Many travelers in search of a quiet and relaxing holiday are ready to go thousands of kilometers from home. If you are also looking for serenity away from the bustling city, then you can certainly find what you want in the village of Cirali, Turkey. Privacy, clean beach, clear sea and mountain ranges-that’s what attracts sophisticated tourists in this little-known place. What is a resort and how to get to it, we will tell you in detail in our article.
General information
Cirali is a small village located on the southwestern coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Turkey. It is located 37 km south of the resort town of Kemer and 81 km from Antalya. The population of the village does not exceed 6000 people. Translated from Turkish, the name Cirali is interpreted as “catching fire”: this name of the village is explained by its close location to the famous Yanartash Mountain, known for its self-igniting lights.
The village of Cirali in Turkey is a secluded place with a couple of narrow streets lined with simple village houses. Here you will not find tall buildings, a concrete embankment, clubs and expensive restaurants. The village is little known to mass tourism and most often its guests are travelers who independently organize their holidays. This is a remote corner of Turkey, which has managed to preserve untouched natural beauty, a spacious clean beach and clear sea waters.
Due to the village’s close proximity to the main attractions in the Kemer area, Cirali becomes an ideal resort for those who like to combine a beach holiday with sightseeing activities. Although the village itself lacks a nightlife industry, it can be found in the nearby resort of Olympos.
Tourist infrastructure
Restaurants and shopping
Cirali in Turkey can not boast of an abundance of various cafes and restaurants. On the coast there are several small establishments where you can try national Turkish cuisine and order drinks. Shopping in the village is limited to a couple of shops, so for large purchases you need to go to other nearby resorts, such as Olympos, Tekirova village or Kemer. Despite the poor infrastructure, Cirali has car rental offices.
Housing
The village is different from the usual Turkish resorts, which is fully confirmed by the photo of Cirali in Turkey. Luxury 5* hotels operating on an all-inclusive system are not available here. The bulk of the proposed housing is made up of small so-called boarding houses in the form of wooden bungalows or villas, as well as 3*hotels.
The cost of staying in a double room per night can start from $10-15 and vary on average in the range of $40-60. There are also expensive hotels in the resort, which will cost $300-350 per night to check in. Some hotels include breakfast and dinner, others are limited to breakfast only, and still others do not provide free meals at all.
Beach
The beach in Cirali in Turkey is quite long, just over 3 km. The coast expands to the north, where its width reaches 100 m. On the one hand, the beach abuts against a rock, not far from which a fishing village has settled, on the other hand, it breaks off at the foot of the Moses Mountain. Here you will not be disturbed by vendors and barkers scurrying along the beach, offering to take a boat ride or go on a shopping tour.
The surface of the shore consists of pebbles and sand, the entrance to the sea is rocky and uneven, so it is more convenient to swim here in special shoes. In the southern part of the beach there are several sun loungers, which can be used completely free of charge. There are also cafes and restaurants, as well as Parking. There are no showers or changing rooms on the public beach, but all lovers of comfort can use the beach infrastructure of nearby hotels for an additional fee.
The water in the sea is clear and clean. The coast offers picturesque views of mountain ranges, lush vegetation and the sea surface, which is confirmed by photos taken in Turkey of Cirali beach. Even in high season, the beach is sparsely populated, so travelers who prefer a peaceful and serene holiday will definitely appreciate this area.
Interestingly, the beach of Chiraly is used by turtles to lay eggs. Due to this fact, some restrictions apply here, such as:
- it is forbidden to use a flashlight or any other illumination in the dark,
- you can not dig the ground close to water,
- dogs are not allowed to enter, as they can dig up egg clutches,
- it is not allowed to enter the beach in any vehicle.
On a note! For more information about other beaches in the Kemer area, see this page, and the Antalya coast is described here.
Weather and climate
Like most resorts in Turkey, Cirali is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, hot in summer. The season here starts in May, when the water temperature reaches comfortable swimming values (about 22 °C), and ends at the end of October. The sunniest and warmest months in the resort are July and August, when the thermometer does not fall below 30 °C.
June and September will be comfortable for recreation: during this period, the air temperature ranges from 29-30 °C, and the water near the beaches of Cirala warms up to 25-28 °C. In May and October, the weather also creates favorable conditions for holidays, but during these periods of time, the resort can experience rain, which on average lasts 3-5 days a month.
In general, you can go to the beaches of Cirali in Turkey in any month of the season. Fans of hot weather will be comfortable here in July, August and September, and those who prefer warm days and cool evenings, May, mid-June or early October are best suited. More detailed information about the climate in the resort village can be found in the table below.
| Month | Average daytime temperature | Average temperature at night | Sea water temperature | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11,3 °C | 5,8 °C | 18 °C | 15 | 6 |
| february | 13,2 °C | 6,6 °C | 17,3 °C | 16 | 5 |
| March | 16,1 °C | 8 °C | 17 °C | 20 | 4 |
| april | 20 °C | 9,9 °C | 18,1 °C | 23 | 3 |
| May | 24,1 °C | 13,6 °C | 21,1 °C | 28 | 4 |
| June | 29,3 °C | 17,7 °C | 24,6 °C | 30 | 3 |
| July | 32,9 °C | 21,2 °C | 28,1 °C | 31 | 0 |
| august | 33,2 °C | 21,6 °C | 29,3 °C | 31 | 1 |
| september | 29,6 °C | 18,8 °C | 28,2 °C | 30 | 2 |
| october | 23,7 °C | 14,8 °C | 25,3 °C | 28 | 3 |
| November | 17,8 °C | 10,6 °C | 22,2 °C | 22 | 3 |
| december | 13,3 °C | 7,4 °C | 19,6 °C | 18 | 5 |
How to get to Cirali from Antalya
If you do not know how to get to Cirali in Turkey on your own, we recommend that you read the information provided by us. There are only two ways to get to the village from Antalya – by taxi and by bus. The first option will cost a lot of money, since the distance is considerable, and in Turkey gasoline is not cheap.
By bus
The second option is much more affordable, but it will require some effort and time.
First you need to get from the airport to Antalya Central Bus Station (Otogar). You can do this by catching the bus number 600 or by taking the Antrail tram. Once at the train station, go inside the commuter bus terminal and go to any ticket office to purchase a ticket to Cirali.
It should be noted that there is no direct bus to the village, but there is a bus to Olympos, from which you need to get off at the turn with a sign to Cirali. Therefore, warn the driver in advance that you need to disembark at the intersection. The fare is $4, and the journey takes about an hour and a half.
After disembarking at the turn, you will see a parking lot with dolmushs, which follow hourly to the village itself (from 8: 30 to 19: 30). The fare is $1.5. We do not recommend going on foot, as it would be very reckless to cover 7 km with luggage on a steep road. As an alternative, we are considering a taxi or hitchhiker’s ride. This is how you can get to Cirali, Turkey.
