Azure, turquoise waters, pure white silica sand, palm trees swaying, and the gentle caress of the wind against your face – this is a setting synonymous with the Caribbean, not something you’d expect to find on the Aegean and Mediterranean shores of Turkey.
Just like the thirteen countries that make up the Caribbean, Turkey is a vast and diverse place. It’s home to glistening blue waters, soft golden sands, and balmy beach towns that create a scene that could be mistaken for destinations like Aruba or Barbados in travel brochures, if the photographs weren’t captioned accordingly.
Turkey’s beaches offer pristine, aqua blue waters in a hue that’s comparable to the Caribbean. The water is warm and inviting, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or diving, and they are often framed by lush, forested hills or nestled in secluded coves.
If you want the azure, Caribbean experience in Turkey, then be sure to check out these beaches…
Ölüdeniz (Blue Lagoon), Fethiye
No one expects to go on a trip to the Caribbean and endure high stress, it’s just not the way of life. It’s all about that slow, relaxed pace, where you can slip out of your 9-5 mindset and into a state of zen-like calm.
Fethiye has this same vibe. Whether you want to sip cocktails in Saint Lucia or lounge on a beach in Turkey, you’ll feel the same relaxed pace of the Caribbean lifestyle in both destinations.
The famed Blue Lagoon in Oludeniz, a small town just outside Fethiye, is the perfect parallel to Simpson Bay Lagoon on the island of Saint Martin, which is the largest lagoon in the Caribbean. In fact, Blue Lagoon is much less developed than its long-distance Caribbean cousin, with fewer resorts and fewer jet planes flying overhead.
Both lagoons have a similar landscape – they feature a crescent-shaped bay, framed by verdant, rolling hills, and filled with turquoise waters.
The same serene and unhurried atmosphere can be found in both destinations, and they are both hot spots for watersports, particularly paragliding. From Babadag Mountain in Oludeniz, the paragliding launch spot is the 4th highest point in the world at 1900 meters above sea level.
Read more: Best Beaches in Fethiye For Sun Seekers
Kaputaş Beach, Kaş
Nestled between two dramatic cliffs, Kaputaş Beach near Kaş is famed for its striking blue water and fine golden sand.
This tropical, hideaway oasis closely resembles Sugar Beach in St. Lucia in that they are both encompassed by towering mountains and slope into lush, cyan waters.
The secluded nature of these beaches, set in a small valley, also adds to their appeal. Though both are considered hidden gems in travel guides, I would argue that both gems have been well and truly discovered.
This is where the similarities end, however. Kaputaş Beach is a white pebble beach, whereas Sugar Beach is soft sandy. Sugar Beach has been developed and is backed by a high-end resort, whereas Kaputas Beach hasn’t been developed at all.
Patara Beach, Patara
In contrast to the secluded gems tucked between mountains, are the expansive golden sand dunes of Patara Beach, stretching along the aptly named Turquoise Coast where Muğla meets Antalya.
The windswept, vast golden sand beach, backed by rugged dunes and framed by the Taurus Mountains, is reminiscent of the world-renowned Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos or the lesser-known No Name Beach in Klein Bonaire and Klein Curacao in Curacao, which are all known for their long stretches of white sand with grassy vegetation tucked behind.
Patara Beach is one of the largest beaches in Turkey and is known for its calm, shallow waters. This 18km stretch is nestled in a naturally protected area, so you can always find a quiet spot that’s visually stunning and serene, even in the height of summer.
Patara Beach is a nesting ground for turtles, so some parts of the beach are closed off to protect their eggs.
Butterfly Valley, Fethiye
Another isolated beach in a cavernous valley is Butterfly Valley Beach, which is a small, curvaceous pebble beach surrounded by pristine nature.
The turquoise waters and natural rock formations, along with its remoteness, give it a Caribbean-like quality.
Although, as with anything stunning in Turkey, huge boat tours park up here in the summer, which can ruin the tranquility – visit in the morning before the boats arrive for a peaceful experience.
