Cleopatra Beach
Alanya, Turkey
Damlataş Cave, Alanya
i
Photo: Jaba1977, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- ≈ 225 TL, children less
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Daily; for tourists ≈ 10:00 to 18:00–19:00, winter until ≈ 17:30; mornings for asthma sessions
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
i
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Adult ticket
- ≈ 225 TL
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Children
- Less: ≈ 30 TL, free in some reports
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Payment
- Bank card only at the entrance — no cash
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Inside
- 22 °C and 95% humidity all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Getting there
- From the castle, cable car down to Damlataş station, then a 2–3 minute walk
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Address
- Damlataş Cad. 81, Saray, Alanya
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
1948a quarry blast for harbour stone accidentally opened the cave
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)Ministry of Culture and Tourism Culture Portal22 °Cand 95% humidity inside, summer and winter alike
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)Ministry of Culture and Tourism Culture PortalTurkey’s firstcave opened to tourists
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)Turkish Wikipedia“Dripping stone”is what Damlataş means — water still drips from the stalactites
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)English Wikipedia≈ 50 mentrance passage, up to 15 m high
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)Ministry of Culture and Tourism Culture Portal≈ 2,500 m³of air in a chamber on two levels
Sourcei
Turkish, English and Russian Wikipedia≈ 15,000 yearsfor the stalactites and columns to form, by Turkish estimates
2 sourcesi
Turkish and Russian WikipediaMinistry of Culture and Tourism Culture Portal21 daysthe traditional local asthma “course”, under a doctor’s supervision
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)Turkish Wikipedia760 mmconstant air pressure inside
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)Ministry of Culture and Tourism Culture PortalWest sideof the castle peninsula, with the entrance facing the beach
2 sourcesi
Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi)English WikipediaDamlataş Cave entrance fee and opening hours
Entry is paid right at the entrance. The municipality doesn’t publish an official fee online and Turkish prices change several times a year, so treat this as a guide: visitors in the summer and autumn of 2026 report about 225 TL for adults. Children pay less — about 30 TL in some sources, free in others. We mark the fee as verifying.
Cash is not accepted — only bank cards — so bring one even if you’ve come straight from the beach. The 150 TL still quoted in many guides was the 2025 price, and 15–20 TL or less is far older. One English-language guide quotes 350–450 TL without a source; other 2026 figures don’t back that up.
The cave is open every day. Mornings until about 10:00 are reportedly set aside for people on the asthma course, so plan your visit after that. Guides give slightly different closing times: around 18:00–19:00 from spring to autumn and about 17:30 in winter. Arrive at least half an hour before closing.
How to get to Damlataş Cave
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Cleopatra Beach is about 16 min away on foot.
- Alanya Castle is about 21 min away on foot.
- Red Tower is about 21 min away on foot.
More tips
- Start at Alanya Castle: take the Teleferik cable car down from Ehmedek station at the top — about 5 minutes.
- The lower Damlataş station is by the beach; walk towards the sea and the rock of the peninsula.
- Two or three minutes along Damlataş Caddesi, the cave entrance faces the beach.
- From the harbour or the Red Tower, walk round the base of the peninsula in about 20 minutes, or take a taxi.
- Staying near Cleopatra Beach? Walk south along the sand to the rock — the cave is at the very end of the beach.
Is Damlataş Cave worth visiting?
Yes, if you’re already nearby — on Cleopatra Beach or at the cable car. It’s half an hour, there’s no trip to make, the stalactites are dense and pretty, and on a hot day it’s a cool break from the sun.
No, if you want a big cave with long passages. Damlataş is a single chamber you can see in 15–20 minutes. For scale, head out of town to Dim Cave instead.
What is Damlataş Cave?
The cave was found in 1948, when workers were blasting rock on the west side of the castle peninsula for the new harbour. The explosion opened the entrance and revealed a chamber full of stalactites and stalagmites. Geologists studied it, it was protected, and it became the first cave in Turkey opened to visitors.
Damlataş means “dripping stone”: water still drips from the stalactites, so the formations are still growing. A passage about 50 metres long and up to 15 metres high leads into a cylindrical chamber on two levels — and that is the whole cave.
The real draw is the air. It stays around 22 °C with 95% humidity and steady pressure all year, so it feels cool in August and warm in January.
Does Damlataş Cave help with asthma?
Locally it’s known as the “asthma cave”. Alanya Municipality describes a 21-day course, a few hours a day inside, under a doctor’s supervision. This is a local tradition, not proven medicine, and YesGo doesn’t recommend trying it without your own doctor.
For a regular visitor it simply means the air feels unlike outside — warm, damp and still. Some people breathe more easily, others less so. If you feel uncomfortable, just walk out; the climb back is short.
Clinics and spas advertising “Damlataş asthma treatment” have nothing to do with the cave itself.
What to see inside
- Curtains of thin stalactites hanging from the ceiling, lit from below — the classic photo.
- Columns where a stalactite has grown into a stalagmite over thousands of years.
