Sunken City Kekova, Demre & Myra Day Tour

Kekova’s half-submerged ruins are the star here. From the boat, you’ll glide past the remains of ancient Simena, where walls and stone structures sit below the clear Mediterranean water. The day also brings you to Myra’s rock-cut tombs and amphitheater, plus the church linked with St. Nicholas.

I like the mix of land and sea, and I like that the tour includes Myra’s entrance fee, lunch, transport, insurance, and a guide. The scenic coastal drive is another treat, though this is a very long day, especially if you’re picked up in Antalya and travel with a large group.

Key points to know before booking

• The sunken city is viewed from the boat: You can see underwater ruins from above, then swim or snorkel nearby.
• Myra supplies the strongest ancient site: Its Lycian tombs and Greek-style theater make the morning worthwhile.
• The road trip takes time: Pickup may begin around 6:30 a.m., with return after 8 p.m. for some Antalya departures.
• The group may be large: One departure carried 47 people, with bus transfers for different language groups.
• St. Nicholas Church costs extra: The entrance ticket is not included in the $78 price.
• Guides can shape the day: Natalia and Alp received especially warm praise for clear explanations and friendly service.

Myra’s tombs and theater make a strong opening

The tour begins with a long ride south toward Demre province. The drive follows the Mediterranean coast in places, with winding roads and broad sea views. It is scenic, but you should not treat the journey as a quick transfer. From Antalya, the day can start at about 6:30 a.m. and finish after 8 p.m.

That early departure pays off once you reach ancient Myra, set near the Myros River. Myra was an important Lycian city, and its most memorable remains are cut into the cliff face above the theater. The tombs have decorated facades that resemble small houses or temples, giving you a clear look at Lycian burial customs.

Below the tombs is the ancient theater. You’ll see the curved seating area and surviving stone details of a venue built for public performances. The setting makes the site easy to understand, even if you are not an ancient-history specialist. Your guide explains what you are looking at, rather than leaving you to puzzle over scattered stones.

Myra is the part of the tour where good guiding matters most. Guides such as Natalia and Alp have been praised for clear explanations, warmth, and a positive attitude. The experience is not only about taking photographs. You get context for why the tombs were placed high on the rock and how Myra fit into the Lycian world.

The Myra entrance fee is included, which helps the $78 price feel more reasonable. You are not paying separately for the main archaeological stop, transport, lunch, insurance, and guiding.

Lunch is included, but keep expectations modest

After Myra, the tour pauses for lunch. The meal is included, and one useful detail is that it is served as an open buffet, so you can take as much as you like. That works well after an early start and a morning of walking in the sun.

The quality appears less consistent than the ancient sites. Some descriptions call the meal excellent, while another gives the restaurant a very poor assessment. A more realistic expectation is practical group-tour food, not a carefully chosen restaurant meal.

This is one area where a large group affects the experience. Serving many people at once can make the stop feel more like a scheduled break than a relaxed Turkish meal. Still, having food included means you do not need to search for a restaurant during a tightly timed day.

Beverages are not included, so carry money for drinks. The tour price covers lunch but not what you order to drink.

Kekova by boat: the day’s best visual moment

The boat trip to Kekova is the reason many people choose this outing. Once you reach the coast, you sail across bright turquoise water toward Kekova Island and the remains of Simena, often called the sunken city.

The ruins are not presented as a walk through submerged streets. Instead, you view them from the boat as it passes over the clear water. Stone walls and other remains can be seen below the surface, giving you a rare sense of a settlement partly claimed by the sea.

That distinction matters. If you expect to walk underwater among intact buildings, you may feel disappointed. If you enjoy seeing archaeology from an unusual angle, the boat passage is memorable. The water lets you connect the modern coastline with the ancient settlement in a way that a normal land visit cannot.

The boat ride also gives your legs a break after the morning at Myra. You can sit, watch the coast, and listen as the guide explains Simena and the area around Kekova. The trip combines sightseeing with time outdoors, which keeps the day from becoming a string of ruins and bus rides.

The boat section received especially warm praise in the available feedback. It was also described as enjoyable in April, even when the sea was too cold for swimming. That is useful advice: the water activity is optional in practical terms, since the boat ride remains worthwhile if you choose to stay dry.

Swimming and snorkeling in clear Mediterranean water

The tour includes a chance to swim or snorkel in the water around Kekova. The appeal is obvious: after a long bus ride and a hot morning among ruins, a cool swim can reset your energy.

The water is described as crystal clear, but conditions vary by season. In April, the sea was considered too cold by at least one participant, so do not book this day solely for warm-water swimming. You can enjoy the coast and the ruins from the boat even if you skip the swim.

Bring the items you need for this part of the day, including swimwear and a towel. The provided information confirms the swim and snorkel opportunity, but it does not specify the equipment supplied, so you should confirm that point before departure if you need snorkel gear.

The timing of the water stop can also affect how much you enjoy it. With a full itinerary and a large group, this is not a private beach day. Think of it as a pleasant activity built into a history tour, not the main purpose of the excursion.

Teimiussa adds a quieter Lycian stop

The route also includes the Lycian necropolis at Teimiussa. Compared with Myra, this stop is likely to feel less central to the day, but it adds another view of Lycian burial architecture and the ancient settlements around Kekova.

The necropolis helps explain that the area was not simply a scenic island with ruins below the waves. People lived, worked, and were buried along this coast long before modern tourism arrived. The stone tombs connect the boat ride to a larger story about the Lycian towns spread around the region.

Your guide’s explanations are useful here, since a necropolis can otherwise appear to be a collection of weathered stone. Ask questions if you want to understand how Teimiussa relates to Simena and the wider Kekova area. The guide may be the difference between a quick photo stop and a meaningful archaeological visit.

