Best beaches in Side

Stretching over 3 km of fine golden brown sand, Side East Beach, often referred to as Side Big Beach, stands out as one of the most popular in the area. Easily accessible on foot, the route to the beachfront offers the added bonus of passing by the delightful remains of the Apollo Temple, Roman Amphitheatre, and Agora. At the beach, you can expect all the usual amenities, including showers and toilets, with an abundance of sunbeds and umbrellas available for hire. The pleasant promenade extends the length of the beach, providing excellent views of the Mediterranean Sea and access to many side streets with a delightful array of small restaurants, cafes and bars.

one of the most picturesque beaches in the region, Kumkoy is close to Side town centre. Several miles long, the beach is blessed with fine sand lapped by clean, clear and warm waters. The sea here is shallow and calm making it a firm favourite with families, as youngsters can safely wade out to 100m without being out of their depth. For older family members, a multitude of activities are on offer including parasailing, jet skiing, pedal boats and crazy banana inflatables dragged behind powerful speed boats. This is definitely an all-day destination with many starting early morning with watersport activities, through the day with family fun and finishing in the evenings sitting at a beachside bar watching the sun go down.

Just outside Side is the wide beach area known as Colakli which attracts visitors of all ages. The 4 km sandy beachfront is home to several hotels, many of which allow access to their facilities, although plenty of free public amenities such as showers and toilets are available. Colakli Beach is popular with families as young children can safely play in the lifeguard-protected shallow waters while parents chill under the sun. For variety, several pier-like wooden footbridges allow you to walk out over the water, while the eastern promontory is the spot to picnic while watching the sun go down. If you are looking for a bit of local culture, then search out the estuary between Colakli and Evrenseki beaches where a small traditional fishing port is located.

Sorgun Beach extends 8 km from Side Big Beach in the west to Manavgat river in the east. The beach is fine sand mixed with small pebbles and stones set against a backdrop of hotels sympathetically blended into the environment. Many parts of this blue flag award-winning beach are owned by the adjacent hotels which offer plenty of facilities for those lucky enough to be staying. There are public areas where you can lay out your towel and enjoy the beach, but you are advised to take your own drinks and snacks as facilities are sparse. That said this does make for a cheaper, almost old-fashioned experience compared with the sometimes overwhelming public sunbed areas. It should also be noted that the majority of water-based activities including diving, sailing and windsurfing are open to both hotel guests and visitors.

Just 7.5 km from Side town centre is the delightful Evrenseki Beach. This clean, wide sandy beach is primarily used for sunbathing and swimming and has all the required support infrastructure such as changing cabins, showers and toilets. The beach also has public volleyball and football areas, with a small number of water activities available. As with many beaches in this region, large parts are owned by the hotels that back on to the beachfront. However, a well-kept pedestrian walkway weaves between the hotel complexes, providing a delightful environment to stroll or jog and a pretty little fishing harbour, home to both working and leisure boats, is reached by a small bridge.