Best time to go to Cirali beach

Our Cirali beach holidays guide shows you the best time to go on a Cirali beach holiday, and make the most of this rustic idyll on Turkey’s sunny Antalya coast. Renowned for its spacious, pristine beach and tranquil environment, Cirali has plenty of fascinating attractions to keep you entertained. But, if all you want to do is build sandcastles and catch up on your reading then be our guest.

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Best time to go to Cirali beach

Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on Cirali beach between May and August. Visit from early September onwards and you may catch sight of the hatchlings slowly waddling toward the sea.

Temperatures in Cirali and along the Antalya coast tend to be pleasantly warm all year round, with January the coolest month, averaging around a manageable 14°C. July and August are the hottest months of the year, when the daytime temperature can peak at 34°C, and it’s advisable to seek shade around midday – luckily there’s plenty of it about in Cirali, and many accommodations are surrounded by trees and have private porches. Late July to early September are the peak travel months coinciding with school holidays, so the best time for Cirali beach holidays is during late spring or autumn, when the weather and the water are still glorious, and the beach is usually far less busy.

Call us for the best time to go on a Cirali beach Holiday

Cirali Beach Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

216

FEB

156

MAR

101

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

130

DEC

246

Our Cirali beach Holidays

Cirali beach, month by month

Cirali is a sublime destination for a family beach holiday so it’s not surprising that this Antalya resort is busiest during July, August and September, when the weather is warmest and sunniest, and rainfall low. From mid August there is a good chance of seeing baby Loggerhead turtles hatching from their eggs and making their slow journey down to the sea, with dedicated volunteers present to help them safely along. The main season finishes in November, so the resort is not as busy during October when daytime temperatures regularly reach 26°C still, and the water temperature is around 25°C, perfect for an autumnal dip. Cirali is lined with fragrant trees which blaze with colour around now. Spring is another good time for a Cirali beach holiday, with temperatures picking up from March and April onwards, and reaching 30°C by June. The beach regularly hosts a yoga festival in early May, so it’s worthwhile booking early if you’d like to get your downward dog on. The winter months of December, January and February are still pretty cosy during the daytime, but temperatures drop to a chilly 5°C at night and rainfall is a lot more likely. Swimming is colder too of course, but Cirali is still a good bet for a secluded out of season getaway.

Things to do in Cirali beach

Olympos

Olympos is an ancient Lycian city dating to the 4th century BC and bearing traces of Greek and Roman civilisation. It was also once inhabited by medieval pirates – something that may interest older children. The ruins, around a 20-minute walk from Cirali beach, form part of the Olympos Beydaglari National Park, and contain temples, sarcophagi and a theatre. It’s a fragrant place to wander, lined with grapevines, fig, pine and bay trees, and fragments of artifacts poking through the soil.

Chimaera

Named for the fire-breathing monster of Greek mythology, Chimaera, otherwise known as Yanartaş, sits behind the beach. A brisk hike over rocky ground brings you to a clearing where dozens of small fires burn constantly, fed by combustible gases escaping from vents in the ground – published accounts of the phenomenon date back to the 5th century BC. Sailors once used the fires to navigate but now visitors brew tea or toast marshmallows over them instead. Make sure you bring a torch for the way back down.

Turtles

Between May and August, endangered loggerhead turtles clamber out of the water to lay their eggs in the sand of Cirali beach by night. Nesting sites are protected by cages, and conservation volunteers are on hand to ensure that curious onlookers don’t disturb them, while restaurants and hotels dim their lights and music so the turtles don’t become disorientated. From mid August onwards you may be lucky enough to see baby turtles hatching and making their way down to the sea.

Hiking

There are many walking trails in the mountains around Cirali, including easy and moderate routes, although you’ll want to carry plenty of water even in spring and especially in summer. The best known route of course is a section of the 509km Lycian Way. The Cirali section towards the end is one of the most scenic parts of what’s considered to be among the most beautiful coastal walks in the world.

