Antalya Boat Trip — Phaselis & Sunken City of Kekova

The Turkish Mediterranean coast between Antalya and the Kekova archipelago is one of the most scenically extraordinary stretches of water in the entire Mediterranean basin. Pine-forested mountains drop almost vertically to protected bays of extraordinary clarity; ancient harbour ruins sit at the water's edge or, in the case of the Sunken City of Kekova, lie beneath it. A full-day boat trip along this coastline offers the particular pleasure of seeing history from the sea — which is exactly how the Lycians, Greeks, and Romans who built these places understood them. The day typically begins in Antalya harbour or at Kemer marina, where a traditional Turkish gulet or day-cruise vessel is your platform for the day. These wooden boats — broad, stable, with shaded deck areas and a swimming platform at the stern — are well-suited to the shallow, calm waters of the region and are staffed by a crew who know the coast in the way that only comes from years on the water. The first stop on many routes is Phaselis, an ancient Lycian city that later became a major Hellenistic and Roman port, occupying a narrow peninsula between three bays. Founded in the seventh century BCE, Phaselis was the city from which Alexander the Great launched his Anatolian campaign, and it retains an agora, colonnaded street, theatre, and harbour ruins that you can walk through before slipping into the water from the same harbour walls where Roman merchant ships once tied up. The combination of pine forest, clear water, and two-thousand-year-old stonework at Phaselis is one of the most distinctive archaeological swimming experiences in the world. Kekova Island and the Sunken City, further east toward Demre, is the other centrepiece of this excursion. In the second century CE, a series of earthquakes progressively submerged a Lycian settlement on the northern shore of Kekova Island, leaving the ruins — staircases descending into the sea, cistern walls emerging at the waterline, the outlines of rooms and streets visible through clear water two to three metres deep — in a state of suspended half-submersion that remains eerie and beautiful in equal measure. Diving is prohibited to protect the ruins, but snorkelling above them is permitted, and the visibility in these protected waters is typically excellent. The boat anchors for an extended swim stop that allows unhurried exploration. The nearby village of Kaleköy (Simena), reachable by water taxi from Kekova, climbs a hillside topped by a small medieval castle. The village is accessible only by sea — there is no road to it — and is home to the smallest-capacity theatre in the ancient world (seven rows, seating approximately 300 people), cut into the rock below the castle walls. The atmosphere here, with cats sleeping on Roman sarcophagi at the water's edge and fishing boats moored alongside ancient walls, is among the most affecting in Turkey. Lunch is served on board — typically grilled fish, salads, bread, and fruit, with soft drinks and tea throughout the day. Multiple swim stops allow unhurried time in the water. The return journey to Antalya gives the western light the opportunity to do what it does best on this coast: turn the limestone cliffs pink and the water from turquoise to deep blue. Travel Orbit can arrange this boat trip as part of your Antalya holiday package. It pairs well with the Ancient Cities excursion (different terrain and period, both rewarding) and with the Old Town and Waterfalls half-day. Speak to our team about the right combination for your stay.