Kaş
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Kaş (pronounced Kaash) is a beach resort in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It attracts a mixed crowd of British, German and Russian tourists but isn't on the package-holiday circuit, as its beaches are small and stony, and there are better beaches within a shorter transfer from the airports. In 2022 its population was 9084.
Understand
Kaş has beach activities, and ancient ruins in its hills, but is mostly a relaxing sort of place. Standing at 36°12′ N, on about the same latitude as Tunis in North Africa, it has a subtropical Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and sticky, with average daytime highs of 35°C, with very little rain. Winters are mild with daytime temperatures around 15°C, albeit with occasionally very heavy rains. September is a good time to visit, with warm seas but without the sweltering summer heat.
Get in
By plane
Dalaman Airport (DLM IATA) is the closest, with seasonal package flights from Europe and the UK. It's 180 km west of Kalkan, and the drive might take 2½ 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 2 or 3 times a day and take 15 hr 30 min via Gebze, Bursa, Izmir, Aydın, Muğla, Akyaka, Dalaman, Fethiye and Kalkan. Bus lines include Pamukkale and Flixbus.
1 Kaş Otobüs Terminali is the new bus station, 5 km east on the highway to Demre. In other Turkish out-of-town bus stations, a dolmuş ride downtown is included in your inter-city ticket. That appears not to apply here, but try asking when booking. The dolmuş will bring you to the old otogar in town centre (main square off Atatürk Bvd) but for accommodation on the peninsula you might as well take a taxi. Local buses along the coast (from as far away as Fethiye) may also bring you to the old otogar.
By boat
Meis Express and Meis Ferry Lines sail daily to the Greek island of Kastellorizo (Meis in Turkish), taking 20 min. A day-trip from Kaş gives you six hours in Kastellorizo, but the reverse day-trip is not possible. Kaş ferry pier is in the marina south end of town.
Get around
Kaş is small and easy to walk. Dolmuşes run to the peninsula, to villages such as Çukurbağ (for Phellos) and along the coast to Kalkan and Demre.
See
- Town centre is modern, including the main mosque in retro-Ottoman style. Yeni Camii or New Mosque at the foot of the peninsula was a Greek Orthodox church, little altered.
- 1 Antiphellos is the ruins of the port for the inland city of Phellos (below). It was populated from the 4th century BC and outgrew Phellos but declined after an earthquake and tsunami in 141/2 AD. The main features are the amphitheatre, and the "king's tomb" the best of many sarcophagi and rock tombs. The site is free to explore 24 hours.
- Rock tombs line the cliffs behind town, with a good selection accessible from Likya Cd.
- Sleeping Giant (Uyuyan Dev) is the rocky ridge above the cliffs. You can hike up from the east, the direct approach from town is steep and hazardous.
- 2 Çukurbağ
is the straggling settlement that you come through to reach Phellos. - 3 Phellos remains only as a few acropolis walls and tombs on the hill north of Çukurbağ. Wear long trousers, or the hawthorn undergrowth will rip your legs, and watch out for bears.
- 4 Isinda is the scattered remains of a city, by the village of Belenli. Around the 1st century AD its inhabitants abandoned it for Antiphellos on the coast.
- 5 Aperlae is the scrappy remains of a Lycian city. Remarkably, it seems to have been built with the help of snails: their shells were found in such profusion that they were probably used as a source of lime. The site is free to access 24 hours but it's a long rough hike to get here, and most visitors come on a boat trip.
- 6 Apollonia is another ruined city, on the hill south of Boğazcık and difficult to find.
- Oninda 5 km northeast of Boğazcık is even harder to find, and not much there.
- 7 Kekova is an uninhabited island sometimes visited by boat trips. On its north coast are the sunken ruins of ancient Dolikisthe, destroyed by the earthquake of 141/2 AD. Boats can't anchor there and no swimming or snorkelling is permitted. They allow kayaks but you don't see much.
- 8 Kyaneai is a straggle of three ruined cities, on a ridge near Highway D400 so they're straightforward to reach by a hike, but you'll probably have them to yourself. There's a theatre and many tombs and sarcophagi.
- See Demre for points further east, such as the ruins of Hoyran.
