Quick answer
Yes — most of our Side sea trips let you board directly at Side harbour if you book ahead and skip the included transfer. We cover when self-arrival beats hotel pick-up, why Green Canyon and Suluada are different, and exactly how to tell us you are coming on your own.
Yes — on most of our Side sea trips you can board directly at Side harbour, as long as you book ahead and tell us you are arriving on your own. Hotel pick-up is included on most tours, but it is optional, not compulsory. The exceptions are inland and long-range trips such as Green Canyon and Suluada, where the road journey is part of the day itself.
How harbour boarding works with us
We run these boats, so the rule is refreshingly simple: the boat needs your name on the passenger list before it sails. Nothing else changes. You book the same trip at the same price, we simply take you off the coach list and put you on the meet-at-the-harbour list. The day before departure we confirm your exact meeting point and boarding time by message, you arrive a little early, give your name to the crew, and you are aboard.
Start with our boat trips from Side — every departure shows live prices and dates, and you can tell us at booking that you will meet the boat yourself.
Which trips board at Side harbour
All of our classic Side sea trips sail from the harbour at the old town: the full-day Side Boat Tour, the Relax Boat Trip with its waterfall views, the Island Boat Tour with the foam party, the Caretta Bay trip and the Dolphin Island tour. The Side Pirate Boat Tour and the Little Pirates kids' tour leave from the same harbour, which makes them the easiest choice for families staying in the old town — the walk to the boat is shorter than the walk to breakfast.
Our private VIP yacht and wooden boat charters are the most flexible of all: because the boat is yours for the day, we agree the boarding arrangement with you directly. Day rates for mid-size groups run roughly EUR 1,200–2,200 per boat, with premium yachts from about EUR 1,500 to 3,000+. The full range of everything we operate is on our boat trips hub.
Harbour boarding or hotel pick-up: which suits you?
When boarding at the harbour is the better move
- You are staying in old town Side. The harbour is a few minutes on foot from most old-town pensions and hotels. Sitting on a coach that loops through Kumkoy and Evrenseki first makes no sense when you can stroll down at your own pace.
- You have a hire car. Drive in, park, board, and leave the moment the boat is back — no waiting for the drop-off round.
- You want to own your morning. Self-arrival means you control when you leave your accommodation, rather than working around a pick-up window.
- You are combining the trip with old-town plans. Sail in the morning, then spend the evening at the ancient theatre and the harbourside restaurants without a coach ride in between.
When hotel pick-up is the better call
- You are staying along the Side strip — Kumkoy, Evrenseki, Colakli, Gundogdu, Kizilagac, Kizilot or Cenger. The coach is included, it comes to your door, and taxis both ways would cost more than the convenience is worth.
- You are coming from further afield. For guests in Belek, Antalya, Alanya and Kemer, the drive is a real leg of the day and the included transfer is the whole point. Browse the Antalya departures hub and let us handle the road.
- You would rather not think about logistics at all. Guests are picked up from their hotel in the morning; the exact time is confirmed the day before and varies from hotel to hotel. You wait in the lobby, we do the rest.
One honest note on money: pick-up is bundled into the tour price on most trips, so skipping the coach does not normally make the trip cheaper. What you gain is time and flexibility, not a discount.
The trips that do not leave from the harbour
The Green Canyon cruise is the big one people ask about. It is not a sea trip at all: the catamarans sail on the Oymapinar reservoir, calm fresh water up in the hills behind Manavgat — which is exactly why it is our calmest, most seasickness-friendly option. There is no quay in Side to stroll onto; the road journey inland is part of the product. You can see the transfer built into the pricing: 2026 starting prices are about EUR 28–33 per person from Side, and about EUR 54 from Antalya, with Alanya from about EUR 38, Kumkoy about EUR 43 and Belek about EUR 48. If you are determined to drive up yourself, ask us before you try — boarding at the reservoir is not the same as walking onto the quay in Side. Dates and live prices are on the Green Canyon page; book the seat and let the coach do the driving.
