Private Boat Tour to Kekova Including BBQ Lunch from Kas

Kekova is best seen from the water, where a private gulet can bring you close to quiet coves, old stone ruins, and the famous Sunken City. This eight-hour trip from Kas combines sightseeing with long stretches for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and relaxing on deck.

I like the freedom of a private boat, especially when you can ask for more swim time or choose whether to go ashore at Kalekoy. I also like that lunch, snorkel equipment, a kayak, coffee, and tea are included, while Captain Ergun and his crew have earned praise for friendly service and fresh food.

The main caution is the price: $919.06 covers your whole group, up to nine people, so it can be good value for a full boat but costly for only two or three. Drinks, alcohol, and transportation to the harbor are extra.

Key points to know before you book

• The Sunken City is viewed from the boat: You see submerged Lycian-era ruins and a Byzantine church from the water.
• Kalekoy is optional: If your group wants to go ashore, allow about an hour for Kalekoy and Simena Castle.
• A full BBQ lunch is included: Fresh fish and grilled meat are among the dishes associated with this boat service.
• The day is genuinely private: Only your group participates, with room for as many as nine people.
• Water equipment comes with the trip: Snorkel gear and a kayak are included, with an underwater camera and seascooter advertised among the available features.
• Plan for a full day: Departure is at 9:30 a.m. from Kas Harbor, with return to the same harbor after roughly eight hours.

Why Kekova works so well by private boat

The Kekova coast is a place where the water is part of the sightseeing. From the road, you can reach villages and ruins, but a boat gives you the right angle for the submerged remains and lets you move between bays without packing and unpacking all day.

That matters on a private trip. You are not tied to a fixed group schedule, so your party can ask for extra time in the water or spend less time ashore. Captain Ergun’s service has also been praised for a relaxed approach, with enough time to swim and explore rather than rushing from one stop to the next.

The boat is described as a gulet, a traditional Turkish cruising boat with open deck space. The exact vessel can vary, and one booking party was unexpectedly moved to a much larger boat, so do not assume every departure will use the same size craft. The useful point is that the service has access to spacious boats, and comfort appears to be a major part of the offering.

You should think of this as a private day at sea with historical stops, not as a formal archaeological tour. The ruins are the backdrop, while swimming, food, and time on the water make up much of the day.

Leaving Kas at 9:30 a.m.

The meeting point is Boat Trips by Captain Ergun at Andifli, Liman Sk. 4/A, in Kas. The tour starts at 9:30 a.m. and finishes at Kas Harbor, so you will need to make your own way to the marina. Private transportation is not included.

That arrangement is easy if you are staying in Kas and can reach the harbor on foot or by local transport. It is less convenient if you are staying well outside town, since the booking does not include a hotel pickup. The meeting and ending point are the same, which keeps the day simple.

Bring practical boat-day items: swimwear, sun protection, a towel, and a way to carry anything you want to keep dry. These are common-sense suggestions rather than supplied features, but they make an eight-hour outing much easier.

Because the boat is private, this is a good choice for a family or group of friends that wants its own space. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and service animals are allowed. Most people can participate, but you should consider your own comfort with boarding a boat, swimming, and spending a long day outdoors.

Kalekoy Harbor and the climb to Simena Castle

Kalekoy, also called Simena, is the shore stop that gives the day its strongest old-town feel. The boat can stop at the harbor for about an hour if your group wants to visit the village and Simena Castle. Admission is listed as free.

The important phrase here is if your group wants to. This is not presented as a compulsory stop. If your party cares more about swimming, you can use the private format to keep the day on the water. If you enjoy ruins and village walks, an hour gives you a useful taste of Kalekoy and time to see the castle.

The castle is on higher ground, so expect some uphill walking. The reward is the view back across the harbor and islands, with the old stone setting making a sharp contrast to the bright sea below. The supplied details do not promise a guided castle tour, so you should not expect a long archaeological lecture or a structured walking program.

This stop suits you if you like combining a little exercise with your sightseeing. It may be less appealing if someone in your party has trouble with inclines or would rather spend the whole day swimming. Talk with the captain early in the day about whether you want the shore visit included.

Seeing the Sunken City from the sea

Kekova’s Sunken City is the central reason to choose this route. The boat passes the island where ancient ruins lie partly below the water, allowing you to see remains from Lycian times and a Byzantine church from offshore.

The view is different from visiting a normal ruin. You are looking down through the sea at stonework shaped by earthquakes, time, and changing water levels. The boat is the practical way to see it, and the route makes the ancient remains part of a wider coastal trip rather than an isolated stop.

You should keep expectations realistic. The information supplied describes viewing the Sunken City from the boat, not walking through it or swimming among the protected ruins. The underwater camera and seascooter are listed among the features, but the basic inclusions specifically name snorkel gear and a kayak. If those extra water toys matter to you, confirm what will be available on your departure.

The historical material is broad rather than academic. You will see Lycian and Byzantine remains, but a full archaeological explanation is not guaranteed. The appeal is the combination of unusual ruins and open water, with the coast itself providing the setting.

Swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking between the stops

This trip gives you more than one way to enjoy the water. Snorkel gear and a kayak are included, and the schedule is designed to leave room for swimming. Several accounts of the service praise the clean water, attractive swim spots, and the captain’s willingness to avoid rushing the group.

That flexibility is one of the strongest reasons to pay for a private boat. On a large shared cruise, a short stop can feel like a race to get in, swim, and climb back aboard. Here, your group can ask for a slower pace, subject to the captain’s judgment and sea conditions.

