Lara beach
The Lara Beach, recipient of the Blue flag award, is located in a bay on the east coast of Antalya. The 12 km long coastline stretches along the Lara Kent Park. The beach includes several hotel zones, cafe and restaurant areas and a municipal beach where tourists and locals relax. The coast is free for all, only a few guarded areas of private beach clubs are off limits.
Photos
Beach description
Lara is the only sandy beach of Antalya. The area is covered in a thick later of large golden-brown sand, nice to the touch. The descent is smooth and safe for young children. The sea bottom is sandy and clean. Sometimes low waves occur.
The beach has paid sunbeds and umbrellas, showers and toilets, changing rooms, gazebos, cafes, restaurants and sports clubs. Renting beach equipment is not necessary as you can just rest on your own towel under your own umbrella. The territory is regularly cleaned, there are garbage bins, but the coast and the water are often dirty during high season. Well-kept and clean hotel zones are located to the side of the municipal beach. The territory is accessible for anyone.
The municipal zone is very popular and often crowded. Tourists from all over the world can be encountered there. Many locals and visitors bring their whole families to the beach, including children and grandparents. The beach is especially crowded during weekends. Many barbecue spots are set up in the park near the beach.
When is it better to go
A comfortable time for a trip to the Turkish seaside resorts – is from July to September. The air temperature in this period rises to + 40 °C, the water warms up to + 30 °C. However, you need to be prepared for a huge influx of tourists.
Video: Beach Lara
Infrastructure
Where to stop
Several hotels operate near the beach. Expensive hotels with top quality service and accomodation conditions are located on the front beach line. Service includes hotel's own beach area, gardens, fitness centers, spa, pools for adults and children, tennis courts, restaurants, bars, parking lots etc.
Where to eat
Many cafes, snack bars and restaurants operate on Lara Beach. Food delivery offers quite a wide variety of Turkish fast food, but the majority of tourists prefer the spinning restaurant on the Tunektepe Hill, where the amazing views of the sea and mountains open. A European coffee house with great coffee is located near the beach. Some cafes also offer hookahs.
Beach establishments have high prices so tourists have dinner in city cafes and restaurants instead. Turkish cuisine is dominant, but you can stumble upon decent pizzerias and European restaurants with affordable prices. Those who don't like spicy food may want to tell the owner or waiter to add less pepper and spices in their meal. Many establishments work till morning and the last client.
You can buy fresh fruit and vegetables at one of the local markets. Markets in different districts work only on certain days so it's advised to learn when is the nearby market open. The best goods are bought up before noon.
Turkish bakeries that are situated everywhere deserve special attention. The flawless bakery products here will make you fall in love with them after the first bite.
What to do
The sports clubs at Lara Beach offer instructors for various sports and activities, as well as renting equipment such as jet skis, boats, water skis, snorkeling, diving and underwater swimming equipment. You can also partake in parasailing, sup surfing or ride inflatable "vehicles". The waves at Lara Beach are low and safe for amateur surfers.
The International Sand Sculpture Festival takes place here during the whole beach season every year. The best sculptures are then lit up and chosen to decorate the specially marked festival area that is open for all to visit from 9 to 23 o'clock.
Weather in Lara
Best hotels of Lara
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The Duden River near the beach flows into the sea from a high shore, forming the Lower Duden, or Karpuzkaldiran, waterfall. You can watch this spectacle from the observation deck or from the sea if you're riding a boat. The waterfall is lit and becomes especially beautiful during the night. There's another waterfall in the Duden Park called Upper Duden. You can get there by taxi.