, and the resorts mark the nests in summer. See the Belek guide.

Side East and West beaches

Side sits on a small peninsula with a sandy beach on each side. The West Beach runs for kilometres towards Kumköy and Çolaklı and is lined with hotels; the East Beach is shorter and calmer, with the Temple of Apollo at its end. Both have fine sand and shallow water, and you can combine a beach day with the ruins and the old town. See the Side guide.

İncekum

İncekum, west of Alanya, means fine sand, and it lives up to the name: a golden beach that slopes gently, with a protected pine forest right behind it for shade. Part of the shore is a nature park with a small entry fee, popular with local families at weekends. See the Avsallar and İncekum guide.

Cleopatra Beach, Alanya

Cleopatra Beach stretches for about 2 km along Alanya's western shore, below the castle rock. The sand is fine and golden, the water clear and shallow at first, and it has a Blue Flag. It is a town beach, so expect crowds in summer, but also showers, sunbeds and cafés along the promenade. The Damlataş cave is at its eastern end. See the Alanya guide.

Sandy or pebbly? Choosing a beach

With small children, choose sand. Lara, Belek, Side, İncekum and Cleopatra Beach all have fine sand and water that stays shallow for a long way. Ölüdeniz's lagoon is just as calm, but pebbly.

For the clearest water, head west. The pebbly coves around Kaş and Kaputaş, Çıralı and Konyaaltı have water so clear it looks unreal, because there is less sand to stir up. Water shoes make pebbles much more comfortable.

For space and nature, the protected beaches are the best: Patara, İztuzu and Çıralı have no big buildings and stay quiet even in August. Bring your own shade and water.

Still deciding where to stay? Our comparisons help, for example Belek or Side and Fethiye or Kaş.

Practical tips

Sun and heat

The midday sun in July and August is strong; plan the beach for the morning and late afternoon. Shade is scarce on Patara, İztuzu and Kaputaş, so take an umbrella or rent one.

Sea turtles

Loggerhead turtles nest on many beaches here, including İztuzu, Patara, Belek and Çıralı, from about May to October. Do not stay on these beaches at night, do not use torches or light fires, keep away from marked nests and take your rubbish with you. İztuzu and Patara close at night during the season.

Blue Flag and fees

The Antalya coast has many Blue Flag beaches, a sign of clean water and lifeguards in season. Most beaches are public and free; you pay only if you rent a sunbed or umbrella. Beaches inside nature parks or archaeological sites, such as the Ölüdeniz lagoon, Patara and the İncekum park, charge a modest entry fee.

When to go

The sea is warm enough for most people from late May to October. June and September are ideal: warm water without the peak crowds and heat of July and August. See the weather by month and more ideas for days out under day trips.