Dalaman Airport→Payallar

The private transfer from Dalaman Airport (DLM) to Payallar covers about 270 km and takes roughly 284 minutes, which is a little under 4 hours 45 minutes of driving before any stops. That makes it one of the long routes on this site. It is a real journey across the Turkish coast, from the western Turquoise Coast towards the eastern end of the Turkish Riviera, where Payallar sits just west of Alanya.

Most of the people reading this page already know the distance. They want to know what the day will feel like: where the driver meets you, how to make the hours pass comfortably, what Payallar offers when you finally arrive, and how to plan the trip back. This guide covers all of that, step by step, so you can decide whether Dalaman is the right airport for your holiday and how to get the best out of the road.

Payallar's closest airports are Antalya (AYT) and Gazipaşa-Alanya. From Antalya Airport the drive to Payallar is roughly 96 km and usually takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, depending on traffic. If your flight options are open, that is the shorter road, and we are happy to say so. But plenty of travellers still land at Dalaman, and for good reasons:

• A direct or cheaper flight into Dalaman is available from their home airport, while the Antalya options are worse.
• A two-centre holiday: a week or so around Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Göcek or Dalyan, followed by a week of beach time near Alanya.
• A group where some people arrive at Dalaman and others elsewhere, and everyone ends up in the same Payallar hotel.
• Families who prefer one private car from airport to hotel, with no coach changes, no shared shuttle waiting for a full load and no luggage hauled between buses.

If you belong to the second group, think about splitting the trip rather than doing it in one go. A night on the Lycian coast on the way east turns a long transfer day into two easier ones. More on that below.

Dalaman is the gateway to the Turquoise Coast, and arrivals are straightforward. The airport has a single terminal, so there is no confusion about which building to head for. Your driver waits in the arrivals area with a name sign. Because we track your flight live, the driver is there whether the aircraft lands early or late, and we do not add a charge for waiting after a delay.

After passport control and baggage reclaim, the driver helps with your bags and walks you to the vehicle. Tell us at booking how many suitcases and how many passengers you have. For a family with pushchairs, golf bags, or a lot of beach gear, mention it in advance so we send a vehicle with enough space for the whole trip. A 284-minute drive is not the moment to find out that the boot is full.

If you need a child seat, tell us the child's age when you book. Child seats are provided free of charge and the correct one is fitted before you arrive.

Before you leave the airport, use the toilets, buy water and let everyone stretch their legs.

The route heads out of the Dalaman plain and follows the Lycian coast eastward. This is some of the most dramatic scenery in Turkey. Pine-covered mountains drop steeply to the sea, there are small coves that you can glimpse from the road, and the water is the deep turquoise that gives the region its name. The area is known for river valleys, thermal springs and the famous blue lagoon at Ölüdeniz, a short distance from the airport. Further along, the road runs through the Antalya region and then onward along the coast towards Side, Manavgat and Alanya.

The whole drive is 270 km and 284 minutes by the figures we plan with. Here is what that means in practice.

Typical times. Early morning and mid-afternoon departures are usually the easiest. Traffic is lighter, the sun is not directly in your eyes for most of the journey, and the driver can keep a steady pace.

Busy times. In July and August, coastal roads carry more traffic, with holiday coaches, rental cars and local trucks sharing the same stretches. The heat is also at its worst around midday. Expect the full 284 minutes, and be relaxed if the journey stretches. If you must travel on a Saturday in high season, which is the usual changeover day for hotels and tour operators, allow extra time in your plans.

Night driving. If your flight arrives late in the evening, you will do some or all of the journey in the dark. The coast road is less scenic at night, but traffic is lighter. We discuss this in more detail below.

You travel in a clean, air-conditioned car at your own pace. Because the vehicle is yours alone, you can ask for a stop whenever you need one. Here is a sensible plan for a transfer of this length.

• First stop after about an hour to ninety minutes. Coffee, a toilet break and a short walk. Do this earlier rather than later if you are travelling with small children.
• A meal break about halfway. If you land around midday, ask the driver to stop for lunch at a roadside restaurant. Grilled meat, fresh salads and flatbread are widely available along Turkish coastal roads and are easy to share. Eating properly makes the second half of the journey far more pleasant.
• A short pause in the last stretch. Even a ten-minute stop before the final approach lets everyone freshen up before hotel check-in.

Keep water, snacks and a light layer in the cabin. Air conditioning is welcome in summer but can feel cold after several hours. Charge your phones before departure.

For babies, plan stops around feeding times. If anyone in your group is prone to motion sickness, sit them in the front or by a window, avoid heavy meals just before the drive, and say so at the first stop. The driver can adjust speed and stops.

Driving straight to Payallar works well for a lot of travellers, particularly if you arrive in the morning or at midday and have time before dinner. But there is a good alternative, and it uses the landscape around Dalaman rather than just crossing it.

