Dalaman Airport→Oba

This is a long journey, and it helps to say so at the start. The road from Dalaman Airport (DLM) to Oba, the beachfront neighbourhood just east of Alanya's centre, covers about 290 km. Our route figure is 305 minutes, a little over five hours, before any stops. Dalaman sits at the western end of the Turquoise Coast. Oba sits near the eastern end of the Turkish Riviera. The drive links two different holiday regions, so you cross most of the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in one day.

Guests who book this transfer with Turkey Transfer usually know why they need it. A good flight landed at Dalaman. Or the first week of the holiday was around Fethiye, Ölüdeniz or Göcek, and the second week is in Alanya. Or a larger family wants one private car from the arrivals hall to the hotel door, with no bus changes and no luggage moved between vehicles. If one of these is you, this page shows what the day looks like, from the airport forecourt to the front desk in Oba.

If Alanya is your only destination, ask this question first. Antalya Airport (AYT) is much closer to Oba. The distance is about 116 km, and the drive takes roughly two hours on the D400 and D695 dual carriageway. A flight into Antalya shortens your travel day by about three hours compared with Dalaman. Check the flight prices and times for both airports before you decide.

Dalaman still makes sense in several cases:

• The Dalaman flight is cheaper, or lands at a better hour, than any Antalya option.
• You want to see Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Göcek or Dalyan first, and you now travel on to Alanya.
• You travel with a group or a large family and prefer one vehicle for the whole journey.
• Your return flight leaves from Dalaman, so you move from one coast to the other.

If your plan matches one of these, the Dalaman to Oba transfer is a sound choice. You only need to plan the day around the drive.

Dalaman Airport is the gateway to the Turquoise Coast. It serves Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Marmaris, Dalyan and Göcek. It has a single terminal, and arrivals are easy to follow. After passport control and baggage reclaim, you walk into the arrivals hall. Your driver waits there with a board that shows your name.

Your driver tracks your flight. If the plane lands late, the driver adjusts and waits for you. The driver loads the bags, shows you to the car and starts the drive east. You do not need to look for a taxi rank, agree a price at the kerb or queue behind other passengers.

We advise a short pause before you set off. Use the airport toilets, buy water and drink some. A five-hour drive in the Turkish summer is easier when everyone starts hydrated and the children have been to the toilet.

The route follows the Mediterranean coast eastward. The first part of the drive is the most scenic. Close to Dalaman, the road passes the bays and pine forests around Göcek. Then it climbs and winds through the mountains toward Fethiye. In this region the Lycian coastline is dramatic: coves that open between wooded ridges, pine-covered mountains that fall steeply to turquoise water, and small bays that you only see for a few seconds from the road.

Further east, the road runs on to the Kaş and Demre area and the fertile plains beyond it. Then it approaches the large urban area of Antalya. After Antalya the character of the journey changes. The road flattens, widens and runs through the Manavgat, Side and Alanya corridor. Here the scenery is the broad, flat coastal plain with banana and citrus greenhouses, hotel complexes and long beaches. The final part of the drive is the most direct. You arrive in Alanya and drive through the town to the Oba side.

Because the first half is hilly and winding, travellers who suffer from car sickness should sit in the front seat if possible, keep the window cracked and tell the driver early. A good driver will smooth the pace in the curves. Our drivers know this coast road well and drive it often.

The figure of 305 minutes is a planning number for moving traffic. Your actual day will differ by what you do on the way. As a rule, count on the following.

• Without stops: about five hours, close to our 305 minute figure.
• With one coffee or lunch stop: add 30 to 60 minutes.
• With a sightseeing stop: add one to two hours, depending on how long you stay.
• In high summer: the roads near Fethiye and around Antalya carry more holiday traffic, and tourist coaches are slow on the hills. Add some margin, especially on weekends.

If you depart in the early morning, the hilly first half is quiet and the day feels longer in your favour. If you depart in the early afternoon, you may arrive in Oba in the evening. Both work. The important rule is simple: if your flight lands in the afternoon, expect to reach your hotel after dark, and tell the hotel in advance so reception stays ready.

A private transfer lets you stop whenever you wish. That is a real advantage on this route. Tell the driver what you need and the driver finds a suitable place. Typical stops include:

• A roadside café or petrol station: coffee, a toilet break, a cold drink and fresh air. Most guests make one such stop.
• A beach stop near Side: the pine-backed beaches around Side are a pleasant place to stretch your legs. The sea is calm and the sand is fine.
• A lunch stop: simple Turkish restaurants on the main road serve grilled meat, fresh salads and flatbread. Choose a place where you can see the car from your table.
• A cultural stop: if you choose a route that passes near Demre, you come close to the ancient city of Myra and the Church of St Nicholas. These are good pauses for anyone who wants to turn the long drive into a small tour. Ask the driver before the day starts, so the plan allows the extra time.

