The Hidden Paradise tour from Side is a day of two halves: viewpoints and village stops where you are on your feet, and two long swimming breaks: about an hour on Green Lake and around two hours at the Hidden Paradise pools. Packing for it is easy once you think of it that way: dress for light walking, pack for swimming.
Wear this in the morning
- Swimsuit under your clothes. The single best tip for this tour. Changing facilities at natural swimming spots are basic, and wearing your swimwear from the hotel means you are in the water while others are still queueing.
- Light, comfortable clothes, shorts or a summer dress over the swimsuit, something you can pull on easily while still damp.
- Comfortable shoes. The walking is light, short strolls between stops, no hiking, but paths near waterfalls can be damp and stony. Trainers or solid sandals with a grip beat flip-flops.
- A hat. The catamaran deck and the lookout points are open to the sun, and the €40 price does not include shade on demand.
Pack this in a small daypack
- Towel: one per swimmer. Towels are not provided on the tour, and you will swim twice.
- Sunscreen. Apply before pickup and again after each swim. Water washes it off faster than sweat does.
- Charged phone or camera. Between Manavgat Waterfall, the emerald surface of Green Lake, the aqueduct panorama and the Green Canyon lookout, this route fills camera rolls. Start the day at full battery.
- Some cash. Lunch at the family-run restaurant is included, but drinks beyond that, snacks and any optional extras are paid on the spot. Alcoholic beverages are always extra.
- A dry change of underwear or a second swimsuit, optional but pleasant for the ride home after two hours at the pools.
- A light cover-up or thin layer. Useful on the water and in the vehicle's air conditioning after swimming.
Worth considering
- Water shoes. Not required, but the pools below the small waterfalls have natural rock underfoot, and swim shoes make wading in more graceful.
- A waterproof phone pouch if you want photos from inside the water rather than beside it.
- A small plastic bag for wet swimwear on the drive back, your hotel room will thank you.
Leave at the hotel
- Anything valuable. Bags stay in the vehicle or on the shore while you swim. Bring the cash you need and little else.
- Heavy beach kit. Umbrellas, inflatables and cool boxes have no role here: the Hidden Paradise stop has natural shade and a restaurant, and the pace of the day does not suit hauling gear.
- Formal anything. This is an unspoiled-nature day. The dress code is "can get wet, dries fast".
A note on seasons
The tour runs all year. In spring the Manavgat Waterfall is at its widest and most thunderous; at the height of summer its flow can be limited: the Green Lake catamaran ride runs regardless. Outside high summer, add a light jacket for the morning and for the boat. Whatever the month, swimming is always optional: plenty of guests paddle at the edges and photograph, so if you would rather stay dry, simply pack lighter.
Why packing light works on this tour
Everything heavy is already handled. Hotel transfer from the Side area, the catamaran, professional guiding and lunch are included in the price: the full cost logic is in our price breakdown. What remains for you is just the small stuff above.
If you are still deciding whether this is your kind of day out, the first-timer family guide walks through the whole route stop by stop, and our FAQ answers the practical questions. For how it compares with the rest of the coast's menu, see the complete local guide to Side excursions. Reservation is free and you pay on the tour day: so pack the swimsuit first and decide the rest later.