Quick answer
Every crew we run enforces one rule: swim first, drink after. We explain the cold-water physiology behind it, how captains manage it politely, what is served on board, and how party cruises differ from family boats in Side, Manavgat and Antalya — so you book the right deck for your group.
The rule is simple, and every crew we employ enforces it: swim first, drink afterwards. Alcohol is served — or tolerated — only once your last swimming stop is behind you, because even the warm Mediterranean sits well below body temperature, and alcohol blunts the reflexes, balance and judgement you need in open water. Break the rule and our crew will, politely but firmly, keep you on deck.
We are BestBoatTrips, a local operator running boat trips in Side, Manavgat and along the wider Antalya coast — foam-party boats, family cruises, the freshwater Green Canyon catamaran and private charters. Guests enjoy a cold beer on our decks all season, precisely because our captains time the drinking around the swimming, never the other way round. Here is how the rule works in practice, and how to pick the right boat for your group.
The rule in one sentence: drink after your last swim, not before
On every licensed vessel we operate, the swimming programme comes first and the serious drinking comes second. Crews plan the day so the swim stops — anchored, supervised, with boarding ladders down — happen before the bar gets busy. Once the final ladder comes up, you are welcome to a beer, a glass of raki or whatever the boat's bar offers. Before that point, the crew will actively discourage it, and if a guest has clearly been drinking, they will be asked to sit that swim stop out.
This is not us being killjoys. It is the single most effective safety habit on any tour boat, and it is why the atmosphere on board stays relaxed rather than tense. The captain of a licensed commercial vessel has the final word on who enters the water, and our captains use it.
Why alcohol and open water are a genuinely bad pair
The physiology is straightforward and worth knowing before you book:
- Cold-water response. Even in high summer the sea is well below your core body temperature. Sudden immersion triggers an involuntary gasp and a spike in heart rate — manageable when sober, far harder to control after a few drinks.
- False warmth. Alcohol widens the blood vessels near your skin, so you feel warm while your body actually loses heat faster. You notice the cold later, when you are already tired.
- Impaired judgement. Drink makes swimmers overestimate their ability and underestimate distance back to the ladder. That combination causes most of the situations crews have to manage.
- Balance and coordination. Wet decks, moving boats and boarding ladders demand steady footing. Alcohol takes it away first.
On our freshwater Green Canyon cruise the reservoir is calm and the trip is the most seasickness-friendly one we run, but the mountain-fed water feels noticeably cooler than the open sea — so the same rule applies there, arguably with more reason.
How our crews manage it politely
Nobody wants a lecture on holiday, and our crews do not give one. What actually happens is quieter:
- The crew brief guests before the first swim stop and make the after-swim rule clear from the start, so it never feels personal.
- Bar service is paced around the swimming programme rather than opened at full tilt from departure.
- At each stop, crew watch the ladder and the water. A guest who has been drinking is offered a shaded seat and a bottle of water instead of a swim — no drama, no scene.
- If conditions change, the captain shortens or cancels a stop. Sea trips stay near the coast in normal conditions, and the harbour master suspends departures altogether in unsafe weather.
In our experience, guests respect a rule that is explained early and applied to everyone. The ones who grumble at midday usually thank the crew by sunset.
What is served on board — and what to skip
The bar offer varies from boat to boat, so check the individual tour page for what is included and what is paid. As a general picture: water, soft drinks and tea or coffee are the staples everywhere, and party-style boats run a paid bar that does brisk trade in the afternoon, after the swimming is done.
What we suggest you skip, from years of watching what works:
- Spirits in the midday sun. Heat, dehydration and strong alcohol shorten anyone's day. Beer after the last swim survives the sun far better than raki at noon.
- Drinking on an empty stomach. Wait for the meal service before the first glass.
- Anything alcoholic before your last swim. The whole point of this article.
- Alcohol as a seasickness cure. It is the opposite. If you are prone to motion sickness, choose the calm freshwater canyon over the open sea and keep the first drink for dry land.
Prices and dates for every trip are shown live on each tour page — start with the Relax Boat Trip if you want the quiet end of the scale.
