Short answer: the Manavgat river cruise and bazaar day is €21 per adult and €15 per child from Side, or €43 and €30 from Alanya. Infants travel free. Reservation is free and you pay on the tour day.
Manavgat day trips are among the most affordable full-day excursions on the Antalya coast, but "affordable" only means something when you know the full picture. As Atalay Tours, the local operator running these boats, here is our honest breakdown: the exact ticket prices, what those tickets actually cover, and the handful of extras you might choose to spend money on once you're there. No surprises on the day: that's the whole point.
The headline prices
There are two ways to do the Manavgat river-and-bazaar day, depending on where you're staying:
- From Side: the Manavgat River Boat Cruise & Grand Bazaar Day costs €21 per adult, €15 per child, and infants travel free. It's a roughly 10-hour day with the boat casting off mid-morning.
- From Alanya: the Alanya to Manavgat Boat Trip & Riverside Bazaar costs €43 per adult, €30 per child, with infants aged 0–3 free and children aged 4–11 paying the reduced child price. It runs about 9 hours and includes the Green Canyon dam lake cruise.
Why the difference? The Alanya version involves a longer coach transfer inland, a cruise on the Green Canyon lake with swim stops, and an open buffet lunch on board: it's a bigger logistical day. The Side version starts practically on the doorstep of the river, which keeps the price lean.
What the ticket includes
Both tours are all-in for the core day. From Side, your €21 covers:
- Round-trip air-conditioned hotel pickup and drop-off
- The fully guided river and open-sea boat cruise
- A freshly prepared lunch served onboard
- The foam party at sea
- A friendly, experienced local guide throughout the day
From Alanya, the €43 covers the round-trip coach transfer, the Green Canyon boat cruise with swim stops, the open buffet lunch on board, an English-speaking guide, and local travel insurance.
What costs extra: the full list
Here is everything that is not in the ticket price, so you can budget properly:
- Drinks. On both tours, drinks are not included. There's an onboard bar, so bring some cash if you want cold drinks with lunch.
- Photos and videos. Independent photographers work the boats. Their souvenir photos are optional and paid separately: nobody will pressure you.
- Manavgat Waterfall. On the Side tour, the waterfall is an optional add-on during your bazaar free time: the short transfer and the national park entrance fee are paid on the day. On the Alanya tour, you see the waterfall as part of the route, but the entrance ticket is excluded.
- Bazaar spending. Entirely up to you. Spices and textiles can be cheap; leather goods depend on your bargaining. Bring small Turkish lira notes: friendly haggling is part of the fun.
- Tips. Never obligatory, always appreciated.
How paying works with us
Because we're a direct local operator rather than a reseller, the booking terms are unusually relaxed: reservation is free, and you pay on the tour day. There's also free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on both tours, so if plans change or the weather turns, you're not locked in. No prepayment, no card details held hostage, no middleman margin baked into the price.
Is the cheap price a catch?
A fair question. The Side tour at €21 for ten hours, transfer, cruise, lunch and guide included, sounds too good next to what some resort desks quote. The simple explanation: the Manavgat river pier is minutes from Side, boats carry up to 40 guests, and we sell directly. There's no hidden upsell waiting; the extras listed above are the complete list. One thing to plan around: the Manavgat Grand Bazaar is only held on Mondays and Thursdays, so book the Side tour on one of those days if the market matters to you.
Budgeting a realistic day
For a couple from Side: €42 in tickets, plus a little pocket money for drinks and the optional waterfall visit, plus whatever the bazaar tempts you into. A family of four (two adults, one child, one infant) pays €57 in tickets: for a ten-hour day with lunch included, that's hard to beat anywhere on this coast.
Still deciding? Read our Manavgat tour FAQ for the practical questions, check what to bring and wear, or browse the wider Side excursions guide to see how Manavgat compares with the other big day trips.