Samandağ Beach (Turtle Nesting Coast)

Samandağ Beach stretches along Hatay's Mediterranean shore where the Asi (Orontes) River meets the sea, and at roughly 14 kilometres it ranks among the longest uninterrupted sand beaches in Turkey and the world.

Geography and Historical Context

Running from Çevlik in the north, site of the ancient harbour of Seleucia Pieria, down to Cape Sabca in the south, the coast divides into three sections: Çevlik, Şeyhhızır and Meydan. Its fine golden-grey sand, extensive backing dunes and freshwater wetlands give it a distinctive natural landscape. Just north of the beach lie the Titus Tunnel, a masterpiece of Roman engineering, and Seleucia Pieria, the ancient port of Antioch; in antiquity this shore was the maritime gateway of the great eastern metropolis of Antakya.

Nature Conservation

The beach owes its real fame to conservation. Samandağ is the most important nesting beach in the Eastern Mediterranean for the critically endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas); an estimated 17 percent of the entire Mediterranean green-turtle nesting population arrives here each year, and loggerheads (Caretta caretta) nest as well. The great majority of nests concentrate within three kilometres north and south of the Asi River mouth. Immediately inland, the Milleyha (Tuzla) Wetland is one of Turkey's richest birdwatching sites, with 272 recorded species and seasonal flamingos; because of this, night lighting and vehicle access are restricted during the nesting season.

Visiting and Access

For tourism, Samandağ Beach serves as the nature-and-sunset break on culture-focused Antakya tours. Agencies favour it because it combines easily on the same day with the Titus Tunnel, Seleucia Pieria and Vakıflı Village, adding sea-and-landscape variety to a heritage itinerary. The average visit lasts 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, extending to a half-day if birdwatching or a turtle-conservation briefing is added. Guided programmes usually place it as the late-afternoon final stop for sunset photography. The best photo spots are the Asi delta mouth, the broad sand flats and the open horizon at Meydan.

It lies about 25-30 kilometres from Antakya, a 35-45 minute drive; parking and tour-bus access are available on the Çevlik and Meydan sides, though the flat sand only partly eases wheelchair access and dedicated accessible facilities remain limited. The best seasons are April-June and September-October; July-August is peak, but access to some stretches may be limited by nesting protection. The 2023 earthquake affected the coastal ecosystem and debris-dumping pressure continues, so current access should be confirmed before visiting.