Kalkan is a fabulous find for a summer holiday. Once an old fishing village, today it has grown into an elegant harbourside holiday destination attracting a discerning clientele. The town rises from an idyllic seafront setting and has retained much of its traditional charm due to strict conservation restrictions. Small and Niche, Kalkan is well-known for it’s Ottoman Greek architecture, pretty pebble beach, bare-foot beach clubs, authentic Thursday market and especially famous for its rooftop restaurants.
Kalkan isn’t necessarily the most obvious beach resort, featuring just one pebble beach near the harbour. However, there are several excellent beach clubs peppered around the bay and they are very much a place for gathering as well as relaxing by the seafront. Cleverly built into the rockface are wooden and stone platforms dressed with teak day beds and fluttering parasols. Steps lead into the crystal clear water and hours can easily be spent sea gazing under the shade of an olive tree or socialising at the low-key waterfront bar.
A wide range of water sports are available from the local centre including wake-boarding, jet-skiing, and paddle boarding. Lessons are also offered for anyone who wants to brush up on their skills or try something new. Diving is another popular sporting activity in Kalkan, the team are based in Kalamar and there are options to enjoy a full certified course, just give it a try and tailor made trips to one of the fourteen reefs.
Back on land, you might want to head into the mountains and explore remote rural villages such as Saribelen and Bezirgan or go further afield to the Emerald Lake in Gombe. You don’t have to go too far to experience an insight into real rural Turkish Life and the scenery is magnificently varied.
Kalkan sits in the heart of ancient Lycia and the area is sprinkled with ancient cultural sites. With so many within a short distance it is worth visiting one or two and combining the day with a trip to a less discovered beach.
Throughout the entire region there is an incredible amount to offer, sun-drenched beaches, magnificent wildlife, awe-inspring scenery and a colourful history.
The Region
Kalkan has become a boutique resort, with cobbled streets and converted Greek houses, which belonged to the Greek merchants before the exchange of population in the 1920’s. Once quiet fishing harbour, these days you are more likely to see traditional wooden gulets taking tourists to soak up rays on the sparkling turquoise Mediterranean. A boat trip is a must-do, from the boat you can snorkel and usually a delicious lunch is prepared on board. Keen walkers should check out the Lycian way for designated walking paths in the area.
You cannot come to this area without spending some time exploring the many Lycian sights, such as Xanthos, Patara, Myra or the sunken city of Kekova.
Patara is said to be where democracy started (they excavated a stone voting block) and is also said to be the birthplace of St Nicholas, who became bishop at nearby Myra. The ruins here include an ancient theatre, city walls, government building, and agora. The lighthouse on the site is said to be the earliest of its kind. Visit Patara in the late afternoon and finish the trip with a drink on the sandy beach watching the amazing sunset.
The Saklikent Gorge is a great place to visit, especially if you want to cool off in the fresh waters whilst walking up the gorge. For the more energetic there are rafts and rings to ride the flowing waters. Further down you can enjoy a day canoeing toward the beach.
Islamlar sits 8 km above Kalkan. Once the place Kalkan folk went to cool off at one of the trout farms built to make use of the mountain’s springs. Today Islamlar houses many a villa, enjoyed by Istanbul Turks who prefer a holiday in slightly cooler and cleaner air. Here the locals grow grapes and pomegranates, but you’ll mainly see the men sat gossiping next to the local teahouse. The trout farms remain a place to come for a wonderful fresh meal, or a breakfast consisting of fresh local fare. The rocket will be the freshest and most tasty you’ve ever had; and the fresh chips cooked in olive oil take some beating.
By night both Kalkan and Kas come alive. Kas has more of a bohemian feel, people ambling through the cobbled streets, passing the ancient tomb in the street, haggling for textiles, carpets and other goodies, maybe stopping for the traditional Turkish ‘maras’ ice cream, a tulip-shaped glass of tea or a wonderful kebab in the shadow of the mosque. Most of the villas in Kas are just out of town on the Cukurbag Peninsula. A reasonable (5km) taxi or Dolmus (local bus) ride into town. Be sure to try the Piyaz, a white bean salad with tahini sauce.
Travelling along the coast towards Kalkan you pass the modern marina, the children’s beach park (run by the local hotel school) and halfway to Kalkan the stunning Kaputas Beach, cut in a gorge with all different shades of turquoise in the sea.
Kalkan is a more sophisticated resort, with the villas built onto the mountainside. Evening are spent enjoying the rooftop restaurants, perched on the top of the old ‘konak’ houses. Then wandering to a seaside bar for a cocktail, after shopping for glass lanterns, Iznik pottery, handbags or pestemel towels. Do visit the ‘pastane’, local patisseries which do the most delicious morning pastries and you must try the ‘Gozleme’ pancakes at the Thursday market.
Other things to do in the area include scuba diving as the visibility is excellent, paragliding, horseriding on Patara Beach or kayaking around the sunken ruins at Kekova.
