Kalkan

Kalkan is a small harbour in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, with a population of 3926 in 2022. It's well-developed for tourism but hasn't attracted a mass market, so it remains unspoilt.

Get in
The village is on the coast highway D400, which wends and winds from Marmaris and Fethiye to Kalkan and runs on east to Antalya and far beyond.

By plane
Dalaman Airport is the closest, with seasonal package flights from Europe and the UK. It's 125 km west of Kalkan, and the drive might take 90 min to 2 hours via D400 (toll tunnel). You could take the airport bus as far as Fethiye then change to the regular bus (below) or taxi.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul run six times a day and take 15 hours via Gebze, Bursa, Izmir, Muğla, Akyaka, Dalaman, Göcek and Fethiye. The section from Izmir takes 7 hours.

Bus lines on these routes are Pamukkale and Flixbus, and Batı Antalya plies between Fethiye and Kalkan. To get further east along this coast to Demre, Finike and Antalya, look for a dolmuş.

the bus station is north end of the village just off D400. You'll probably need a taxi to reach your accommodation.

By boat
Kalkan is popular with yachts and other leisure craft. It's not a Port of Entry into Turkey, so if you sail from the Greek islands you need to clear immigration and customs in Fethiye to the west or Kaş or Finike to the east.

Get around
You can get around the village on foot, but you'll soon exhaust its delights and want to explore further out. So you need car hire, simplest done at the airport as that takes care of your transfer to Kalkan.

See

 * is the marina in village centre, crowded with yats, gulets and other pleasure craft. The "lighthouse" is a simple harbour light at the end of the breakwater.
 * Koca Mustafa Mosque east side of the marina was originally Greek Orthodox, built in 1855. In 1934 it was converted into a mosque and the minaret added.

Do

 * Beaches are narrow and shingle. The main public beach is southeast of the marina. Kaputaş to the south and Patara west have sandy beaches.
 * Scuba diving: Kalkan Diving Centre is by Lures Hotel. It offers courses and outings for experienced divers.
 * Boat trips potter along the coast. There's a dozen operators around the harbour.
 * Lycian Way is a long-distance hiking trail from Fethiye to Antalya. The local section is accessed at Bezirgan 3 km inland - this village is on a rare stretch of level ground, an infilled lake, so it stands in a quiltwork of fields and little grain stores. From the west you come through İslamlar to Akbel then 10 km to Bezirgan. Continue to Sarıbelen (7 km) in a similar valley then 13 km to Gökçeören, and so on east.

Buy

 * Small stores are strung along Şehitler Cd east side of the village, and open daily 08:00 till late.

Eat
Dozens of restaurants line the streets leading up from the marina.

Drink

 * Cafes serve alcohol and bars serve food, so there isn't an obvious difference.

Sleep

 * Pansiyons everywhere, the cluster near the marina (eg Turk Evi, below) are the most central.
 * Villas for self-catering: lots, but mostly a long walk or taxi ride from the restaurants and harbour.
 * Likya Pavilion is their branch nearby on the waterfront.
 * Likya Pavilion is their branch nearby on the waterfront.
 * Likya Pavilion is their branch nearby on the waterfront.
 * Likya Pavilion is their branch nearby on the waterfront.
 * Likya Pavilion is their branch nearby on the waterfront.

Connect
Kalkan and the coast road have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of April 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Patara 20 km west has an ancient city and a good beach.
 * Kınık 30 km north has the ruins of Xanthos and Letoon.
 * Saklikent Gorge is a further 20 km north.
 * Kaş is a larger port to the east, with ferries to the Greek island of Kastellorizo.
 * Demre has the ruins of ancient Myra and ferries to the island of Kekova.