Not a sea cruise: what Green Canyon actually is
Green Canyon is the local name for the vast reservoir that formed behind the Oymapınar Dam, up in the Taurus mountains inland from the coast. The water is startlingly green — fed by mountain springs and cool all year round — and it sits between steep walls of pine-covered rock.
That makes this the one boat day on this coast that does not happen on the sea at all. You are collected at your hotel, driven up into the mountains, and board a catamaran or tour boat on the lake itself. Expect mirror-calm emerald water, canyon walls, swim stops in properly refreshing water — and not a single wave, which is why seasickness-prone travellers love it.
Every departure below sails the same reservoir; what changes is the drive, the boat, the meal and the price. Pick the one that starts nearest your hotel.
From Side, Evrenseki or Kumköy: the Side-coast departures
The flagship is the Green Canyon catamaran cruise from Side (€33 adult, €20 child): a six-hour day with a strict no-music policy so you hear only nature, lunch, free fishing gear and unlimited soft drinks on board, and two swim stops as it explores both the Grand Canyon and the Small Canyon.
Staying in Evrenseki? The Oymapınar Dam catamaran from Evrenseki fits the same emerald water into a half day of roughly five hours, with an open-buffet lunch and lake views at the Green Canyon Restaurant — ideal if a full day afloat feels like too much.
The Green Canyon boat tour from Kumköy runs a seven-hour day with a grilled lunch served on deck, passing working trout farms and dramatic rock formations on the way to secluded swimming coves. Both alternatives cost the same €33 per adult as the Side departure.
From Antalya city
The Green Canyon boat tour from Antalya is an eight-hour round trip that collects from central Antalya hotels for the longer drive east. On the lake you glide past waterfalls and hidden inlets, watch the dam wall rise straight out of the water, and eat from an open buffet of grilled chicken and fresh salads on board. €42 per adult, €25 per child.
From Alanya
The Green Canyon boat tour from Alanya is the longest day of the six — around nine hours, with pickup from Alanya and Avsallar — and adds a visit to the trout-farm springs where the Manavgat river rises icy from the mountains. Lunch is an open buffet served on deck while the boat drifts through the gorge. €33 per adult, €20 per child.
From Belek
From the golf-resort side of the coast, the Green Canyon cruise from Belek makes an eight-hour day of it: air-conditioned transfer from Belek hotels, a freshly grilled lunch on board, free time to sunbathe on the open deck and swims in refreshingly cool turquoise coves. €42 per adult, €25 per child — the same as the Antalya departure, reflecting the longer drive.
Good to know before you go
Whichever pier you start from, the essentials are identical: reserve free of charge, pay in euros on the day, and cancel free up to 24 hours ahead. Hotel pickup is included on every departure, with the exact time confirmed after booking.
If you want salt water and coastal scenery instead, our pirate galleon comparison covers the family entertainment ships, and the Suluada island day is the big-journey alternative for beach lovers.
- The lake water stays cool even in August — wonderful once you are in, bracing at first
- Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and sunglasses; a dry change of clothes is handy
- Non-swimmers can happily spend the whole day on deck
- Drinks beyond what each tour lists are paid on board