About 40 kilometres east of Alanya, past the point where most tour buses turn back, the coast quietly gets better. Gazipaşa still feels like the Turkish Riviera before it became the Turkish Riviera: red rock cliffs, half-empty beaches, natural rock pools and a hilltop fortress where you’re more likely to share the view with goats than other tourists. If Alanya’s Cleopatra Beach feels a touch crowded for your taste, this is where to go instead.
Here are the five places worth building a day — or two — around, along with the practical details: what to bring, how to actually get to each one, and where to eat once you’re done.
📝 A Local’s Note
Most of Gazipaşa’s best spots sit off the main road with little to no public transport, so a rental car (or an organised day tour) makes this trip far easier than trying to piece it together by dolmuş.
Handily, Gazipaşa has its own airport (GZP) just minutes from town — most visitors flying into it head straight for their hotel in Alanya without ever stopping to see what’s on its doorstep. If you’re passing through, it’s worth the detour.
1. Selinus Ancient Fortress: Ruins With a View
Above the town, a walking trail climbs steadily through the hillside scrub toward the ruins of the old Selinus fortress — the Byzantine-and-Seljuk-era stronghold that gives the modern district its ancient name. (Selinus has its own footnote in Roman history too: it was here, in 117 AD, that the emperor Trajan died while returning from campaign, after which the town was briefly renamed in his honour.)
If you’re reasonably fit, the path takes you all the way up to the fortress remains at the summit. If you’d rather not commit to the full climb, you don’t have to go far to be rewarded — even a short way up, the view opens out over the Mediterranean, the red-tinged sweep of Gazipaşa’s beach, the Taurus Mountains behind town, and the rooftops of Gazipaşa itself. Go in the late afternoon for softer light and a cooler climb.
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2. Gazipaşa Public Beach: Red Cliffs and a Secret Cave
Gazipaşa’s main town beach, Halk Plajı, runs for roughly 2 to 2.5 kilometres of open sand and shingle. On the right-hand end of the beach, a huge red rock formation rises straight out of the ground — arguably the most photographed backdrop on this stretch of coast, and reason enough on its own for the stop.
What most visitors miss is what’s hiding right beside it: a small, cool cave at the water’s edge, free to enter, that most people walking the beach never notice. It’s shallow and safe enough for kids to explore and play in, and stepping inside out of the sun is a genuinely refreshing surprise on a hot afternoon.
The rest of the beach is well set up for a full day out: sunbeds and umbrellas, a paved promenade for an evening stroll, and dedicated barbecue areas if you’re bringing your own food. The seabed is rocky at some entry points and completely clear at others, so it’s worth a short walk along the shore to find a comfortable spot to swim. When you’re ready to eat, Sefa Beach Cafe, right on the sand, is a local favourite for a relaxed seaside meal.
3. Koru Beach’s Natural Pools
A little further along the coast, Koru Beach — known to some locals as “Coral Beach” for its reef-like rock formations — stretches for about two kilometres. Unusual rock structures break up the sea here, creating sheltered, wave-free natural pools of warm water that are about as calm as swimming gets on this coastline. Almost nobody stops here, which is exactly the point: this is Gazipaşa at its quietest.
It’s also set up specifically for slow, self-catered days: there’s a dedicated caravan parking area right at the beach, along with picnic tables and covered pergolas for a proper barbecue. If you’re road-tripping this coast with your own vehicle or a rented campervan, Koru Beach is built for exactly that kind of stop.
4. Delikdeniz Kral Koyu: The “Gateway to the Ocean”
The showstopper of the five is Delikdeniz Kral Koyu, a hidden cove that locals nickname the “gateway to the ocean” — a natural rock arch that opens directly onto the Mediterranean, framing water in a run of blues that looks almost artificial in photos. It’s easily the most striking single spot on this list, and one of the least visited.
That’s largely down to how hard it is to reach: there’s no realistic way to get here on foot or by public transport, so a rental car, your own vehicle, or an organised day tour is the way to go. Even once you arrive, you’ll still need to walk down a fairly steep path to reach the water — and, naturally, back up again on the way out. Bring cold water and wear clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting warm and dusty in on the descent. Once you’re down, it’s an excellent spot for a quiet swim, some light snorkelling or diving, and simply having a beach almost to yourself.
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See Day Trips from Alanya →5. Local Flavours & a Caravan-Friendly Coast
Part of what makes Gazipaşa worth the detour is how unhurried it still is. Self-catering is practically the local culture here — barbecue pergolas at Koru Beach and Halk Plajı alike, and enough dedicated caravan parking that this stretch of coast has quietly become a favourite for campervan travellers working their way along the Turkish Riviera. If you’d rather not cook, seaside spots like Sefa Beach Cafe at Halk Plajı serve solid, unfussy local food with your feet practically in the sand — no need to dress up, no resort prices.
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Planning Your Gazipaşa Day Trip
- Getting there: Gazipaşa is about 40 km from Alanya — roughly 45 minutes to an hour by car along the coast road. See our Gazipaşa Airport to Alanya transfer guide if you’re flying into GZP directly.
- How to get around once there: A rental car or your own vehicle is genuinely the best way to see all five spots in a day — Delikdeniz Kral Koyu in particular is very difficult to reach any other way.
- Entry costs: All five spots on this list — the fortress trail, both beaches and the hidden cave, and Delikdeniz Kral Koyu — are free to visit.
- What to pack: Water shoes or sturdy sandals for rocky entry points, plenty of drinking water for the fortress trail and the walk down to Delikdeniz, sun protection, and swimwear for at least two beach stops.
- Best time to go: Late spring through early autumn for warm, swimmable water; visit outside midday in peak summer to keep the fortress hike and the walk down to Delikdeniz comfortable.
- Where to stay: Most visitors base themselves in Alanya and day-trip out — see our pick of the best hotels in Alanya.
Planning more of the Alanya area? See our full guide to things to do in Alanya, the best excursions from Alanya, our Alanya boat trip guide, and the Sapadere Canyon day trip guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gazipaşa worth visiting?
Yes — if you want the Turkish Riviera’s beaches and ruins without the Alanya crowds, Gazipaşa’s mix of a hilltop fortress, red-rock beaches and a hidden natural cove is well worth the roughly 45-minute drive.
How do you get to Delikdeniz Kral Koyu without a car?
There’s no practical public transport option — a rental car, your own vehicle, or an organised day tour from Alanya is the way to get there.
Is the hidden cave at Gazipaşa Public Beach free to enter?
Yes, entry is completely free, and it’s shallow and safe enough for children to explore.
Can you park a caravan or campervan in Gazipaşa?
Yes — Koru Beach has a dedicated caravan parking area alongside picnic tables and barbecue pergolas, making it a popular stop for campervan travellers.
How far is Gazipaşa from Alanya?
About 40 km, roughly 45 minutes to an hour by car along the coast road.
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Browse Alanya & Gazipaşa Tours →Page last updated: August 2026.