About Kalkan

Everything you need to know about Kalkan. Places to see, things to do, beach clubs, boat trips, activities, restaurants, bars and more. This pretty Turkish harbour town has been one of the best kept secrets in Turkey, and we can help unlock it for you.

Turkey's best-kept secret?

Kalkan is a pretty harbour town, nestling into the foot of the Taurus mountains. It has been one of the best kept secrets in the Mediterranean and we'd love to keep it that way. Unfortunately, however, the secret is pretty much out already as the UK press has recently woken up to Kalkan's special charm in a big way! Several newspapers have run articles on Kalkan as a holiday destination in the last few years:

The Independent  Daily Mail  Mail Online  The Times Online These are just some of the things that have caught their attention:

Restaurants: Frankly, Kalkan is foodie paradise! Varied, high quality menus abound for all tastes, always made with fresh local produce. The biggest problem is choosing which of the amazing restaurants to try; we have been here for several years and still haven't sampled all of them! To help you out we do provide a list of our current favourites (which we are constantly updating) and most of our guests pop their personal recommendations into the visitors' books... but half the fun is finding your own favourites :)

Beaches: Kalkan has its own shingle beach and there are several bathing platforms and beach clubs around the bay, offering sun loungers and parasols with bar and snack facilities for a small fee. The next nearest beach is at Kaputas, an easy ten minute drive or bus journey away. But the jewel in the crown of local beaches has to be Patara Beach - 18 kilometres of golden sand and nothing much else, apart from a few people and a cafe/snack bar at one end! Only a twenty minute drive/bus journey from Kalkan, Patara is also an area of historical significance. Did you know that Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) was born here? 

Boat trips are a very popular way of combining relaxation with education (if you really want to take it that seriously...) There is a myriad of boats available for daily hire in Kalkan bay and they can take you for a simple gentle cruise around the bay and neighbouring coastline, or go for a full-blown seven day cruise. It's up to you, but either way the scenery is breathtaking... all set against the backdrop of that gorgeous turquoise sea! See our Boat Trips page for more details.

Places of historical interest and/or natural beauty: Xanthos, Letoon, Patara, the sunken city of Kekova, Saklikent Gorge, Pamukkale/Hieropolis... the list goes on. Various civilisations have left their mark on this area over the centuries - Greek, Roman, Lycian, Ottoman and others. 

Walking: trekking the Lycian Way is a very popular activity for the more active holidaymaker; there are numerous sites of great historical importance and general interest along the coastline. We will be pleased to put you in touch with some of the organisers of these walks. 

Diving and watersports: there is a PADI diving club/school in Kalkan bay and various beach clubs, catering for a variety of watersports including waterskiing and jetskiing. 

Or, of course, just chill out with a cool drink and sunbathe by the pool!

More Kalkan information

For more information about Kalkan, the surrounding area and Turkey in general, please see our Detailed Information page.

You may also find these sites helpful:

Kalkan Turkish Local News (KTLN) is a mine of useful information; the Editor has been a Kalkan resident and a genuine Kalkan lover for several years and his site has become the "go-to" site for most people who are looking for news and views on Kalkan and the surrounding area (whether as a tourist or an expat). 

Enjoy Kalkan although no longer a factual site, this forum provides a medium for people to express their views about life and holidaying in Kalkan. As with all forums, some of the views expressed may be controversial and biased, so take it all with a pinch of salt! Nevertheless, there is occasionally some helpful stuff on here, amongst the banter.

Google Street Views
Additionally, Google "Street Views" of some of Kalkan are now available (although this doesn't include the pedestrian only areas). See here to view... just zoom-in on the area you want to see!