Snorkeling is likely to appeal most around the quieter coves, where clear water and underwater rock formations make the setting interesting even without a large amount of marine life. Do not book this as a specialist snorkeling expedition. It is a sightseeing cruise that includes snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming as important parts of the day.

The advertised features also include an underwater camera and a seascooter. Since the inclusion list separately names only snorkel gear and a kayak, check the details before you rely on those items. Equipment availability can change by boat or departure.

If you want to spend most of the day in the water, say so at the start. The crew has been praised for providing ample swim time, but the actual balance between ruins, lunch, and swimming will depend on your group and the day’s conditions.

BBQ lunch on a Turkish gulet

Lunch is included, along with coffee and tea. The meal is prepared aboard the boat, and the strongest food praise centers on fresh fish, grilled meat, and a generous barbecue-style spread.

That onboard meal adds real value. You do not need to leave the water to find a restaurant, and lunch becomes part of the outing rather than an interruption. Eating on deck with the sea around you is one of the simple pleasures of a day like this.

Food quality can never be guaranteed from a description alone, and one account called the lunch acceptable rather than outstanding. That is worth noting. The overall meal impression is positive, but you should still judge the tour mainly as a private boat day with lunch, not as a dedicated food excursion.

Vegetarian food is available if requested when you book. You should also report other dietary requirements at that time. Drinks are not included, and alcoholic drinks can be purchased separately. Since the boat spends eight hours away from Kas, ask about beverage arrangements before departure if your group expects to buy more than the available onboard drinks.

What the service is like on board

Captain Ergun is the named host for the experience, with a crew that has been described as polite, attentive, and helpful. Captain Coşkun and Captain Yilmaz are also named in accounts connected with the boat service, so the captain or crew on your particular departure may vary.

The most consistent strength is the manner of the service. The captain has been praised for adjusting the day to suit the group, filming guests with a 4K drone on one occasion, and allowing people to enjoy the sea without constant pressure to move. Those details suggest a personal, hands-on style rather than a rigid sightseeing operation.

Still, private does not mean every request can be granted. The captain must work around weather, safety, harbor rules, and the time needed to return to Kas. You can ask for preferences, but the final route belongs to the crew.

Boat comfort also matters on a long day. The vessel has been described as clean, modern, comfortable, and spacious. One party even received an upgrade to a very large boat, though that should be treated as an occasional change rather than a promised feature.

Is $919.06 good value for your group?

The price is $919.06 per group of up to nine people. At full capacity, that works out to about $102 per person before drinks and any transport to the harbor. For nine people, a private boat, lunch, equipment, and eight hours on the water make the price easier to justify.

For a couple, the calculation changes. You would be paying the full group rate, so a shared Kekova cruise may be cheaper if privacy is not important. The private option earns its premium through control of the pace, a quieter group atmosphere, and the ability to choose more swimming or more sightseeing.

I would consider this especially good value for a family reunion, two families traveling together, or a group of friends who can fill most of the nine places. It is also useful for mixed groups, since swimmers, history fans, and people who simply want to sit on deck can shape the day around their own interests.

Taxes, fees, lunch, coffee, tea, snorkel gear, and kayak use are included. Drinks, alcohol, and private transportation are not. Those exclusions are ordinary, but they should be added to your budget before you compare this with other cruises.

The tour is often reserved about 30 days ahead, which suggests that popular dates can fill early. Confirmation arrives within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. If your schedule is tight, do not leave this decision until the last morning.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this boat trip to you if you want one full day that mixes scenery, water activities, and a few important historic sights. It is particularly strong for groups that value privacy and do not want to follow the pace of a large public cruise.

It also suits families, provided children are supervised by an adult. The mix of kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, lunch, and castle time gives different ages something to do. People who dislike boats, hot sun, or uphill walking should think carefully before booking.

Choose it if the idea of seeing ruins from the sea sounds as appealing as visiting them on land. Choose something else if your main goal is a long, formal history tour, a specialist snorkeling program, or the lowest possible price per person.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund, and the cut-off uses local time.

Final verdict: a strong private choice from Kas

I would book this tour when I had enough people to share the cost and wanted the freedom to set the day’s rhythm. The Sunken City, Kalekoy, Simena Castle, clear swimming spots, and a fresh BBQ lunch give you a satisfying picture of the Kekova coast in one outing.

The best part is not any single stop. It is the combination of old ruins, open water, food, and a captain willing to listen. Just confirm the exact boat, captain, water equipment, and drink arrangements before paying, especially if the underwater camera or seascooter is important to you.

For a full group, this is an excellent way to experience Kekova without surrendering the day to a crowded schedule. For a small party, compare the cost with shared cruises first. The private setting is the luxury here, and you should decide how much that freedom is worth.

FAQ

Where does the boat tour start and finish?

The tour starts and finishes at Boat Trips by Captain Ergun, Andifli, Liman Sk. 4/A, 07580 Kas, Antalya, Türkiye. The boat leaves at 9:30 a.m. and returns to Kas Harbor.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates, and the booking accommodates up to nine people.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A barbecue lunch is included, along with coffee and tea. Vegetarian food is available if requested at booking, and you should provide any dietary requirements then.

Are drinks and alcohol included?

No. Drinks are not included. Alcoholic drinks are available to purchase separately.

Can I visit Kalekoy and Simena Castle?

Yes, the boat can stop at Kalekoy Harbor for about one hour if your group wants to visit Kalekoy and Simena Castle. Admission is listed as free.