The Dalaman area has several well-known sights, any of which can fill a half day before you head east:

• Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon, the sheltered turquoise bay that appears on many Turkey postcards.
• Butterfly Valley, a steep-sided cove reached by boat.
• Saklıkent Gorge, a deep canyon where cold water runs through narrow rock walls.
• Kayaköy, the ruined hillside village often called the ghost village.
• Dalyan, with its mud baths, the rock tombs, the ruins of Kaunos and İztuzu turtle beach.

If your flight arrives early and you are not in a rush, you can start the day with one of these and then continue east in the afternoon. If you arrive late, you can sleep on the western side and take the long road after breakfast. Both approaches mean you arrive in Payallar in a good mood instead of exhausted. Tell us your plan and we will arrange the pickup and the onward leg to match.

Payallar is a quiet resort area on the coast between Okurcalar and Konaklı, west of central Alanya. It is a low-key place, with spacious hotel gardens, a long sandy beach and a slow, holiday-village rhythm. The coast road, which runs alongside the sea, is where most evening strolls happen.

Your driver takes you directly to your hotel's own reception. There is no drop-off at a nearby gate and no transfer between vehicles. This matters at a long-route arrival, when everyone is tired and just wants to lie down. Our drivers know the area's hotel entrances and the back roads, as well as the days when the coastal highway slows down.

Hotels we drive to regularly around Payallar include Aydinbey Gold Dreams Hotel, Azura World Hotel, Eftalia Marin Hotel, Eftalia Ocean Hotel, Eftalia Splash Resort Hotel and Eftalia Village. We also serve Eftalia Aqua, Eftalia Blue Hotel, Eftalia Island and Eftalia Sol Hotel. Several of these properties are close together, so a group staying in different hotels can often share one larger vehicle.

When you book, send the hotel name and, if possible, a phone number for the hotel. After a 284-minute drive, you may reach reception at an hour when the desk is quiet, and having the hotel's details prepared prevents delays.

Payallar suits travellers who want a calm base. It is a family-oriented area. Most of the local economy depends on tourism, and in summer the hotels fill with holidaymakers from Germany, Russia, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Winters are much quieter. Many hotels here operate on an all-inclusive basis, so plenty of guests spend most of their time within the resort and only leave for the occasional day out.

The village itself is modest. There are a few markets, a pharmacy and small local restaurants. It is quieter than central Alanya but not isolated. If you want nightlife, bars and lively streets, you will head into Alanya. If you want a beach, a pool, a good book and early nights, Payallar is exactly right.

The Payallar stretch sits between two very different kinds of holiday, which is its main advantage.

• Payallar and the neighbouring Konaklı and Kargıcak belt suit families and couples who want sea, sand and calm. Konaklı and Kargıcak are both within a pleasant coastal walk if you want a change of scenery for an evening.
• Central Alanya, about half an hour away by taxi, suits people who want the castle, the marina, the old harbour, restaurants and lively evenings. You can stay in Payallar and visit.
• Side and Manavgat, to the west, suit travellers who enjoy ancient ruins, a river, a waterfall and boat trips. Again, you do not need to move hotels.

If you are not sure which base to choose, ask yourself one question: do you want to leave the hotel every evening, or most evenings stay in? If you answered "stay in", Payallar is a comfortable choice.

Payallar's beach is fine golden sand with a gentle, shallow entry, which makes it a comfortable choice for families with small children. Most hotels sit right on the beach or a short walk from it. Sunbeds are typically arranged through the hotel rather than through a public concession, so check with your hotel on arrival. The sea is warm for a long season. The Mediterranean here is at its warmest in late summer, and beach holidays work from late spring into autumn.

After a long transfer, the beach is the best cure. If you arrive in the afternoon, change, walk down to the sea and let the water reset everyone. If you arrive late at night, the beach will still be there in the morning.

Many Payallar hotels offer all-inclusive meals, so for much of your stay dinner is simple. If you step outside the hotel, the small local restaurants in the village serve Turkish classics: grilled meat and fish, meze plates, fresh bread and seasonal salads.

For a different kind of evening, travel to Alanya. The old harbour area is lively after dark, and the castle walls look dramatic when lit. The Dim River valley, about 30 to 35 minutes by taxi, is known for its trout restaurants, which make a classic lunch after a visit to Dim Cave. If you want an evening out in Side, the old town and the temple area are especially photogenic around sunset.

Evenings in Payallar itself are slow. After dinner many families stroll the coast road, stop for ice cream or tea and head back early. That is part of the appeal, and it is also a useful balance after the long transfer.

Payallar is one of the easier places in the region for travelling with children. The shallow beach entry, the hotel gardens, the all-inclusive meals and the calm streets reduce the daily planning. For the transfer itself, three things matter most.

1. Child seats. We provide child and infant seats free of charge. Give us the age and weight of each child when you book so the right seat is in the car.
2. Stops. Plan for at least two. Children cope with a 284-minute drive better when it has a rhythm: drive, stop, run around, drive.
3. Timing. If your children sleep well in the car, an evening or night drive can work in your favour. If they do not, a morning pickup is easier.

