The Side Dolphin Boat Trip, Stop by Stop
Eight moments, from the knock at the hotel to the drive home. What happens at each one, and which parts the sea gets a say in.
Short answer
The Side dolphin boat trip collects you from your hotel, leaves at 10:00 and runs down the calm Manavgat river to the sea. It anchors at the Boğaz river mouth for a first swim, serves a BBQ lunch on deck, then crosses open water to Dolphin Island (Yunus Adası) for a long swim. After one more swim, the foam party starts on the way home, and the boat is back in the harbour around 16:30–17:00.
Morning: hotel to harbour
The day opens at your hotel. An air-conditioned vehicle picks you up at the time we sent you the evening before, by phone or WhatsApp, and takes you to the boat. That time is yours alone: it depends on the hotel, which is why it appears nowhere on this site. The pickup page lists every area we collect from.
The boat itself casts off at 10:00.
The river and the first swim
The first stretch is on the Manavgat river, which is calm: a slow run between the banks with the sea still ahead of you. It is a good moment to choose a seat and put on sun cream before the light gets strong.
Where the river opens into the Mediterranean, at Boğaz, the boat drops anchor for the first swim. The curious part is the water itself — cold and fresh from the river on one side, warm and salty from the sea on the other, only a few strokes apart. The river mouth guide has more on this stop.
Lunch, then Dolphin Island
Lunch comes off the BBQ and is eaten on deck: chicken from the grill, rice or pasta, salad and bread, all in the fare. The bar on board sells drinks for those who want one.
Then the boat leaves the coast behind for open water and Dolphin Island, Yunus Adası in Turkish, where it anchors for the longest swim of the day. Out here you share the sea with wild dolphins and with Caretta caretta, a protected sea turtle. Some days they pass close to the boat; some days nobody sees them. Nobody can arrange it, and we never sell it as part of the day.
Afternoon: last swim and the foam party
- One more anchor stop for a final swim before the boat turns for home.
- On the way back the music goes up and foam covers part of the deck. Join in, or watch from a dry corner — see the foam party guide.
- The boat reaches the harbour around 16:30–17:00, and the vehicle drives you back to your hotel.
The crew runs the stops to suit the weather and the water on the day. The plan is the swims, the lunch and the island; their exact order can move.
Before you choose a date
Swimming is never compulsory, there is shade on deck, and lunch and the transfer cost nothing extra. What you do need is a swimsuit, a towel and sun protection; the packing list covers the rest. When the day looks right, book your places — nothing is paid until the trip.