RAT ISLAND

Sıçan Island is located 10 km. from Antalya Kaleiçi Marina, between Konyaaltı and Beldibi. The island, which attracts the attention of diving enthusiasts, is also one of the base areas for boat and yacht tourism.

The island was named as Rat Island because it is thinner from the shore to the south and resembles a rat looking northwards. It has been a common rumour among the locals for years that there are countless rats on the island that escape from the boats and breed.

The west side of Rat Island facing the coast has a shallow depth of maximum 8 metres and the bottom structure is generally sandy. The most interesting part of Rat Island is the northeast side of the island, where the rocky bottom structure goes down to 22 metres.

The presence of a small cave in the east of the island, which attracts diving enthusiasts thanks to its clear blue sea, is a pleasant surprise, especially for divers diving in the region for the first time.

On the west side of the island, which is difficult to climb because the rocks are very sharp and slippery, there is a long city wall that can be recognised even from the Kemer Road. Although it is rumoured that the fortifications were built by pirates, there is no definite evidence as to who actually built them. It is also rumoured that the island was used as a ship shelter during the reign of Sultan Mehmet Reşad. Visitors approaching the shores of Rat Island, which is known as the most seagull-hosting region of Antalya, are greeted by the wing sounds of hundreds of seagulls.