Antalya Yacht Charter: The Complete 2026 Guide to Day Trips, Luxury Yachts & the Kekova Blue Cruise

Antalya is the capital of the Turkish Riviera and the gateway to the country's eastern charter coast, served by one of the busiest airports in the Mediterranean. But "Antalya yacht charter" actually covers two very different holidays, and knowing which one you want saves a lot of confusion. There are day and luxury charters that leave straight from Antalya's own marinas — and there is the week-long Kaş–Kekova Blue Cruise that the airport feeds, which sails the quietest, clearest water on the whole Turkish coast.

This guide untangles both. It explains where each one embarks, a proven seven-day itinerary for the eastern coast, real 2026 prices, when to go, and the transfer logistics from the airport. For the whole market in one place, start with the Yacht Charter Turkey guide.

What "Antalya yacht charter" actually means

Antalya the city sits on a wide, open bay. It is a superb base for day trips and luxury motor yachts, but it is not a sheltered, bay-hopping gulet ground in the way Göcek or Gökova are. The classic week-long Blue Cruise that people picture actually happens a couple of hours west, on the Kaş and Kekova coast — the most dramatic and least crowded stretch in Turkey. So you are really choosing between two things:

• Stay near Antalya and take day charters or a short luxury trip from the city or nearby Kemer.
• Transfer west to Kaş or Finike and sail a full week through Kekova and the Lycian shore.

Option 1 — Day and luxury charters from Antalya

If you are based in Antalya, Belek or Kemer, the easiest charter is a day boat or a short luxury hire from the city's marinas — the old harbour at Kaleiçi, Setur Antalya, or Kemer marina to the west. The coast here runs along the pine-and-cliff Beydağları, past the ancient ruins of Phaselis and the Olympos shore, with sleek motor yachts and day gulets working it all summer.

This is the right call for resort-based travellers who want a taste of the sea without committing to a week aboard, or for a high-end short break. See Day Yacht Charter Turkey for how day trips work, and motor yacht charters for the luxury end.

Option 2 — The Kaş and Kekova Blue Cruise

For a true week-long charter, the coast west of Antalya is the prize. A short transfer to Kaş or Finike puts you at the head of the Kekova cruising ground: the half-submerged Lycian ruins of the Sunken City, the castle village of Kaleköy (Simena), the lagoon at Üçağız, the Blue Cave at Gökkaya, and deep, clear water the colour of ink. It is the quietest, most archaeological stretch of the Lycian coast — fewer boats, more history, the best snorkelling in the country.

We cover it in depth in the Kekova Sunken City gulet guide. Browse boats: charters in Kaş.

A proven 7-day Kaş–Kekova itinerary

A reliable round-trip from Kaş, after the transfer from Antalya:

• Day 1 — Embark Kaş 16:00. Settle in with a swim off Limanağzı, across the bay from town.
• Day 2 — East to the Kekova Roads: snorkel the edge of the Sunken City and anchor below Kaleköy castle.
• Day 3 — To Üçağız and Gökkaya Bay, with the Blue Cave and quiet lagoon anchorages.
• Day 4 — West past Kaş toward Kalkan and the turquoise rush of Kaputaş.
• Day 5 — Quiet bays around Kaş; a shore evening in the old town.
• Day 6 — A final morning back toward Kekova for one more swim.
• Day 7 — Disembark Kaş 09:00.

Want more range? A one-way charter continues west toward Fethiye and the Twelve Islands; the full set of options is in The Best Gulet Charter Routes in Turkey.

What an Antalya-area charter costs in 2026

Real ranges for a private weekly charter on the Kaş–Kekova coast (the whole boat, crew included where the type is crewed, before food and drink):

• 3–4 cabin gulet (couples, small groups): €6,000–€12,000 / week
• 5–6 cabin gulet (8–12 guests): €10,000–€22,000 / week
• 8-cabin gulet (16 guests): €18,000–€35,000 / week
• Luxury motor yacht: €18,000–€120,000+ / week

The Kaş fleet is more boutique than Bodrum's or Marmaris's, so book early for peak weeks. Add roughly €250–€450 per person per week for food and soft drinks; alcohol is on top. Day charters from Antalya are priced per boat per day and run far cheaper. See live numbers on the Antalya gulet charter prices page and the full logic in How Much Does a Gulet Charter Cost.

When to sail this coast

The eastern coast is the warmest in Turkey and holds its season slightly longer:

• Late May–June — warm, calm, clear; the water is already swimmable and the ruins are quiet.
• July–August — hottest and busiest, but Kekova's anchorages stay sheltered and the sea is bath-warm.
• September–early October — the warmest sea of the year and the best light; this coast stays comfortable later than the Aegean.

The month-by-month detail is in Best Time to Sail in Turkey.

Getting there

Antalya airport (AYT) has direct summer flights from across the UK, Germany, Russia and Europe. For a city day charter you are minutes from the marinas. For the Kaş–Kekova Blue Cruise, allow around 3 hours by road west to Kaş, or under two hours to Finike — a beautiful coastal drive, and the only real trade-off of this region. If you would rather a shorter transfer to embarkation, compare airports in Dalaman vs Bodrum vs Antalya.

Who this coast suits — and who should look elsewhere

Antalya is the right gateway if you are already holidaying on the Riviera and want day or luxury charters, or you specifically want the quietest, clearest, most archaeological cruising in Turkey and do not mind the transfer west to Kaş. The Kekova coast is, for many sailors, the most beautiful of all.

Look elsewhere if you want the shortest possible transfer to your boat (Göcek is 25 minutes from Dalaman) or the biggest fleet and most choice (Bodrum and Marmaris). Antalya trades a longer drive for the finest water at the end of it.

See what's available

Browse charters in the Antalya region and charters in Kaş, filter to your dates, and message the captain directly — no broker between you and the boat. Or tell us your group and dates on Find a Charter and we will send matched options within four hours.