Antalya City Center→Çolaklı

Çolaklı sits on the long, flat, sandy stretch of Mediterranean coast east of Antalya. It belongs to the Manavgat district and lies close to Evrenseki and the ancient headland of Side. It is a quieter, more family-shaped corner of the Turkish Riviera. All-inclusive hotels line a wide beach, pine and eucalyptus trees soften the resort strip, and the Taurus mountains stand along the northern horizon.

The drive from Antalya city centre covers 58 km and takes around 61 minutes in normal traffic. Almost all of it runs on the D400 coastal highway, heading east. There are no ferries, no mountain passes and no connections to plan around. This page walks you through the journey, the arrival, the neighbourhoods of Çolaklı, and what to do once you are there. It also covers how to time the return to the airport.

Turkey Transfer drivers do this run every day. The notes below come from that routine, not from a brochure.

Your journey starts wherever you are staying in the centre. That might be a boutique guesthouse inside the walls of Kaleiçi, a hotel above the Konyaaltı promenade, or a flat near Cumhuriyet Square. The driver loads the bags and works out of the city streets toward the D400, the main road that follows the Mediterranean coast eastward.

Once the city thins out, the road widens and the pace settles. These are the stages you pass.

• The airport side of the city. The highway runs close to Antalya Airport. If you are heading out in the morning, expect a steady flow of arrival coaches and transfer vehicles here.
• Aksu. This is the first big junction east of the city. Greenhouses, orchards and low warehouses line the road, because the Antalya plain is one of the main fruit and vegetable growing areas of the country.
• The Belek turn-off. A green corridor of pines leads down toward the golf resorts and the large hotels of Belek. The D400 itself carries straight on.
• Serik. The road passes the Serik area, a working agricultural town. Beyond it the plain opens out toward the Manavgat side of the coast.
• The approach to Çolaklı. The mountains stay on your left, the sea is out of sight on your right behind the trees, and signs begin to point to the resort strip. The driver leaves the highway and follows the access road to your hotel.

The surface is good and the road is mostly dual carriageway, with some single-lane stretches and a number of junctions and roundabouts near the towns. You will see citrus groves, banana houses under plastic, cotton and vegetable fields, and now and then a glimpse of blue water between the pines. In spring the mountains still carry snow on the highest ridges while the coast is already warm. That contrast is one of the pleasures of the drive.

The given journey time is 61 minutes for the 58 km. That is a realistic planning figure for a normal day, and it is a good number to build your schedule on.

Here is how the clock tends to behave through the day.

• Early morning and mid-morning. The road is at its easiest. The drive usually matches the planned time or comes in a little under.
• Midday. Traffic is steady but moving. Allow a few extra minutes at the junctions around the towns.
• Late afternoon in high summer. This is the busiest window. Day-trip coaches return to the hotels, rental cars come back from the beaches, and the highway fills. If the trip must be finished by a set time, add a buffer.
• Weekend changeover days. Many holiday packages start and end on the same days of the week. On those days the whole coast moves at once. A relaxed buffer costs you nothing, and a tight schedule can cost you a lot.
• Evening and night. The road clears quickly after dark. The drive can be a little faster, but the driver keeps to a safe pace on the unlit sections.

If you tell us your plans when you book, we can suggest a pickup time that suits your day. That matters most when you need to be somewhere on arrival, such as a restaurant booking, a boat departure or a hotel check-in window.

Çolaklı is a resort village built around its hotels. Most properties stand on or near the beach road, a short distance from the main highway. The driver follows the access road, turns into your hotel's entrance and stops at the reception door. You do not need to find a bus stop, carry bags across a car park or call for a local taxi.

A few practical notes help the arrival go smoothly.

• Give the hotel's full name when you book. Several Çolaklı hotels have similar names, and some neighbouring properties share the same stretch of beach road. The exact name and, if possible, the address avoid a wrong turn.
• Keep your booking confirmation on your phone. Reception staff usually ask for it, and it helps if you arrive before standard check-in time.
• Expect an early arrival to be early. Resort hotels often release rooms in the afternoon. If you land in the morning, the reception can usually store your bags and open the pool, beach and restaurant to you while you wait.

If you arrive after midnight, the night reception will be on duty. Tell the hotel your expected arrival time in advance, so the staff are ready with your keys.

Çolaklı is compact, but the experience changes depending on where your hotel sits. It helps to know the main types of location before you choose, or to understand what you have already booked.

The beachfront strip

Most guests stay here. Large all-inclusive hotels stand close to the sand, with gardens, pools, kids' clubs, evening shows and direct beach access. This is the right choice for families with children, for couples who want a simple beach week, and for anyone who prefers to leave all the planning to the hotel. Walking from your room to the sea takes only a few minutes.

