Last updated: 22 October 202610 min read
Kekova boat hire means reserving a whole boat for your group alone; it's also known as a private boat trip. You can hire a boat for a full day, a half day, a sunset or just a few hours. Boats leave from and return to Üçağız. You plan the route with the captain: the Sunken City and Kaleköy, Tersane and Aquarium bays, or the ancient city of Aperlai to the west.
At a glance
- What you hire: The whole boat; only your group is on board
- Durations: Full day (about 6–7 hours), half day (3–4 hours), sunset (2–3 hours), 1–3 hours
- Boat types: Motor yacht, gulet or wooden boat, sailing yacht
- Departure: Üçağız (Kaleüçağız, Demre, Antalya)
- Routes: Sunken City, Tersane Bay and Kaleköy; Aquarium and Gökkaya bays; Aperlai
- Price: Per boat; varies by boat type, duration and date, with the current price on the boat's card
How does boat hire in Kekova work?
To hire a boat in Kekova, choose your date, duration and group size, pick a boat and agree the route with the captain. The boat will be waiting for you in Üçağız on the day and at the time you choose.
- Choose your date, duration and group size. Boat cards show capacity and availability.
- Pick a boat. The boat's page lists what's included, the facilities on board and the house rules.
- Plan the route. You decide the stops with the captain, who has the final say depending on weather and sea conditions.
To book, all we need is your date or date range, the approximate number of guests, the duration and any special requests.
For more on how hire works, read everything you need to know about boat rental in Turkey.
A private boat trip and boat hire are the same service: in both cases the whole boat is reserved for your group.
Shared trips, where you join other guests and pay per person, are on our Kekova boat trips page.
Which hire duration suits you?
A full-day hire is enough to see the Sunken City, Kaleköy and two or three bays at an easy pace. A half day or 1–3 hours suits a short trip around Kekova Island, while a sunset hire is for an evening on the water.
| Duration | Approximate hours | Typical route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full day | 6–7 hours; departs around 10:00 | Sunken City, Tersane, Kaleköy, Aquarium Bay or Aperlai | Families, larger groups, first-time visitors |
| Half day | 3–4 hours; morning or afternoon | Tersane Bay, Sunken City, Kaleköy | Families with children, those spending half the day ashore |
| Sunset | 2–3 hours; leaves before sunset | A swim in a nearby bay, then sunset at sea | Couples, celebrations |
| 1–3 hours | 1–3 hours | Off the Sunken City and Kaleköy | A short break on the water or a photo shoot |
To stay on board for a few nights, see the Kekova blue cruise.
Which type of boat suits you?
A gulet or wooden boat suits families and larger groups, and a motor yacht a fast and comfortable day. If you'd like a quiet sail under wind, choose a sailing yacht.
| Boat type | Key feature | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Gulet or wooden boat | Wide deck, shade, wooden build | Families, larger groups, a full day |
| Motor yacht | Fast, comfortable interior | Small and medium groups; longer routes such as Aperlai |
| Sailing yacht | Quiet sailing under wind | Couples and small groups |
Each boat's capacity and facilities are shown on its card.
For several days on board, see gulet charter and weekly boat rental.
Which routes can you take on a private trip?
Three routes stand out from Üçağız: the Sunken City, Tersane Bay and Kaleköy; Aquarium and Gökkaya bays; and Aperlai to the west. The route depends on how long you hire the boat, and you plan it with the captain.
- Sunken City, Tersane Bay and Kaleköy (half or full day): On Kekova Island, opposite Üçağız, you see the Sunken City from the boat and swim at Tersane Bay. Then you visit the village and castle of Kaleköy.
- Aquarium and Gökkaya bays (full day): A day built around swimming. The Sunken City and Kaleköy can be added to the same day.
- Aperlai (full day): An ancient Lycian harbour town west of Kaleköy. It was founded between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, and part of it now lies under water.
Aperlai's economy was built on purple dye made from sea snails. The town lasted until the end of the 7th century and was then abandoned.
For an overview of sailing areas along the coast, read our guide to yacht charter in Turkey.
How are Kekova boat hire prices set?
Boat hire in Kekova is priced per boat and covers the whole boat. The amount depends on the boat's type and size, the duration and the date; the current price is shown on the boat's card.
- Boat: Its type, size and level of comfort.
- Duration: Full day, half day, sunset or hourly.
- Date: June to September is peak season; demand is lower in April, May and October.
- Route: Longer routes such as Aperlai mean more time under way than the waters around Kekova Island.
- Menu and extras: Whether you'd like food on board, plus requests such as decorations or a cake.
Whether the captain, fuel, food and drinks are included differs from boat to boat and is shown on each boat's page. In Kekova, day hire usually comes with a captain. Entry to the castle in Kaleköy isn't included.
Can a private boat visit the Sunken City?
Yes, but swimming and unpermitted diving are forbidden in the area of the Sunken City. A private boat also passes the ruins slowly, and swim stops are made in the nearby bays.
Kekova was declared a Special Environmental Protection Area on 18 January 1990, covering about 258 km². The Mediterranean monk seal, sea turtles and seagrass meadows are among its protected species. That's why the captain decides where to anchor.
Kaleköy's castle stands on the site of ancient Simena. Inside it is a small theatre cut into the rock, for about 300 people; entry to the castle is charged.
What time is a sunset hire?
A sunset hire in Kekova lasts about 2–3 hours, and the departure time is set by the time of sunset. In June and July the sun sets at around 20:19, and in October at around 18:26.
| Date | Sunset in Üçağız (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 15 April | 19:33 |
| 15 May | 19:59 |
| 15 June | 20:19 |
| 15 July | 20:19 |
| 15 August | 19:53 |
| 15 September | 19:10 |
| 15 October | 18:26 |
Times were calculated astronomically for Üçağız's coordinates; they're in Turkish time and may differ by ±2 minutes. The exact departure time is in your booking.
Can you celebrate a special occasion on board?
Yes. You can hire a boat for a full day or a sunset for a birthday, a proposal, an anniversary or a company outing.
If you mention decorations, a cake or a special menu when you book, the day is planned around them. For a proposal, a short hire timed with the sunset is a popular choice. Kaleköy's castle and the waters off the Sunken City are favourite spots for photos.
For a larger celebration, choose a gulet with plenty of space; the maximum number of guests is on the boat's card. Rules on music and bringing your own food are also on the boat's page.
Departure point and getting there
Hired boats leave from Üçağız and return to the same spot. Üçağız is 33 km from Kaş, about 45 minutes by car.
The road from Antalya Airport to Kekova is about 181 km, around 3 hours; from Dalaman Airport, Kaş is 170–180 km away. Boats that leave from elsewhere, such as Çayağzı near Demre, list their departure point on their own page.
Sources: Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change (Kekova Special Environmental Protection Area), Wikipedia (Kekova, Aperlae), Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Simena archaeological site), Turkey Travel Planner (Kaş–Üçağız distance), Ulaşım Transfer (airport distances); sunset times by astronomical calculation. Last updated: 22 October 2026 · By Andrea Yachting
