Kemer, Belek, Side or Alanya: which Antalya resort to choose
Mykyta Dzhus · Updated 2026-10-20 · 5 min read · Where to go
All four resorts are on the same coast, but the holidays are very different: mountains and pebbles in Kemer, golf and big hotels in Belek, ancient history in Side, a sandy beach and a city that never sleeps in Alanya. Let's work out which one suits you.
Contents
In short: which resort for whom
- Belek: closest to the airport, sandy beaches, big all-inclusive hotels and golf. For families and those who don't plan to leave the hotel.
- Kemer: mountains right above the sea, pebble beaches, clear water, lots of nature. For active holidays and great views.
- Side: sandy beaches with a gentle slope and an ancient city right next to the hotels. For families and history lovers.
- Alanya: a big town with sandy Cleopatra Beach, a castle and nightlife; accommodation is often cheaper. For those who like exploring a town.
How to choose: five questions
- Sand or pebbles? Sand: Belek, Side, Alanya. Pebbles and small stones: Kemer (but the water there is especially clear).
- How far from the airport? Belek half an hour, Kemer and Side about an hour, Alanya one and a half to two hours from Antalya or under an hour from Gazipaşa airport.
- Travelling with small children? A gentle sandy entry into the sea: Belek and Side.
- Want to get out of the hotel? A real town with a promenade and cafés: Alanya, and to a lesser extent Kemer and Side old town. In Belek, life mostly happens in the hotels.
- Budget? The widest choice of affordable hotels and apartments is in Alanya; Belek is mostly large upscale hotels.
Belek: close, flat and sandy
Belek is about 33 km from Antalya airport, a transfer of about half an hour. It's a resort of big hotels along a long sandy beach with a gentle slope into the sea. There are several golf courses, so the golf season runs almost all year.
Nearby is The Land of Legends theme park with rides, a water park and an evening show, and between Belek and Side is the Roman theatre of Aspendos, one of the best-preserved ancient theatres in the world. Belek's downside is that there's hardly a town as such: in the evenings people stroll around the hotel grounds.
Kemer: mountains, pebbles and clear water
Kemer is about 60 km from the airport; the road runs along the mountains and takes about an hour. The beaches are mostly pebbly, but the water is clear, and right behind the hotels rise the pine-covered Taurus Mountains. The resort strip runs from Beldibi through Göynük and Çamyuva to Tekirova; Kemer itself has a marina, promenade, bazaar and nightclubs.
Tip: bring water shoes. They're more comfortable on pebbles and safer on rocky stretches.
What to see near Kemer
- Tahtalı cable car: up to the 2,365 m summit with a view of the whole coast. It's cool at the top even in summer, so bring a jumper.
- Phaselis: ruins of an ancient city in a pine forest by the sea, with three small bays for swimming.
- Göynük Canyon: a walk along a mountain river with clear water.
- Olympos and the Chimaera: ruins in a green valley and the “eternal flames” of Yanartaş, where natural gas seeps from the ground and burns on the mountainside. Best visited in the evening.
- Boat trips to bays you can't reach by car.
Side: antiquity by the beach
Side is about 66 km from the airport, roughly an hour's drive. The highlight is the old town on a headland: the columns of the Temple of Apollo stand right by the sea (most beautiful at sunset), with an ancient theatre and streets of shops and restaurants nearby. Hotels are spread along the coast in Kumköy, Çolaklı, Evrenseki and Titreyengöl.
The beaches around are sandy with a gentle slope, so families with children love it. From Side it's easy to visit the Manavgat waterfall and take a boat along the Manavgat river to the bazaar.
Alanya: a town with Cleopatra Beach
Alanya is the furthest from Antalya airport: about 125 km, one and a half to two hours. But it has its own airport nearby, Gazipaşa (GZP), about 40 km from town; if there's a flight there, the trip is much shorter.
Alanya is a proper town with bazaars, cafés and nightlife. Cleopatra Beach is long and sandy, and above it on the rock stands a medieval castle you can reach by cable car. By the harbour is the octagonal Red Tower (Kızıl Kule), and in the cliff above the beach is Damlataş Cave. For nature trips there's the Dim river with restaurants right over the water and Sapadere Canyon. Accommodation here is often cheaper than in Belek or Kemer.
When to go
The swimming season on the Antalya coast runs from May to October. July and August are the hottest, often above 35 °C during the day, so plan excursions for the morning. September and October are the “velvet season”: the sea is warm, the heat eases, and there are fewer people. In spring the air is already warm but the water is still cool. Winter is mild, but too cool for the beach; it's the time for golf in Belek and walks.
Getting from the airport
The easiest option is a transfer from your hotel or tour operator, who will meet you in arrivals. Taxis can be booked through apps: BiTaksi and Uber work in Antalya (in Turkey, Uber calls regular licensed taxis). For the apps to work right after landing you need mobile data at the airport: there's Wi-Fi in the terminal, but not in the car. Prices and pitfalls: “Taxis from Turkey's airports in 2026: fares, apps and how not to overpay”; all the useful apps in “Turkey travel apps: BiTaksi, Uber, transport, maps, translation”.
What to book ahead
- Antalya airport transfer to your hotel at a fixed price.
- Excursions from Antalya's resorts on GetYourGuide.
Links to 12Go, GetYourGuide and Klook are partner links: the price for you is the same, and a small commission helps us run this blog.
Internet at any resort
Turkey isn't covered by EU roaming, so your home operator's data there is expensive, and hotel Wi-Fi ends at the hotel gate. To call a taxi, find a restaurant or an excursion and stay connected on the beach, install a travel eSIM at home: Turkey starts at $2.99, 5 GB for 30 days is $7.49, 10 GB is $11.49, a week of unlimited is $14.99. Your main SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts.
FAQ
Which Antalya resort is closest to the airport?
Belek: about 33 km, a transfer of about half an hour. Kemer and Side are about an hour, Alanya one and a half to two hours (or under an hour from Gazipaşa airport).
Where are the sandy beaches around Antalya?
In Belek, Side and Alanya (Cleopatra Beach). Kemer's beaches are mostly pebbly, but the water is especially clear.
Which resort is best with small children?
Belek or Side: sandy beaches with a gentle entry and lots of big hotels with kids' clubs and water parks.
When is the swimming season in Antalya?
May to October. July and August are the hottest; September and October are the most comfortable, with the sea still warm.
Does EU roaming work in Turkey?
No, Turkey isn't in the EU, so EU roam-like-at-home doesn't apply. Your options: “eSIM for Turkey: which plan to choose”.
I got tired of overpaying for SIM cards that didn't work and of searching for where to go next. So I built this site: travel guides and an eSIM that just works.
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