Belek or Alanya: Which to Choose for Your Riviera Stay

It may sound back to front, but the airport you are flying into is a good first filter here. Belek is close to Antalya Airport (AYT): about 33 km, a drive of around 40 minutes. Alanya is much further from Antalya, about 125 km or roughly two hours, but only about 40 km, around 50 minutes, from Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport (GZP).

So if your tickets are into Antalya and you want the shortest arrival, Belek has the edge. If you are landing at Gazipaşa, Alanya is the quick one. Plenty of people still choose Alanya with an Antalya flight and simply accept a longer first afternoon. Prices are shown live on the route pages: Antalya Airport to Belek, Antalya Airport to Alanya and Gazipaşa to Alanya.

Belek is built around large resorts set along a long sandy beach, with many golf courses spread out behind the coast. A day here often means a round in the morning, an afternoon on the sand and dinner at the hotel. Belek town itself is small and quiet, so evenings tend to be spent on the resort rather than out on the streets.

Golfers are the obvious fans, but Belek has more to offer than fairways. The Land of Legends theme park is a big draw for families, and two of the region's major ancient sites, the theatre at Aspendos and the city of Perge, are within easy reach for a half-day trip. Read our Belek beyond golf guide for ideas.

Alanya has the energy of a working town. You might climb to the castle on the rocky peninsula in the morning, swim at Cleopatra Beach on the castle's western side, look into Damlataş cave nearby and finish by the harbour, where the Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) stands and the boat trips set off. Evenings are livelier than in Belek, with the town centre and harbour area busy after dark.

The beaches are long and sandy, and resort villages continue along the coast either side of town. Our Alanya travel guide describes the sights in more depth.

If any of these is the main reason for your trip, the choice is fairly simple:

• Golf: Belek, where the courses are concentrated close to the hotels. Golf bags travel free with our transfers, as there is no luggage fee.
• Ancient sites: Belek is handier for Aspendos and Perge. Alanya's history is closer at hand in town, with the castle and the Red Tower.
• Theme park: The Land of Legends is in Belek.
• Sea and coastline from a boat: Alanya's harbour boat trips around the peninsula are easy to join from town.

Both resorts have sandy beaches, which helps with young children. Belek's large resorts and the short transfer from Antalya are a strong combination when you want minimum travel and maximum time by the pool, and the theme park is close by for a day out. Alanya works well for families who like getting out of the hotel, since the castle, the cave and a boat trip make easy outings from town; if you fly into Gazipaşa, the drive is short as well.

Whichever you pick, we fit free child seats on request; just tell us the children's ages when you book.

Couples looking for peace often lean towards Belek, where the evening rhythm is set by the resort. Groups of friends, or couples who like to wander out for dinner and a walk, may enjoy Alanya's livelier town. Travellers who simply want to switch off can be content in either, especially in one of Alanya's resort villages away from the centre.

One way to decide is to picture your evenings rather than your days. If you see yourself at a quiet table on the hotel terrace, Belek fits. If you picture strolling along a harbour with the castle lit up above you, Alanya is probably your place.

Can't decide? Some travellers do both. Belek lies on the coast road east of Antalya, and Alanya is further along the same road, so a few nights of golf or resort time in Belek followed by a few nights in Alanya is easy to arrange. We can drive you from one hotel to the other on the changeover day, door to door in a private vehicle. If you plan to fly home from Gazipaşa after the Alanya leg, the final transfer is short; if your return flight leaves from Antalya, allow for the longer drive back.

Our vehicles carry only your group and go straight to your hotel. You pay a fixed price per vehicle, in the vehicle, with no prepayment, no night surcharge and free cancellation. The driver follows your flight and meets you at arrivals with a name sign, waiting at no extra cost if your flight is delayed. Groups choose between a minivan for 1-6, a VIP Mercedes-Benz Vito for 1-7 and a Mercedes Sprinter for 8-16. See the Belek transfer page or the Alanya transfer page, and for the Gazipaşa option our Gazipaşa to Alanya guide.