Shared Sunken City of Kekova Boat Tour including lunch

History sits just below the water. This full-day Kekova boat tour from Kas combines a modern 24-meter wooden boat with swimming stops, ancient ruins, and a visit to Kalekoy. I like that lunch is cooked and served on board, and I like the chance to see the sunken city from the sea rather than rushing through a land-based sightseeing stop.

The main consideration is the length of the day. You will spend about eight hours on the boat, with a 1.5-hour cruise before the first swim and several scheduled stops afterward. Seating is reserved, but smaller parties may share a table, so this is best for people who enjoy a social day on the water rather than a private, quiet outing.

Key points to know before booking

• A 24-meter traditional-style boat: The vessel is recently built but designed in a traditional wooden style, with shaded table seating and upper-deck beach chairs.
• Lunch is part of the day: Expect barbecued chicken, Turkish salads, appetizers, coffee or tea, and afternoon tea.
• Several chances to swim: Inonu Bay and Aquarium Bay are the main swimming stops, with calm water and time to relax.
• Kekova’s ruins are seen from the boat: You photograph the submerged remains of a Lycian settlement damaged by earthquakes in the 2nd century CE.
• Kalekoy gives you time ashore: You get about an hour to see Simena Castle, Lycian sarcophagi, small shops, and homemade ice cream.
• Captain Ergun and the crew earn praise: Their friendly, organized approach is a major part of the appeal, especially for families.

Setting out from Kas at 9:30

Your day begins at the Larsoy Travel and Tourism Office on Liman Street in central Kas. The stated departure time is 9:30 a.m., with the boat portion beginning around 10:00. The activity returns to the same meeting point at about 6:00 p.m.

That timing matters. You are not squeezing Kekova into a short morning outing. Instead, you get a long day that allows for slow cruising, swimming, lunch, photographs, and time at Kalekoy. The tradeoff is simple: you need to protect most of the day for this experience.

The tour is offered in English and includes a local guide with live commentary on board. That makes a difference here because the scenery alone can blur together after several hours. The historical explanations help connect the rocky coves and half-submerged ruins with the ancient Lycian settlements that once occupied this coast.

The boat can carry up to 100 people. That is a fairly large maximum, so you should not expect a small private sailing trip. The benefit is a lower shared-tour price and a full selection of facilities. The drawback is that the atmosphere may be livelier, particularly during boarding, lunch, and the return trip.

A comfortable boat for a long Mediterranean day

The boat is 24 meters long and recently built in a traditional wooden style. This combination is useful. You get the visual character of a classic Turkish gulet-style boat, along with the space and facilities needed for an eight-hour outing.

Seating is reserved. A family of five arranged a shaded table, while smaller parties may share table space with other people. If shade matters to you, pay attention when the operator calls before the trip. The crew reportedly contacts customers about two days ahead to arrange seating.

The upper deck has beach chairs. These are a good choice if you want open sun, a wider view, or a place to stretch out between stops. The lower or table areas work better during lunch and for anyone who prefers shade. Bring a hat and sun protection either way, since much of the day is spent outdoors.

Coffee and tea are included, along with afternoon tea. Drinks beyond those offerings are not included, and alcoholic drinks can be purchased separately. The supplied information does not specify whether bottled water or soft drinks are included, so you should check before departure or bring money for additional drinks.

The slow cruise to Inonu Bay

Once the boat leaves, you cruise toward Kekova through calm coastal water. The first journey lasts about 1.5 hours, with refreshments offered as the coast passes by.

This is not dead time. The long opening cruise lets you settle into the boat and get used to the pace of the day. You can sit at a table, take an upper-deck chair, listen to the commentary, or simply watch the shoreline. If you prefer constant activity, the first stretch may feel slow. If you enjoy a proper day at sea, it sets the right mood.

Inonu Bay is the first main stop, with about two hours available. The focus is swimming and relaxing. This gives you a useful early chance to get into the water before lunch and before the more history-focused parts of the outing.

Pack swimwear, a towel, and sun protection. The tour description does not promise water sports or equipment, so plan on swimming from the boat rather than expecting organized activities. The two-hour stop should give you time to swim without feeling hurried, though the exact amount of time in the water can depend on the day’s running schedule and conditions.

Aquarium Bay, lunch, and clear water

The next stop is Aquarium Bay near Kekova Island. The water is described as clear, and the stop is designed for swimming among visible sea life. It is also where lunch is prepared.

The meal includes barbecued chicken, Turkish salads, and a selection of appetizers. This is one of the tour’s strongest practical features. You do not need to find a restaurant in a remote coastal village or carry a full picnic for the day. Food arrives as part of the boat’s schedule, and coffee or tea is included as well.

A meal served on a boat is not the same as sitting in a seaside restaurant. You will be eating within a group setting, and the timing is tied to the captain’s route. Still, the combination of a hot grilled main dish and Turkish side plates is a sensible fit for a day of swimming.

The food also helps with value. At $78.02 per person, the price covers roughly eight hours, a guide, live commentary, lunch, coffee or tea, afternoon tea, and the boat ride. You still pay separately for alcoholic drinks and other drinks, but the included meal removes one sizeable cost from a full day in a popular coastal area.

Tersane Bay and the first ancient remains

After lunch, the boat continues to Tersane Bay. The name refers to an ancient shipbuilding yard, adding another piece to the area’s long connection with the sea.

The stop lasts about an hour. You continue along the coast while the guide explains the ruins and the region. This section is less about getting ashore and more about seeing the remains from the water, where the relationship between the ancient settlements and the coastline becomes clear.

