Dolphin Island Boat Trip – Swim, Sun & Lunch Included
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Side, Turkey
- 7 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Side’s unique location affords access to both the Mediterranean Coast and the Manavgat River, and this full-day boat cruise lets you explore both in one day. Set sail on a traditional Turkish gulet and enjoy the changing scenery from the open ocean to the scenic riverside beaches. Stop along the way to swim, snorkel, and enjoy lunch on board, and keep a lookout for dolphins around Dolphin Island.
- Enjoy multiple stops with plenty of opportunities to swim and snorkel
- Make the most of the open bar and tuck into a delicious lunch on board
- This cruise visits spots known for seeing dolphins in their natural habitat
- Upgrade to include hotel pickup for a seamless experience
What's Included
- Lunch
- Local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option is selected)
- Drinks (available to purchase)
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- A gentle reminder regarding the tour: sightings of dolphins and turtles are not guaranteed, as they are wild animals in their natural habitat. Thank you for your understanding.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Tina_F
Everything was memorable about this trip. The crew were fantastic, very attentive always interacting. The boat had lots of shade but lots of places to sit in the sun if you wanted. Lunch was good. The foam party was amazing out at sea. The kids and adults loved it. Lots of swim stops and because they don’t over fill the boat with people, getting in and out of water was easy. Life jackets were available.
Reviews
4.4
based on 208 reviews
Lorraine_M, Jul 2025
long day to long for aloud of nothing. would not recommend. I'm sure we went in circles all day then at the end they take you to there family shack where they want you to buy snacks and clothes. very long drawn out day for nothing
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your honest feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that this experience felt long, disappointing, and not enjoyable for you.
We understand how frustrating it can be when a full-day boat trip does not meet expectations, especially if the route and stops feel repetitive or overly drawn out. The intention of the tour is to provide a relaxed day at sea with swimming breaks and scenic cruising, but we sincerely regret that it did not feel worthwhile to you.
We are also sorry that the visit toward the end of the trip came across as uncomfortable or pressured. Your comments are important to us and will be shared with our operation team to help improve both the program flow and guest experience.
Thank you again for your feedback. We are sorry we did not deliver the enjoyable day you were hoping for.
Kind regards,
Tourmania
Penny_C, Jul 2025
This was a really nice day out on the boat with several swimming stops to enjoy. The food was really nice and made fresh on the boat. We had the chicken, bulgar wheat and there was a lovely green pepper type bean 🌶️ not spicy. Beautiful flavours.
Drinks and snacks were reasonably priced and the price for the photos is what you'd expect from a tourist experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
We’re so glad to hear that you had a wonderful day out on the boat and enjoyed the swimming stops, freshly prepared food, and beautiful flavors — especially the chicken, bulgur, and green pepper dish! It’s great to know that you found the drinks, snacks, and photos fairly priced as well.
Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to leave such detailed feedback. We hope to welcome you back on board for another relaxing and memorable day soon!
Warm regards,
nasima_a, Jul 2025
Staff didn’t speak English. Too loud and too many people on the ship. If you looking for a relaxing boat trip. I wouldn’t recommend this. Kids screaming and people all around you.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that this boat trip did not provide the relaxing experience you were hoping for.
Dolphin Island tours are designed as lively, family-friendly excursions, and during busy periods the boats can feel crowded and energetic, especially with children onboard. We understand that this atmosphere may not suit guests looking for a quieter, more peaceful cruise, and we regret that this was not a better fit for your expectations.
We’re also sorry about the language barrier with the crew. While the staff are experienced and focused on safety and service, we appreciate that clearer English communication would improve the experience, and your comments have been noted.
Thank you again for your feedback. It helps us identify areas where we can improve.
Best Regards
Tourmania
Salman_A, Aug 2024
PROS:
- Great kids working at the boat. Giving it all in the heat. They deserve much better than this boat and that horrible captain.
CONS:
- 1 HOUR LATE FOR PICK UP. OUTRAGEOUS.
