Turkish Maldives Suluada Boat Trip

South Through Kumluca to Adrasan Harbour

The day starts with a drive of around an hour and a half to two hours south from Antalya, passing through Kumluca before reaching the small harbour town of Adrasan. It is a longer transfer than many day tours require, but it is what puts Suluada within reach, taking the group past citrus groves and coastal hills on the way down. Adrasan itself is a quiet fishing harbour rather than a resort town, and it is here that guests transfer from the coach onto the boat that will carry them out to the island for the rest of the day.

Crossing the Water to Suluada Island

From Adrasan harbour, the boat takes around forty-five minutes to reach Suluada, an uninhabited island often described as the Turkish Maldives for its pale sand and shallow, clear water. The crossing itself is part of the appeal, with the boat moving along a stretch of undeveloped coastline before the island comes into view. Unlike a beach reached by road, Suluada can only be visited by boat, which keeps the shoreline free of the usual beach infrastructure and gives the whole day a sense of travelling somewhere genuinely apart from the mainland.

Love Beach on the South Side of Suluada

The first stop on the island itself is the beach on Suluada's south side, known locally as Love Beach, where the boat anchors for around forty to sixty minutes of swimming in shallow, calm water. The sand here is pale and the water stays clear close to shore, making it an easy spot for guests of different swimming abilities to get in the water. It is typically the first proper swim break of the day after the drive and the crossing, and many guests treat it as the moment the tour shifts from transfer to actual island time.

Snorkelling in the North Suluada Waters

The boat then moves to the northern side of the island for a second swim and snorkel stop, again lasting around forty to sixty minutes, where the water tends to be a little deeper and clearer for those wanting to look below the surface. Snorkelling gear is generally available for guests who want to explore the rocks and small fish along this side of Suluada, while others simply swim or float in the open water. This northern stop gives the day a second, distinct character from Love Beach, with a slightly wilder coastline and fewer boats gathered in one place.

Fener Bay and Its Lighthouse Views

From the north side of the island, the boat continues around to Fener Bay, named for the small lighthouse that marks this stretch of coastline. It is a shorter stop within the itinerary, giving guests a chance to see a different section of Suluada's shoreline from the water before the boat moves on toward Cave Bay. The bay's rocky outline and the lighthouse itself make it one of the more distinctive-looking points of the day, and it works as a natural transition between the open swimming stops and the more sheltered cave area that follows.

The Swim-Through at Cave Bay

Known locally as Love Cave, this rock formation at Cave Bay lets swimmers pass through a tight channel that joins two separate pockets of water, a highlight many on this Suluada trip remember longest. It rewards a bit of confidence in the water more than the open swim stops earlier in the day, though the crew is on hand to guide anyone unsure about the passage. The light inside the cave and the contrast between the enclosed water and the open sea beyond make this one of the most photographed moments of the Suluada boat trip.

Lunch Served on the Boat

Midway through the itinerary, the crew lays out a meal right there on deck, so nobody has to leave the water behind to eat. Eating on deck, anchored somewhere along the Suluada coastline or on the way between stops, keeps the day moving without a long pause, and it is timed so the group has eaten before the final swim stop nearer Adrasan. For a day built almost entirely around being on and in the water, having lunch served on the boat itself is one of the details that sets this itinerary apart from a standard land tour.

A Final Swim Near Adrasan or Haciyat Bay

Before the return crossing, the boat makes one last stop for swimming, either back toward the Adrasan side or at Haciyat Bay, depending on conditions on the day. It gives the group a final chance to get in the water after Cave Bay and lunch, closer to the point where the boat will return to harbour for the drive back to Antalya. This last stop tends to be more relaxed than the earlier ones, without a set list of things to see, simply time in calm water before the long transfer home.

Who This Full Day at Sea Suits

This itinerary suits travellers who are comfortable spending most of a day on and in the water, rather than moving between historical sites, and it works well for anyone who enjoys swimming or light snorkelling over a packed sightseeing schedule. Families with children who can swim get the most from the multiple beach and bay stops, while couples looking for a quieter alternative to a busy city beach often single out Suluada specifically for its undeveloped shoreline. Given the length of the drive and the boat time involved, it suits guests happy to commit a full day to one destination.

Pickup, Timing and Booking This Trip

Hotel pickup is arranged from the Antalya city centre early in the morning, with the day running from around seven until six in the evening once the drive to Adrasan, the boat crossing and all the swim stops are accounted for. Bookings for this Suluada crossing go through Haqqi Tours' desk ahead of time, with pickup confirmed and any questions handled over WhatsApp in both Arabic and English before the group sets off each day. As a licensed Turkish operator with its own vehicles, Haqqi Tours manages the drive south, the boat and the return transfer back to the same hotels in the evening.