St. Nicholas Church is a separate paid visit

The final major stop is the small town of Kale, also identified as Demre, where you can visit the church of St. Nicholas. Myra was associated with Nicholas of Myra, the fourth-century bishop whose story later inspired the figure of Santa Claus.

The church gives the day a different tone. After ancient tombs, a theater, and underwater ruins, you see a religious site connected with one of the best-known Christian figures in the world. The visit is especially appealing if you are interested in early Christianity or the origins of the St. Nicholas tradition.

The entrance fee is not included. This is the main extra admission charge named for the tour, so keep it in your budget. The $78 price includes Myra but not St. Nicholas Church.

The church stop may feel brief on a tightly managed group itinerary. Even so, it rounds out the day by showing how Demre’s importance continued beyond the Lycian period. You get several layers of the region in one trip: Lycian culture, Roman-era remains, Christian heritage, and the present-day Mediterranean coast.

The bus ride and group size matter more than the brochure suggests

The tour lasts 10 hours, but your actual day can be longer once hotel pickup and drop-off are included. One Antalya departure began at 6:30 a.m. and returned after 8 p.m. That is a serious commitment, especially if you are staying in Antalya’s old city.

The bus is described as comfortable, non-smoking, and air-conditioned. That matters on a route with long distances and warm weather. You also get the benefit of organized transport instead of arranging separate connections between Antalya, Myra, Demre, and Kekova.

The drawback is group size. A group of 47 people can slow down boarding, meal service, head counts, language arrangements, and transfers between vehicles. The tour may also use different buses or coordination for English and Russian-speaking groups.

A smaller group would likely make the day more efficient. On the other hand, a large departure can be a fair trade if your main goal is to cover several far-flung places without renting a car or planning the route yourself.

Pickup information needs special attention. The activity is described as a full-day trip from Kemer, while the booking details state that hotel pickup in Antalya is included. Confirm your exact pickup point and departure time before you pay, particularly if you are staying outside the main Antalya area.

What the $78 price really covers

At $78 per person, this is not simply a boat excursion. You are paying for a long-distance day trip with bus transport, a professional guide, insurance, taxes, lunch, the Myra entrance fee, and the Kekova boat ride.

That package can be good value if you have limited time and want to see Demre, Myra, and Kekova in one day. Organizing those stops independently would require transport planning, entrance tickets, and a separate boat arrangement.

The value is weaker if you want a slow, quiet visit at each site. The distance and number of stops create a packed schedule. You will see more, but you will have less freedom to linger.

Remember the two main extra costs: beverages and St. Nicholas Church admission. The price also does not transform the lunch into a special dining experience. I would judge the tour mainly on the route, guide, and included transport, with lunch treated as a useful convenience.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and the option to reserve now and pay later add flexibility. Those terms are helpful when your Antalya plans are still shifting, but you should still check the exact availability and starting time for your date.

The right guide can make the long day work

The guide is central to this experience. A strong guide links the sites together, explains the Lycian tombs in plain language, gives the boat ride a sense of purpose, and keeps a large group moving.

Natalia is specifically praised for interesting explanations and a friendly manner. Alp is also praised for being friendly, well informed, and positive. Guide assignments can change, so do not assume you will have either person, but their example shows how much the human side of the tour matters.

The listed guiding languages are English and Russian. If you need another language, this experience is not presented as a suitable choice. The guide also helps coordinate the different parts of the day, from the bus route to the boat and archaeological stops.

Who should book this Demre and Kekova day trip?

I would choose this tour if you are staying in Antalya or Kemer, have only one day for the region, and want a broad introduction rather than a slow specialist visit. It suits people who like combining ruins, coastal scenery, a boat ride, and a short water stop.

It is also a good fit if you prefer not to drive unfamiliar roads. The route is long and winding, and the included air-conditioned bus removes much of the planning burden.

I would hesitate if you dislike early starts, long bus journeys, or big organized groups. Families and older visitors should also think about the 10-hour schedule, the walking at Myra, and the heat of the day. The swim is optional, but the full itinerary is not a relaxed beach outing.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if Kekova’s sunken ruins and Myra are high on your list and you want the simplest way to connect them. The boat ride, clear water, Lycian tombs, and St. Nicholas connection give you a lot for one day.

Skip it if you need small-group service, excellent food, or plenty of time at each stop. Before booking, confirm pickup from your hotel, ask about the boat’s snorkeling equipment, and budget separately for drinks and St. Nicholas Church. For a first look at Demre and Kekova, the route is strong. The main price is your time.

FAQ

How long is the Sunken City Kekova, Demre and Myra tour?

The tour duration is listed as 10 hours. Hotel pickup and drop-off can make the total day longer, with one Antalya departure running from about 6:30 a.m. until after 8 p.m.

Where does the tour pick up?

Pickup is included from your hotel in Antalya according to the activity details. The experience is also described as a full-day trip from Kemer, so confirm the exact pickup location and time for your booking.

What languages does the guide speak?

Live guiding is available in English and Russian.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, and it is described as an open buffet. Beverages are not included.

Is the entrance fee for Myra included?

Yes. The entrance fee to Myra is included in the tour price.

Is the entrance fee for St. Nicholas Church included?

No. Admission to St. Nicholas Church is not included and must be paid separately.

Can I swim or snorkel at Kekova?

Yes. The tour includes an opportunity to swim or snorkel in the clear water around Kekova Island. Sea temperatures can be cold, especially in April.

Can I cancel the tour for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The tour also offers a reserve-now, pay-later option.