Okurcalar is one of the few popular resorts in the area of Alanya and Antalya. The town hides many interesting sights and serves as a good base of operations for trips to the sites located beyond just the inner Alanya. Today’s post will go over what fun things you can see and do in Okurcalar and which sites beyond are most worth seeking out.
Okurcalar
Exploring Okurcalar
Okurcalar is a small town with only about 5,000 inhabitants. It’s situated on the Alara River, which is actually a source of prefixes for many of the sites nearby. The main source of income of Okurcalar is, of course, tourism, but also agriculture – bananas and citrus fruits are grown here.
The best ways to get around Okurcalar is either a rented car or buses running along the coast between Alanya and Antalya (for example bus number AA01, running every 15-30 minutes).
The best spots in Okurcalar are located nearby, not in its centre. Therefore you should keep transport in mind as you’ll likely want to go on excursions outside the city, whether with an organised tour or by car. If you deem Okurcalar on its own as not enough, don’t worry – you have two large cities worth of things to do nearby, in Side and Alanya :). But for the time being, let’s focus on Okurcalar.
Alara Grand Bazaar
Market in Okurcalar
First, why not go shopping in Okurcalar? The Alara Grand Bazaar is located on the D400 road between Alanya and Side, in the centre of Okurcalar. It is by far the largest market in the area. You can find plenty of local souvenirs here, as well as clothes, food, various travel or home equipment. Many of the products here may be cheap fakes, so do keep an eye out. Also remember to bargain for prices on the spot, it’s within good manners and you’ll often be surprised just how massive of a dip in price you can get! 🙂
The Okurcalar Bazaar is open daily from 7:30am to thirty past midnight.
Kibyra Minor Antik Limanı
Interesting little spots in Okurcalar
This is a place close to the centre of Okurcalar, on the peninsula. You will find viewpoints of the sea and coast here, some ruins and defence infrastructure. Beware of the steep cliffs, the area is not specially protected – so keep an eye on your youngest.
This is a great place to go snorkelling by the shore at the bottom of the cliffs. You can also get here by boat from the surrounding towns.
Sealanya
Water park near Okurcalar
Sealanya is located around 7 miles from the centre of Okurcalar. It is a regular good waterpark with a section for animals such as dolphins and seals. You have to pay €60 to enter the water park (people aged 9 and over), €50 for children aged 4 to 9. You can check the current prices here.
The Sealanya park offers plenty of fun services such as an artificial ‘coral reef’, slides, children’s pools, restaurants, bars and many other water attractions. The second part of the park is the dolphin and seal pools. We decided this part was a bit too much for us, but we’ll give you a rundown.
In this section, you can swim with dolphins for €120 and around €50 for a swim with the seals. Photos are charged extra. There are also dolphin/seal shows – entry costs €24 from ages 9 and over and €17 for younger children.
The shows run from 1 April – 28 October (two shows daily at 10:30am and 3pm) and out of season 29 October – 15 November (daily at 10:30am). Each show lasts about 50 minutes and you can take pictures with the little performers afterwards.
Alara Castle in Okurcalar
Alara Kalesi
This is a castle in the Okurcalar area with beautiful views of the Uluguney valley. It was built on the orders of Sultan Alaeddin Keyqubad, originally intended to protect the surrounding trade routes from raids. The castle is situated very high, which makes it quite tricky to get to – you can either hike up the steep rocks or an equally steep, long and wet narrow tunnel. Be sure to bring a flashlight or use one from your phone, suitable footwear and provisions. You should also check the weather, as the tunnel can easily turn into a rushing river. It’s a bit of an extreme walk-up to a tourist spot but the views are really quite beautiful.
We wouldn’t say beautiful enough to risk your life over it though, so if you’re with children, or you are a person with a disability/struggling with claustrophobia, we’d say maybe pass on this one. There’s plenty to see elsewhere.
Geyik Mountains
National Park near Okurcalar
The Geyik Mountains are located 60 miles east of Okurcalar. You can find many charming paths and beautiful wild landscapes here; it’s a great spot regardless of whether you’re looking for incredible photos to take or just a completely tranquil experience. The large cities, in Turkey and everywhere else, can be a bit too much for many of us at times, and the Geyik mountains are one of the best escape routes you have in this area.
Altınbeşik cave
A cave near Okurcalar
Also located about 60 miles, this time to the north of Okurcalar, you have the Altınbeşik Park. Entry costs 40 TL per car. You’ll pay around €2 for a short cruise over the first 200 metres of the cave. Then, there’s the cave itself, and it’s a stunning sight. The place is huge and filled with all sorts of stalactites and stalagmites formed over the centuries. It’s a great option for those of you who have a hired car at your disposal.
The road leading up to it is quite narrow but you’ll be fine as long as you drive slowly. If you don’t feel too comfortable behind your wheel, maybe do consider skipping out on this one just to be safe though.
Okurcalar beaches
Where to lounge in Okurcalar
As is the case for literally every resort on the Turkish coast, you can find beaches perfectly constructed for tourists. Okurcalar is exactly like any other seaside resort in this regard. Almost the entire width of the town is covered in a mix of wide sandy and pebble beaches where you can lounge and swim all day long in its warm waters. The restaurant and hotel infrastructure on the coast is also extensive, and so you’ll invariably find equipment rentals, showers, changing rooms and clubs, if that’s your jam.
Side
Day trip from Okurcalar
If you decide enough is enough in Okurcalar, you can travel to Side to explore its treasures instead. The coastal town of Side lies between Antalya and Alanya, where you’ll find lots more to do and see. It’s about 20 miles from Okurcalar. You can check out our guide to Side here.
Alanya
The big dog
Alanya is the second most popular city in the region, right after Antalya, and is only 20 miles away from the centre of Okurcalar. You’ll invariably find too much to do in Alanya, be it the nearby ruins or the various local activities, like pirate ship cruises or ziplines. We’ve covered Alanya too – you can find our guide here.
And if that’s not enough – you can always go to Antalya for a whole other world of fun things to do. Turkey won’t let you be bored for too long.
See also:
