I've been doing this job for years and I still discover places I haven't seen before. That tells you something about how much nature this region holds. What I'm sharing here is personal — places I've actually been to, many of them more times than I can count. This list could easily be three times longer. But these five are the ones I'd start with.
Part 01 / 05
Sapadere Canyon
This is where I started. My first job in tourism was as a jeep safari driver here, so I know this canyon in a way that's hard to put into words. The water that fills it comes from snowmelt in winter — ice cold, even in July. You're about an hour from Alanya centre and you feel like you've entered a completely different world.
What makes it number one on this list isn't just the canyon itself — it's the combination of a waterfall and a natural pool in the same place. You can swim in it. You can stand under the waterfall. That combination, accessible by a short walk, is genuinely rare. I've seen a lot of nature in this region and nothing quite matches it.
Abdullah's note: I started guiding here before I was even a licensed guide. The canyon hasn't changed. The feeling of walking into it for the first time hasn't changed either — I still see it on people's faces every time.
Part 02 / 05
Green Canyon
If you've seen The Lord of the Rings, you know what the elven forests look like. That's the closest comparison I have for Green Canyon. Massive green mountains on both sides, fresh water underneath, no waves, no wind — you're moving through it by boat and it's completely calm the whole way.
The water is entirely freshwater, which makes the boat ride far gentler than anything on the open sea. Along the way there are small coves where you can do a mud bath — tours usually stop at these spots. If you fish, there's plenty of it here too.
Abdullah's note: People who get seasick on normal boat tours are usually completely fine here. The freshwater means no swell at all. It's one of those rare trips where everyone on board is relaxed the entire time.
Part 03 / 05
Dim River
There's a village called Mahmutseydili that I've always had a soft spot for. The spring water there runs down toward the sea and concentrates in the Dim River — and the section where it gathers and becomes deep enough to swim is what people call Dim River. It's a real place, not a resort invention.
Restaurants have been built over the water here — you eat your food and put your feet in the river at the same time. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, it is. You can also reach Dim River as part of a jeep safari, which I'd personally recommend — the road to get there is half the experience, and the water fights along the way make it something else entirely.
Abdullah's note: I've taken this route more times than I can count on jeep safari. The river section never gets old — and neither do the water fights. Families especially love this stop.
Part 04 / 05
Iotape Ancient City
About an hour from Alanya, there's a small cove with an old harbour — and the ruins of an ancient city that are still standing. This is not a museum. There's no entrance fee, no tour group, no audio guide. You walk through it yourself, sit inside the old church walls if you want, and look out at the sea.
When you swim, there's a natural pool inside the rock formation. Don't leave without going in. The combination of the ruins, the cove, and that hidden pool makes this one of those places that stays with you. No tours go here — you need your own car, there's no bus route — but that's also why it still feels the way it does.
Abdullah's note: Take your own vehicle, bring food and water, and plan to stay a while. This isn't a quick stop. It's one of those rare spots where you arrive and immediately understand why nobody wants to leave.
Part 05 / 05
Ulaş
Right at the entrance to Alanya, set within the remains of another ancient settlement, there's a beach lined with barbecue stations. Locals come here to swim, cook, and spend the day. It's not a tourist setup — it's how people from Alanya actually spend their free time.
You can use one of the barbecue areas, eat, swim, and just be there without anything being staged around you. Most visitors never find it because they're looking at the hotel beaches. I think that makes it worth mentioning.
Abdullah's note: If you want to see how locals actually enjoy this coast — not the tourist version of it — Ulaş is your answer. Simple, genuine, and completely underrated.