Tell us your wishes when you book. You can also decide on the day.

On a drive of five hours, comfort is a practical need. A shuttle or a bus journey of this length involves transfers, waiting times and heavy luggage carried between vehicles. A private car removes all of that. You have one driver, one vehicle and one arrival at your door.

Inside the air-conditioned vehicle, you can sleep, watch the scenery or read. The children can sleep on the back seat. You can ask for a stop, and you set the pace. Child and baby seats are available on request when you book. Please tell us the age and weight of each child so the right seat is in the car when your driver meets you.

Oba is a lively beachfront neighbourhood just east of Alanya's town centre. It is a few minutes by car from the old harbour and the castle hill. The main coastal road runs along the neighbourhood, and the hotels, apartment blocks and shops are close to each other.

When you arrive, the driver takes you to the entrance of your hotel or residence and helps with the luggage. Please give us the exact hotel name or the full address of your apartment or villa when you book. Oba has grown quickly. New residential complexes appear almost every year, so some streets look different from older maps. The more exact your address, the faster the final few hundred metres go.

We regularly run transfers to hotels in Oba, such as North Point Hotel and Ananas Hotel on the beachfront strip, Avena Hotel & Spa and Banana Beach Club Hotel, as well as Blue Diamond Alya and Elysee Hotel. Whichever address you choose, the driver takes you straight to reception. There is no shuttle bus and no waiting for other passengers.

If you arrive in the evening or at night, your hotel should know that you come after a long day. A call or message in advance helps the reception team prepare your check-in. If your hotel is a private apartment, arrange the key handover with the owner before you travel. Check-in times vary, so a very early arrival may need a wait for the room.

Oba is not a purpose-built resort bubble. It is a real Alanya neighbourhood where many expatriates, among them Russian, German and Scandinavian residents, live all year next to the seasonal holidaymakers. This gives the area a lived-in, normal feel.

Couples and independent travellers. You can eat, shop and move around without a car. Supermarkets, pharmacies, currency exchange offices, kebab houses and fish restaurants are along the main road.

Families with children. The beach is a continuation of Alanya's main coastline, with fine golden sand. The calm and shallow entry into the water suits young children. Hotels with a beach club and pool, such as Banana Beach Club Hotel, are popular with families.

Longer stays. The neighbourhood works well if you stay for two weeks or more. You can shop at normal supermarkets, use the pharmacy and live like a local resident.

Guests who want sights close by. Oba is close to everything worth seeing in Alanya, so you are not cut off from the town.

Be aware that Oba is still expanding. Some hotels sit near cranes and half-finished buildings. If quiet is important to you, ask your hotel which side of the building faces the construction.

Oba's beach is part of Alanya's long coastline. It is the same fine golden sand that runs west toward Cleopatra Beach, but it is quieter once you leave the town-centre crowds. A promenade lined with cafés follows the shore, so you can walk from your hotel to a breakfast table, then to the sea.

A typical day starts with a late breakfast, then the beach until the afternoon heat. Many guests move to the shade in the middle of the day, then return to the sea before sunset. In the evening the promenade fills with walkers, and the cafés turn on their lights.

After a long transfer, the best first plan is simple. Check in, shower, walk to the sea and eat nearby. Plan sightseeing for the second day.

The best feature of Oba is how close you are to Alanya's main sights. A taxi ride from Oba to the old harbour takes usually 10 to 15 minutes.

• Alanya Castle (Alanya Kalesi): the Seljuk-era fortress on the peninsula. It has wide views over the bay. Allow time for the walk up and the view from the walls.
• Red Tower (Kızıl Kule): the landmark of the harbour, below the castle hill.
• Cleopatra Beach: a short walk or ride from the castle area.
• Damlataş Cave: known for its stalactites and for the mild, humid air that people say helps those with asthma.
• Dim River (Dim Çayı) and Dim Cave: about 20 to 25 minutes inland. It is a cool riverside place with floating restaurants and one of the region's large show caves. It is a good escape on a hot afternoon.
• Alanya Marina and the old harbour: a pleasant place for an evening meal.

Because Oba is so close to these sights, you do not need a car for the whole stay. Local taxis and buses handle the short trips.

You can eat simply and well in Oba. Along the coastal road you find kebab houses, fish restaurants, bakeries and cafés. Turkish breakfast with cheese, olives, tomato, cucumber and fresh bread is the best start of the day. For lunch, a plate of grilled meat or fish, a salad and a cold drink is easy to find.

