Antalya, Alanya, Side: Demre, Myra, & Kekova Island / Boat

Kekova’s Sunken City is the day’s unusual finale: you view submerged ruins from a boat, then return overland after a full day among the ancient sites of Demre and Myra. This is a wide-ranging trip, not a quick coastal outing, and the long ride is part of the bargain.

I like the mix of St. Nicholas Church and Myra’s rock-cut tombs, which gives the day both a cultural stop and a striking ancient site. I also like that a guide accompanies the visits and that lunch is included, so you can focus on the places rather than plan every meal.

The main trade-off is time on the bus: the tour lasts about 14 hours, and the drive from Alanya can feel especially long. Bus comfort may vary, so air-conditioning is worth confirming if you are traveling in hot weather.

• Three distinct stops: Visit St. Nicholas Church and Museum, ancient Myra’s theater and rock-cut tombs, then Kekova by boat.
• A long day from several resorts: Hotel pickup is offered in Alanya, Side, Belek, Antalya, and Kemer.
• The boat is for viewing the Sunken City: The cruise gives you a water-level perspective on the submerged ruins.
• Lunch is included, drinks are not: Breakfast at a stop near Antalya is also at your own cost.
• Check which entrance tickets your booking includes: Tickets for Myra, the theater and rock cemetery, and St. Nicholas Church depend on the option selected.

What This Long Day Sets Out to Show You

This is a big-area tour built around three different kinds of interest. At St. Nicholas Church and Museum, you connect a historic site with the figure known around the world as Santa Claus. At Myra, the theater and tombs carved into rock make the ancient city’s remains easy to picture. At Kekova, the boat cruise shifts the focus from stone to sea, with the Sunken City visible below the water.

That variety is the main reason to consider the trip. You do not spend the whole day at one archaeological site, and the boat ride offers a change of pace after the land visits. The trade-off is equally clear: fitting all three stops into a day requires substantial road travel, especially from Alanya, Side, Belek, or Kemer.

The tour is operated by Alanya Best Trips and includes a guide, driver, round-trip bus transport, lunch, and a round-trip boat cruise. It is offered in English, German, and Russian. The stated price is $91 per person, but check the exact option before booking because some entrance tickets are included only when selected.

Leaving Your Resort: A Very Early, Very Long Ride

Pickup is offered from hotels in Alanya, Side, Belek, Antalya, and Kemer. You meet the driver at your hotel’s security gate 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. The final pickup time is sent the day before the tour, and it varies by hotel area, so do not rely on a generic departure time when planning your morning.

The coach ride is a major part of the experience, not a small transfer between nearby sights. One account of the journey from Alanya describes a modern bus that made sleeping possible; another describes a bus with broken air-conditioning during temperatures above 40 degrees. That contrast is worth taking seriously. If you are sensitive to heat or need a comfortable ride, check with the provider about the vehicle and air-conditioning before you commit.

A short breakfast stop near Antalya is planned, but breakfast is not included. Bring money for food and any drinks you want during the day. The tour lasts about 14 hours, so a small bag with sunglasses, a hat, comfortable clothes, and a change of clothes can make the long schedule easier to manage.

St. Nicholas Church: A Site Behind the Santa Claus Story

The first major historical visit is the Church of St. Nicholas and its museum and icon center in Demre. The church honors St. Nicholas, the figure whose story has become linked with Santa Claus. That connection gives the visit an immediate point of reference, even if you know the saint mostly through the modern holiday character.

The value here is the chance to see the place as a religious and cultural site, rather than treating St. Nicholas as only a story for children. A guide can help give context to the church and the saint’s wider influence. You should also expect the experience to be shaped by the building and its displays, rather than by a long, hands-on activity.

Check your booking details for the church entrance ticket. It is included only with certain options. The same ticket note applies to the other archaeological entries, so compare the price and inclusions carefully rather than assuming that every listed stop comes with admission covered.

Myra’s Theater and Tombs: The Day’s Strongest Ancient Site

Myra is the stop that brings together two memorable features: an ancient theater and a necropolis of tombs carved into the rock. The tombs make a strong impression because they are part of the cliff face itself, while the theater gives you a sense of the scale and public life of the old city.

A guide is especially useful here. These are remains that can reward a slower look, but a short visit without context can leave you wondering what you are seeing. The guide helps connect the theater and tombs to the people and building skills behind them, while the scheduled group visit keeps the day moving.

There is some flexibility in how you explore. A tour account describes enough time to see the sites at your own pace, without pressure from the guide. That matters at a stop where you may want to linger over the tombs, take photographs, or simply look at the theater from different angles. Still, this is one part of a packed day, not an open-ended visit.

The entrance arrangements deserve a second look before booking. The tour information lists separate tickets for the Ancient City of Myra and for the Ancient Theater and Rock Cemetery, with inclusion depending on the option selected. Read the inclusions closely so you can compare the true cost of the package.

