Ulas Beach, Alanya
The verdict
- Best for: Slow travellers and families who want a green, natural swim and a barbecue under the pines rather than a town beach lined with sunbeds.
- Best spot: A weekday morning swim and snorkel in the clear cove below the terrace, before the weekend picnic crowd lights the grills.
- Know this: It is a roadside picnic cove, not a hidden wild secret, so come for the trees, the clear water and the easy mood, and tread lightly with what you carry in.
Published 25 March 2026. Last reviewed 1 June 2026
Ulas sits about five kilometres west of central Alanya, a green pocket where the pine slopes meet the sea just off the coast road. What sets it apart is the picnic terrace above the water, a shaded run of tables, benches and stone barbecue stations under the trees, with steps leading down to a small cove of sand and pebble. A high retaining wall backs the sand and gives it the look of a castle rampart, and the water below runs clear over the stones, green near the shore and deep blue beyond.
The appeal is the mood. This is where local families come to grill, swim and sit out the heat in the shade, and on a quiet weekday morning the cove is one of the more natural feeling swims close to town. The honest catch is that Ulas is a roadside picnic spot rather than a wild, hidden bay, so do not arrive expecting solitude. At weekends the grills fill, the terrace hums, and the small cove can feel busy. The naturalist in me comes early, swims while the water is glassy and the air still cool, and leaves the smoke and the crowd to the afternoon.
It suits slow travellers and families who value trees, clear water and a barbecue over a serviced beach, and anyone who would rather snorkel over stones than queue for a sunbed. Who should skip it is the visitor after a long sweep of soft sand and full beach services, because Ulas is small and simple. For that, the fine sand of Cleopatra sits in town, while the gentle pine backed shallows of Incekum out west give families more room. Wherever you settle, carry out what you carry in, since the green is the whole point here.
Clubs on this beach
Ulas is a green public picnic cove rather than a gated club beach. For a full club day with daybeds and table service, see our Alanya beach clubs directory.
Picnic terrace and barbecue area
The shaded terrace above the cove is the heart of Ulas, with tables, seating and stone barbecue stations under the pines rather than a structured club. It is bring your own grill and shade, with any seasonal services and charges to be confirmed. The pleasure here is the green setting and the clear cove below, not table service.
No gated club on the sand
Ulas keeps the feel of an open natural cove, so there is no flagship club fencing off the shore. The draw is the picnic area, the pine shade and the clear water for a swim and a snorkel. For cabanas, daybeds and table service on the water, look to the wider Alanya scene.
Ulas Beach sits about five kilometres west of central Alanya, just off the coast road towards Konakli, with the picnic terrace set on the slope above the cove. Alanya is roughly two hours by road from Antalya airport and about forty five minutes from Gazipasa Alanya airport, and dolmus minibuses running the western coast road will drop you close by, with taxis an easy alternative.
There is parking near the terrace, though it fills at weekends, so arrive early for both a space and a quiet cove. Bring water, sun cream, beach shoes for the pebbles and a mask if you want to snorkel, and pack out everything you bring in, since the bins fill fast on busy days and the green setting is what makes Ulas worth the short trip.
Reserve a day near Ulas
Tell us the date and party and we will match you to a club or sunbed terrace on or near Ulas Beach and pass on your request. No charge to enquire.
Common questions
What makes Ulas Beach different from the central Alanya beaches?
Ulas is a green picnic cove about five kilometres west of the centre, set below a shaded barbecue terrace rather than along a town promenade. The shore is a mix of fine sand and pebble reached by steps, the water runs clear over the stony seabed, and the feel is local families grilling under pine rather than the sunbed rows of Cleopatra. It is the quieter, more natural side of the Alanya coast.
Is Ulas Beach good for snorkelling?
It is one of the better central choices for it. The pebble and rock seabed keeps the water notably clear on a calm day, so you can drift over the stones and watch small fish near the shore. Bring your own mask, wear beach shoes for the pebbles, and pick a still morning, since wind and swell cloud the water. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Is there a barbecue and picnic area at Ulas Beach?
Yes, Ulas is known for it. The terrace above the cove has shaded tables, seating and stone barbecue stations under the trees, which is why it fills with local families at weekends. Treat it gently, carry out everything you bring in, and use the bins, since the green setting is the whole point of the place. Any seasonal charges or services are to be confirmed.
Is Ulas Beach free to visit?
Yes, the cove and the picnic terrace are a free public area, with any sunbed or parasol hire arranged in season at rates that vary by operator and are to be confirmed. The draw here is the natural setting and the barbecue tables rather than a serviced beach club, so it rewards travellers happy to bring their own shade, water and lunch.
When is the best time to visit Ulas Beach?
Late spring and early autumn, roughly May, June, September and October, bring warm sea and far lighter crowds than the July and August peak. Weekday mornings are quietest, since weekends draw the picnic crowd. The sea stays warm into October, so the shoulder months are the naturalist choice for a calm, green day by the water.
