Side Boat Tour vs Big Kral Pirate Boat Which One to Choose?

Side Boat Tour or Big Kral Pirate Boat: Which Experience Suits You?

Side has no shortage of boat trips, but choosing one becomes easier once you know what kind of day you actually want at sea. Two options that may appear similar at first are the Side Boat Tour and the Big Kral Pirate Boat Tour. Both include time on the water, swimming breaks and lunch, yet the experience on board is noticeably different.

The Side Boat Tour follows the style of a classic Mediterranean excursion. Water, scenery and swimming shape the day. Big Kral turns the cruise itself into an attraction, combining swimming with a pirate theme, music and organised entertainment.

The right choice therefore depends on your travel style rather than simply which boat is larger or offers more activities.

Two Boat Trips, Two Different Ideas of a Day at Sea

The easiest way to understand these tours is to look at what happens between the swimming stops.

On the Side Boat Tour, those quieter periods are part of the experience. Guests can sit on deck, enjoy the landscape, sunbathe and watch the scenery change as the boat travels from the Manavgat River towards the Mediterranean.

Big Kral fills more of the day with activity. Its pirate-ship design, entertainment programme, music and foam party create a busier atmosphere on board.

One is primarily a boat journey with swimming. The other combines a boat journey with a floating entertainment experience.

What Is the Side Boat Tour Like?

The Side Boat Tour offers something slightly unusual because the day is not limited to the Mediterranean.

The cruise begins on the Manavgat River and travels towards the coast. This transition from river to sea gives the journey a changing landscape, with riverbanks gradually giving way to beaches and open Mediterranean views.

A memorable stop comes around the river mouth, where the cooler Manavgat River reaches the warmer sea. Guests can swim, spend time on the beach or relax on board before the cruise continues.

Later sections of the program are devoted to the Mediterranean, with additional opportunities for swimming and enjoying the coastline.

There is no need for constant activity. The appeal lies precisely in having time to enjoy being on the water.

What Makes Big Kral Different?

With Big Kral, the boat itself is a major part of the reason for booking.

Its large pirate-ship appearance immediately creates a different atmosphere from a conventional excursion boat. Once the cruise begins, swimming is only one part of the program.

Music and organised activities continue during the journey, with entertainment aimed particularly at families. The foam party adds another energetic element to the day.

This makes Big Kral particularly suitable for travelers who worry that a conventional full-day cruise might become too quiet, especially when travelling with active children.

It is less about peacefully watching the coast for several hours and more about having different things happening throughout the excursion.

Where Will You Spend More Time Relaxing?

Travelers who associate a boat trip with lying on deck, looking at the Mediterranean and swimming whenever the boat anchors will probably feel more at home on the Side Boat Tour.

Its pace leaves more room for doing very little — which can be exactly what many people want during a summer holiday.

Big Kral also has deck space and opportunities to relax, but silence and tranquillity are not its defining characteristics. Entertainment is deliberately built into the experience.

This distinction matters more than the physical size or appearance of either boat.

Which Tour Offers the Better Swimming Experience?

There is plenty of water time on both excursions, but the context is different.

The Side Boat Tour makes swimming one of the central reasons for the journey. The river mouth adds variety because guests experience both the Manavgat River environment and the Mediterranean during the same excursion.

Further swimming opportunities follow once the boat reaches the sea.

Big Kral also stops for swimming during its Mediterranean route. However, the stops form part of a broader entertainment program rather than defining the entire day.

Someone choosing primarily for swimming and scenery may therefore lean towards the Side Boat Tour. Someone who wants swimming mixed with activities may find Big Kral more appealing.

Which One Works Better With Children?

Age alone does not determine the answer.

Children who enjoy music, games, pirate themes and energetic activities are likely to find Big Kral exciting. The visual impact of the ship also makes the experience feel like more than an ordinary cruise.

The Side Boat Tour can work equally well for a family whose children are happy swimming, exploring the beach and spending time together without a structured entertainment program.

Parents should therefore consider temperament as much as age.

For an energetic child who constantly wants something happening, Big Kral has an obvious advantage. For families comfortable creating their own relaxed day around swimming and the sea, the traditional tour can be the better fit.

What About Couples and Adults Without Children?

