Excursions

There are so many things to do in and around Kalkan and here is the shortlist. Please check direct with the destination for prices etc.

Saklikent - Walk the longest gorge in Turkey. During the tourist season, when most of the snow from the Taurus mountains has melted and made its way through the gorge into the Xanthos river, it is possible to walk up to 4km through the narrow canyon in the icy cold waters, making it a cool refuge on a hot summers day. At an extra cost of approx 30YTL its is possible to raft down the river on an inflatable ring which is great fun and very popular. Go white water rafting in the Saklikent River, and visit the gorge afterwards. The Canyon is 300 meters deep and 18 km long; one of the deepest in the world. The fast flowing water rushing through the gorge and the dramatic mountain landscape is incredible.

Kekova - Take a trip to Kaş to offer you the opportunity of a boat trip to the sunken city of Kekova.

Meis - Take a trip to the quintessentially Greek island of Kaştellorizo (Meis in Turkish)

Xanthos - this was one of the six principal cities of Lycia and it is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Turkey. It has been registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Of note are the pillar tombs (unique to Lycia) and the Harpy column tomb with frieze. The 'Harpy Tomb' is so called as it was believed that the winged women figures in the frieze were harpies - monsters from Greek mythology with the head of a woman and the body of a bird.

Scuba diving - Kalkan is a popular place for scuba diving due to its crystal clear waters and the fact that the area is known as one of the top locations 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

Water sports - You can find water sports such as jet skiing, water skiing, parasailing, Ringo and Banana boats near Kalkan’s beach clubs. Snorkles are also often available for rent (2 TL per day at the Kalamar Beach Club, and you can see a lot of fish there

Watersports available from:

Blue Marlin http://http://www.bmwatersports-kalkan.com/
kalkandiving
Kalkan Watersports http://www.kalkanwatersports.com/
Kalkan beach clubs The watersports are mobile and you can book many of them from your local beach club. They will then call them over by walkie talkie.

Diving - Kalkan has some excellent dive sites including islands, reefs and walls.The visibility at all of the dive sites is usually excellent, often in excess of 25-30m. Water temperatures range from about 18C in April to 30C in August. Tidal streams are usually negligible. Kalkan has established Dive centres offering a variety of PADI courses and dive packages.

Beaches - The Kalkan area has some of the very best beaches in southwest Turkey. At Kalkan itself there is no big sandy beach but there is a very pleasant pebbly public beach with crystal-clear water located just to the east of Kalkan’s harbour. It (and the surrounding water) has earned a Blue Flag award for cleanliness. The water depth drops off close to the shore, so you don’t have to walk over the pebbles for long. Many cafés are nearby and sun beds with umbrellas are available for rent. Otherwise, hop on a “dolmuş” (a Turkish minibus – cheap, frequent and very convenient) and head for one of the two beaches near Kalkan.

Patara - Part of a national park, it is a beautiful 12 kilometre stretch of sand backed by dunes with only a small snack shop/tea house built upon it (it also rents out umbrellas and sunbeds). It was voted one of the top beaches in the world by Times Online. Some very nice Lycian ruins are a short stroll away, part of the national park. Patara was once an important port city of ancient Lycia and the ruins there are quite extensive. The 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.

Kaputaş Beach - is a lovely sandy swimming cove nestled at the foot of a striking mountain gorge, about 10 minutes from Kalkan. This is the beach often pictured in travel brochures for Turkey, although it doesn’t get crowded as one would expect. The water is always a brilliant colour of turquoise. Umbrellas can be hired here and a few enterprising locals sell snacks and cold drinks. Quite a few steps lead down to the beach, so take this into consideration if you have a walking problem.

Quad biking - contact any of the tour operators in Kalkan.

River canoeing - You can enjoy a fun day river canoeing on the nearby Xanthos River. Experienced river guides take you on a journey across ancient Lycian lands of tranquil, lush nature. The ride is downstream, so it isn’t hard going! The journey ends at Patara Beach, with a swim. A fun family day with a BBQ picnic lunch along the way, as well as a very enjoyable mud bath.

River tubing - Have easy and great fun river tubing through beautiful nature on the Saklikent River with your tube and paddle. The water is actually quite shallow and very refreshing in the summer heat. Rides last from 45 minutes to two hours, depending on which you choose.