- HORRIBLE trip. This is not a dolphin cruise. Its just a pirate boat that make you seasick whole 8 hours.
- HORRIBLE captain. Screaming in the microphone all the time. Only speaking German and Turkish. No interaction just screaming.
- HORRIBLE food. Felt like jail food. Too little and bland.
- Too many short swimming breaks. You feel stressed because the swimming breaks are too short. You dont really get to enjoy yourself.
- The drop off was horrible. The driver could not drive and they switched drivers in the middle of the road. They dropped us off waaaaay off from our hotel.
- TOO LOUD MUSIC FOR 8 HOURS. HORRIBLE.
- THERE ARE NO DOLPHINS.
DO NOT BOOK THIS TRIP. EVADE.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
hank you for your feedback. We are very sorry you had such an experience and we could not meet your 5-star mark. Next time we will do our best to make you happy by improving our services even more.
Maria_C, Aug 2024
This is a pure scam. You don't get anything from what is advertised, instead you are trapped for 7 hours in a cheap and loud party boat. There is no island but a piece of detached rocky land where there is no much to see and do. Few fishes while snorkeling and that's it. The island is not appropriate for kids, it is very rocky and dangerous (my daughter got cut while trying to reach it). The bathing spots in open water are nothing special either. Basically you stay 7 hours in a slow boat with very loud music obliged to buy drinks because of the heat. And off course no sign of dolphins. Which wild animal will approach a loud boat? The cherry on the top : almost one hour of foam party (all finishing in the see! Not ecological at all) and a cheap animation/spectacle at the end. Do not get into the trap! Don't book this trip!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience so openly. We are truly sorry to read how disappointed and frustrated you felt during this trip, especially as it was clearly far from what you expected and hoped for.
We regret that the excursion did not match the way it was perceived from the description, particularly regarding the island visit, snorkeling experience, suitability for children, and the overall atmosphere on board. Your comments about safety for children, excessive noise, long duration, and pressure to purchase drinks are taken very seriously. We are especially concerned to hear about your daughter being injured, and we sincerely hope she is doing well.
Regarding dolphins, we understand the frustration this causes. As noted in the tour details, sightings of wild animals can never be guaranteed, but we agree that expectations must be communicated clearly and responsibly so guests can make an informed decision before booking.
Your feedback about the foam party, loud music, and environmental concerns is also important, and we will pass this on to the operator to review both the experience style and its ecological impact. This tour is intended for guests looking for a lively party-style boat trip, and we regret that this was not made clear enough to you in advance.
We are genuinely sorry that this experience negatively affected your holiday and that you left feeling misled. Honest feedback like yours helps us push for better transparency and improvements with our partners.
Kind regards,
Tourmania Team
Tina_F, Aug 2024
Everything was memorable about this trip. The crew were fantastic, very attentive always interacting. The boat had lots of shade but lots of places to sit in the sun if you wanted. Lunch was good. The foam party was amazing out at sea. The kids and adults loved it. Lots of swim stops and because they don’t over fill the boat with people, getting in and out of water was easy. Life jackets were available.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
We are so grateful for your 5-star review. Thanks for sharing your rating with us and the
community.
TeodorBogdan_I, Jul 2024
The cruise was nice, I could have positives: on time, good food, crew ok not great. negatives: they announce themselves in any language (Russian, German, Turkish but not in English. many times we didn't know what they wanted and we followed the people
15€ plate of fruits come in the last hour for only 5€. Also only one type of beer and 330ml for 3€ so I have been better with other boats trips. Oh and they didn’t play music all road they remember in last 15 minutes for 3 songs. And one more thing it was stopped the boat in unsafe place with water currents. The crew rescued a woman and a kid
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a amazing rating - it's much
appreciated!
Christopher_E, Jul 2024
Really great full day out on board the Baba Boot. Lunch was included and really good and the overall value for money for what we paid was brilliant. Staff were really good, especially with the many youngsters on the cruise who could have their face painted before the foam party.