For an evening out, you have two choices. You can stay in Oba and walk the promenade, which is simple and relaxed. Or you can take a short taxi to Alanya Marina and the old harbour, where the restaurants and the views are more dramatic. Both are easy to reach from your hotel.

After a long travel day, many guests eat at the hotel on the first night. This is a sensible choice. Save the harbour dinner for the second or third evening, when you are rested.

Five hours in a car is a long time for a child. A few habits make the day easier.

• Book the correct child or baby seat. Tell us the age and weight of each child.
• Pack snacks, water, a small blanket and a favourite toy in a bag you keep with you, not in the boot.
• Plan one or two stops. A park, a beach or a café with space to move helps children reset.
• Start the drive after a meal and a toilet visit.
• For babies, ask the driver to keep the air conditioning at a mild level.

The pace of a private transfer is on your side. If a child needs a break, you ask and the driver stops. Once in Oba, the shallow beach and the calm sea make the first day easier for young children.

Flights into Dalaman can land late in the evening or at night. Then the drive east means you arrive in Oba in the middle of the night. This is possible. Your driver waits for your flight and takes you to your hotel. A landing at 3 am does not carry a night surcharge with us, and the driver tracks the flight, so a delay does not cause a problem.

Please do these things for a night arrival:

• Tell your hotel the expected arrival time, so reception is open and your room is ready.
• Give the driver a phone number that works in Turkey.
• Think about whether the drive suits you. After a late flight and five hours in a car, some guests prefer a night near Dalaman and a daytime transfer the next morning. If you want that option, ask us.

For an early flight from Dalaman to your home country, the opposite applies. The drive from Oba to the airport takes the same five hours or so, which means you leave Oba in the evening or the night before. We explain this in the next section.

The return transfer from Oba to Dalaman Airport is the same long drive, so plan it with care. Use this simple method.

1. Take your flight time.
2. Subtract the time for check-in and security. For an international flight, we advise that you arrive at the airport about three hours before departure.
3. Subtract the drive time of about five hours, and add some margin for breaks and traffic.
4. The result is your pick-up time in Oba.

For an afternoon or evening flight, you may leave Oba in the morning. For a flight in the morning, you leave in the night or the evening before. In that case, think about the cost to your holiday: a very early start means a short last night. Some guests choose to spend the last night near Dalaman, in Fethiye or Göcek, and make a short drive to the airport on the day of the flight.

We are happy to book the return transfer when you book the arrival. Send us your flight number and your hotel name, and we plan the pick-up time with you. Please also confirm the exact meeting point at the hotel, because Oba hotels have more than one entrance.

Oba is a good base for day trips in the Alanya area. You do not need to repeat the long Dalaman drive to enjoy them.

• Alanya Castle and the old harbour: a half-day trip with the castle, the Red Tower and the harbour.
• Dim River and Dim Cave: a half-day trip with a meal on the river.
• Sapadere Canyon: a popular longer day trip into the hills behind Alanya, with cool water and green forest.
• Side: the ancient town and the pine-backed beaches that you may have seen on the drive east. It is a good place to return to when you are not in a car for five hours.
• Cleopatra Beach and Damlataş Cave: an easy morning trip from Oba.

Your Turkey Transfer driver can take you to these places or arrange a local transfer. Tell us your plan, and we advise you on timing.

Spring (April to May). The weather is mild, the hills are green and the road is calm. This is a very pleasant time for the long coastal drive. The sea is still cool.

Summer (June to August). The days are long and hot. The air conditioning in the car is important. Roads are busier, and the sea is warm. Start the drive early in the day or late in the afternoon to avoid the hottest hours. Carry water and sun protection.

Autumn (September to October). This is a favourite season for many guests. The sea is warm, the crowds are lower and the evenings are comfortable. The drive is easy.

Winter (November to March). The weather is mild but can bring rain. The mountain sections of the road need careful driving in wet conditions, and daylight is shorter. A late-night arrival feels longer in winter, so plan your drive for daylight if you can. Many beach services in Oba are quieter in the cold months, though the neighbourhood continues to live all year because of its residents.

When you book the Dalaman Airport to Oba transfer with Turkey Transfer, we need these details:

• Your flight number and arrival date
• The exact name and address of your hotel, apartment or villa in Oba
• The number of passengers and the amount of luggage
• The age and weight of any child who needs a seat
• Any wish for a stop on the way, such as a meal, a beach or Myra

With these details, the driver is at arrivals with your name on a board, tracks your flight and takes you east along the coast to Oba. It is a long drive, and the right plan makes it a comfortable one. Book today, and enjoy the Turquoise Coast on your way to Alanya.