Green Canyon, Side

Green Canyon boat trip from Side: price and what's included

A standard tour from Side costs about €27–50 per person and covers hotel pick-up, a cruise on the reservoir, swim stops and lunch on the shore. These are the fares we found in tour listings from Side on 30 October; they vary with the boat, the lunch and the season.

The cheapest options use big open-deck boats carrying dozens of people, sometimes with unlimited soft drinks. Pricier ones mean a smaller group, a trout lunch or a jeep ride up into the hills. Some combine the canyon with Manavgat Waterfall or a walk round ancient Side.

Before you book, check three things: is lunch included, are there shopping stops, and does pick-up cover your hotel — some tours only collect within Side and Manavgat.

What is Green Canyon?

It is not a natural lake. In 1984 the Oymapınar Dam, 185 m high, was finished on the Manavgat River and the water backed up into a deep gorge in the Taurus Mountains. The result is a long, narrow reservoir with sheer limestone walls and pine-covered slopes.

The name comes from the colour: emerald, turning almost turquoise near the cliffs on a sunny day. Sources explain the colour in different ways, so we won't pin it on one cause. Here and there dead tree trunks still stand in the water — remains of the forest drowned when the valley filled.

Boats leave a pier behind the dam and head up the canyon to where the walls close in. You pass the dam's arch on the road down to the pier.

How long is the Green Canyon trip?

Expect 7–8 hours in total. Pick-up is around 8:30–9:30, the drive takes 1–1.5 hours each way, and the boat part — cruising, one or two swim stops and lunch — fills about two to three hours. You are usually back at your hotel in the late afternoon or early evening.

It is 40–50 km by road from Side; sources give figures in that range. The route goes through Manavgat, then north up the river past the waterfall and into the hills. English Wikipedia puts the dam about 23 km upstream of Manavgat town and 12 km above the waterfall.

What to see on the cruise

• The arch of the Oymapınar Dam, seen from the road just before the pier.
• The narrowest stretch of the gorge, where cliffs rise straight out of the water — the reason to come.
• Dead tree trunks standing in the reservoir — best shot from the bow.
• Pine forest on the slopes; it is noticeably cooler on the water than on the coast.
• The swim stop — clear water, but cold; people jump straight off the side.
• Lunch by the water, usually grilled trout or chicken.

Is Green Canyon worth it?

Yes, if you like water and mountains and are happy to give it a day: it is the prettiest natural scenery near Side, and the boat asks nothing of you. It works well for families and on the hottest days, when the water feels like air-conditioning.

No, if you want long swims or an adventure. Swim stops are short, the water is cold, and much of the day is coach time and a shared lunch. For adrenaline, Köprülü Canyon has rafting; for history, try Selge or Side's own ruins.

Green Canyon vs Köprülü Canyon vs Manavgat Waterfall

One day to spare? Green Canyon for a lazy day, Köprülü for adrenaline. Manavgat Waterfall is on the road to the canyon and easy to add.

Water and nature around Side compared

Every waterside place near Side rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

How to do it right

• May, June and September are the most comfortable months: a cooler coach ride and fewer people on deck.
• Wear swimwear from the morning — boats rarely have changing cabins.
• Bring a layer: it is cooler by the cliffs than by the sea.
• If the Manavgat Waterfall isn't on your programme, ask the guide whether you can stop on the way back.
• You'll be back in time for dinner at Side harbour and sunset at the Temple of Apollo.
• Prone to seasickness? The reservoir is almost flat — much gentler than a sea cruise.

Questions