Kızılot Holiday Guide: A Midway Base Between Side and Alanya
Some places are a destination; Kızılot is more of a crossroads, and that is its charm. It sits roughly halfway between Side and Alanya, so a week here can include Roman ruins one day and a Seljuk castle the next. This guide explains what to expect from Kızılot, how to make the most of its position, and why your choice of airport barely matters.
Halfway Along the Coast
Kızılot was once a small municipality of its own and is now a neighbourhood of Manavgat. In practice it is a ribbon of holiday-village hotels strung along the D400 and the shore. There is no single centre to speak of, and the neighbourhood stretches east as far as the Mısırlar area. What it offers instead is location. Manavgat town is about 13 km away and central Alanya about 43 km, both measured in a straight line, so you are within reach of both ends of this coast without being in the middle of either. Days are quiet and resort-based, and evenings are spent at the hotel unless you head out for a meal in town.
On the Beach
The shore here is a mix of sand and pebble, with Blue Flag stretches along it, and most guests swim in front of their own hotel. Look carefully at the map when you choose: a few hotels stand right on the water, while others listed as beachfront are a short walk back from the sea. For a change of scene, the neighbouring resort of Kızılağaç has a public beach, Kızılağaç Halk Plajı, along the same coast. Water shoes are worth packing for the pebblier parts, and a beach bag you can carry comfortably makes the walk down easy. Like the rest of this coast, the water is calm on most summer days, and the morning hours are the most pleasant time for a long swim.
Day Trips in Both Directions
This is where Kızılot earns its place. Heading west, Manavgat has its river and the Manavgat Waterfall just north of town, and Side beyond it has the Temple of Apollo and a Roman theatre within its old town. Heading east towards Alanya, Alarahan is a Seljuk caravanserai built in 1232, with Alara Castle above it, reached by a tunnel of steps cut through the rock. Alanya itself offers its castle, harbour and Damlataş Cave for a full day out. Closer to home, OpenStreetMap shows a public market place, Kızılot Halk Pazaryeri, beside the main road at Mısırlar; ask at your hotel which day it is held. For most outings a taxi or a booked excursion is the practical choice.
Who Will Enjoy Kızılot
Kızılot suits travellers who want a resort holiday with the option of exploring, rather than a resort holiday and nothing else. Couples who like a day trip every few days, families who want a calm base, and repeat visitors who have already seen Side or Alanya and want to sample both will all feel at home. It is not the right choice if you want to step out of your hotel into a lively town. As for timing, late May, June, September and early October are good months for combining beach days with sightseeing, as the heat is gentler. July and August are the peak, both for temperature and for numbers, and many resort hotels on this coast work to a summer season.
Two Airports, Almost the Same Drive
Kızılot is unusual on this coast because the two airports are nearly the same distance away. Antalya Airport (AYT) is 83 km by road, about an hour, and Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport (GZP) is 89 km, just over an hour. That leaves you free to book whichever flight suits your dates. The route from both is the D400 coastal highway. Our transfer is private, so the vehicle is yours alone with no detours to other resorts, and the driver meets you in arrivals with a name sign. We track your flight, which keeps the pick-up right even if you land late, and child seats are free on request. As the neighbourhood is long, give us your hotel's full name and address, especially if it mentions Mısırlar.