ANTALYA BEACHES – WHERE TO SWIM IN ANTALYA

Just imagine: glittering turquoise waters contrasted with sparkling white sand and lush green forests of cypress. This is what awaits you on the Antalya beaches that hug the Mediterranean coast of Turkey’s south. In fact, the ONLY setback is that the water can get too warm 😉

The Antalya beaches are Turkey’s biggest tourist magnet. In advertising for Turkey, promoters typically use breathtaking photos of the beach at Kaputaş (near Kas). Antalya beaches are so magnetic that there are tourists who’ve never even stepped foot in Istanbul, Turkey’s biggest and most-famous city but been to Antalya multiple times.

Swimming season in Antalya is quite long – from May until the end of October. We recommend either going at the beginning or end of this season to escape the crowds and the heat. Below, you’ll find the best places to swim in Antalya. Some places will have facilities and services, but some sites are more remote. But all of them are favorites among locals, and we’ve written which ones are blue-flagged beaches.

Each section is divided by district, but if you want to better orient yourself while researching Antalya beaches, check out our article on Antalya first!

We’ve laid it all out here so you don’t have to worry about anything – just don’t forget to pack your swimsuit!

BEACH MAP

You can zoom in on the map

1. Mermerli Beach (Muratpaşa)
2. Örnekköy Beach (Muratpaşa)
3. Lara Beach (Muratpaşa)
4. İnciraltı Beach (Muratpaşa)
5. Konyaaltı Beach (Konyaaltı)
6. Olympos-Çıralı Beaches (Kumluca)
7. Adrasan Beach (Kumluca)
8. Papaz Bay (Kumluca)
9. Korsan Bay (Kumluca)
10. Cleopatra Beach (Alanya)
11. Damlataş Beach (Alanya)
12. İncekum Beach (Alanya)
13. Phaselis Beach (Kemer)
14. Kiriş Beach (Kemer)
15. Alacasu Cennet Bay (Kemer)
16. Maden Bay (Kemer)
17. Evrenseki Beach (Manavgat)

MURATPAŞA (CITY CENTER)

Mermerli Beach

Mermerli Beach is located right in the historic center of Antalya, next to the Kaleiçi Harbor behind a cliff. It was once used as a women’s beach since it’s a bit isolated. But it then evolved into a beach for all city dwellers, and became a lifesaver for them in the heat. Though the beach looks empty in the photo, it is filled with lounge chairs during the summer. Mermerli was on the Blue Flag Beach list in 2017. Click here for the location. Number 1 on the map.

Örnekköy Beach

This is another sandy beach near the center of the city. Located in the Lara region, Örnekköy is a calm beach where city locals typically have their summer homes. Click here for the location. Number 2 on the map.

Lara Public Beach

As one of Antalya’s most famous beaches in the city center, it’s become a bit overcrowded these days. This is another sandy beach, but you’ll see a lot of tents set up here as it’s the location of many a summer camp. The waters on this beach are hotter than those of Konyaaltı Public Beach (further below) – but one nice aspect is the water is stays shallower for a long distance out. It was also listed as a Blue-Flagged Beach in 2017. Click here for the location. Number 3 on the map.

Inciraltı Public Beach

Located next to Lara Beach, this is an excellent one of the Antalya beaches operated by the municipality. Although it’s a public beach, it’s calm, making it a great place to rest a bit in the center of the city. This was also on the Blue Flag Beach list in 2017. Click here for the location. Number 4 on the map.

KONYAALTI

Konyaaltı Public Beach

This beach has more pebbles compared to Muratpaşa’s coastline, but Konyaaltı is known for having the longest shore. The last we heard, it was closed to cars. This sandy stretch is vast and consists of five beaches in succession, and all of them are Blue-Flagged Beaches. Click here for the location. Number 5 on the map.

KUMLUCA – ANTALYA BEACHES FOR NATURE LOVERS

Olympos, Çıralı

Only 1.5 hours away from downtown Antalya, Çıralı is a full 180 from the Antalya beaches in the city. The waters in Çıralı are azure, crisp and cool, the coast is rocky and the sounds of nature (yes, crickets!) take the place of those typical thumping beach club tunes. And there’s a historic trail to the beach to boot.

The Olympos Beach is a trench of the Olympus mountains, and it’s one of the major nesting areas for Carretta turtles in Turkey. Because of this, you won’t be able to find any services like umbrellas or chairs to sit on, as part of the effort to protect the turtles. If you’re traveling around in a car, make sure to bring a couple of folding chairs, an umbrella and a table with you if that’s how you roll.

Since this is one of the more remote locations, you’ll need to walk 5-10 minutes to get to the beach. You’ll first buy a ticket at the entrance to the Olympos Ancient City.

