River, delta and bay
Boat Tour From Side to Caretta Bay
Three kinds of water in six hours: the still Manavgat River, the delta where it runs into the sea, and the clear turquoise of Caretta Bay.
Short answer
The boat leaves at 10:00 and docks around 16:00, with hotel transfers either side. €20 from age 11, €14 for ages 4 to 10. Lunch, insurance and two supervised swim stops are in the fare; drinks are not.
Murat Atalay Travel Agency TÜRSAB licensed travel agency No. 11294
At a glance
- What
- River cruise, delta swim, a long stop in Caretta Bay and foam on the run home.
- Where
- Collected at your hotel in the Side belt, from Gündoğdu to Kızılot, and in Manavgat town.
- Price
- Aged 11 and over: €20 · Aged 4 to 10: €14 · Under 4: free
Full price details → - How long
- 10:00 to about 16:00 on the water, plus transfers.
- Included
- Transfer, lunch, licensed crew and guides, insurance, foam party. Drinks are extra.
- Pickup
- We confirm your pickup time the day before, by phone or WhatsApp. Wait at the main entrance gate of your hotel.
- When
- The booking form shows the dates on sale. Ask about tomorrow on WhatsApp.
- Terms
- Pay on the day in euros. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
- Who
- Swimmers and families. A turtle sighting is possible, not promised.
- Page updated
The programme
How the Caretta Bay day runs
Cast off at 10:00, dock around 16:00: about 6 hours on the water, with your transfers either side.
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Pickup at your hotel
An air-conditioned vehicle takes you to the pier.
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10:00 on the Manavgat River
The boat leaves on calm, flat water.
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Swim at the river delta
Cool river water runs into the warm sea here. Lunch is cooked while you swim, and served on deck.
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Along the coast
Out of the river and along the shore towards the Side peninsula.
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Long swim at Caretta Bay
Clear turquoise water and the day's main stop.
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Foam party on the way back
Music and foam on deck as the afternoon cools.
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Harbour around 16:00
Your transfer is waiting to take you back.
A turtle may or may not appear: they are wild animals and no sighting can be promised.
Price
Caretta Bay: price and contents
Every figure below is read live from the booking system, the same rows the form charges. The lists are the operator's own record of what the fare covers.
Caretta Bay Boat Tour
Price per person
| Aged 11 and over | €20 |
|---|---|
| Aged 4 to 10 | €14 |
| Under 4 | free |
| Hotel pickup and return | included |
- Pay on the tour day, in euros: nothing online
- Free cancellation up to 48 hours before
- No booking fee, no transfer surcharge
Worked examples
- Two adults€40
- Two adults and a child of 9€54
- Two adults, a child of 7 and one of 2€54
In the price
- Hotel transfer both ways in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Lunch made fresh on board during the delta stop
- A licensed captain, certified crew and guides
- Passenger insurance for the whole tour
- The foam party and supervised swim breaks
Not in the price
- Soft drinks and alcohol, sold at the bar on board
- The optional all-inclusive drinks package
- Photos and videos from the on-board media teams
- Personal spending and snacks beyond lunch
An unlimited drinks package can be added with the crew on board.
A river start
The start is the quietest part of the day. You leave the pier on flat water, which is good news if you worry about the open sea, and you only meet the swell once lunch is behind you.
The delta swim
The boat anchors where the river empties into the Mediterranean, and you can feel both in one swim: cool river water and warm salt water. The crew cooks lunch while you are in the sea and serves it on deck when you come back.
Caretta Bay, honestly
The bay is named for the loggerhead turtles that come ashore to nest on this coast, and it is the long, unhurried stop of the day. You may see one. You may not. They are wild animals and nobody can arrange it, so come for the swim and treat a turtle as a bonus.
Going home
As the afternoon cools the boat turns for the harbour and the foam comes out, with music all the way back. Your transfer waits at the dock.
What it costs on top
Soft drinks and alcohol are sold at the bar, and a bottomless drinks package is available from the crew if you plan to drink through the day. Photos and videos from the media teams on board, snacks beyond lunch and personal spending are also yours to pay. The captain is licensed and the crew certified, and passenger insurance covers the whole tour. Two swims call for strong sun cream, sunglasses, a towel and swimming things.
Book online with no card, pay on the tour day, and cancel for free up to 48 hours before.
The catalogue
The other tours
Same pickup, same way of paying, nine different days. Not sure? Start with which boat tour to choose.
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The harbour classic
Side Boat Tour
A full day along the Side coast: live music, repeated swims and snorkelling, a meal on deck and foam to finish.
€20 per person aged 11+ · About 7 hours
See this tour -
The longest sea day
Side Island Boat Tour
Board around 09:30 and swim at Kızılot and Boğaz, with a hot lunch and soft drinks all day in the fare. Back in Side about 17:30.
€24 per person aged 11+ · About 8 hours
See this tour -
River, delta and bay
Caretta Bay Boat Tour
Down the Manavgat River to a delta swim, then a long stop in Caretta Bay, where you may see a sea turtle. Foam party on the way home.
€20 per person aged 11+ · About 6 hours
Book your seats -
Mondays and Thursdays
Manavgat River Boat Tour and Bazaar
Slow water, a dip at the river mouth, lunch on deck and foam at sea, then two free hours at the Manavgat Grand Bazaar.
€21 per person aged 11+ · About 10 hours
See this tour -
Built for small children
Little Pirates Boat Tour
Children get pirate costumes, a treasure hunt and games on deck. Parents get the sun, and everyone gets a swim and lunch.
€20 per person aged 11+ · About 6 hours
See this tour -
No music, no party
Relax Boat Tour
Your own reserved sunbed, quiet swim breaks, a buffet at lunchtime, and every drink, soft or alcoholic, in the fare.
€45 per person aged 11+ · About 7 hours
See this tour -
Twelve guests at most
Fishing Tour from Side
An early morning at sea with rods, lines and bait supplied, simit and tea on deck, and a captain who shows beginners what to do.
€45 per person aged 11+ · About 6 hours
See this tour -
River mouth to open water
Dolphin Island Boat Tour
A river-mouth swim, a grilled lunch, then a long anchor at Dolphin Island. Wild dolphins and turtles live here, though no sighting can be promised.
€21 per person aged 11+ · About 6 hours
See this tour -
Noisy, happy, for families
Pirate Ship Boat Tour
A pirate show with face painting, a treasure map and tug-of-war, a swim where river meets sea, and a foam party to finish.
€23 per person aged 11+ · About 6 hours
See this tour
Book
Reserve seats on the Caretta Bay day
Tour, date, guests, hotel, phone number. No card, no prepayment: you pay on the tour day.
On the water
River, delta and bay
Photographs of the tours, as supplied by the operator.
Questions