Keep a small bag within reach rather than in the boot: wipes, spare clothes, snacks, water and a charger.

Many guests arrive late in the evening or after midnight. A late arrival does not change how we work. Your driver is waiting at arrivals, the flight is tracked, and there is no extra fee for a night transfer.

A night arrival on this route does need some thought, though.

• Total time. With 284 minutes of driving, a midnight landing means you reach Payallar in the early morning. Check with your hotel that reception will be open and that your room is ready. If you arrive before the usual check-in time, ask whether the room can be held from the night before.
• Option to stay west. If you land very late, consider a night in Dalaman, Fethiye or Göcek and travel east the next morning. You arrive in daylight, fresh and able to enjoy the road.

For early-morning arrivals, a morning landing is a good scenario. The driver takes you straight onto a quiet road, you stop for breakfast partway, and you arrive in Payallar by early afternoon, in time for the beach.

The trip back is as long as the trip out, so give it the same respect. When you plan your departure flight, work backwards from the flight time:

1. Decide when you need to be at the terminal. For an international flight, the usual advice is to arrive two to three hours before departure.
2. Add the 284 minutes of driving.
3. Add a buffer for breakfast, a toilet stop and any traffic.
4. Add time for hotel checkout and loading luggage.

The result is often an early start, and for an early-morning flight it can mean leaving Payallar the evening before. In that case, think about whether to travel the day before and stay overnight near Dalaman, rather than leave in the middle of the night. Your driver can collect you at the hotel at the time that suits your plan, and we will plan the return based on your actual checkout and flight time rather than leaving it to the hotel desk to remember.

A few practical tips for the return:

• Confirm your pickup time with us the day before.
• Ask the hotel for a breakfast box if you leave before the restaurant opens.
• Keep passports, tickets and boarding passes in your hand luggage, not in the boot.
• Do not plan activities on the morning of departure that could run late.

Staying in Payallar puts you within reach of several well-known places. The taxi times below are typical from the Payallar area.

• Alanya Castle, the Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) and Alanya Marina: about 25 to 30 minutes. The castle walls give wide Mediterranean views, and the old harbour below is worth a wander. Damlataş Cave is also part of the Alanya old harbour area.
• Cleopatra Beach: about 30 minutes, in central Alanya.
• Dim Cave and the Dim River: about 30 to 35 minutes. A cool underground walk, then lunch beside the river.
• Side Ancient City: about 20 to 25 minutes. The Temple of Apollo and the Roman theatre are the highlights.
• Manavgat Waterfall: about 30 to 35 minutes, easy to combine with a river boat trip.

We arrange day-trip taxi transfers on request, not just airport runs. Many guests combine a morning in Side with an afternoon boat trip on the Manavgat river, and the driver waits or collects them again in the evening. Because these trips are short, they are far easier than the long Dalaman run, and they give you a sense of the area without changing hotels.

Spring (April to May). Mild days, fresh green hillsides and lighter roads. The sea is still cool, but the sightseeing is comfortable. A good time for the two-centre plan, because the Lycian sights are pleasant to walk without the summer heat.

Early summer (June). Warm and sunny, with the beach season fully under way.

High summer (July and August). The hottest and busiest part of the year. The sea is at its warmest, the hotels are full, and the roads carry the most traffic. Start the long drive early or late in the day, bring plenty of water and book your transfer in advance.

Autumn (September to October). Many travellers consider this the best of the year. The sea is still warm, crowds thin out and the light is softer. The drive is easier on the eye and on the air conditioning.

Winter (November to March). Payallar is genuinely sleepy, with fewer open restaurants and a quieter coast. Winter flights into Dalaman are fewer, so check schedules before you plan a connection. The road is still scenic, though mountain weather can be changeable, so allow flexibility in your timing.

• Name-sign meet and greet at arrivals
• Live flight tracking and free waiting time after delays
• A private door-to-door car for your party only
• Free child seats
• Larger vehicles for bigger family groups
• WhatsApp support for questions before and during your trip

The price is set per vehicle rather than per person, so a family or group sharing one car divides the cost between more travellers. Taxes, tolls and fuel are covered in the fare shown at booking.

For a route this long, book ahead. Advance booking means a driver and vehicle are ready for you at arrivals, rather than being sourced at the last minute. When you book, send us:

• Your flight number and landing date
• The number of passengers, with ages for children
• The number of large bags and any special items such as pushchairs, bicycles or golf clubs
• Your hotel name in Payallar, and a contact number if you have one
• Whether you want to stop for a meal or sightseeing on the way

If your plans change, send a WhatsApp message and we will adjust the pickup. Dalaman to Payallar is a long road, but with a plan for stops, a comfortable car and a driver who knows the Payallar hotels, it becomes a pleasant first chapter of your holiday rather than an ordeal.