Kekova Blue Cruise (Gulet) — Private Tour from Antalya

The Kekova Blue Cruise (Gulet) is built around the Batık Şehir, the sunken city that slipped beneath the sea after a powerful earthquake in antiquity. As the gulet glides slowly along the shore of Kekova Island, you look straight down through the clear water at submerged walls, staircases, foundations and harbour lines resting only a metre or two deep. To protect this archaeological site, swimming and diving are not allowed directly over the ruins, so the boat lingers while you take it all in.

The cruise also passes Kaleköy, the car-free castle village of ancient Simena, crowned by a fortress with a tiny rock-cut theatre, Lycian sarcophagi scattered on the slopes and a famous half-submerged tomb in the water. Most cruises stop to swim and snorkel in sheltered coves such as Aquarium Bay, Tersane Bay with its old shipyard ruins, and Gökkaya, where the water is calm and astonishingly transparent.

Because the Kekova Blue Cruise (Gulet) is private, the day is built around you. After hotel pickup your driver takes you along the coast to the small harbour at Üçağız, the fishing village that is the gateway to the Kekova bays, where you board your gulet for the cruise.

Once aboard, the boat heads out over the sunken city and along the shore below Simena Castle, then anchors in one or more calm coves so you can swim, snorkel from the deck and relax in the sun. A Turkish-style lunch is usually served on board, and there is time to simply unwind on the cushions as the coast slides by. When the gulet returns to Üçağız, your driver is waiting to bring you home.

The order and pace are flexible. If you want a longer swim stop, extra time in Üçağız for a seafood lunch, or a slower, calmer day, just tell your driver and the crew. Nothing is rushed.

Your Kekova Blue Cruise (Gulet) is door to door. We collect you directly from your hotel anywhere in the Antalya region, from the city and Lara to Belek, Kemer, Side and beyond, and return you to the same door at the end of the day.

The drive is around 145 km and roughly 130 minutes each way, following the ring road and then the beautiful coastal highway through Kumluca and Finike towards the Kekova area. You travel in a clean, air-conditioned vehicle with a courteous English-speaking driver; multilingual drivers can be arranged on request, and a comfort stop along the way is easy to add.

Because it is fully private, only your own party shares the car. There is no waiting at other hotels, no crowded coach and no fixed group schedule, just a direct, comfortable ride with someone who knows the route and hands you over to the gulet at the harbour.

The Kekova Blue Cruise (Gulet) is priced per vehicle, not per person, so the whole party shares one clear transfer fare. Prices start from €90 for a sedan suitable for up to about three guests, and from €115 for a Mercedes Vito minivan for larger families or small groups.

This price covers your private vehicle, fuel and driver for the day. The gulet boat ticket, lunch on board, harbour or village fees and personal extras are paid locally and are not included, which keeps the transfer quote transparent. We are happy to point you to a reliable boat at Üçağız if you have not arranged one.

There is no prepayment for the transfer. You simply pay the driver directly, in cash or by card, and the price you are quoted is the price you pay. With no big groups and a vehicle reserved just for you, the day stays private, calm and easy from start to finish.

Plan for a long but rewarding full day, as the Kekova bays lie a couple of hours west of Antalya by car. Bring a swimsuit and towel, since most cruises include time to swim and snorkel in the coves; your own snorkel mask is handy, and reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and water are wise in the warmer months.

The sea is calmest and warmest from late spring through early autumn, which is the prime season for swimming, though the cruise can run in milder months too. Mornings are usually the smoothest on the water. Carry some cash for the boat ticket, lunch and any drinks or souvenirs in Üçağız.

The Kekova Blue Cruise (Gulet) suits families and older travellers well. The gulet is stable and unhurried, children love watching the sunken city and swimming from the deck, and with your own private car you can keep little ones close and break the journey whenever you need.