Party cruises vs family boats: set your expectations correctly
Choosing the right deck matters more than any rule. A group of friends on a foam-party boat and a family with a toddler want different days, and we run both — the trick is not booking one expecting the other.
| What to expect | Party-leaning trips | Family and calm trips |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Island Boat Tour with foam party, Starcraft day cruise, disco-yacht night cruise | Green Canyon catamaran, Relax Boat Trip, Little Pirates, Dolphin Island |
| Music | Loud, DJ-led, foam on deck in the afternoon | Background level; the scenery does the talking |
| Bar | Paid bar, busy after the last swim — the rule still applies in full | Soft drinks lead; alcohol, where sold, stays low-key |
| Swimming | Sea stops with ladders, supervised by crew | Calm freshwater or sheltered bays, supervised by crew |
| Best for | Groups of friends who want an atmosphere | Families with children, nervous swimmers, anyone prone to seasickness |
For children we run the Little Pirates tour, built entirely around young guests, and the Side Pirate Boat Tour for families who want theatre with their swimming. Life jackets in adult and child sizes are carried on board, along with first aid kits, on every trip we run. Hotel pick-up is included on most tours; the exact time is confirmed the day before and varies from hotel to hotel.
How swimming stops actually work on our boats
Every swim happens at a supervised stop, never underway. The boat anchors, the boarding ladder goes down, and the crew keep watch from deck until the last guest is back aboard. Guests who want a life jacket get one — adult and child sizes are carried as standard. Most of our departures from Side follow this pattern across two or more stops in sheltered water, and the Suluada Island trip applies exactly the same discipline in its famously clear open-sea coves.
On the Green Canyon catamaran the water is a calm reservoir rather than open sea, which is why we recommend it for mixed groups and first-time swimmers. It runs from Side (from about €28–33 per person in 2026), with departures also priced from about €38 from Alanya, €43 from Kumkoy, €48 from Belek or Manavgat and €54 from Antalya — the difference is transfer distance, not the boat.
Private charters and the night cruise: your boat, same physics
On a private VIP yacht or wooden boat charter you set the tone — the music, the pace, the guest list. What does not change is the captain's authority over the water. Swim stops on a charter run exactly as they do on our scheduled boats: anchored, ladder down, crew watching, and drinks after the last swim rather than before it. Day rates for mid-size groups run roughly €1,200–2,200 per boat, with premium yachts from €1,500 to €3,000 and up.
The one trip where the bar rather than the swimming is the point is the disco-yacht night cruise from Side and Alanya — an evening on the water built around music and the skyline, not a swimming programme. If that is your group, book that boat and enjoy it properly.
Send us your date and group size via the Private VIP yacht page and we will come back with the right boat and a firm price.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drink alcohol on a boat trip in Side?
Yes, on most adult trips — after your last swimming stop. Crews pace bar service around the swimming programme, and the captain of a licensed vessel decides who enters the water. Check the individual tour page to see what the bar on that boat offers.
Will the crew really stop me swimming if I have been drinking?
Yes, and they will do it politely. A guest who has clearly been drinking is asked to sit the stop out on deck with water and shade. It is applied to everyone, explained before the first stop, and it is the reason our swim stops stay uneventful.
Are the family boats alcohol-free?
Not necessarily, but the atmosphere is entirely different: soft drinks lead, music stays in the background, and the day is built around the children and the scenery. The Little Pirates tour is designed specifically for kids and families. See each tour page for exactly what is served on that boat.
Does the rule apply on the freshwater Green Canyon cruise?
Fully. The reservoir is the calmest water we operate on and the most seasickness-friendly trip we run, but the mountain-fed freshwater feels cooler than the sea — which is precisely when alcohol's false-warmth effect is most misleading. Swim first, drink after, same as at sea.
What happens if someone gets into trouble in the water?
Swimming only happens at supervised stops, so the crew are already watching. Every vessel is a licensed commercial boat with first aid kits and life jackets in adult and child sizes aboard, crewed by qualified, licensed professionals. At sea, the Turkish coastguard responds on the 158 emergency line — though the point of the after-swim rule is that they should never be needed.
Swim hard, then raise a glass
One rule, honestly enforced, is what keeps a boat day feeling easy: get your swimming done, climb the ladder, and then order the cold one — it tastes better that way anyway. Browse all our boat trips in Side and the wider Antalya coast, compare the calm decks with the loud ones, and book the day that fits your group. The bar will still be open after your last swim.