Holiday in the Kas & Kalkan Turkey

Kas (Ka) is a lovely spot surrounded on three sides by mountains. The friendly local fishermen are happy to run a water taxi service to take you to a favourite bay, cove or beach along the coast. The swimming and diving are excellent in the clear cool water around Kas.

Ancient Antiphellus, as Kas was once known, only the Lycian rock cut tombs and sarcophagi are left. However the charm of the town remains, and it is a pleasure to wander through the streets, stopping to examine souvenir shops that offer Turkish handicrafts, leather goods, copper and silver items, cotton clothing and the inevitable handmade carpet. After shopping stroll along the flower-lined Akdeniz Promenade or relax under the shade of a palm tree. Kas's bars and restaurants offer plenty of nightlife. The mountains that surround the town provide their share of activities and sights. You can walk through forested hills to visit remote villages and ancient ruins. The energetic may want to attempt the highest peak in the area, Mt. Kizlar Sivrisi (3,086 metres), or the second highest, Mt. Akdag (3,030 metres).

Along the scenic Kalkan road, Kaputas has a beautiful beach, at one end of which is the Turquoise Grotto.

A little distance to the west is Kalkan, a lovely small hilltop town that overlooks a tiny bay. Its quaint, traditional, whitewashed houses, shuttered windows and balconies garlanded with brilliant flowers that cascade to the streets below, make it the ultimate in a peaceful holiday town. Narrow winding streets lined with souvenir shops lead down to the charming marina. Every morning boats busily take tourists to one of the nearby beaches or small bays. As the sun sets it is Kalkan style to meet on the roof terraces for a drink before dinner and enjoy the comings and goings of the yachts, the business of the marina and the panoramic view.

Back to about Turkey page