The Short Answer: Plan for a Full Day
A boat diving day from Side is not a two-hour activity you squeeze in before lunch — it is the main event of your day. Depending on the trip you choose, you will be away from your hotel for roughly six to eight hours, and that time already includes the free two-way hotel transfer, two guided dives, a fresh lunch cooked on board and relaxed cruising along the coast in between.
- About 6 hours: Kumköy scuba diving — the most compact day, ideal if you want to be back by mid-afternoon
- About 7 hours: Side Underwater Museum diving — our flagship trip over a field of around 110 sculptures
- About 8 hours: the Kemer, Antalya and Alanya trips — those sites lie further along the coast, so the boat day is longer
You can compare all five full-day trips on the diving tours page and check current rates on the prices page. Every trip follows the same rhythm, so here is what those hours actually look like.
The Diving Day, Step by Step
Morning: pickup from your hotel
The day starts with a morning pickup at your hotel, included free of charge in both directions. We confirm your exact pickup time the evening before, because it depends on where you are staying and which trip you booked. All you have to do is be ready at reception with swimwear, a towel and sunscreen.
At the boat: paperwork and briefing
Before anyone touches the water there is a full briefing. Your instructor explains how the equipment works, how to equalise your ears, the hand signals you will use underwater and the plan for both dives. Beginners do not need any licence for these guided dives — the briefing is where you learn everything the day requires.
The first dive: shallow and gentle
Your morning dive takes place at five to eight metres and lasts about 15 to 25 minutes. It is deliberately shallow: the goal is to get comfortable breathing from the regulator, clearing your ears and moving calmly, with your instructor right beside you the whole time.
Lunch and surface time
Back on deck, a fresh lunch is prepared on board while the boat cruises or anchors in a calm bay. This break is not only about food — a surface interval between two dives is standard, sensible diving practice, and it also happens to be one of the nicest parts of a Mediterranean boat day. Drinks are available on board at an extra charge.
The second dive: deeper and calmer
In the afternoon you go down to 12 or 13 metres. Most guests find this dive far more relaxed than the first — the newness has worn off, breathing feels natural and you actually start looking around. On the Underwater Museum trip, this is the depth where the sculpture park sits.
The cruise home
After the second dive there is time to dry off, sign your logbook and enjoy the ride back to harbour. The minibus then returns you to your hotel — typically late afternoon on the longer trips, earlier on the Kumköy day.
Why Does It Fill the Whole Day?
Three reasons. First, boat travel: real dive sites are not directly in front of the beach, and reaching the best spots near Kemer, Antalya or Alanya takes proper cruising time. Second, safety: two dives need a genuine surface interval between them, and rushing that helps nobody. Third, philosophy: with small guided groups — at the Underwater Museum, three to four divers per instructor — nothing is hurried, and that is exactly what makes a first dive enjoyable rather than stressful.
How to Plan the Rest of Your Day
- Do not fly within 24 hours after diving — never book your dive for the day of or the day before your flight home.
- Keep the evening easy. Sun, sea and two dives are pleasantly tiring; a relaxed dinner beats a big night out.
- Eat a light breakfast before pickup rather than a heavy one.
- Bring little: swimwear, towel, sunscreen. All diving equipment, including the wetsuit, is provided.
Booking is refreshingly simple: you reserve for free, pay on the day, and can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. If you are unsure which trip length suits your holiday plans, send us a message — we will happily help you choose.
