The Love Cave on Suluada

The cave is on Suluada itself — the small rocky island off the Adrasan coast, in the Kumluca district at the western end of Antalya province. Pine-clad cliffs drop straight into deep water there; the cave is part of that coastline, not a separate stop on a map.

There is no road to the island and no way to walk to the cave. Everything you see of it, you see from the water, on a boat that sailed from Adrasan harbour that morning.

It is usually mentioned in the same breath as the island's twin beaches, because both belong to the same short stretch of coast the boat passes.

The boat leaves Adrasan harbour at 09:40 and docks back at 16:00. Somewhere in those hours the island comes into view and the cave with it, alongside swimming breaks at Suluada and the surrounding bays.

Boats anchor near the island rather than tying up to it. Where conditions allow, tender boats shuttle guests across to the bay; where they do not, the day happens from the deck at the anchorage. The same logic governs the cave: how close you get depends on the sea and on the captain's judgement, not on a printed schedule.

The route out also passes Domuz Bay, a sheltered cove on the way. Our Suluada day itinerary sets the whole day out stop by stop.

Love Cave is a romantic nickname, nothing more. It is the name used locally and in tour descriptions.

You will find sites offering a legend behind it — a story of lovers, a tragedy, an ancient date. We have no verified source for any of that, which means we are not going to write it and present it as history. Invented folklore is easy content; it is also the fastest way to lose a reader's trust.

So: a lovely name attached to a real place, on an island people call the Turkish Maldives. That is the whole of what we can stand behind, and it is enough. Why the island earned the nickname is explained honestly in our Turkish Maldives guide.

The Side departure runs every day, with hotel pickup between 05:30 and 06:00 and about ten hours door to door; the minimum age is 6, and younger children sail free but need an adult supervising them on deck. The Antalya departure runs Tuesday and Thursday all year, plus Saturday from April to October, picking up between 08:30 and 09:00 from central Antalya, Kemer and Beldibi.

There is no shop on the island, so bring water, sun protection and anything you want with you on the beach. Lunch is cooked on board — grilled fish or chicken with pasta or rice, daily Turkish mezes, seasonal salad, then fruit and Turkish tea.

Booking is free online and you pay on the tour day. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure, and if the harbour authority stops sailings in rough sea you are rebooked or refunded. Not sure your hotel is inside a standard pickup band? Message us and we will confirm it individually.