Kaş, Turkey: Diving, Kekova and Lycian Sites

Discover Kaş

Kaş is a small town on a rocky headland roughly halfway between Fethiye and Antalya, and it's the opposite of a charter resort. Large hotels never got a foothold here, because there's no long beach — you swim from rock platforms, concrete ladder-platforms and a couple of small coves, and that's exactly why the water is so clear that Kaş is the country's best diving base. Ancient Antiphellos, on whose site the town stands, is visible right among the houses: a Hellenistic-era theatre on the western edge with its seating opening onto the sea, a sarcophagus in the middle of the main street, and rock tombs cut into the cliff above the centre. Within an hour's drive are Kekova with its sunken city, the castle at Simena, Kaputaş beach below its staircase from the road, Turkey's longest beach at Patara, Xanthos, Letoon and Myra with the Church of St Nicholas in Demre. Flights arrive via both Dalaman and Antalya, each roughly 180 km away, with the final stretch running along a mountain road above the sea.

What to see

The places worth your time in Kaş, and what to expect at each

Ancient Antiphellos and Theatre

western edge of town

The original Lycian and later Roman city on whose site Kaş now stands. A theatre for 4,000 spectators survives, with 26 rows of seating standing right above the sea at the western edge of town, and above it rock tombs with temple facades cut into the cliff.

Tip: The theatre is freely accessible and unsupervised, so you can visit as early as 6am or after dark; the top rows are the best spot in town for sunset, and it costs nothing.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: 1.5 h

Old Town and Harbour

town centre

A tangle of lanes with white houses, bougainvillea and Ottoman-era wooden balconies sloping down to a small harbour with fishing boats and dive boats. In the middle of the main street, Uzun Çarşı, a Lycian sarcophagus with 2 lion heads stands right on the pavement.

Tip: Restaurants in the lanes above the square serve the same food as those on the waterfront, but at a third less — the waterfront charges extra for the view of moored yachts.

Admission:: free
Time needed:: 3 h

Kekova and the Sunken City

40 km east

An island off the coast whose northern shore sank beneath the water in a 2nd-century earthquake. House foundations, a staircase disappearing into the depths and parts of a jetty are visible underwater. Swimming or diving over the ruins is forbidden — they're viewed from a boat.

Tip: It's best seen in the morning, when the sun shines straight down into the water; in the afternoon the surface ripples and reflects. A small boat from Üçağız is worth it over a large tour catamaran from Kaş.

Admission:: boat trip from 900 TRY
Time needed:: full day

Simena and Kaleköy Castle

45 km east

A village with no road, on the shore opposite Kekova, reachable only by boat or on foot. Above the houses stands a medieval castle, inside which is the smallest ancient theatre in Lycia, carved into the rock, and from its walls you can see the whole bay and sarcophagi standing in the water by the shore.

Tip: Entry to the castle costs a small fee, and the staircase up to it runs between gardens where you'll be offered scarves and homemade juice along the way — it's a 10-minute climb and the only shade on the route.

Admission:: from 150 TRY
Time needed:: 2 h

Kaputaş Beach

20 km west

A short sandy beach at the bottom of a gorge between 2 cliffs, visible from the main road above long before you reach it. Over 180 steps lead down to it. Thanks to an underground spring in the gorge, the water is noticeably colder and a brilliant turquoise.

Tip: Parking is in a lay-by on the road and there's no space by midday; the Kaş–Kalkan dolmuş stops here on request and is the easiest way to get here.

Admission:: free, sunbed from 250 TRY
Time needed:: half day

Patara

45 km west

An 18 km-long dune beach, behind which lies the harbour city of the Lycian League, with a restored assembly hall — the oldest known parliament building. A triumphal arch, a theatre and a colonnaded main street half-buried in sand still stand here.

Tip: A single ticket covers both the ruins and the beach and lasts the whole day, so you can visit the town in the morning, the sea in the afternoon, and head back through the ruins for sunset.

Admission:: from 400 TRY
Time needed:: full day

Myra

45 km east

An ancient city near Demre with 2 clusters of rock tombs cut into the cliff face above the site, and the best-preserved Roman theatre on the Lycian coast. The tomb facades imitate wooden houses, and stone masks from the theatre's decoration survive above it.

Tip: The tombs photograph best in the morning, when the cliff face isn't backlit by the sun. Get to the site before the tour buses from Antalya, which arrive around 11am.

