Our 15 Best Side Dolphin Watching Tours

1.Side: Dolphin Island Boat Trip with Lunch & Unlimited Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 896 reviews · 7 hours · from $24Our pick

Set out from Kumköy Beach on a spacious pirate-themed boat for a seven-hour day near Side. Swim where the Manavgat River meets the sea, stop near Dolphin Island, enjoy grilled chicken or fish with rice and salad, and join the foam party. Hotel transfers, a guide, insurance, lunch, and unlimited soft drinks are included. Dolphin sightings are possible, not promised.

“The day was lovely and the guys that ran it worked so hard to please everyone. Thank you for an enjoyable day!”

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2.Side: Dolphin Island Boat Tour w/ Lunch & Foam Party

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 623 reviews · 9 hours · from $30

Join Seven Tours for a full-day boat trip from Side to the Manavgat River, Bosphorus, Dolphin Island, and Karaburun Bay. Swim three times, choose chicken or fish for lunch, enjoy a foam party, and watch for dolphins and sea turtles. Hotel pickup, a multilingual guide, life vests, and insurance are included.

“We really enjoyed the boat trip and had several beautiful stops for swimming. The foam party at the end of the cruise was great, too. While we didn’t get to see any dolphins, we did have the chance to spot a sea turtle, which was a lovely surprise. A couple of minor downsides: smoking was allowed anywhere on the boat, which we found quite unpleasant as non-smokers. Also, we paid extra for unlimited soft drinks on board, but when crew members offered us canned Coke or other soft drinks, we still had to pay for them. The “free” soft drinks were only available at the lower bar, served in small…”

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3.Side: Dolphins Island Cruise with Swimming Stops and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 617 reviews · 7 hours · from $26

Spend seven hours cruising from Side’s Manavgat River to the Mediterranean, with hotel pickup available, lunch, swim stops, and a foam party. Your English- or German-speaking guide points out river turtles, dolphins, loggerhead turtles, shipyards, and coastal views. Wildlife sightings are possible but never guaranteed.

“Amazing trip, very friendly personel, nice food and we se dolphins!!!”

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4.Dolphin Island Boat Trip – Swim, Sun & Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 206 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $30

Spend about seven hours on a traditional gulet from Manavgat River, with several sea stops, lunch, snorkeling, paid drinks, and a lively foam party. You may see dolphins or turtles, but neither is guaranteed. Hotel pickup is available, and the tour returns to its starting point.

“Leuke goed verzorgde boottrip, zeer zeker aan te raden als je met kinderen gaat. Bemanning vriendelijk, faciliteiten verzorgd.”

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5.Side Dolphin Island Boat Trip With Lunch And Soft Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 149 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $25

You’ll leave Side by hotel transfer for a six to seven-hour boat day with swim stops near the Manavgat River delta and Dolphin Island, lunch, soft drinks, music, and a foam party. Dolphins are possible but never guaranteed. The outing suits families and swimmers who enjoy lively entertainment, but boat and itinerary standards can vary.

“All right. Sorry, no dolphins seen. But the staff was friendly and the tour recommended.Auto-translated”

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6.From City of Side: Dolphins Island Boat Trip with Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 100 reviews · 7 hours · from $15Best value

You’ll leave your Side accommodation by transfer, board near the Manavgat River, and cruise toward Dolphins Island Bay. Expect swimming stops, lunch, sunbathing, and time to snorkel with your own equipment. A live guide speaks English, German, or Russian. Dolphin sightings are possible but never promised.

“Die Fahrt hat sich gelohnt. pünktlich Abholung vom hotel, Bootsfahrt super, Essen lecker und für den Preis wirklich top”

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7.Side: Dolphin Island Boat Tour, Lunch, Sotf Drinks& Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 30 reviews · 6 hours · from $35

You’ll spend six hours moving from Side to the Manavgat River and open Mediterranean waters near Dolphin Island. The day includes hotel pickup, a river cruise, swimming stops, lunch, soft drinks, and a three-hour boat ride toward Okurcalar. English, German, and Russian guides lead the trip, but crowds, music, and sea conditions can shape the experience.