The pace is gentle. You are not walking through a formal archaeological site with signs at every turn. Instead, you are hearing commentary while the boat moves through a historic coastal setting. That style suits anyone who prefers scenery and storytelling to a long museum visit.

Seeing the Sunken City of Kekova from the boat

The most memorable part of the day is the passage over Kekova’s sunken ruins. A Lycian settlement was left partly underwater after earthquakes in the 2nd century CE. From the boat, you can photograph submerged stone remains visible through the water.

You do not get off and walk among the ruins. The site is viewed from the boat, which protects the fragile remains and keeps the visit within the rules for this historic area. That also means your experience depends on water clarity, light, your position on the boat, and your camera.

This is a place where expectations matter. The sunken city is not a complete underwater city rising clearly from the sea. You may see walls, stones, and other traces beneath the surface. The guide’s explanation gives those fragments meaning, while the slow boat ride gives you time to take photographs.

The official sightseeing time for the sunken ruins is about 30 minutes. That is enough for a focused viewing, but not a long archaeological tour. Keep your camera ready, and listen for the commentary so you do not treat the ruins as just another scenic photograph.

Kalekoy and Simena Castle

The boat then heads toward Kalekoy, a small village accessible by boat or on foot. The village was built around the ruins of ancient Simena, so the old and modern settings sit close together.

You get about one hour of free time here. That is enough to make the short visit worthwhile, but you will need to choose what matters most. You can walk through the narrow streets, browse the small shops, photograph Lycian sarcophagi, or climb toward Simena Castle.

The castle is the main reason to use your hour carefully. The climb gives you a higher view over the coast and the water, though the tour information does not state how demanding the path is. Wear sensible shoes if you plan to walk uphill, and leave time to return to the boat.

You can also keep things easy. Kalekoy is a pleasant place to sit by the water and enjoy homemade ice cream. This is a good choice if you have children, want a break from the sun, or would rather not spend your free time climbing.

Families appear to fit this tour well. A six-year-old child reportedly enjoyed the experience, and the boat had several families with children. The reserved seating system can also help a family stay together, especially if you arrange a shaded table in advance.

What the guide and crew add

A boat trip like this depends heavily on crew organization. The experience here receives particularly warm praise for Captain Ergun and the staff, who are described as friendly, professional, and well organized.

That matters in small ways throughout the day. Clear boarding instructions, timely meals, reserved seating, and steady movement between swimming and sightseeing stops all help a long shared trip feel manageable. The historical explanations are also singled out as a strength, especially around Simena and the sunken city.

The tour is not presented as a specialist archaeology excursion. If you want detailed academic discussion of Lycian construction or earthquake geology, you may want a dedicated archaeological guide as well. For most people, the balance of clear explanation, sea time, and photographs should be enough.

Is $78.02 good value from Kas?

The price is $78.02 per person. For an approximately eight-hour shared tour, that is a fair package if you intend to spend a full day exploring Kekova.

Your fee includes the boat, a local guide, live commentary, lunch, coffee or tea, afternoon tea, and local taxes. You also get several swimming stops and time at Kalekoy. Those inclusions make the price easier to justify than a simple transport-only boat ride.

The value is strongest for couples, families, and solo visitors who want one organized day without planning each stop themselves. It is less attractive if you dislike group outings, want total control over the schedule, or would rather spend most of the day on land.

The group maximum is 100 people, so the price reflects a shared experience. The boat is large enough to offer different seating areas, but the trip will not have the quiet, flexible feel of a private charter.

Practical details that can improve your day

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time, but changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted.

Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the minimum drinking age is 18. The activity is near public transportation, and the supplied information says most people can participate.

A few simple choices will make the day easier:

• Ask about shaded seating when the operator calls before departure.
• Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, and a hat.
• Carry money for drinks and alcoholic beverages, since they are not included.
• Keep a camera ready during the passage over the sunken ruins.
• Use your hour in Kalekoy wisely, especially if you want to reach the castle.
• Expect a social setting if you are a small party sharing a table.

Who should book this Kekova boat tour?

I would recommend this outing if you want to combine swimming, lunch, and ancient ruins without arranging separate transport or meals. It works especially well for families, first-time visitors to Kas, and anyone who wants a relaxed day with a clear route.

The tour is also a good choice if you like history presented in a light, accessible way. You hear about the Lycian settlements while seeing the actual coastline, shipyard area, submerged ruins, and castle village.

I would hesitate if you need a private boat, dislike long cruises, or want to spend hours ashore at archaeological sites. The sunken city is viewed from the water, and Kalekoy receives only about an hour. Those limits are reasonable for a shared day, but they should match your expectations.

For most people, the combination of a comfortable traditional-style boat, well-timed swimming stops, included lunch, and Captain Ergun’s organized crew makes this a strong-value day from Kas. Book it if you want the sea to be the main event, with history appearing naturally along the way.

FAQ

Where does the Kekova boat tour start?

It starts at the Larsoy Travel and Tourism Office at Andifli, Liman Sk. 4 B, in central Kas, Antalya, Türkiye.

What time does the tour depart and return?

The stated start time is 9:30 a.m. The boat portion begins around 10:00 a.m., and the tour returns to the meeting point at about 6:00 p.m.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch includes barbecued chicken, Turkish salads, and appetizers. Coffee or tea and afternoon tea are also included.

Are drinks included?

Coffee and tea are included. Other drinks are not included, and alcoholic drinks are available to purchase separately. The minimum drinking age is 18.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours.

Can I visit Simena Castle during the tour?

Yes. The boat stops at Kalekoy, where you have about one hour of free time. You can walk toward Simena Castle, see Lycian sarcophagi, browse shops, or enjoy homemade ice cream.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.