- Drops of water on the stalactite tips that give the cave its name.
- The view down to the lower level, which shows how high the ceiling goes.
- Right outside: Cleopatra Beach and the castle rock rising above it.
Before you go: checklist
Ready: 0 of 6Tick what is ready — your ticks stay in this browser.
You are ready for the visit
Damlataş vs Dim Cave
| Damlataşyou are here | Town centre, by Cleopatra Beach | One chamber on two levels | 20–30 min | On foot or by cable car | A quick stop on the peninsula |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dim Cave | Out of town, in the Dim valley | Much bigger, with a long walkway | ≈ 1 h plus travel | Taxi, car or tour | A dedicated cave trip |
Damlataş is a short stop on a walk round the peninsula. If you’ll see only one cave and want the wow factor, choose Dim.
Alanya’s caves, beaches and water compared
Every waterside and underground sight in Alanya rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Alanya Shipyard | 39 | 30 min | Price being verified | 23 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damlataş Caveyou are here | 38 | 30 min | ≈ 225 TL, children less | — |
| Cleopatra Beach | 36 | 3 h | Free | 17 min walk |
| Dim Cave | 26 | 1 h | 300 TL, children 7–12 150 TL | 10.8 km |
| Dim River | 26 | 2 h 30 min | Free | 12.4 km |
| Sapadere Canyon | 21 | 2 h | ≈ 225 TL, being verified | 29.2 km |
The Alanya peninsula in a day
Beach in the morning, the cool cave in the midday heat, the cable car up to the castle, then down on foot through the old town to the Red Tower.
- Cleopatra Beach3 h · Free entry, sunbeds extra
- 17 min walk from the previous stopDamlataş Caveyou are here30 min · ≈ 225 TL, children less
- 19 min walk from the previous stopAlanya Castle2 h 30 min · Walls free, İç Kale ≈ €12
- 7 min walk from the previous stopAlanya Old Town (Tophane)1 h · Free
- 4 min walk from the previous stopRed Tower45 min · Paid, price being verified
5 places · about 8 h 32 min with walks · 47 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
How to do it right
- Pair the cave with Alanya Castle: the lower cable-car station is two minutes away.
- Coming straight from the beach is fine, but put proper shoes on — flip-flops slide on the wet steps.
- Turn the flash off: the lit stalactites look better in your phone’s night mode.
- Don’t expect a big cave — the appeal is the density of the stalactites, not the size.
- Want scale? Go to Dim Cave and keep Damlataş as a quick stop.
Questions
How much is the Damlataş Cave entrance fee?
About 225 TL for adults, according to visitors in 2026; children pay less or nothing, as reports differ. There is no official price list online, so check at the entrance.
What are Damlataş Cave opening hours?
It is open daily. Mornings until about 10:00 are reportedly kept for asthma sessions; tourists go in from about 10:00 until 18:00–19:00, or about 17:30 in winter. Official hours aren’t published.
Can I pay cash at Damlataş Cave?
No — visitors consistently report that only bank cards are accepted at the entrance, so bring a card.
How do I get to Damlataş Cave?
From the castle, take the Teleferik down to Damlataş station and walk 2–3 minutes. From the harbour it’s about 20 minutes on foot or a short taxi ride.
How long do you need at Damlataş Cave?
20–30 minutes including the queue at the entrance; the chamber itself takes 15–20 minutes, and a quick look is possible in ten.
Is Damlataş Cave worth it?
If you’re nearby, yes — half an hour and beautiful stalactites. Don’t travel across town for it: it is small.
Does Damlataş Cave really help asthma?
It’s a local tradition — a 21-day course under a doctor’s supervision — not proven medicine. Only try it with your own doctor’s advice.
What is the temperature inside Damlataş Cave?
About 22 °C with 95% humidity all year — cool in summer, warm in winter.
Is Damlataş Cave suitable for kids?
Yes, and children pay less. Hold small hands on the wet steps and leave the pushchair outside — there are stairs.
Damlataş or Dim Cave — which is better?
Dim Cave is much bigger and more impressive but out of town. Damlataş is a quick stop in the centre, right by the beach.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Alanya Municipality (Alanya Belediyesi): Damlataş Mağarası — history, size, climate
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, Culture Portal: Damlataş Mağarası — address, climate, age of formations
- Turkish, English and Russian Wikipedia: Damlataş Cave; Wikidata Q1158600
- Visitor reviews on Yandex Maps, 2025–2026 — ticket price and payment
- Russian Wikipedia: Damlataş — fee and card-only payment
- Wikivoyage: Alanya — hours and past prices
- Tripster and Kupi: Damlataş Cave notes — seasonal hours and morning asthma sessions
Top YesGo picks: Alanya
Alanya Shipyard
Alanya, Turkey
Dim Cave
Alanya, Turkey
Dim River
Alanya, Turkey
Syedra
Alanya, Turkey
Sapadere Canyon
Alanya, Turkey