Do
- Beaches are shingle, such as Çınarlar Beach in a cove just south of the marina, and Büyükçakıl ("Big Pebble") 2 km further south. But the water is clean for swimming and snorkelling.
- Boat trips: over a dozen operators ply from the harbour.
- Scuba diving: a dozen scuba shacks offer training, kit hire and dives in the area.
- Lycian Way is a long-distance hiking route along the Med coast. Eastbound the local section is from Phellos into Kaş then on towards Demre.
- Republic Day on October 29th is celebrated in the town square, with music, dancing and quaffing of rakı. Enjoy, because this marks end of season and a lot of businesses shut up shop thereafter.
Buy
- Lots of small supermarkets, such as Carrefour at Atatürk Blv 32, open daily 08:00-22:00.
- Uzunçarşı Cd is the main shopping street May-Oct for crafts and souvenirs. The name means "long market", and after rainfall you'll work out why it's nicknamed "slippery street". Its upper section, Doğruyol Cd, has a fine Lycian sarcophagus.
- Street markets are held on Friday by the old otogar, and on Tuesday on the hill just west of the centre.
Eat
- Lots of places with good ambiance, value for money and inexpensive.
- Bahçe, Doğruyol Cd 33, ☏ +90 242 836 2370. Daily 11:30-00:00. Long-established favourite by the Lycian sarcophagus on "slippery street".
Drink
- Kaş has many free-standing bars, open until 03:00 during the April-October tourist season. Favourites include Mavi Bar by the marina and Red Point Cafe a block inland.
Sleep
In town
- Town centre has several pansiyons, but the main accommodation strip is the beachfront south along Hükümet Cd.
- Memories Pension (formerly Ani), Süleyman Çavuş Cd, ☏ +90 242 836 1791. Basic backpacker stop, some large rooms with a balcony, others closet-size. Friendliness of reception variable, and bookings through third-party sites are often not honoured.
- Ateş Pension, Yeni Camii Cd 3, ☏ +90 532 492 0680. Almost at the foot of the peninsula, this is a friendly well-run place near the beach.
- 1 Aphrodite Pansiyon, Zeytin Sk 10, ☏ +90 544 107 0770. Charming whitewashed guesthouse on the slopes back of town, with great sunset views. B&B double 2000 TL.
- 2 Livia Hotel, Koza Sk 2/1, ☏ +90 242 836 1088. Great value at this clean friendly hotel at the top of Hükümet Cd. B&B double 2000 TL.
- 3 Gardenia Hotel, Hükümet Cd 41, ☏ +90 242 836 2368, info@gardeniahotelkas.com. Clean modern hotel south edge of downtown, with great views over the bay. But it's 4 storeys with no elevator, the aircon is ineffective, and they don't accept children under 12. B&B double 5000 TL.
- Medusa Hotel, Hükümet Cd 53 (100 m south of Gardenia), ☏ +90 242 836 1408. Small friendly hotel on the beachfront. No elevator, and some noise from people clattering up and down the stairwell. B&B double 5000 TL.
Çukurbağ Peninsula
- The campsite is at the foot of the peninsula a short walk from town. Some 4 km further out are the pricier hotels.
- 4 Kaş Camping, Hastane Cd 3, ☏ +90 242 836 1050, rezervasyon@kaskamping.com. Pleasant site among olive trees just west of town.
- 5 Radisson Blu, Demokrasi Cd 28, ☏ +90 242 505 3900. Smart new hotel, friendly slick service. B&B double 6000 TL.
- 6 Arpia Hotel, Fethi Akkoç Sk, ☏ +90 242 836 2642. Quiet relaxing hotel on the peninsula beachfront. B&B double 4000 TL.
Connect
Kaş and the coast road have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of May 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
- Dolmuses run from the old otogar to towns such as Fethiye, Demre and Antalya.
- Kınık to the northwest has the ruins of Xanthos and Letoon.
- The island of Kastellorizo can be done as a day trip, but is linked by the Greek ferry network to Rhodes and beyond.
| Routes through Kaş |
| Marmaris ← Kalkan ← | W  E |
→ Demre → Antalya |
| Fethiye ← Kalkan ← Phellos ← | W  E |
→ Üçağız (Kekova) → Demre → Antalya |