There is much to see and do in and around Kalkan

Beaches

Kalkan has several beautiful beaches.  A very pleasant pebbly public beach with crystal-clear water is located to the east of Kalkan's harbour. 

Otherwise, hop on a "dolmuş" (a Turkish minibus - cheap, frequent and very convenient) and head for one of the two beaches near Kalkan.

Gorgeous Kaputaş Beach is a lovely sandy swimming cove nestled at the foot of a striking mountain gorge, about 10 minutes from Kalkan. The water is always a brilliant colour of turquoise.  Umbrellas can be hired here and a few enterprising locals sell snacks and beverages.

Another option, Patara Beach, is a beautiful 18 kilometre stretch of sand backed by dunes and without a single building on it. However, at the end near the dolmuş drop-off are a few basic restaurants to supply you with food, beverages, umbrellas and sun beds. Some very nice Lycian ruins can be visited nearby as well -Patara was once a large port city of ancient Lycia.  Patara beach is closed after sunset as it is one of the few places in the world where the endangered Loggerhead turtles come to lay their eggs.  There is also horse riding at Patara.

Beach Clubs

Kalkan has five very popular beach clubs (reached by shuttle from the harbour or taxi) - the Mahal, Kalamar, Likya, Patara and Yacht Club beach clubs. These are wonderful platform beaches and gardens cut into the bottom of the mountainside. They offer everything from swimming and sunbathing to bar facilities.   

Kalamar Beach Club

Water Sports

Near the beach clubs water sports abound with jet skiing, water skiing, parasailing, Ringo and Banana.

Kalkan is a popular place for scuba diving due to its crystal clear waters and the fact that the area is known as the number one place for scuba diving along Turkey's coast.  It has several dive sites including islands, reefs and wall with a huge variety of marine life (including groupers, sardines, moray eels, turtles, stingrays, barracudas, sea bream, rainbow wrasse, damsel fish, bonita, sea mullet, starfish, octopus, dolphins, nurse sharks, squid, mackerel, etc.)  Lessons for beginners through advanced.  Contact the Kalkan Dive Centre for further details - see their website at www.kalkandiving.com

Enjoy an exhilarating day river canoeing on the nearby Xanthos River.  Experienced river guides take you downstream on a journey across ancient Lycian lands of lush nature, ending at Patara beach for a swim. A fun family day with a BBQ picnic lunch along the way, as well as a very enjoyable mud bath!

Have easy and great fun river tubing on the Saklikent River with your tube and paddle - set off from the mouth of Saklikent Gorge.  The water is actually quite shallow and very refreshing in the summer heat. 

Boat and Gullet Trips

Kalkan is located on one of the most beautiful parts of Turkey's Turquoise Coast and at least one day at sea should be a part of everyone's holiday.

Boat trips can be arranged through tour agencies or at the Kalkan harbour for daily and extended trips and gullets (wooden Mediterranean-type Turkish yachts) can be arranged through tour agencies. 

Some trips explore the bays, beaches and sea caves along the coast near Kalkan while other tours go farther to gorgeous
(and not-to-be-missed) Kekova, one of the most beautiful areas of the Turkish coast.  All these trips include refreshing swim/snorkeling stops and Mediterranean Turkish meals are usually served on board as well.  Fishing and romantic moonlight cruises can be arranged also.

There are many sea caves to be explored along the coast near Kalkan, daily boat trips stop at these.  Another popular cave to swim in is the "Blue Cave", a large cave in near darkness except for the indescribable brilliant phosphorescent-blue of the water caused by sunlight shining up through the surface of the water.

If you'd like to visit the Greek island of Meis (Castellorizo), it is only a 45 minute boat ride from the nearby town of Kaş, which can be reached quickly and cheaply by dolmuş from Kalkan.

Sightseeing and Places of Interest

There are many land-based activities for those who want to explore the beautiful area around Kalkan.  Tours run from Kalkan every day in the summer or hire your own car.  The nearby towns of Fethiye, Kaş and Patara also make good day trips and are easy to reach by bus.  Here are just a few ideas:

Historic Sites

Kalkan is well placed to visit the many historic sites, including the nerby ruins of Xanthos, Patara and Letoon, the Acropolis of Tlos, the rock tombs at Myra and the crusaders' castle and sunken city of Kekova-Simena.

Tombs at Myra

Mountain Excursions

Saklikent Gorge ("Hidden City") is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey, 18 km long and so steep and narrow that the sun does not penetrate the water, leaving it deliciously icy cold in the summer.  Once inside,  water sculpted limestone canyon walls soar above you. 

Saklikent Gorge is a beautiful place and a great place to explore.  Be sure to bring submersible shoes as you will sometimes be walking in shallow water or mud.  Plastic shoes can also be rented outside of the gorge. 

The gorge is approached along a long wooden boardwalk above the river.  Once inside, you reach the Ulupinar springs where water bubbles up under great force from the base of the cliffs and you wade across the river into the gorge proper to begin your walk. 

The walk is easy for 4 km, after that a rock slide blocks the passage for all except rock climbers. Outside of the gorge there is river tubing in the Saklikent River or enjoy an icy dip in the river.

Green Lake is a great outing for those interested in walking in the pastures of the Taurus Mountain highlands and learning about the semi-nomadic way of life that dominates the peaks all summer-long.  The brilliant Green Lake is 6,500 ft above sea level and a pilgrimage center to which people come from every corner of the country to drink its sacred healing water.  Semi-nomads live in tents near the lake with their flocks and are very hospitable to visitors.  These people represent the long history of the Turkish people who migrated from central Asia.

The lake is formed by the melting snow which stays on top of the mountains until early August.  It offers spectacular shots for photographers and is a cool place to visit in the summer.  The area of Green Lake overlooks a stunning valley once traveled through by Alexander the Great and his troops on his Persian campaign.

Green Lake is also located very near the sacred "Flying Waterfall".  Like Green Lake, the water here is considered holy and people come from all over to drink its curative waters.  It is believed to have been given to people as a gift by the founder of a nearby dervish monastery.

Green Lake is situated near the semi-nomadic town of Gömbe where nomads sell their products at a lively local market.  Gömbe's mosque also makes an interesting visit.

Elmali is the largest Ottoman town of the southwest area of Turkey, located high on a mountain plain.  It is famous for its well-preserved wooden houses (some from the 17th century) in which Ottoman Turks, Greeks and Armenians once lived together until the 20th century.  People here live much as they did in the past and old crafts such as blacksmithing, hand-crafting copperware and making Turkish Delight in the traditional way are still practiced.  A very large mosque complex exists in Elmali dating back to the 16th century with hand-painted tiles rivaling those in Istanbul's grand mosques.

The Elmali area is rich in archaeology and natural beauty.  Some very significant antiquities including the famous Elmali Treasury have been found in the area and excavations are currently underway at a large mound where antiquities have been found dating back to the 12th century BC.  Alexander the Great once marched through Elamli with his troops in 333 BC on his campaign against the Persian army.  The road they used can still be seen today.

The misty peaks of the great Taurus Mountains, rushing streams and lush greenery offer excellent photo opportunities and the alpine pastures and famous cedar forests (6,000-7,000 feet) are attractive to hikers. Many semi-nomads live in the area as well, as the highlands are good, cool summer pasture for their flocks of sheep and goats.

See also the following link for more photos from Chris Hughes - a happy guest in September 2007 - http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b237/ttc546/Kalkan%20Sept07