Pairing your Side days
Dolphin Tour or Pirate Ship in Side: Planning Two Boat Days
Both days start at your hotel and end with a drive back to it. One is dressed up as a pirate adventure; ours is built around a river, three swims and a run out to Dolphin Island.
Short answer
Pick the dolphin tour if you want the river-to-sea route: an easy cruise along the Manavgat river, a first dip at the Boğaz river mouth, lunch off the grill on deck, a long swim off Dolphin Island, and foam and music as the boat heads back. Wild dolphins and turtles may pass on a lucky day; that is a chance, not a promise. Pick a pirate ship day if the theme is what your group wants. Booking both is fine; just keep a land or beach day between them.
Same sea, different reasons to go
On paper the two look alike: a boat, the coast, a day away from the pool. In practice you choose them for different things. A pirate ship day sells its theme: the look of the ship and the play-acting that goes with it. The dolphin tour sells a route. The boat leaves at 10:00, follows the river to the coast, stops where fresh water meets salt, then heads into open water to Yunus Adası.
So ask the family one question before you look at dates: do we want a show, or a stretch of river and sea with swims in it?
The dolphin day, stop by stop
To plan dinner and the rest of the week around those two fixed boat times, use our dolphin tour timetable. The pirate ship keeps its own programme, and we leave that to the people who run it.
- Pickup at your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle; the time is messaged to you by phone or WhatsApp the day before.
- The boat casts off at 10:00 and cruises down the Manavgat river.
- First swim at the Boğaz river mouth, with cold river water and the warm sea a few strokes apart.
- BBQ lunch on deck: grilled chicken with rice or pasta, plus fresh salad and bread.
- Anchor at Dolphin Island for a long swim, then one more swim before heading back.
- Foam party and music on deck as you head back; the boat is in harbour in the 16:30–17:00 window, then you are driven to your hotel.
Teenagers, small children and everyone in between
Plenty of teenagers care less about a costume and more about getting wet. The dolphin tour gives them three swims, the jump from cold river water into salt water, and a foam party loud enough to count as the highlight. Guests aged 11 and over pay the adult fare of €21; our guide for families with teenagers sets out what else to expect.
For younger children, look at what each boat is built around. On the dolphin tour, children aged 2 to 10 pay €15 and anyone younger than 2 travels free. A pirate theme can be the whole point for a small child; whether that day suits their age is explained on its own site.
A birthday or anniversary on board
Either boat can be the day you mark an occasion, as long as you know what you are buying. On the dolphin tour we do not promise a cake or decorations. Mention the occasion when you book; we will be straight with you about what can be arranged. A single booking covers up to 20 guests; bigger parties should write to us via the contact page. Our celebrations guide covers the rest.
Doing both in one holiday
Two boat days back to back means a lot of sun and a lot of deck. Leave a quiet day between them, and give the dolphin tour the earlier date: it sails weather permitting, and an early booking leaves room to move if the sea says no.
The pirate ship day is booked on our sister site sidepirateboat.com; that is where to check its price, times and what is included. Our dolphin tour page describes the whole day, and you can book it here without paying anything online: €21 per adult, paid in euros when the tour day arrives, and free to cancel until 48 hours before.
Side Dolphin Island Tour: the price, what it covers, booking