Three stops, two when you could jump in and the other at the Beach / River broke the trip up nicely.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a amazing rating - it's much
appreciated!
Henry_M, Jun 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this cruise. Staff were friendly and although like most boats, keen to upsell, they were in no way pushy. Cruise started from the Manavgat River, sailing downstream and into the open sea. First stop is about half an hour in where if you have the bottle you can jump in to the sea from the top deck (about 25ft), or if you prefer just have a leisurely swim. The second stop is at Dolphin island. With a chance to watch the marine life by snorkeling. Snorkel equipment is provided for a deposit. While at dolphin island, lunch is served, either grilled chicken or fresh fish picked up from the fish farm on the manavgat River accompanied by salad and cous cous. After lunch a further swimming stop at the Blue Lagoon before the boat goes Dolphin hunting, please be aware that Dolphin spotting is not guaranteed. Then it's party time on board with music and plenty of foam, which is great fun while in swimwear. The final stop, on the way back, is where the sea and river meet, where you can choose between a river or sea swim, or, if you wish both. Cruise started about 10am and returned around 5pm. Great fun and great value.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
We are grateful that you took the time to leave us a review. Your feedback helps us to
improve service for everyone.
Stacey_O, Oct 2023
Long day, short swimming stops. Good for young children. We have 9,10&11 years old boys who found the majority of the time on the boat very boring.
Sydrules4218, Oct 2023
What an excellent trip.
The staff were absolutely amazing ...so friendly, helpful and funny
The food was excellent too
We didn't see any dolphins but that was ok as we had so much fun
Tiberiu_V, Sep 2023
The trip was excellent. The food was great. The crew and the animator were fantastic. We had a great time al the day
Lynne_B, Sep 2023
We were lucky enough to have a wonderful day and see both turtles and dolphins on our trip. Brilliant day lovely crew members too.
Suitable for the family had babies from approx 2 years old on board
Ayka_R, Aug 2023
It was a fun tour, but it could be great!
We had 4 swimming breaks, saw seaturtles and dolphins (!!!), lunch was fine and at the end of the day there was a foam-party for the kids. All perfect..
But instead of the max 45 passengers the boat had over 200 passengers, the music was way too loud the whole trip (a volume you expect at a club), and they are really pushy when it comes to taking (and buying) pictures with the parrot even children who really don’t want to/are scared.
CarlaAndrea_E, Jul 2023
Extremely loud music! It was hard to enjoy the boat ride when all you can do is sit there and listen to it. There was no mention of this being a party boat on the description.
For vegetarians/vegans: they ask you to warn them in the reservation, but the only thing you get to eat is the same as the rest, minus the fish/chicken (rice & tomato salad). Why ask then?!
I guess this is what you get for the price.. at least the water was nice and we were able to snorkel during the stops.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that certain aspects of the trip did not match your expectations.
We understand that the music volume impacted your enjoyment of the boat ride. While some of our boats do include music to create a lively atmosphere, we agree that this should be clearly communicated in the description. Your comment has been noted, and we will work to make this clearer so guests can choose the experience that best suits their preferences.
Regarding the vegetarian/vegan meal option, we apologize if this felt insufficient. While alternative meals are requested in advance to ensure availability, we acknowledge that the offering you received did not feel like a proper alternative. This feedback has been shared with our boat operator so improvements can be made.
We do appreciate you highlighting the positive aspects as well, particularly the swimming and snorkeling stops, and we’re glad you were able to enjoy the water despite the shortcomings.
Thank you again for your honest feedback—it helps us improve our services and set clearer expectations for future guests.
Kind regards,
Tourmania Team
Liz_B, Jun 2023
Really good fun drinks on board (not free) foam party’s, lunch (included) and opportunities to swim in the sea. You can borrow a life jacket too! We didn’t see dolphins but that doesn’t matter because it was worth the money paid for what we got.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
We are grateful that you took the time to leave us a review. Your feedback helps us to
improve service for everyone
Zahran_B, May 2023
Fantastic day out i got more than i expected. All staff were very helpful and jolly and made the experience worthwhile. Only down side, we never saw any dophins
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star rating - it's much appreciated!
