Antalya to Alanya by Motorcycle: 135 km on the Eastern D400
Short answer
Alanya is about 135 km east of Antalya on the D400, a wide and smooth road that suits every motorcycle size, including 125 cc. Most riders do it as a one-day round trip with stops at Aspendos (47 km) and Side (75 km). April to June and September to October are the best months.
What is the Antalya to Alanya route like?
The D400 runs east from Antalya to Alanya for approximately 135 km and follows the coast for most of the journey, with the Mediterranean on your right and the Taurus Mountains on your left. Unlike the western D400, which is narrow and winding, the eastern stretch is wide, smooth and fast: a touring road rather than a road of tight corners.
Most riders do this as a one-day round trip, leaving Antalya in the morning, stopping at Aspendos and Side, reaching Alanya by early afternoon, and returning via the same road in the golden hour. With more time, Side and Alanya both warrant overnight stays. The Dim River valley, the Sapadere Canyon, and the Dim Cave all make compelling half-day additions.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Distance | about 135 km one way |
| Road | D400, east from Antalya |
| Scenery | Mediterranean on the right, Taurus Mountains on the left when riding east |
| Duration | one-day round trip; Side and Alanya also suit an overnight stay |
| Aspendos | 47 km east of Antalya |
| Side | 75 km east of Antalya |
| Best months | April to June and September to October |
| Mountain return via Akseki | about 220 km, four to five hours with stops |
What is there to see between Antalya and Aspendos?
Exit Antalya heading east on the D400 past Lara Beach, a 12km strip of five-star hotels and waterparks that is most impressive from a motorcycle saddle at 06:30 on a weekday, when the boulevard is yours alone and the sea turns copper in the early light. Past Lara, the road narrows and quickens as the urban sprawl gives way to citrus groves and cotton fields.
Aspendos sits 47km east of Antalya, a short turn north off the D400. The Roman theatre here is genuinely one of the best-preserved in the world, 15,000-seat capacity, 98% of the original stone still standing, built in 155 AD by the architect Zenon. It is still used for concerts. Even if ancient ruins are not usually your focus, thirty minutes at Aspendos is time well spent, and the approach road through flat river plains is a pleasant contrast to the coastal highway.
Is Side worth the detour?
Side sits on a small peninsula 75km east of Antalya. The turn south off the D400 takes you along a 3km avenue of restaurants and shops before arriving at the ancient city gate, where, in a moment that surprises most visitors, the road simply ends and you are standing between two-thousand-year-old columns with the Mediterranean visible on both sides. Park the bike at the gate (there is secure parking) and walk from here.
The Temple of Apollo, two standing columns with carved capitals reflecting in a small pool, is Side's most-photographed spot, and it is more beautiful in person than in any photograph. The site also contains well-preserved Roman baths, a colonnaded main street, and a small but excellent museum. The harbour at the tip of the peninsula has half a dozen excellent restaurants serving freshly caught fish. Allow at least two hours.
What is there to see in Alanya?
The approach to Alanya from the west is one of the great motorcycle moments on the entire Turkish coast. The road bends around a headland and suddenly the fortress appears: a 250-metre red limestone cliff with a Seljuk citadel covering its summit, dropping directly into the sea on three sides. The Red Tower (Kızıl Kule), built in 1226, stands at the base of the cliff and now houses a small ethnographic museum.
The castle road, a 6km winding ascent through the old quarter of town, is best ridden in the late afternoon when the light is most dramatic and the cruise-ship tourists have returned to their ships. The views from the summit take in the entire bay in both directions, with banana and citrus plantations covering the hillsides and the narrow strip of white sand beach stretching west. The old town below the castle has some of the most atmospheric small restaurants on the entire Riviera.
Which motorcycle suits the Antalya to Alanya route?
The eastern D400 is a wide, well-surfaced highway and genuinely suits any motorcycle in our fleet, including the smaller 125cc models. The relaxed pace of a touring route rewards comfortable, upright riding positions. The Yamaha XMAX 400 and Honda Forza 250 are the most popular choices: automatic transmission, smooth power delivery, and comfortable seats make the 135km distance easy to cover without fatigue.
For the mountain return via Akseki (see below) or the unpaved track down to the Sapadere Canyon, an adventure bike such as the BMW R1250 GS ADV, Honda Africa Twin or Honda NC750X is the better choice. The canyon track is only about 4 km, but it is loose gravel and a low-clearance scooter would struggle.
Which detours are there around Alanya?
The Dim River valley, accessible via a signed turn north of Alanya, is one of the region's most undervisited gems. The road follows the river upstream for 14km through dense vegetation, passing a succession of riverside trout restaurants (freshwater trout sourced directly from the river) before reaching Dim Cave, a 360-metre-long stalactite cavern with an underground lake. The road is paved throughout and easy on any motorcycle.
Sapadere Canyon, 25km northeast of Alanya, requires a short unpaved section but rewards with a narrow gorge accessible only on foot from the car park. The walking path follows a cold-water stream for 1.5km through canyon walls that narrow to just a few metres apart in places. Combined with the Dim River valley, this makes a full-day addition to an Alanya visit. Both are best timed for mid-morning to avoid the coach tour groups that arrive after midday.
Where do I refuel, and when is the best time to go?
Fuel stations are plentiful along the entire eastern D400 and throughout Alanya. The road itself has no challenging sections, it is suitable for riders of all experience levels, including those on their first day on an unfamiliar motorcycle. The most common issue is navigating Alanya's one-way system in the town centre; use Google Maps from the castle road turnoff.
The ideal time for this route is April to June or September to October. July and August are rideable, but the D400 east of Antalya carries heavy truck traffic; leaving before 08:30 avoids most of it. For delivery to a hotel or another address, the fee depends on the distance and is stated in the booking confirmation.
Can I return over the mountains via Akseki?
For those with a second day or an appetite for a longer loop, the return from Alanya via Akseki and the Taurus highlands is one of Turkey's finest mountain drives. The D695 turns north from Alanya and climbs steadily through cedar and pine forests to the plateau town of Akseki at 1,100 metres altitude. From Akseki, the road crosses the plateau before a dramatic descent back toward Antalya via Kırkgöz.
The full Alanya–Akseki–Antalya circuit is approximately 220km and takes four to five hours including stops. The road quality is good throughout, though the Akseki plateau can be cold (down to 10°C) even in summer, bring a light layer. This route is not recommended in winter when the mountain roads may be icy. The views on the descent toward Antalya, with the entire coastal plain laid out below, are among the best on any road in Turkey.
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