Cirali is a small coastal village in the Kemer district, within the Beydaglari National Park. It is known for its beach where loggerhead (caretta caretta) sea turtles lay their eggs, for the eternal flames of Yanartas, and for the ancient city of Olympos at the end of the shore. As a protected conservation area, it has bungalows and guesthouses rather than large hotels — a place that has stayed free of concrete. Antalya Airport (AYT) is about 90 kilometres away; the drive passes Kemer and Tekirova and then descends through the forest, taking around 1 hour 30 minutes. Your driver meets you at the airport with a name sign and takes you straight to your guesthouse door — fixed price, no waiting.
See Your Web-Only PriceWhat Is Cirali Like?
Cirali is different from most of Antalya's coastal resorts: unlike the busy marina and hotel life of central Kemer, there are no high-rise hotels, all-inclusive complexes or crowded streets here. The village lies within the Beydaglari National Park and a protected conservation area, so building is limited and accommodation is mostly bungalows, guesthouses and small family-run places. With this character, Cirali is one of the best-known addresses for eco-tourism on the Antalya coast.
Between the shore and the village stretch orange and citrus groves; in spring the scent of orange blossom drifts through the village. Early in the morning you see people working in the groves, walking to the beach and cycling around. The Lycian Way passes through the village; backpackers heading towards Olympos and Adrasan stop in Cirali. Many visitors choose Cirali precisely because life moves more slowly here.
Nature Conservation in Cirali: The Turtle Beach and the Flames of Yanartas
Cirali is known above all for two things: a turtle beach that stays dark at night, and a fire that has burned on the mountainside for thousands of years. Both are part of this village's relationship with nature.
The Caretta Caretta Beach: No Lights at Night
Cirali's roughly 3-kilometre beach is a nesting ground for loggerhead (caretta caretta) sea turtles and is protected as a first-degree natural conservation site. During the nesting season (May-August) the eggs laid on the beach are marked with cages; lighting fires, using lights and making noise on the beach at night are forbidden. The reason is simple: hatchlings emerge from the nest at night and walk to the sea by following the moonlight, and artificial light confuses them. Early in the morning you can see the tiny tracks running from nest to sea. This is why the seafront hotels in Cirali do not fence off private beaches; everyone shares the same protected sand.
The Fire That Hasn't Gone Out for 2,000 Years: Yanartas
About 3 kilometres' walk from the village, through the orange groves, you reach Yanartas: flames that rise on their own from natural gas seeping between the rocks, burning for thousands of years. In antiquity this place was called Chimera; legend says Bellerophon killed the lion-goat-serpent monster with his winged horse Pegasus, and the flames are what remain of its breath. Most visitors climb after dark, when the flames stand out far more against the night. From the entrance there is a 30-40 minute climb on a stone-stepped path, so it is worth taking water and comfortable shoes.
The Lycian Way and Walking Routes
Cirali sits on the Lycian Way, the long-distance trail that runs along the ancient region of Lycia. Walkers come down into the village from the Olympos side and continue towards Adrasan, often staying a night in Cirali to rest. Even without the full trek, short sections make easy day walks: the shore path to Olympos, the climb to Yanartas, and the forest tracks behind the village. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for walking, when the heat eases.
The Ancient City of Olympos
The southern end of Cirali beach opens onto the ancient city of Olympos. The Ulupinar stream divides the shore in two: Cirali to the north, Olympos to the south. One of Lycia's important cities, Olympos was founded around 300 BC and later became a harbour used by pirates as well.
Today the ancient city is a scatter of ruins among the cedar and laurel forest: city walls, an ancient theatre, baths and sarcophagi. You can walk along the shore from the Cirali side to Olympos; with forest, stream and stone ruins woven together, this walk shows the ancient city not as a museum but as it was left, within nature.
A Day in Cirali
In Cirali the day follows the rhythm of the sea and the shade. On summer mornings, while the sea is calm, some swim early; in the hot hours the village retreats into the shade of the citrus groves and bungalow verandas. Instead of large beach clubs, the shore has small cafés and family-run places.
Evening is the favourite time in Cirali. As it cools, people return to the shore; as the sun drops behind the Beydaglari, those taking photos and the last swimmers stay on the sand. When darkness falls, some visitors climb up to Yanartas. The village nights are quiet; there are no big music venues, and the beach stays dark for the turtles. It is one of the few shores where the stars are seen this clearly.
Food in Cirali
The Cirali table comes mostly from village businesses: citrus from the bungalows' and guesthouses' own gardens, homemade jams and gozleme at breakfast, grills and meze in the evening. The small restaurants on the shore have fresh fish.
A little north of the village, near the Cirali turn-off, is Ulupinar, known for its trout restaurants set beside cold spring water coming down from the mountain. These stops on the Antalya-Kumluca road are a place to break for a meal on the way to or from Cirali.
Tips for a Cirali Holiday
A few details make the journey easier when you come to Cirali:
- Tip: Cirali and Olympos share the same shore but are reached by different roads by car. State clearly in your booking whether you are staying in "Cirali" or "Olympos" so the driver takes the right turn.
- Tip: The roads within the village are narrow and run between gardens; share the name of your guesthouse/bungalow and a location link if you have one, and we'll bring you to the door.