If you’ve traveled by car, then you’ll be able to park on the right-hand side as you enter the ruins. Click here for the location. Number 6 on the map.

For more details on how you can hippie it out in Olympos, check out our article on A Complete Guide To Olympos.

Adrasan Bay

Outside of Antalya’s center, but still not too far, is another little paradise. 1 hour by bus from the Antalya bus station and 20-25 minutes from Çıralı by car, Adrasan Bay has plenty of nearby hotels, cafes and venues along the coast, and a sandy beach with shallow water. Click here for the location. Number 7 on the map.

Papaz Bay (Preist Bay)

Located in the Kumluca region, Papaz Bay is also called Papaz Pier and is a place frequented by campers. This is an excellent place if you love wooded areas – and also because of this, it’s very peaceful and calm. Click here for the location. Number 8 on the map.

Korsan Bay (Pirate Bay)

This is a small and untouched cove surrounded by two large rocks – it is incredibly isolated. So much so that you’ll only be able to get there by car. Here is another ideal place for camping. Other great things to do at Korsan Bay include trekking in the forest and snorkeling. The only drawback, if you can call it one, is the water is a bit salty. Click here for the location. Number 9 on the map.

ALANYA

Cleopatra Beach

Cleopatra Beach is 2-km of sand. The waters here are shallow and so clear that there’s no need to snorkel to see fish. This is also a blue-flagged beach. According to legend, Cleopatra and her lover Antonius swam here. We would be sad travel advisers if we didn’t add that this place has a spectacular sunset – perhaps those rulers of old knew it too. 😉  Click here for the location. Number 10 on the map.

Damlataş Beach

This beach is located right in front of the famous Damlataş Cave, and it’s also a blue-flagged beach. You can think of this strip as a continuation of Cleopatra Beach. Entrance is free, but you’ll have to pay to use the sun beds and umbrellas. Click here for the location. Number 11 on the map.

Incekum Beach

If you love beach camping, or camping in general, this is a great place to do it. Here, you’ll also find the Incekum Forest Camp. Surrounded by deciduous trees, the beach also carries blue-flag status. The water is shallow, and the sand is ideal for families and children. Click here for the location. Number 12 on the map.

KAŞ

Kaş is our top pick for the best of Antalya beaches. So much so, we wrote a post about it: Best Kas Beaches. If you’d like to know more, such as what to do, what to eat, and where to stay in Kaş, then head on over to our Places To See Kas, Kas Restaurants & Specialties, and 24 Epic Things To Do In Kas posts.

KEMER – UNIQUE ANTALYA BEACHES

Phaselis Beach

With three small coves that allow you to swim amongst the ancient city of Phaselis, this is our favorite of the Antalya beaches in the Kemer district. Only one of these coves has a shower and toilets, though. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to find anything here like umbrellas or sunbeds, but you can grab food and drinks in the middle cove. Click here for the location. Number 13 on the map.

Kiriş Bay

Kiriş Bay is protected against wind and waves, so it’s the ideal spot for scuba diving. There are also some great underwater caves just right for a photo op. Click here for the location. Number 14 on the map.

Alacasu Cennet Bay

“Cennet” means “heaven” in Turkish, and this bay lives up to its name. It is located inside Beydağları National Park, and it’s so untouched that there are no businesses operating here. Click here for the location. Number 15 on the map.

Maden (Atbükü) Bay

Another one of those Antalya beaches with a literal name (though not quite as romantic as Cennet Bay), “maden” means quarry or mine in Turkish, and this area was once a spot for chrome mining. One of the most remote and untouched areas in the region (well, since the mining days), it’s a favorite spot for campers. The beach has small pebbles, and the water is crystal clear. The beach is located on the Lycian Way, and you can get to Olympos in two hours by foot. Click here for the location. Number 16 on the map.

MANAVGAT

Evrenseki Beach & Kumköy, Side

Side is an Antalya town famous for its nature and historical importance as an ancient city. There are several businesses at Kumköy Beach, and Evrenseki is a public beach – but don’t let the worry you, even the changing rooms and toilets are clean. The water here is a bit wavy, but it’s a lovely sand beach. Click here for the location. Number 17 on the map.

DEMRE

Kekova Beach

Demre is also referred to as the Sunken City and has important historical remains that have been underwater since the earthquakes of ancient times. It’s definitely the most intriguing of the Antalya beaches. But if you didn’t think it could get any cooler, you can swim alongside the ruins! Of course, you can’t (and really, shouldn’t) swim in the heart of the ancient ruins, but if you want to get closer to the good stuff, you can hop on a boat directly across to Kaleköy and swim there.

You can also adventure on the nearby island of Kekova, via tours from Kaş (or rent a canoe).  Click here for the location. Number 18 on the map.