Kaş or Kalkan? Which Lycian Coast Town Suits You

Kaş and Kalkan sit on the same stretch of the Lycian coast in the far west of Antalya province, only about 25 km apart along the coastal road. They share the same clear water, the same mountains dropping into the sea and the same long drive from Antalya Airport, yet they feel quite different once you arrive.

Choose Kaş if you want a lively small town with a working harbour, cafés and bars that stay busy into the evening, diving and boat trips from the quay, and the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo) on the horizon. Choose Kalkan if you picture a villa with a pool, a terrace above the bay and slow evenings in rooftop restaurants, with the sands of Patara within easy reach.

Kaş is built around a small harbour facing the open sea, with Meis just across the water. The old centre is a compact web of lanes with bougainvillea, small shops and restaurants. It has a relaxed, slightly bohemian feel and stays busy after dark without turning into a big resort. History is part of the townscape: the ancient theatre of Antiphellos sits at the western edge of town looking out to sea, and Lycian rock tombs are cut into the cliffs above.

Kaş is one of the best-known diving centres in Turkey. Dive schools work from the harbour, and the clear water and varied sites close to shore suit beginners as well as experienced divers. The classic boat trip heads east to Kekova, where the remains of a partly sunken ancient town can be seen beneath the surface, passing the village of Kaleköy (Simena) with its hilltop castle.

Kaş has very little sand. People swim from small pebble coves, from wooden platforms on the rocky Çukurbağ peninsula and from beach clubs where you step straight into deep water. If your ideal holiday means walking into the sea from soft sand, bear that in mind.

Kalkan is smaller and calmer. The old village, once a Greek fishing and trading settlement, climbs a steep hillside above a little harbour and marina, and newer villas spread across the slopes around the bay. Whitewashed houses, roof terraces and sea-view restaurants define the place; evenings are about long dinners rather than nightlife.

Most visitors stay in a private villa or a small boutique hotel, often with its own pool. Because the town is built on a slope, expect steps and steep lanes: ask your villa or hotel how far it is from the harbour and whether you will want a taxi for short trips. Swimming in town is mostly from platforms and beach clubs around the bay; for sand you head out to Kaputaş or Patara.

Between the two towns lies Kaputaş, a small cove at the mouth of a gorge, reached by a long flight of steps down from the coastal road. Its turquoise water makes it one of the most photographed beaches on this coast. It is small and fills up in midsummer, so go early.

West of Kalkan, Patara has one of the longest sandy beaches in Turkey, backed by dunes and the ruins of the ancient Lycian city of the same name. The beach is a protected nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles, so it has stayed undeveloped, with no hotels on the sand. From Kalkan it is a short drive; from Kaş it takes longer.

In short: Kaş for rocks, platforms and diving; Kalkan for villa pools, with Kaputaş and Patara for sandy days.

• Divers and snorkellers: Kaş, without question.
• Couples who want bars, restaurants and an evening stroll: Kaş has more going on after dark.
• Families or friends renting a villa: Kalkan, where private villas with pools are the typical stay.
• A quiet, slow holiday: Kalkan.
• Sandy-beach lovers: Kalkan, for quicker access to Patara.
• Boat trips and island views: Kaş, for Kekova and Meis.

Neither town is a big all-inclusive resort area like Belek or Side. If you want large beach hotels, look further east towards Antalya; if you want character and small-scale stays, both fit well. For more on the sights in and around each town, read our Kaş and Kalkan travel guide.

Both towns are reached from Antalya Airport (AYT) on the coastal road that runs west past Kemer and on through Kumluca, Finike and Demre. It is a scenic drive with mountain sections and plenty of bends, so treat it as part of the journey rather than a quick hop.

• Antalya Airport → Kaş: ≈ 200 km, ≈ 3 h – Antalya Airport to Kaş transfer
• Antalya Airport → Kalkan: ≈ 215 km, ≈ 3 h 20 min – Antalya Airport to Kalkan transfer
• Starting with a city break? Go direct from Antalya city centre to Kaş or Antalya city centre to Kalkan.

Times are typical; summer traffic around Antalya and Kemer can add to them. With a private transfer the driver meets you in arrivals with a name sign, tracks your flight and waits free of charge if it is delayed. The price is fixed per vehicle, not per person, and does not change for night arrivals or luggage; child seats are free on request. A Minivan takes up to 6 passengers, a VIP Mercedes-Benz Vito up to 7 and a Mercedes Sprinter 8–16, handy for villa groups. You pay in the vehicle and can book the return at the same time.

With only about 25 km between them, you do not have to commit to one town for every day. From Kaş, a day in Kalkan with a swim at Kaputaş on the way is easy; from Kalkan, an evening in Kaş harbour or a Kekova boat trip makes a good outing. Some travellers split a two-week holiday, a week in each.

For the return, remember that the drive to Antalya Airport takes about three hours or a little more, so leave a generous buffer before your flight, especially on summer weekends, and ask about late check-out if you fly in the evening.