Handicrafts workshops

In summer the middle of the day can be uncomfortably hot. Some accommodations offer traditional Turkish handicrafts workshops free of charge, where children, and their parents, can practice their painting and weaving. It’s a fun way to keep entertained in the shade while avoiding the worst of the midday sun.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Cirali beach or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Cirali beach holidays advice

Serkan Cetin is a guesthouse manager in Cirali. He’s given us a few useful tips below, but we also have a more in-depth interview with Serkan about the wonders of Cirali beach holidays.

Chimaera

“Yanartas (Burning Stone) or Chimaera is the name of the spot where natural flames come out of the ground. In the past the flames are said to have been massive, visible clearly from out at sea. These days the biggest flames are waist high, with most of them being quite small, dotted around the mountain side. Basically, natural gas comes out of the earth and inflames on contact with air. Ancient people attributed these flames to a fire-breathing monster. For people visiting Cirali, I guess it is a must see! It is better to go after dark, for the best effect, people need to bring a torch for the climb up and down! The climb can be steep at times but with regular breathers along the way it should not be a problem for most people. The site is worth the effort.”

Turtle watching

“People are not encouraged to go looking by themselves for sea turtles that are due to lay. This can confuse the turtles and disturb their laying. If there are only a few of you, then a warden may be available to take you to watch this but as I say, this is not the best way forward. Instead, it is better to watch the baby turtles hatch and make for the sea. This happens around the middle of August and goes on for about a month or so. Wardens mind the nests, and at around 5/6am, one can organise to meet up with the warden to view the hatchlings walk to sea. This has less impact on the turtles cycle than potentially disturbing an adult female.”

Tips from our travellers

At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.

We’ve selected some of the most useful Cirali beach holiday tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.

It’s a lovely base for walking, but you need to be fairly fit as the path is steep and rocky.

– Diane Blakely

“Pack light...very laid back & informal. Do pack some good walking shoes & something more sturdy than flip flops to get you over the pebble beach & hot sand.” – Helen Tighe

“Enjoy it for what it is. No luxuries just an amazing place, fantastic fresh local food, superb hospitality with amazing scenery.” – Alison Johnson

“Take with you comfortable shoes suitable for walking (trainers or similar) as much of the area is quite rough and rocky - especially the Chimaera. A torch is a necessity also! The beach is also pebbled and gets very hot on the sand, so is hard on the soles; some decent beach shoes are recommended. A perfect blend of rustic and luxury in a beautiful part of the world. Perfect for escaping everyday life, while offering plenty to do and explore at the same time.” – Edward Parker

“If you are looking for a very quiet and chilled beach experience in a beautiful environment then this is for you. We rented a car from Antalya airport, which is not necessary unless you want to do many day trips. You can walk/cycle everywhere you want to around Cirali, and take taxis for longer distances.” – Claire Elias

“Be prepared for a lot of heat. Make sure you do all the recommended visits and excursions. Go to lots of different bars and restaurants. It is worth having Euros with you as some things (eg Excursions) are cheaper. You don't need a huge amount of money as most meals were between 55tl and 70tl for two people. We read that sterling was accepted but we found nowhere that accepted it.” – Simon Paine

The beach is also pebbled and gets very hot on the sand, so is hard on the soles; some decent beach shoes are recommended.

– Edward Parker

More about Cirali beach

Cirali beach holidays guide

It’s not only the Chimaera flames, springing from the rocks on nearby mountains, that burn eternally. As our Cirali beach holidays guide explores, this secluded and pristine resort has a knack of inspiring an enduring passion in all who visit, persuading people to come back year after year. Find out why by reading on.

More relevant guides

Written by Rob Perkins

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: Lisa Joanes [Intro: Nektarios Sylligardakis] [Olympos: Rob Oo] [Hiking: s_wh] [Chimaera: Carole Raddato] [Diane Blakely Quote: Warren Talbot] [Edward Parker Quote: ismail aygun]

Best time to go to Cirali beach