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8.Side Dolphin Island Boat Trip with Lunch & Swim Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 18 reviews · 6 hours · from $29

Take a six-hour boat trip from Side along the Mediterranean coast, with hotel pickup, several swim stops, lunch, music, and a foam party. You’ll cruise toward Dolphin Island, where wild dolphins may appear, though sightings are brief and never guaranteed. Guides speak English, German, Russian, and Turkish. Drinks cost extra.

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9.“Side: Boat Adventure to Dolphin Island – Swim and Enjoy Lunch”

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 18 reviews · from $28

Spend about eight hours cruising from Side toward Dolphin Island and Manavgat on a Turkish gulet or similar boat. You get hotel transfers, a local lunch, swimming stops, a guide, travel insurance, and a foam party. Drinks and photos cost extra, and dolphin sightings are possible but not promised.

“Fantastische boottocht! We hebben geluk gehad en zowel dolfijnen als zeeschildpadden gezien. Ook het eten was top! Een echte aanrader voor jong en oud.. met als als afsluiter een schitterende schuimfuif!”

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10.Side: Dolphin Island Boat Tour : A Seaside Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★3.1 · 12 reviews · 7 hours · from $29

Spend seven hours between Side, the Manavgat River, and the Mediterranean coast. You will cruise to the Manavgat Bosphorus, swim in fresh and salt water, eat lunch aboard, and stop near Karaburun Peninsula. English, German, and Russian guides lead the day. Dolphins and sea turtles are possible, not guaranteed.

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11.Dolphin Island Boat Trip with Swimming & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 5 hours · from $31

Set out from the Manavgat River on a three-level pirate boat with English, German, or Russian host support. You will pass shipyards and river turtles, swim in the Mediterranean, eat lunch onboard, and watch for dolphins and loggerhead turtles. The route changes with weather and your chosen weekday, with foam-party fun included.

“Atrakcja świetna, córka bardzo zadowolona. Rejs rzeka był super a wypłynięcie na pełne morze również dostarczyło niesamowitych wrażeń. Oczywiście był bar na pokładzie oraz piana party. Polecam serdecznie”

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12.Dolphin Boat Blue Laguna With Rivertrip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $42Top rated

From Side, guide Haki takes you by air-conditioned minibus or bus to a boat for a 6 to 7-hour outing. Expect four swimming stops, a small island, an estuary where fresh and salt water meet, lunch, a chance to see wild dolphins, and a foam party. Pickup, transport, guide, and lunch are included.

“Unforgettable boat tour to Dolphin Island – a real highlight of our Turkey holiday! We took part in a full-day boat tour to Dolphin Island – and it was just fantastic! The organization was great, the boat clean and the whole team incredibly friendly and in a good mood. During the trip there were several bath breaks in dreamlike coves with crystal clear water – ideal for swimming, snorkeling or just cooling off. The highlight, of course, was the passage to Dolphin Island, where we could actually see several dolphins in the wild – a magical moment we will never forget! Lunch on board was also delicious and freshly prepared…”

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13.Ancient City or Dolphin observatıon cruise in Side w/Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 7 reviews · 8 hours · from $20

From Side, you spend about four hours on a double-deck boat with swimming stops, lunch, music and a chance to spot dolphins near Dolphin Island. The advertised details also mention Ormana, Sarıhacılar and Altınbeşik Cave, but the schedule is not fully consistent. Pickup and return are included, while drinks and personal costs are extra.

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14.From Side Dolphin and Seal Show Ticket with Hotel Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews · from $42

From Side, you can ride to Sealanya Dolphinpark for a 1 to 3 hour dolphin and seal show. Expect trained animals, music, tricks, and short educational talks about marine life. Hotel pickup is optional, with English, German, Russian, and Turkish hosts available. Swimming costs an extra 140 euros.

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15.Side: Dolphin Island Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 5 reviews · 6 hours · from $41

Spend six hours on a boat from Side, cruising the Manavgat River and Turkish Riviera. Swim in the river, open sea, Dolphin Island, and Karaburun Bay, with grilled chicken, salads, rice, dolphin watching, and optional games. English, German, and Russian-speaking staff lead the day. Wildlife sightings are possible but not guaranteed.

“this was such an enjoyable day, and it really was packed for the whole time. the starting journey was quiet but it all picked up with the swims x 3, and the entertainment. lunch was tasty and entertainment was varied and optional. staff were friendly and helpful. I think this was value for money.”

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