The surrounding lush greenery and rocky cliff faces make you feel as though you are trapped on this beach, not that you’d be mad about it. This is a similar feeling you get when visiting Little Bay in Anguilla, a wonderful secluded beach wrapped in mountains.
Like Little Bay, Butterfly Valley is only accessible by boat.
Read more: How To Get From Fethiye to Butterfly: What To Do + Tips
İncekum Plajı, Gökova Bay
Gökova Bay, or the Gulf of Gökova, is a bay in the Muğla region that’s known for its rugged landscape, untouched natural beauty, and tranquil waters.
İncekum Plajı is a lesser-known destination in Turkey because it doesn’t have a pure white sand beach. Instead, it has a narrow strip of rocky shoreline with golden sand tucked between the rocks and a vegetated background.
Although small, you will be amazed by how calm and crystal clear the waters are here.
The color of the waters resembles that of famous Caribbean beaches like Shell Beach in St. Barts, which has similar rocky/sandy terrain, although unlike İncekum Plajı is not made of shells.
Suluada Island
Like the Caribbean, Turkey is surrounded by small islands, many of them uninhabited and unspoiled. Known for its pure white sand beach and peaceful atmosphere, Suluada Island off the coast of Antalya is a haven for beach lovers.
This pyramid-shaped mountainous island is incredibly sparse and remote. Its mountainous, rocky shape has only a sprinkling of vegetation growing from its sandy surface, and other than that, all there is to see here is a small section of white sand beach.
The only way to visit here is by boat tour, much like visiting the many cayes in the Caribbean.
Suluada Island looks like a tiny, uninhabited, and sparse version of Sugar Loaf Island in Grenada, which also has one white sand beach and is only accessible by boat.
Read more: Most Beautiful Turkish Islands to Visit
Altınkum Plajı, Izmir
People don’t often think about Izmir as the region to go to for beaches, but tucked away on the south of a peninsula near Cesme, is Altınkum Plajı, which looks remarkably like Eagle Beach in Aruba.
Both of these tropical getaways are known for the same reasons – they both have idyllic white sand, dazzling blue waters, thriving coral reefs, and thatched beach parasols for hire.
Read more: 15 Beautiful Beaches in Izmir You Must Visit!
Orak Island Bay, Bodrum
Another remote bay that’s known for its eye-catching aqua-colored water is Orak Island Bay, just off the coast of Bodrum.
Accessible only by boat tour, this bay is known for its thriving coral reef, rocky outcrops, and lush vegetated hills.
Put a picture of Orak Island next to a picture of Providencia in the Caribbean and you might think they are the same place.,
Read more: Best Bodrum Beaches for Sun-Loving Travelers
Finike Mağaralı Bay, Antalya
Beaches aren’t just for lounging on, they are also areas of outstanding beauty. The craggy rock formations and imposing cliff faces on the Turquoise Coast are what make Turkey’s beaches so unique.
In the Antalya region, just outside of Demre, is Finike, where you will find an arched sea cave carved into the white stone cliff face, formed over thousands of years of erosion, which, from up close, looks similar to the St Lucia Arch.
This hidden spot is accessible by swimming a few meters from the main beach.
Read more: Breathtaking Beaches in Antalya, Turkey
Mavi Mağara (Blue Cave)
Speaking of grottos, there is no shortage of them in the Caribbean. Some of the most famous grottos are Thunderball Grotto in the Exumas (named after it was featured in the namesake James Bond Movie), and Green Grotto Caves in Jamaica.
If you thought you wouldn’t find anything that resembles anything like it in Turkey, then you would be mistaken.
Mavi Mağara, also known as Blue Cave (also named after a movie, this time a 2024 Turkish movie), is accessible by boat tour from Oludeniz.
The boat takes you to this sea cave, where the sun shines through the water, illuminating the rockface in a vibrant blue color, very similar to the effect you get from The Blue Room Cave in Curaçao.
Well, now I’ve seen everything. What do you think? Are you blown away by how much these beaches look like the Caribbean? Let us know in the comments.