Admission:: from 400 TRY
Time needed:: 2 h

Church of St Nicholas in Demre

45 km east

A basilica in the town where Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration for Santa Claus, was bishop in the 4th century. Inside are Byzantine frescoes, mosaic floors and an empty sarcophagus, from which his remains were taken to Bari in Italy in the 11th century. The site is roofed.

Tip: The church sits largely below ground level and stays cool inside — it's the one place nearby where you can spend the midday heat, and it fits well between Myra and the trip back.

Admission:: from 400 TRY
Time needed:: 1.5 h

Xanthos and Letoon

60 km west

The capital of ancient Lycia and its sacred precinct, jointly listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Xanthos has tomb pillars bearing the longest surviving inscriptions in the Lycian language, plus a theatre; Letoon has the foundations of three temples and a theatre with a surviving entrance tunnel.

Tip: Letoon sits in a low-lying area that groundwater floods in spring, so it's better visited in late summer. The two sites are 4 km apart and can be done together in one morning.

Admission:: from 300 TRY
Time needed:: half day

Photos: Ancient Antiphellos and Theatre — hursitakinci (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Old Town and Harbour — Luc Coekaerts (CC0) · Kekova and the Sunken City — Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Simena and Kaleköy Castle — Wusel007 (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Kaputaş Beach — Tbakky (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Patara — William Neuheisel from DC, US (CC BY 2.0) · Myra — Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Church of St Nicholas in Demre — Rab Lawrence (CC BY 2.0) · Xanthos and Letoon — Jona Lendering (CC0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Centre and harbour

Best for: restaurants and walkable distances

Lanes around the main street and waterfront, with boutique guesthouses in converted houses. Everything is walkable, including the theatre and the swimming platforms, and evenings are lively but without nightclubs. Parking is the biggest hassle here — expect to hunt for a space every day.

Çukurbağ Peninsula

Best for: views and quiet hotels

A headland west of town with cliffside hotels, their own platforms into the sea, and views of the Greek island of Kastellorizo. It's a 20-minute uphill walk into the centre and back, or a few minutes by taxi. Kaş's nicest accommodation, but without a beach underfoot.

Küçük Çakıl and Büyük Çakıl

Best for: swimming close to town

Two pebble coves right below town, the smaller one 5 minutes from the square and the larger one a 20-minute walk along the coast. Both have sunbeds and a snack bar and are the only places in Kaş where you can get into the water without a ladder. In August they fill up by mid-morning.

Kalkan

Best for: villas with pools and rooftop dinners

A town 27 km to the west, built up a slope above a bay, where villas with pools are rented out and dinner is served on rooftop terraces. It's pricier and more polished than Kaş, and awkward to get around without a car, since everything is uphill.

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Getting around

From the airport

Kaş has no airport of its own and sits almost exactly between two: Dalaman, 180 km to the west, and Antalya, 185 km to the east. Journey times are similar, around 3 hours, since both routes follow the coastal D400 highway with long switchbacks. Direct buses run from Antalya to Kaş's bus station several times a day; from Dalaman you change in Fethiye. A private transfer is more comfortable and, for two couples, works out about the same as two bus tickets plus a taxi.

Dalaman (DLM) · 180 km

Private transfer· 2 h 45 min· 5,500 TRY
Bus via Fethiye· 4 h· 800 TRY

Antalya (AYT) · 185 km

Direct bus· 3 h 15 min· 750 TRY
Private transfer· 2 h 50 min· 5,500 TRY

Around town

The town is small and walkable, with only the way back up from the beaches involving a climb. Dolmuşes run along the coast: west to Kalkan, with the option to hop off at Kaputaş and Patara, and east to Demre past the turn for Üçağız. They run roughly every hour, and the last services back leave in the early evening, so keep an eye on the time for a full-day trip. Kekova is reached by boat from the harbour, or by car to Üçağız and then a small boat from there. Parking in the centre is difficult, but a car is by far the fastest way to do a loop of the sights.