Big Kral should not be seen exclusively as a children's excursion. Adults can swim, enjoy the decks and take part in the lively atmosphere.

Still, the character of the boat does not disappear simply because you are travelling without children.

Couples who imagine their boat trip as a peaceful day of sun, sea views and swimming are more naturally matched with the Side Boat Tour.

Couples who enjoy music, crowds and a holiday-party atmosphere may have more fun aboard Big Kral.

The important question is not whether you are travelling as a couple, but how you prefer to spend a day at sea.

Lunch and Drinks: Is There a Difference?

Food is included with both experiences, so guests do not need to arrange lunch separately during the excursion.

Big Kral goes further by offering an open-buffet lunch together with unlimited soft drinks included in the program.

Lunch is also part of the Side Boat Tour, while beverages and additional onboard purchases are separate.

This may be worth considering for families, particularly on a long summer excursion when children frequently ask for drinks.

Does the Departure Location Matter?

Yes, because these tours do not actually begin their cruises in the same area.

The Side Boat Tour starts from the Manavgat River, close to the Side holiday region.

Big Kral sails from Türkler Harbor, farther east along the Antalya coast, west of Alanya. Guests joining from Side travel there by the included hotel transfer before boarding the ship.

For most guests using the included transfers, this does not require additional planning. However, it helps explain why the routes and overall character of the two excursions are so different.

Which Tour Feels More Like a Traditional Turkish Boat Trip?

The Side Boat Tour is closer to what many travelers picture when they think of a classic holiday boat excursion on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.

The boat is the means of exploring the water rather than the main attraction. Swimming stops, sunshine, coastal views and leisurely time on deck provide most of the experience.

Big Kral reverses that relationship to some extent. The Mediterranean is still important, but the enormous pirate-themed vessel and what happens aboard it are major attractions in their own right.

That is why comparing the two only by price, duration or number of swimming stops misses the main difference.

So, Side Boat Tour or Big Kral?

Think about the day you want to have.

Choose the Side Boat Tour when you want the sea itself to be the main event. It suits travelers who appreciate swimming, changing scenery, time on deck and a less structured atmosphere. The combination of the Manavgat River and Mediterranean also gives the excursion a character that a standard sea cruise cannot offer.

Choose Big Kral when you want more happening around you. Its pirate theme, organised entertainment, music and foam party make the journey much more active, while swimming remains an important part of the program.

Families with entertainment-loving children may naturally gravitate towards Big Kral. Couples and adults seeking a calmer excursion may naturally gravitate towards the Side Boat Tour.

Neither choice needs to win the comparison.

They are two different answers to the same question: how would you like to spend your day on the water while staying in Side?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between the Side Boat Tour and Big Kral?

The Side Boat Tour is built around swimming, river and sea scenery, and relaxed time aboard a traditional excursion boat. Big Kral combines its Mediterranean cruise with a pirate theme, music and organised onboard entertainment.

Is Big Kral only suitable for families with children?

No. Adults and couples can also enjoy Big Kral, particularly if they prefer a lively atmosphere. Its entertainment program, however, makes it especially attractive to families travelling with children.

Which tour is better if I mainly want to swim?

Both include swimming opportunities, but swimming and enjoying the water play a particularly central role in the Side Boat Tour. Big Kral combines its swimming stops with a larger entertainment program.

Which tour should I choose if I prefer a quieter day?

The Side Boat Tour is generally the more suitable option for travelers who value a traditional cruise atmosphere, scenery and time to relax. Big Kral is intentionally livelier.

Are lunch and drinks included?

Lunch is included with both tours. Big Kral also includes unlimited soft drinks, while beverages and other personal purchases on the Side Boat Tour are separate.

Does Big Kral depart from Side?

No. Big Kral departs from Türkler Harbor, west of Alanya. Guests booking the excursion from the Side region travel to the harbor with the included hotel transfer.

Does the Side Boat Tour stay entirely in the Mediterranean?

No. One of its distinguishing features is that the journey begins on the Manavgat River before continuing towards the Mediterranean, giving guests both river and sea scenery during the same excursion.

Which Boat Tour Should You Choose in Side?

For a relaxing day with river scenery and swimming, choose the Side Dolphin Island Boat Tour. For pirate-themed entertainment, a foam party and unlimited soft drinks, choose the Big Kral Pirate Boat Tour.