Sharlotte_M, Oct 2022
Great trip for families , was contacted by WhatsApp the day before to arrange exact pick up time. Food was good for adults but not so much for kids if fussy chicken /whole fish with rice and salad . Can buy drinks and snacks with cash at reasonable price and free snorkel hire with refundable deposit. Life jackets also available to use. Kids enjoyed foam party at the end.
Saw dolphin and sea turtles
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thanks for taking the time to review.
We know it takes time and we appreciate your effort!
We’re glad you had a good experience and hope to see you again soon.
All the best ;
Murat
Flra_T, Sep 2022
Good trip with 4 rapid swim / snorkel breaks. Recommended prefer for family with children. There was animation for children while we were sailing.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thanks for taking the time to review.
We know it takes time and we appreciate your effort!
We’re glad you had a good experience and hope to see you again soon.
All the best ;
Murat.
Linda_W, Sep 2022
This was a lovely experience the moment we got on the boat were treated like family nothing to much effort would go extra mile we even shared a car with coco the parrot not many can say they have done this the whole trip was amazing except the dolphins were not seen not the boat’s problem really enjoyed trip recommend to any one x
Penny_B, Jun 2022
The swim stops and lunch. The crew worked hard to entertain the families and children. Very good value
Adele_T, Sep 2020
Nice boat trip on the river and sea. Nice and friendly staff and the bar prices weren't too bad.
We enjoyed as we saw a dolphin but a bit disappointed has there wasn't a dolphin island, you sail to Side harbour and back with a stop at Cleopatra Beach and then lunch which we enjoyed.
The belly dancer was a nice touch and enjoyed it.
So overall a nice trip and recommend but no dolphin island, which was disappointing
Gediminas R, Jul 2016
Amazing tour. I really liked the company , because they was always on time really friendly personal. Speaking about this tour it was really well spend time . We went for snorkeling and I had really great time. This trip is for people who want to relax and chill. I would recommend booking this trip for almost everybody!
Ahlem_B, Aug 2025
I don't recommend it. Late departure to see dolphins, so we didn’t see anything. The translation of the visit into English was very poor. I do not recommend this experience.
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Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations, particularly that the late departure resulted in not seeing dolphins, which we understand was a key reason for joining the tour.
We also regret that the English commentary was not clear enough, as proper communication is essential to enjoying the experience. Your comments have been noted and will be shared with the team to help improve timing and language support.
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
Kind regards,
Tourmania
Liane_G, Aug 2025
You can definitely recommend it as an alternative to expensive hotel bookings.
We were on Baba boat:
Punctual, clean, helpful, friendly.
All really tried very hard and funny.
The only thing that was a bit impractical for us was that they confirmed that there was snorkeling on the boat. But there were only diving goggles for a small rental fee of 2 euros apiece.
0.5 liters of water to 1 euro was also fair.
So, don't be afraid to book.
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Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Guest;
Thank you very much for your detailed and kind review! We're happy to hear you were satisfied with the Baba Boat — from the punctuality to the friendly and helpful crew. It's great to know you recommend the trip as a good alternative to expensive hotel activities. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the snorkeling equipment and will work to clarify that in the future. We hope to welcome you on board again soon!
Warm Regards;
The Tourmania Team
Mareike_H, Sep 2024
Wir waren mit BABA Boot unterwegs. Es war von Anfang bis Ende schön. Die Crew war freundlich und hat Kids bespasst, wobei die kleinen ein Nest mit Fernseher haben. Essen war top und genug da. Schildkröte haben wir gesehen, leider keine Delphine-kann man nichts machen. Trotz allem sehr schön mit den Badepausen im offenen Meer. Und der Papagei an Bord ein absolutes Highlight ♡
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you so much for taking your time to give us your pleasant feedback.
Hope to see you again in the near future.