Dolmuş to KalkanRoughly hourly, stops on request at Kaputaş and the turn for Patara. · 120 TRY

Dolmuş to DemreFor Myra and the Church of St Nicholas, the trip takes about an hour. · 180 TRY

Boat to KekovaA full-day trip from the harbour with swimming stops and a call at Simena. · from 900 TRY

Rental carBest for Patara, Xanthos and Letoon; expect to hunt for parking in the centre. · 1,300 TRY / day

Useful apps: Google Maps, BiTaksi, Moovit

When to go

The best diving season runs from May to November, when visibility is commonly over 20 m and the water is 22°C or warmer; September and October are the warmest, with fewer boats at the sites. For the ancient sites — Patara, Xanthos, Myra — April, May and October are ideal, since they offer no shade and walking around at midday in August is unbearable. Swimming is possible from June to the end of October. Winter is mild, but most guesthouses in the centre close and boat trips stop running.

Best time

May, June and September to October

What to avoid

August at the ruins, and winter months because of closed guesthouses

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Day	15°	16°	18°	21°	26°	31°	34°	34°	31°	27°	21°	16°
Night	6°	6°	8°	11°	15°	19°	22°	23°	19°	15°	11°	8°
Rainy days	11	9	8	6	4	2	0	0	2	5	7	11
Sea	17°	17°	17°	19°	22°	25°	28°	29°	28°	25°	22°	19°

Food & drink

Kaş cooks Lycian style, meaning plenty of vegetables, herbs and olive oil, and above all whatever comes out of the bay. Fish is ordered from the display case and charged by weight, though locals tend to go for mezze instead, with a glass of rakı on the side. A local speciality is greenhouse tomatoes from Demre and citrus from Finike, so salads here taste different from those inland. Breakfast is served late into the morning in guesthouses and doubles as lunch. In the lanes above the square are lokantas for locals, where the main course costs a third of the waterfront price.

What to try

Kahvaltı

Turkish breakfast: cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggs, honey with clotted cream and endless tea. It's served for hours and is a social occasion, not just a meal.

Mezeler

Cold and hot starters — garlic yoghurt, roasted-pepper paste, stuffed vine leaves. Ordered for the middle of the table, they easily stand in for a main course.

Kebap and köfte

Grilled skewered meat or meatballs, a staple of Turkish cuisine. Cheapest at local lokantas, where you point at what's on display.

Pide and lahmacun

Turkish flatbread with cheese or minced meat. Lahmacun is rolled up with lemon and parsley and is the cheapest filling lunch in the country.

Baklava and künefe

Sweet filo pastry with nuts in syrup, and melted cheese in shredded pastry. Served with Turkish tea, not coffee.

Grilled fish

In harbourside restaurants it's chosen from the display case and charged by weight — ask the price per kilo up front so the bill doesn't surprise you.

Rakı

An anise spirit that clouds milky white when mixed with water. It's sipped slowly with mezze and fish, never downed in one.

Çay and Turkish coffee

Tea in tulip-shaped glasses is drunk all day and topped up for almost nothing. Turkish coffee is served with grounds at the bottom, which aren't meant to be drunk.

What it costs

Tea at a tea house

35–55 TRY

Lahmacun

130–200 TRY

Lunch at a lokanta above the square

300–450 TRY

Fish dinner on the waterfront

800–1,300 TRY

Beer, 0.5 l

200–320 TRY

2 dives with gear

from 3,500 TRY

Full-day boat trip to Kekova

from 900 TRY

Entry to Patara

from 400 TRY

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsCEuroplug, two round pinsFSchuko

Voltage220V / 50Hz

Tap waterDo not drink tap water — Don't drink tap water, even though it's chlorinated. Bottled water is very cheap, is often included in all-inclusive resort deals, and a 19-litre barrel for an apartment costs just a few lira.

TippingAround 10% is left in restaurants if service isn't already on the bill. Hotel staff, transfer drivers and guides get small change, though no one demands it.

Driving on theright

SafetyKaş is one of the calmest spots on the coast and crime is minimal. Watch out for the sea and the roads: you swim from rock platforms where it gets deep at once, and getting back up the ladder is unpleasant when there's swell, while the steps down to Kaputaş get slippery in rain. The D400 highway runs along cliffs above the sea and is unlit at night, so plan long drives for daylight. Check that dive centres are certified and have their own compressor. Swimming above the Kekova ruins is banned and patrolled.

Opening hoursShops and restaurants in the centre run from morning until midnight throughout the season, with some closing out of season. The ancient sites at Patara, Myra and Xanthos open at 8am, closing at 7pm in summer and around 5pm in winter. The Church of St Nicholas keeps the same hours. Kaş's Friday market runs in the morning.

