It is very easy to understand why Kalkan is so popular for holidays in Turkey. Until the 1920’s, Kalkan was a sleepy fishing village and today it remains an unspoiled albeit it offers so much for tourists. It is a captivating destination awash with nature, historic architecture, bougainvillea-draped streets, rooftop restaurants and sparkling turquoise, crystal clear sea. The bustling harbour is very attractive, full of yachts, gilets and boats awaiting tourists who want to explore the coast or enjoy some watersports. The town enjoys many bathing platforms for sun worshippers, a number of beach clubs and a small central beach. Other beach options nearby are the sandy cove of Kaputas, ten minutes away and the stunning sandy Patara Beach. Sprinkled along the narrow, hilly streets are Ottoman-Greek whitewashed chic boutiques and gift shops selling textiles, clothes, ‘designer’ handbags and very pretty jewellery. The town’s charming restaurants offer varied menus of Turkish mezes, zesty salads and plenty of fresh fish. Boat trips can be taken from Kalkan harbour on traditional gulets or other boats. The gulet trips are wonderful and usually come with a traditional meal. Visitors enjoy exploring the local bays, beaches and sea caves while others go further to Kekova, one of the most beautiful areas of the Turkish coast. Other popular excursions include those to the village of Ucaoyz and glass-bottom boat trips, all of which include swim stops. There are also romantic moonlight cruises and sunset trips. Thrillseekers can be taken to the top of the mountains to paraglide over the coast.
Islamar is a charming village just ten minutes drive from Kalkan and its beautiful coastline. It sits in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains with a fabulously dramatic backdrop and extraordinary views down to the sea. The scenery is spectacular with an abundance of fruit trees, olive groves and vineyards. The village still uses a water-powered millstone where the flour for local residents is ground. Islamar is very unspoilt and boasts some excellent village restaurants where you can eat the freshest of fish from the trout farms. All the ingredients are locally grown, organic and bursting with flavour. Small waterfalls, springs and mountain streams provide constant fresh water giving natural irrigation and feeding the trout pools. The village is close to part of the famous Lycian Way, popular with walkers. Uzulmu is another quaint village close to Islamar that similarly gives you a feel for the real Turkey. It too sits in the mountain foothills with extraordinary scenery.
For a total change from beach days, visitors seeking a little adventure enjoy kayaking along the Dalyan River or visiting the majestic and dramatic Saklikent Gorge which was opened as a national park in 1996. The gorge is 18km long and 300m deep. Visitors wade through chilly water, climb, swim and slide through the gorge and its many boulders and tunnels. It is exhilarating and great fun with the fresh mountain water often up to waist height. Guides can lead you through offering so much fun. River rafting and dining by the waterside are additional options at this fantastic location.
Patara is a fantastic historic site, perfect for an excursion. It boasts an ancient theatre, restored parliament building and impressive Roman baths. The preserved ‘ghost village’ of Kayakoy where hundreds of deserted, Greek-style houses and churches sit eerily on the hillside should also be on your list of excursions. It was abandoned after the Turkish-Greek population exchange of 1923 and is eerily silent.
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.