- Tip: If you're climbing Yanartas in the evening, take water, comfortable shoes and a small torch; the climb is on stone steps.
- Tip: Since the beach is protected at night, lights and fires on the sand are forbidden; keep this in mind during nesting season. If you need a child seat, note it in your booking — one seat is free, extra seats at a fair charge with us.
Antalya Airport to Cirali: Distance and Time
The distance from Antalya Airport to Cirali is about 90 kilometres, and the drive takes around 1 hour 30 minutes — for anyone asking how far Cirali is from Antalya airport and how long the transfer takes: about 90 km and an hour and a half, on a road that drops through the forest after Kemer and Tekirova (closer to 2 hours in summer traffic). The road leaves the airport, passes Kemer and Tekirova, then turns off towards Cirali and descends through the forest to the sea.
The last part of the road is narrow and winding, and the village streets run between gardens. On this route a spacious car with good road handling is a clear comfort, especially on night arrivals and for families with luggage. Since our driver knows the road, he brings you right to your guesthouse door; there's no getting out by the roadside to look for a second vehicle.
Our Vehicles
Most people coming to Cirali are couples, families on a nature holiday or small groups. If there are two to four of you, a Mercedes Vito (Maybach First Class or Business Class) is plenty; if you're a larger group, we have Mercedes Sprinter vehicles that take up to 13. On the Cirali road the choice of car matters most at the end: the bends and the narrow village lanes are felt in a low or tired-suspension car, and the Vito handles them comfortably.
Free Wi-Fi, water and one child seat are already in the car, and we don't charge for them; an infant seat for babies and a booster for older children are available on request at booking. If you need an infant seat or a booster, just say so in the booking and we'll have it ready. The forest road can feel long in the summer heat, so the air conditioning stays on.
Return Transfer in Cirali
When the holiday ends, the way back should feel just as easy. Our Cirali airport transfer works both ways: on departure day your driver picks you up at your guesthouse door and works out the pickup time from your flight and the length of the forest road; factoring in the village's narrow lanes and the 90-kilometre distance, we leave early so there is no risk of missing the plane. There is no need to call a separate company for the hotel to airport leg.
The round trip is arranged in a single booking — one WhatsApp message is enough. No prepayment: you pay the same fixed price to the driver in the vehicle on the way back too. We ask for no money upfront and no card details. You pay the driver at the end of the ride, once you're happy with the service — so you never worry "did I lose my money?", the risk is not on you. Wondering if the transfer waits if your flight is delayed? Your driver tracks the flight and waits at no extra cost. Even on late-night landings there is no night surcharge, and After a long flight you won't search the crowd for a driver: our airport greeter waits at the exit holding a name sign with your name and walks you straight to your vehicle.
How to Get From the Airport to Cirali
There are a few ways to reach Cirali:
- Private VIP transfer: Straight to your guesthouse door, no waiting, fixed price. A meet and greet with a name sign is included, and we deliver to the address even on the narrow village roads.
- Bus + minibus: There is no direct line from the airport to Cirali; you first go to the city centre, then a Kumluca/Kas minibus, get off at the Olympos-Cirali junction and take a dolmus. Very tiring with luggage and children.
- Taxi: Available, but over a long distance the taxi fare climbs steeply on the meter with no fixed-price guarantee. With us the price is set upfront, with no hidden fees. We also do not run shared shuttles; we offer only your own private VIP transfer.
- Car rental: Flexible, but driving the winding forest road at night right after a flight is not for everyone.
Some guests search for "Olympos transfer" rather than Cirali; Cirali or Olympos, we provide the same fixed-price, door-to-door service to both. With Direct Airport Transfer you start your holiday rested, at your guesthouse door.
Cirali Hotels and Bungalows – Properties We Transfer To
We provide door-to-door private transfers to every hotel, bungalow, villa and guesthouse in Cirali. Some of the main properties are listed below; if where you're staying isn't here, just message us — we transfer there too:
Distances and Times From Cirali
Approximate distances and times from Cirali to key places:
| Place | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Antalya Airport | ~90 km | ~1 h 30 min |
| Yanartas (Chimera) | ~3 km | ~10 min + climb |
| Olympos Ancient City | ~3.5 km | ~10 min |
| Ulupinar | ~7 km | ~15 min |
| Tekirova | ~20 km | ~25 min |
| Kemer | ~40 km | ~45 min |
| Adrasan | ~25 km | ~35 min |
Transfers to Areas Around Cirali
We provide the same fixed-price private transfers to the other areas along the Kemer coast:
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Contact & Price
Your Cirali transfer price depends on the vehicle type, number of passengers and date; but it is always fixed, per vehicle, and free of hidden fees. However long the forest road takes, the amount you pay is set in advance. We know plans can change, so you can amend or cancel your booking free of charge up to 24 hours before. Your price is fixed on the web — no night surcharge, no waiting fee, no hidden costs, no prepayment. Just tap "See Price" to book. Any questions? Message us on WhatsApp or Telegram — a real person answers, 24/7.
📞 WhatsApp / Telegram (24/7): +90 542 724 98 98
✉️ info@directairporttransfer.com
📅 Last Updated: July 2026 · This page is updated regularly.