Customs & etiquetteShoes come off before entering mosques, and women cover their hair and shoulders; a headscarf is usually available to borrow at the entrance. Swimwear is a given at resorts, while a T-shirt and longer trousers suit ordinary towns better. Bargaining is expected at bazaars and carpet shops, not in shops with price tags.

A few local wordsHello — MerhabaThank you — Teşekkür ederimPlease — LütfenHow much is it? — Ne kadar?The bill, please — Hesap, lütfen

How to plan your days

1 day

A day in Kaş

1Morning in the old town's lanes and the Lycian sarcophagus on the main street.
2Midday swim in Küçük Çakıl cove.
3Early evening at the Antiphellos theatre and sunset from the top rows.
4Dinner at a lokanta above the square.

2 days

2 days with the sunken city

1Day 1 as above.
2Day 2 morning: boat to Kekova to see the sunken city.
3Stop in Simena and climb up to the castle above the village.
4Afternoon swimming in coves on the way back.

3 days

3 days with Lycia

1The first 2 days as above.
2Day 3 early morning: Myra and its rock tombs.
3Midday at the cool Church of St Nicholas in Demre.
4On the way back, the steps down to Kaputaş beach.
5With an extra day, tour Patara, Xanthos and Letoon.

Day trips

Kalkan

27 km · 35 min by dolmuş

A white hillside town above a bay with rooftop-terrace restaurants and villas with pools. Good for an early evening and dinner; you can stop at Kaputaş on the way.

Fethiye and Ölüdeniz

110 km · 2 h by car

A harbour town with a fish market and rock tombs, and beyond it the Blue Lagoon with paragliding off Mount Babadağ. It's a lot of driving for 1 day; an overnight stay is better.

Saklıkent and Tlos

95 km · 1 h 45 min

Wading through icy water in an 18 km-long gorge, above which sits the Lycian city of Tlos with rock tombs and an Ottoman fortress on its acropolis.

Frequently asked questions

Does Kaş have a beach?+

Not a classic sandy one. You swim from rock platforms with ladders and from 2 pebble coves below town, Küçük and Büyük Çakıl. For sand, it's 20 km to Kaputaş or 45 km to Patara. That's precisely why the water here is so clear and Kaş is one of the country's top diving bases.

Which airport do you fly into for Kaş?+

Via Dalaman, 180 km to the west, or via Antalya, 185 km to the east. The drive takes around 3 hours from either side along the coastal road. Direct buses run from Antalya; from Dalaman you change in Fethiye.

What is the sunken city near Kekova?+

Part of ancient Simena on the north shore of Kekova island, which sank beneath the water in a 2nd-century earthquake. From a boat you can see house foundations and a staircase disappearing into the depths through the water. Swimming or diving over the ruins is banned and patrolled.

Is Kaş worth it for beginner divers?+

Yes — it's one of the best first-dive spots in Europe: the water is over 20°C, visibility is commonly over 20 m, and the sites are a few minutes away from the harbour by boat. A trial dive with an instructor needs no certification, and 2 dives with gear cost from TRY 3,500.

How do you get to Kaputaş Beach?+

It's on the road to Kalkan, 20 km to the west, and reached by over 180 steps down from it. The Kalkan-bound dolmuş stops here on request, which is the simplest option — there are only a few spaces in the lay-by and they fill up by midday.

Can you visit Myra and Demre from Kaş without a car?+

Yes. A dolmuş to Demre runs roughly every hour and the trip takes about an hour. From Demre's bus station it's a few minutes on foot to the Church of St Nicholas and about 20 minutes, or a short taxi ride, to Myra. The last service back leaves in the early evening, so check the timetable.

Is Kaş suitable for families with young children?+

Not really. Entering the water down a ladder from a rock platform, steep lanes and the lack of a shallow beach make Kaş a destination for couples, divers and older children. With toddlers, Ölüdeniz or Sarıgerme, where you walk into the sea over sand, are more comfortable.

Do I need a visa for Turkey?+

Not for most nationalities. Many countries' citizens, including EU passport holders, don't need a visa for stays of up to 90 days; a passport valid for at least a further 60 days after the stay ends is required. An ID card is not enough. For a day trip by boat to Greek Kastellorizo, though, you should expect a passport check.

Visa Requirements

Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.

Check visa requirements

Emergency Numbers

Police155 Ambulance112 Fire110

Language

Turkish

Currency

TRY

Timezone

Europe/Istanbul

Dial Code

+90

Population

85.3M

Area

783,562 km²

Voltage

220V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Right

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