The Side Dolphin Boat Trip with Children: Fares, Sun and Swims
A boat day goes well with children when you plan for the sun and for the length of it. Here is what they pay, what to pack for them and what to ask us first.
Short answer
Children aged 2 to 10 pay €15; under 2 they travel free, and from 11 the adult fare of €21 applies. Every child travels with an adult from their own party. Swimming is optional at every stop, and the day is long and bright, so pack proper sun protection and plan for shade.
What each child pays
- Under 2: free. Add them to the booking all the same, so we know the whole family is coming.
- Aged 2 to 10: €15 each, paid in euros on the day together with the rest of your party.
- From 11: the full fare of €21, the same as a parent.
- Nothing is paid online, and a cancellation costs nothing until 48 hours ahead of the trip — useful when a child wakes up unwell.
Every fare, side by side, is on the prices page.
The sun, the shade and a long day
The boat leaves the harbour at 10:00 and comes back around 16:30–17:00, with the hotel drive on either side. That is a lot of bright light on open water for a small child. Pack high-factor sun cream, sunglasses, a hat and a towel for each of them, and put the cream on again after every swim.
There is shade on deck as well as sun, and a child who is tired can rest there between stops. Lunch is served on deck: chicken off the grill, rice or pasta, a fresh salad and bread. Drinks are not in the fare: the bar on board sells cold soft drinks, so bring a few euros, and some water from the hotel does no harm.
If your child has a food allergy or needs a different meal, ask us before you book. We pass the question on and come back with the operator's reply; nothing unconfirmed gets promised.
Swimming is a choice, not a programme
There are three swim stops: the river mouth at Boğaz, where cold river water and warm sea sit side by side, the long stop at Dolphin Island, and one last dip before the boat turns for home. Nobody has to go in. A child who prefers to watch from the deck still gets the river, the lunch, the island and the foam on the way back. The swim stops guide walks through each one.
If your child needs a swimming aid of any kind to be in the water, ask us before you book. The operator's record says nothing about one, so we will only confirm what the operator confirms.
Children love the idea of dolphins. Wild dolphins and sea turtles do live in these waters, but tell them it is a lucky chance, not part of the plan, so the day does not hang on it — our honest guide to the odds explains why.
Babies, child seats and the transfer
Babies and toddlers under 2 travel free. The record does not mention child seats in the transfer vehicle or a changing place on board, so we do not claim either. If you need a child seat, or anything else for a baby, ask us when you book and we find out from the operator before the day.
A baby on a bright day at sea needs shade, a hat and plenty to drink. Bring all three from the hotel rather than counting on the boat.
Booking for a family
On the booking form, set the date, say how many grown-ups and children are coming and pick your hotel; one booking takes up to 20 guests. We send your pickup time on the previous day, by phone or on WhatsApp, so you know exactly when to have everyone ready at reception, swimsuits already on.