Lunch: A Useful Pause, With Drinks on Your Tab

Lunch is included and features local Turkish food made with fresh ingredients. After a morning of driving and site visits, a meal is more than a convenient extra: it gives you a chance to rest before the afternoon boat cruise and the return journey.

Drinks are not included. Carry cash or another accepted form of payment for beverages, and remember that breakfast at the earlier stop is also at your own cost. If you have dietary needs, the available information does not specify menu choices, so ask the provider before booking rather than counting on a particular dish.

Kekova by Boat: Ruins Seen From the Water

The final major stop is a round-trip boat cruise to Kekova Island and the Sunken City. From the water, you can look down at ruins beneath the clear turquoise surface, a different way to encounter an archaeological site than walking among the remains at Myra.

The boat ride is a welcome change after several hours on the road and on foot. It also gives the day a distinctive ending: instead of finishing with one more museum or set of ruins, you see a settlement claimed by the sea from above. The supplied information describes the cruise as a viewing experience. It does not say that swimming or going ashore is part of the trip, so do not book expecting either.

Beachwear and a change of clothes are on the recommended packing list. Those items may be useful on a boat day, but they do not guarantee a swimming stop. Bring them if they suit your plans, and check with the operator if access to the water is important to you.

Guide, Bus, and Group Experience

A live guide accompanies the tour, with English, German, and Russian listed as available languages. Strong guiding can make a packed itinerary feel less like a string of stops. One guide was described as friendly, attentive, and clear in explaining the sites, and as willing to listen when the group needed something. Another kept the mood light with jokes during the long ride. No guide names are provided, so you cannot request a particular person based on this information.

The practical picture is mixed on transport. A modern bus can make the long ride manageable, and a comfortable coach may even let you sleep between stops. But the report of broken air-conditioning in extreme heat is a serious caution. A driver tried to park in the shade, but that could not make a hot bus comfortable. If you are traveling during summer, ask whether the vehicle has working air-conditioning.

There is no group-size information, so I would not assume this is a small-group tour. The guide’s availability and the fixed schedule are more useful planning points: you get assistance at the sites, but the day still runs on a shared timetable.

Is $91 a Fair Price?

At $91 per person, the value depends largely on how many entrance tickets your chosen option includes and how much you value having transport and a guide arranged. The price covers hotel pickup and drop-off, a driver, round-trip bus transport, a guide, lunch, and the boat cruise. Those elements cover the logistics of reaching several destinations in one day.

But the listed entrance tickets for Myra, the theater and rock cemetery, and St. Nicholas Church may be included only with selected options. That makes the booking screen important: compare the ticket-inclusive price with the base fare, rather than judging the trip by the headline figure alone. Breakfast and drinks are additional expenses.

For someone staying in one of the pickup areas and eager to see all three sites, the package can save the effort of arranging separate transport and a boat cruise. For someone who prefers slow visits or wants to spend more time at one place, the 14-hour schedule may feel too compressed. The price is most persuasive if you want a full day of varied stops and confirm that the entrance fees you need are covered.

Who Should Book This Trip?

I would consider this tour if you are based in one of the listed resort areas, want a guided introduction to Demre, Myra, and Kekova, and are comfortable giving up most of a day to travel. The combination of a church and museum, an ancient theater and tombs, lunch, and a boat cruise offers more range than a single-site excursion.

It is also a good fit if you appreciate a guide who can explain what you are seeing and keep the mood easy during a long ride. The experience may suit families or mixed-interest groups because it alternates between historical visits and time on the water, though no age-specific details are provided.

I would pause before booking if long coach journeys are difficult for you, if you need a guaranteed air-conditioned vehicle, or if you want a relaxed pace with long hours at each site. Check the pickup time, ticket inclusions, and bus conditions first. Then decide if the full-day trade-off is worth the chance to see these three very different corners of Antalya Province.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about 14 hours. Starting times vary, so check availability for your date.

Which areas have hotel pickup?

Pickup is offered from hotels in Alanya, Side, Belek, Antalya, and Kemer.

Where do I meet the driver?

Meet the driver at your hotel’s security gate 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

When will I know my pickup time?

You will be notified of the final pickup time one day before the tour. Times vary by hotel area.

Which languages are available?

The live guide is listed as available in English, German, and Russian.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, but drinks are not.

Is breakfast included?

No. There is a breakfast stop near Antalya, and breakfast is at your own cost.

Are entrance tickets included?

Tickets for Ancient Myra, the Ancient Theater and Rock Cemetery, and St. Nicholas Church are included only if you select an option that covers them. Check your booking details.

What should I bring?

Bring sunglasses, a hat, comfortable clothes, beachwear, and a change of clothes.