Suluada Island — The Turkish Maldives off Adrasan

Suluada lies off the coast of Adrasan, a small bay village in the Kumluca district at the western edge of Antalya province. The island is at roughly 36.371° N, 30.446° E; the harbour every boat leaves from, Adrasan, is at 36.308° N, 30.477° E.

It is a rocky island — pine-clad cliffs dropping into deep water, with one light sandy bay that carries its entire reputation. There is no road, no bridge and no ferry terminal. The only way to arrive is on the water, and that is a large part of why the island still feels the way it does.

The route out passes Domuz Bay, a sheltered cove on the way, before Suluada itself comes into view. For the mainland side of the day, see our guide to Adrasan Bay.

The Turkish Maldives is a nickname, not an official name — and it comes from one specific thing: the way the bay reflects. Light sand and a strong turquoise return, framed by pine that runs down the slopes to the waterline and by the deep blue of the open Mediterranean behind.

The island's two beaches are why people talk about the twin beaches of Suluada, and they are where most photographs of the trip are taken.

We would rather set the expectation honestly: this is a small Turkish island, not an atoll resort. No resort infrastructure — there is no shop on the island. What you get instead is a few hours of very clear water and very little else. If that is the day you want, the Suluada island tour is built around exactly it.

The boat leaves Adrasan harbour at 09:40 and docks back at 16:00. In between, Suluada is not somewhere you land at and tick off — it is a series of anchorages.

Boats anchor near the island rather than tying up to it. Where sea conditions allow, tender boats shuttle guests across to the bay; where they do not, swimming and snorkelling happen from the deck at the anchorage, which is where most of the turquoise is anyway. That is the honest version: the sea decides, not the schedule. Snorkelling masks are included on the Antalya departure; on the Side departure, bring your own mask if you want one.

The day also takes in the island's named features from the water — the Love Cave, the twin beaches — plus swimming breaks in the surrounding bays. Lunch is cooked on board: grilled fish or chicken with pasta or rice, daily Turkish mezes, seasonal salad, then fruit and Turkish tea. A stop-by-stop account is in our Suluada day itinerary.

The Side departure runs every day, with hotel pickup in the 05:30–06:00 window and about ten hours door to door; the minimum age on this departure 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, picks up between 08:30 and 09:00 from central Antalya, Kemer and Beldibi, and takes around twelve hours.

The price does not change with distance: €40 per adult, €30 per child aged 4–10, infants 0–3 free, from every pickup point on the coast. Booking is free online and you pay on the tour day.

One practical point worth repeating: there is no shop on the island. Water, sun protection, a hat and anything else you want on the beach have to come with you — our packing guide is short and specific. If your hotel sits outside the standard pickup bands, contact us and we will confirm your pickup individually.