Warm Regards ;
Tourmania Team
Dilan_R, Jul 2024
Die Bootstour war leider sehr enttäuschend. Von den 7 Stunden waren wir 5 Stunden nur auf dem Meer unterwegs und haben keinen einzigen Delfin sehen können. Die Badepausen erfolgen an willkürlichen Stellen auf dem Meer, an denen die Wellen teilweise sehr stark sind. Insgesamt sind die Badepausen auch sehr kurz gehalten. Es gibt keine richtigen Sitzgelegenheiten, man sitzt auf Gartenstühlen oder auf dem oberen Deck gequetscht und teilweise in der prallen Sonne zusammen. Es wird damit geworben, dass das Boot maximal für 45 Personen geeignet ist. Auf diesem Schiff befinden sich aber fast 300 Personen inklusive schreienden Kindern. Die Essensausgabe ist total chaotisch und hat fast in einer Schlägerei geendet. Das Hähnchenfleisch befand sich über Stunden ungekühlt bei 40 Grad in Plastikschüsseln und roch beim Servieren auch dementsprechend, am besten Finger weg lassen.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Guest,
vielen Dank, dass Sie sich die Zeit genommen haben, Ihre Eindrücke zu schildern. Es tut uns leid zu hören, dass die Bootstour Ihre Erwartungen nicht erfüllt hat.
Die Dolphin Island Tour ist eine klassische ganztägige Bootsfahrt, bei der ein großer Teil der Zeit auf dem Meer verbracht wird. Delfine leben in freier Wildbahn, und ihr Erscheinen kann leider nicht garantiert werden, auch wenn die Route gezielt in Gebieten mit bekannten Sichtungen verläuft.
Die Badepausen erfolgen an dafür geeigneten Stellen und werden stets unter Berücksichtigung von Wetter- und Sicherheitsbedingungen festgelegt. Wir bedauern, wenn Ihnen Dauer oder Bedingungen der Stopps als unzureichend erschienen sind.
Bezüglich der Teilnehmerzahl möchten wir klarstellen, dass sich die in der Beschreibung genannte Zahl auf die empfohlene Kapazität für Komfort bezieht. In der Hochsaison werden größere Boote eingesetzt, die über die notwendigen Genehmigungen und Sicherheitsausstattungen verfügen. Wir verstehen jedoch, dass ein hoher Andrang das persönliche Empfinden beeinträchtigen kann.
Die Verpflegung an Bord wird nach festen Abläufen vorbereitet und unterliegt den geltenden Hygienevorschriften. Dennoch nehmen wir Hinweise zur Organisation der Essensausgabe sehr ernst und haben diese an den Betreiber weitergeleitet, um Verbesserungen zu prüfen.
Es tut uns leid, dass Ihr Gesamteindruck negativ war. Ihr Feedback hilft uns, die Tourbeschreibung weiter zu präzisieren und Erwartungen zukünftiger Gäste besser zu steuern.
Kind regards,
Tourmania Team
Anika_M, Jun 2024
Das Team von Baba Boot war sehr freundlich. Bootvorgang selber war in Ordnung. 3 Schwimm/Badepausen. Delfine haben wir keine gesehen, aber Schildkröten konnten wir sichten. Wer eine ruhige gemütliche Bootstour machen will sollte diese nicht unbedingt buchen. Für Kinder schönes Programm, laute Musik, Schaumparty. Dennoch ein schöner Tag gewesen
Sandra_K, Oct 2023
4 pauses en mer pour se baigner , un bateau confortable... Le soleil, la mer, la musique, top.
Des options payantes sont proposées ( boissons photos), mais vous pouvez naturellement refuser.
Martien_v, Aug 2023
Leuke goed verzorgde boottrip, zeer zeker aan te raden als je met kinderen gaat. Bemanning vriendelijk, faciliteiten verzorgd.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thanks for taking the time to review. We know it takes time and we appreciate your effort!
We’re glad you had a good experience and hope to see you again soon.
All the best;
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