The village side, back from the beach

A short way inland, there are smaller hotels, apartments, local shops, and cafés where the prices feel more like those of a Turkish town than a resort. This area suits travellers who like to wander out for dinner, buy fruit from a market stall, or sit in a tea garden. It is also a good option if you have a self-catering stay and want a quieter base. The beach is still within easy reach, but you reach it by a short walk or a quick ride.

The border with Side and Evrenseki

At the edges of the village, the resort strip merges with the neighbouring communities. Toward Side, you are closer to the old town's restaurants, the harbour and the Roman ruins. Toward Evrenseki, the hotels continue along the same coast. If you plan to spend more time sightseeing than lying by the pool, a hotel on the Side-facing edge saves you time on every excursion.

Whichever area you choose, tell the driver at pickup, so that the route and the drop-off point are clear from the start.

The beach is the main reason to come here. It is long, sandy and gently shelving, and the sea deepens gradually, so it is a good choice for children and for nervous swimmers. The sand is soft underfoot, and the hotels set out sunbeds and umbrellas along their own sections of the shore.

The usual sea season runs from April to November. In the shoulder months the water is cooler, and many visitors prefer to spend the day on the sand rather than swimming. In the middle of summer the sea is warm and calm, and the evenings stay mild long after sunset.

At an all-inclusive hotel, most meals take place in the main buffet restaurant and in the à la carte venues. Even so, it is worth stepping out at least once or twice.

• Fish and seafood. Seaside restaurants along the shore and in nearby Side serve grilled fish, calamari, prawns and meze. Ask for the catch of the day.
• Turkish home cooking. In the village you find grilled köfte, lamb dishes, fresh salads, pide and gözleme, the thin filled flatbread cooked on a griddle.
• Breakfast. A Turkish breakfast of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cheese, eggs, bread and honey is often the best meal of the day.
• Sweets and tea. Baklava, künefe and a glass of tea after dinner are part of the local rhythm.

In the evening, the village stays relaxed. You will find open-air cafés, small bars, shops selling leather goods, textiles and souvenirs, and a calm walk along the road in the cool air. If you want a livelier night, Side is the nearer choice. Its harbour and old town are lit up after dark, and the atmosphere is more festive. The city of Antalya is far livelier still, though the return drive late at night is long for most holidaymakers.

Çolaklı is one of the easiest places on this coast to travel with children. The gently sloping beach, the hotel kids' clubs, the shaded pools and the calm streets all work in your favour. The route from the city is also easy on young passengers, because the road is smooth and steady, with no sharp mountain bends.

A few tips make the transfer simpler for families.

• Ask for child seats when you book. Child seats are available on request. Tell us the ages or weights of your children, so that we bring the right seat for each one.
• Plan the drive around nap time. The journey takes about an hour. Leaving at a time when your child normally sleeps can turn it into a calm stretch of the day.
• Keep snacks, water and a small toy within reach.
• Tell us if you travel with a pushchair. A folded pushchair goes in the boot, but it is useful to know in advance so that we can match the car to your luggage.

For families who combine a stay in the city with a week on the beach, the transfer from the centre to Çolaklı is a natural break between the two parts of the holiday. You leave behind the museums and old streets, and you arrive in a place where the biggest decision of the day is which sunbed to choose.

Because the road runs close to the airport, the transfer fits flexible plans. Some practical points follow.

• Early departures. If your flight leaves early in the morning, the pickup from Çolaklı starts in the dark. The roads are quiet then, and the drive goes smoothly. Tell the hotel the night before, so that reception can prepare a breakfast box or a late check-out settlement.
• Late arrivals. If you land late at night and your hotel is in Çolaklı, the driver waits for you at the terminal with a name board. We track your flight, so a delay does not cancel the booking. The driver adjusts to the actual arrival time.
• A stop in the city first. Some travellers spend the first night in Antalya and move on to the coast the next day. In that case, the transfer from the city centre to Çolaklı starts at a time of your choosing, which lets you enjoy a slow morning in Kaleiçi before the drive.

If your plans are tight, give us your flight number when you book. This helps the driver stay informed.

The return journey from Çolaklı starts with the same road, in the opposite direction. The distance is the same 58 km to the city centre, and the airport is reached earlier on the way back, on the same highway. Because the airport lies on the D400, the drive from Çolaklı to the terminal is shorter than the full trip to the centre.

Use this simple method to set the pickup time.

1. Start with your flight's departure time.
2. Subtract the time you want to be at the airport before departure. International flights ask for more margin than domestic ones. The airport is busy in summer, with long queues at check-in and at security.
3. Subtract the driving time to the terminal. Use the 61-minute figure as a base for the full route, and remember that the airport is nearer than the centre.
4. Add a buffer for summer traffic or for a weekend changeover day.

The result is your pickup time. If you are unsure, choose the earlier option. Waiting for a flight in the terminal is more comfortable than watching the clock in a traffic jam.

