Ninety seconds on Lara Beach
From the fine, pine-backed sand east of Antalya you get a gently shelving swim in the Mediterranean, and close by a waterfall drops off the cliffs straight into the sea.
Lara is one of the most visited beaches in Antalya province, and the sand is the reason. It is very fine and backed by pine forest. The public beach runs for about 2 kilometres, with an average width of 45 metres, and resort hotels line the shore beyond it.
The sight that sets this shore apart is the Lower Düden Waterfall, which drops from steep cliffs about 40 metres high straight into the sea. The clifftop above it is a municipal park, with places to eat, rest and walk along the edge.
Beside the public beach, Sandland fills an open-air ground with sand sculptures. It makes an easy pairing with a day on the sand, and an easy last stop on the way back to the city.
Pick a municipal public section, such as Turaş Lara Halk Plajı, rather than walking onto hotel frontage. Showers, changing cabins and toilets are on site.
Settle in and swim, then eat at the café or restaurant, or stock up at the small market. The Lazlo section adds water sports, beach sports and free wifi. Turaş Lara Halk Plajı has a children's playground and separate prayer rooms.
Late in the day, head on to the Lower Düden falls nearby, which have no ticket and stay open at all hours, then finish at Sandland.
For wheelchair users, Halk Plajı 2, another municipal section, has an accessible toilet and sunbeds and umbrellas set aside for disabled visitors.
No guide is needed for the beach or the falls, which you reach on your own. The outing worth booking is a boat trip from Antalya harbour that passes the Lower Düden falls. Trips run from about two to five hours and combine several water activities.
Before you lie down, ask whether the sunbed price covers one lounger, the umbrella, one person or a set, and whether towels or a deposit cost extra.
For a picnic, check the facility's rules on outside food, glass, cooking and fires first. A prepared meal, drinking water, a rubbish bag and your own shade are easier than a grill you cannot use.
Coarser material collects near the water in places, so bring water shoes if stones bother you. The sea shelves gently near the shore, but a wide beach is no promise of shallow water everywhere, so keep small children within reach.
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