Two more exceptions. The Suluada Island trip is a long-range day out — the island lies well west of Antalya and the boat departs from that side of the coast, so the road leg is baked into the day and no version of it starts at Side harbour. And the Manavgat River cruise and Grand Bazaar day boards on the river in Manavgat rather than at the sea harbour; if you would like to make your own way there, ask us when you book and we will tell you honestly what works for your date.
At a glance: where each trip boards
| Trip | Where it boards | Arrive on your own? |
|---|---|---|
| Side Boat Tour, Relax Boat Trip, Island Boat Tour, Caretta Bay | Side harbour | Yes — book ahead and tell us |
| Dolphin Island tour | Side harbour | Yes — book ahead and tell us |
| Pirate Boat & Little Pirates | Side harbour | Yes — book ahead and tell us |
| Green Canyon catamaran | Oymapinar reservoir, inland | Not really — take the included transfer |
| Manavgat River cruise & bazaar | The Manavgat river, in town | Ask us when booking |
| Suluada Island trip | A harbour well west of Antalya | No — the transfer is part of the day |
| Private VIP yacht & wooden boat charters | Agreed with you directly | Yes — fully flexible |
| Fishing & diving trips | Meeting point confirmed at booking | Ask us when booking |
How to tell us you are coming on your own
- Book the trip first. Harbour boarding is not a walk-up arrangement in high season — boats fill, and the crew works from a passenger list.
- Add a note at booking saying you will meet the boat at the harbour instead of taking the pick-up, or message us straight after booking.
- Watch for our confirmation the day before. We send the precise meeting point and your boarding time then — the same evening we confirm hotel pick-ups.
- Arrive early, not on the dot. Give yourself a comfortable margin, especially in July and August when the old town is busy and parking takes longer than you expect.
- Have your booking confirmation on your phone and give your name to the crew at the gangway.
What to expect at the boarding point
Boarding on your own does not mean a different standard of trip. You step onto the same licensed commercial vessel as everyone off the coaches, with life jackets in adult and child sizes and first aid kits on board, run by qualified, licensed captains and crew. Tour boats in Turkey are licensed and inspected under the harbour master authorities, swimming happens only at supervised stops with boarding ladders, and our sea trips stay near the coast in normal conditions. If the weather turns, the harbour master suspends departures — nobody sails into conditions the port has closed, and we contact every booked guest to agree the best option, usually another date.
Frequently asked questions
Is the trip cheaper if I skip the hotel pick-up?
Usually not. Pick-up is included in the price on most of our tours rather than sold as an extra, so meeting the boat yourself does not change what you pay. Current prices for every trip are shown live on each tour page.
Where exactly do I meet you at Side harbour?
The harbour sits at the tip of the old-town peninsula, a short walk from the Temple of Apollo, and it is compact — you will not be hunting across a marina. We confirm the precise meeting point and your boarding time by message the day before, so you know exactly where to stand and when.
What time do the boats leave?
Most of our day trips sail in the morning and have you back by late afternoon. We do not publish a single universal clock time because it varies by trip and by date; your exact boarding time is confirmed when we send your day-before message.
What if I am running late on the morning?
Call or message us the moment you know. A day boat runs to a schedule and cannot hold the whole passenger list for one party, but if there is a realistic way to get you aboard, we will tell you straight, and if there is not, we will say so honestly and look at other dates.
Can I board at Side harbour if my hotel is in Belek or Antalya?
You can, if you have a car and fancy the drive — some self-drive guests do exactly that. For most people staying further out, though, the included pick-up is the sensible choice. If you would rather sail closer to home, check the Belek departures hub for trips that start on your side of the coast.
The bottom line
If it sails from Side harbour — the sea day trips, the pirate boats, the dolphin trip — you can meet it there: book ahead, tell us you are coming on your own, and be early. If the water is inland or far along the coast, as with Green Canyon and Suluada, take the included transfer and let the day run itself. Guests are picked up from their hotel in the morning on those trips; the exact time is confirmed the day before and varies from hotel to hotel.
Choose your trip on our boat trips from Side hub, book your date, and add a note that you will meet us at the harbour — we will have your names on the list when you walk down the quay.