Two days, two opposite bags
For the water park: swimwear worn under your clothes, a towel, water-resistant sandals, high-protection sunscreen and cash — because lockers are not included in the ticket. For the Tahtalı summit: a light jacket even in August, closed shoes, and cash again, because payment at the station is cash only and cards are not accepted there.
These two days share almost nothing except sun cream and small notes, which is why people who book both in the same week keep packing the wrong bag.
The water park day
Our aquapark day ticket with hotel transfer from Side is a full day — entrance included, so you walk past the ticket queue — with morning pickup after breakfast time from hotels across the Side region and a return transfer at closing. The listed rate starts at €50 for adults and €41 for children aged 4–9, with infants aged 0–3 free; the exact figure depends on which park suits your group, and it is confirmed clearly at booking.
What goes in the bag
- Swimwear — put it on at the hotel and save yourself a changing-room queue.
- A towel. Not supplied.
- Water-resistant slippers or sandals. Poolside concrete in Mediterranean sun is genuinely too hot for bare feet by mid-morning, and slide staircases are wet all day.
- High-protection sunscreen, reapplied after every few slides. Water strips it.
- Cash for snacks, extras and a locker. Lockers and safety deposit boxes are specifically not included in the price.
What to leave at the hotel
Jewellery and watches. They have to come off for the slides anyway, and a locker you have to pay for is a poor place to store the things you care about. Take one card or a little cash, not your whole wallet.
The honest part
The big slides carry height and age restrictions that park staff enforce at the top of the steps, and no amount of disappointment changes that — so if you are travelling with a child who is desperate for the extreme slides, ask us which park suits their height before booking rather than finding out at the ladder. There are wave pools, lazy rivers, family slides and dedicated kids' zones regardless, and lifeguards are on duty at the pools. The day is not recommended for pregnant guests. And be punctual at the announced meeting point for the return — the coach cannot wait for one family.
The Tahtalı summit day
The Olympos cable car tour from Kemer takes you to the 2,365 m summit of Mount Tahtalı on a 4,359-metre cable-car line, rated among the longest in the world, in a ride of around 10–11 minutes each way. Adults are €80, children aged 3–11 are €55 and under-3s travel free, with the round-trip ticket, air-conditioned transfer and hotel pickup in the Kemer area included, plus free time at the top.
The one item that matters
A light jacket or sweater, even in summer. The summit is usually 10–15°C cooler than the coast. People leave the hotel in full beach heat, arrive at the top in a t-shirt, and spend their free time hiding inside the café instead of walking the viewing terraces — which is what they came for. Take the layer.
The rest
- Closed comfortable shoes — the terraces are exposed and often breezy.
- Cash for the summit café and any on-site payments; the station does not take cards.
- Camera or phone with plenty of storage. On a clear day the view runs a long way down the Mediterranean shore.
- Sunglasses. Altitude plus open sky is brighter than the beach, even when it is colder.
What you do not need
Hiking gear. There is no climbing and no stairs to conquer — the cabins are fully enclosed and stable, they carry up to 80 guests, and the experience is wheelchair friendly. This is a trip for every generation, from toddlers to grandparents, and the mountain does the climbing.
Who each day is not for
The water park is not for anyone hoping for a quiet day: it is loud, crowded and wet from the moment you walk in, and if that is not the holiday you are having, skip it. The summit is not for anyone expecting a hike, a mountain walk or card payment at the top. It is also weather-dependent — in strong wind or unsafe conditions the rides are suspended, and you are offered a new date or a refund rather than a gamble.
And a note for anyone tempted to do both in one week: they are both around seven-hour days with a morning pickup. Put a slow day between them.
Related reading
For the other big ticketed attraction on this coast, what to bring to Land of Legends answers the same question for a theme-park day. If the heat is what worries you, what to wear at the Antalya ruins in summer covers the shadeless end of the spectrum, and which Side excursion to choose helps you space the week out.