What a pirate galleon day actually is
Forget grim seafaring history — a pirate ship on this coast is a floating family entertainment venue. The galleons are big, colourful multi-deck boats with an animation crew on board, and the programme is built around children: pirate games, face painting, a treasure hunt on deck and a foam party with music and dancing.
Between the shows, the day works like any good boat trip: the ship cruises the shoreline, drops anchor for swimming breaks in clear water, and serves lunch on board. Parents are not just spectators either — on the Side ship they are warmly invited to join the games and the swimming.
Four galleons sail this stretch of the Mediterranean, from three different resort areas. They share the formula but not the details — routes, menus and prices differ — so it pays to choose by where you stay and how old your crew is.
The Side flagship: the classic pirate day
The Side Pirate Boat Tour is the flagship of this coast. In six hours you get the full programme: the foam party on the open deck, free face painting, a treasure hunt with pirate games, and a swim break out at the delta where the river meets the sea.
Lunch is genuinely child-proof — spaghetti, chicken fingers and fish fingers — and the boat is run by officially licensed maritime crew. Air-conditioned hotel transfer from the Side area is included, infants sail free, and the ship leaves in the morning with pickups timed around it. Adults pay €23, children €16.
Little Pirates: when the kids are the captains
The Little Pirates Boat Tour is the gentler, kids-first alternative from Side. Children get pirate costumes, the crew stay in character all day long, and a treasure hunt runs on deck while the boat cruises the coastline between swimming and snorkelling stops.
Lunch and soft drinks are served on board, hotel pickup is included, and parents stay with their children throughout the day. At €20 per adult and €14 per child it is also the cheapest way to get a pirate day afloat.
Alanya: pirate caves below a real castle
The Alanya Pirate Boat Tour has the most scenic route of the four: seven hours along Alanya's rocky shoreline, past Cleopatra Beach, the Pirates Cave and the Phosphorus Cave, with swim stops in turquoise coves directly below the medieval castle.
A freshly cooked lunch of grilled chicken, rice and salad is served on board, and the foam party runs on the open deck. Pickup from hotels in central Alanya is included; non-swimmers are welcome, with life jackets available on request. Adults pay €20, children €14.
Belek: the Alibaba galleon
Staying around Belek? The Alibaba Pirate Boat Tour from Belek collects you from resorts across the area and spends seven hours at sea, with a barbecue lunch grilled on board, its own foam party and swims straight off the deck in clear coves.
Because the transfer leg is longer, this is the priciest pirate day at €43 per adult and €30 per child — still a complete package with transfer, lunch, insurance and the full animation programme. Drinks from the bar are extra, and flat non-slip shoes make deck life easier.
Booking a pirate day: how it works
Every ship on this page works the same way: reserve online for free, pay in euros once the tour day arrives, and cancel at no cost up to 24 hours before departure. Hotel pickup is part of every ticket, and the exact pickup time is confirmed after booking because it varies by hotel.
Bring swimwear, towels, hats and high-SPF sunscreen — the foam dries fast, but the sun does not let up. And if you would rather have quiet water than cannon noise, our Green Canyon guide covers the calm freshwater lake day up in the Taurus mountains instead.