Best Beaches in Antalya: Area-by-Area Guide

The Antalya coast is long, and the character of the beaches changes from west to east. As a rough rule: west of the city (Konyaaltı, Kemer, Phaselis) the beaches are mostly pebble with mountains behind; east of the city (Lara, Belek, Side, Alanya) they are mostly sand. Further south-west, towards Olympos, Kaş and Kalkan, you find natural beaches and small coves.

• City: Konyaaltı (pebble), Lara (sand)
• Resort coast east: Belek, Side area, Alanya Cleopatra Beach (sand)
• Kemer coast: pebble bays, Phaselis
• Natural beaches: Çıralı/Olympos, Adrasan
• Lycian coast: Kaputaş, Patara

No list can rank these objectively; the sections below describe each well-known beach so you can pick the one that fits your day.

Konyaaltı is the long pebble beach on the west side of Antalya, with the Taurus Mountains rising behind the bay. A seafront promenade and parks run behind it, so it is easy to combine a swim with a walk, a café or a visit to the city. The sea gets deep fairly quickly, which swimmers like. More in our Konyaaltı Beach guide.

Lara lies east of the city centre and is known for its sandy beach, lined by large hotels further east towards Kundu. Lara is close to the airport (≈ 14 km / ≈ 20 min), which makes it a popular base for short stays. Between the city and Lara, the lower Düden Waterfall drops from the cliffs straight into the sea – a well-known photo stop on the way.

Belek (≈ 35 km / ≈ 40 min from the airport) has a long sandy beach in front of its resorts, with pine forest and golf courses behind. The beach is wide and the sea shallow near the shore, which is why Belek is popular with families.

The Side area (≈ 65 km / ≈ 75 min) continues the sandy coast: Kumköy, Çolaklı and Evrenseki to the west of Side, Sorgun and Titreyengöl to the east. Next to the old town of Side there are beaches on both sides of the peninsula, so you can swim and then walk to the Temple of Apollo for sunset. Both areas are mainly hotel beaches; if you stay elsewhere, ask your hotel or check locally where the public sections are.

South-west of Antalya, the road follows the coast towards Kemer (≈ 58 km / ≈ 70 min). Here the beaches are mainly pebble, the water is clear and the mountains come close to the sea. Beldibi, Göynük, Kemer itself, Kiriş, Çamyuva and Tekirova all have their own stretches of beach in front of hotels and along the villages.

Near Tekirova (≈ 70 km / ≈ 85 min) lies Phaselis, an ancient city between pine woods and three small bays. You can walk among the ruins and then swim in one of the bays – a combination few beaches can offer. Our Phaselis guide explains the site in more detail.

Çıralı (≈ 85 km / ≈ 100 min) has a long, natural beach of sand and pebbles with no high-rise hotels behind it, only small guesthouses and gardens. At its southern end the beach reaches the ruins of ancient Olympos, hidden in a green valley. The beach is a known nesting area for sea turtles, which is one reason the area has stayed low-key. See our Olympos and Çıralı guide.

Adrasan is a quiet bay further south, over the hills from Olympos, with a calm beach and a relaxed village feel. It suits travellers who want a slow day by the sea rather than a resort atmosphere.

Kaputaş is a small cove between Kaş and Kalkan, at the foot of a gorge, with bright turquoise water. You reach it by steps down from the coastal road, so it is not ideal with heavy bags or a pushchair.

Patara, near Kalkan, is a very long sandy beach backed by dunes and the remains of the ancient city of Patara. Like Çıralı, it is a sea turtle nesting area and feels wide and open rather than built up.

Both are a long way from Antalya (Kaş ≈ 200 km / ≈ 180 min, Kalkan ≈ 215 km / ≈ 200 min), so they make most sense if you stay in that area. Our Kaş and Kalkan travel guide covers the region.

Cleopatra Beach is Alanya's best-known beach: a long sandy beach right in town, west of the castle peninsula. You can walk from many central hotels and combine a swim with the castle and the harbour. Alanya is ≈ 125 km (≈ 2 h) from Antalya Airport; Gazipaşa Airport is closer. More in our Alanya travel guide.

Beach day by private car: a car with driver takes you from your hotel to the beach and back. Agree the pick-up time for the return when booking, and the driver collects you at the same point. If you want to combine stops, for example Phaselis in the morning and Çıralı in the afternoon, tell us when booking and we will tell you what is possible. Vehicles: Minivan (1–6), Mercedes-Benz Vito (1–7) or Mercedes Sprinter (8–16); child seats are free on request, and you pay in the vehicle.