Tell the hotel reception the night before, so that your bags are ready in the lobby. Settle any extras on your hotel account in advance, and keep your passports and tickets in your hand luggage, not in the boot.

Çolaklı works well as a base, because some of the best-known sites of the region are within easy reach. A few ideas follow.

Side

The ancient town of Side lies close to Çolaklı. It is built on a small peninsula, and the Temple of Apollo stands at the water's edge with the sea behind it. Nearby are the Roman theatre, the old harbour, the ancient walls and a lively street of shops and restaurants. Many guests make a half-day visit and stay for dinner by the harbour.

The Manavgat waterfall and river

The Manavgat river flows down to the sea near the town of the same name, and a short river cruise is a popular outing. The waterfall itself is a broad, low cascade close to the town, with tea gardens nearby. Together with the Manavgat market, it makes an easy and relaxed day.

Aspendos

Aspendos is famous for its Roman theatre, one of the best-preserved in the region. It lies back toward Antalya, so it fits well with the drive on your arrival or departure day.

Perge, Antalya and Kaleiçi

Perge is another major ancient city near Antalya. If you return to the city for your flight, you can plan a visit to the old town of Kaleiçi, with Hadrian's Gate, the Yivli Minaret and the old harbour, and a stop at the Antalya Archaeological Museum. The museum holds statues and mosaics excavated from Perge, Side and Aspendos, which makes a good link to your trip along the coast.

The Taurus foothills and Köprülü Canyon

If you want to see another side of the coast, the mountains behind Manavgat hold green canyons and rivers. Rafting trips and jeep tours are common here. These excursions start early and last most of the day, so plan for a rest afterwards.

For most of these trips you can book a transfer or a car with a driver, so you travel in comfort and avoid the problems of parking and navigation.

The Mediterranean climate gives this coast long, sunny summers and mild winters. The sea season runs from April to November, and summers are hot, with temperatures that can pass 35 degrees. Winters are mild, around 15 degrees by day.

• Spring (April–May). The countryside is green, the mountain tops still hold snow, and the sea is cool. It is a good time for sightseeing, with fewer crowds at Side and Aspendos.
• Summer (June–September). This is the hot, busy peak. The beach is at its best, and the sea is warm. The highway is the busiest, so add buffer time to your transfers.
• Autumn (October–November). The sea still holds the summer's warmth, the air is pleasant, and the resort slows down. Many travellers consider it the most comfortable time of the year.
• Winter (December–March). Many resort hotels close or run on reduced service. The coast is quiet, with mild days that are good for walking and for visiting ancient sites without the heat.

If you want warm swimming and a lively resort, choose June to September. If you want sightseeing, comfortable temperatures and quiet roads, choose May or October.

You can reach Çolaklı by intercity bus to Manavgat, followed by a local minibus or a taxi. With luggage, tired children or a late arrival, that turns a simple hour into several stages. A private transfer is door to door. The driver meets you with a name board, helps with the bags and takes you straight to your hotel reception. The same service works in the other direction, collecting you from the hotel in Çolaklı and delivering you to your address in Antalya or to the airport.

Here is what this means in practice.

• One car, one driver, one stop. You do not change vehicles and you do not carry your bags between stations.
• Your schedule, not the timetable's. You pick the time, within reason, and the car comes to you.
• Space for the group. Families and small groups travel together, with room for suitcases, beach bags and child seats on request.
• A plan for delays. The driver follows your arrival information, so an early or late flight does not leave you without a ride.

A few small details help the booking go well.

• Give the exact hotel name and the area of Çolaklı, since several properties have similar names.
• State the number of passengers and bags, including large items such as pushchairs, golf bags or sports equipment.
• Mention child seats and the ages of the children when you book.
• For the return trip, confirm the pickup time with us the day before, and tell your hotel the time.
• If your plans change, let us know as early as possible, so that we can adjust the booking.

How long does the transfer from Antalya city centre to Çolaklı take?

The distance is 58 km and the drive takes around 61 minutes along the D400 coastal highway. In peak summer traffic or on weekend changeover days, it can take longer, so allow a buffer if you have a deadline.

Which road does the driver use?

The driver follows the D400 east from Antalya, past Aksu, the turn-off for Belek, and Serik, then leaves the highway for the access road to the Çolaklı resort strip.

Can you collect us from a specific Çolaklı hotel for the return trip?

Yes. We do door to door in both directions. We pick you up at your hotel reception in Çolaklı for the return to Antalya city centre or to the airport. Give us the hotel name and your preferred time when you book.

Can you provide child seats?

Yes, on request. Tell us the ages or weights of your children when you book, and we bring a suitable seat for each.

What happens if my flight is late?

We follow arrival information, and the driver adjusts to your real landing time. If your flight is delayed, the driver is there when you come out of the terminal.