Kemer
Kemer is a tourist resort in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, about 40 km southwest of Antalya. It's the largest of a string of resort villages, with a total population in 2022 of 49,383.
Understand
[edit]The Lycian coast here is rugged and hemmed in by mountains. In ancient times a string of little ports developed, linked by sea as there was no road access. That limited their value commercially and militarily, so they never grew large. They were also vulnerable to pirate raids, and mostly abandoned in the Byzantine era.
The area only developed from the 1960s when the coastal highway D400 was blasted and tunnelled through the hills. That put Kemer within an hour of Antalya airport, and larger passenger jets plus promotion of Turkish tourism led to a boom. There is nowadays a well-developed tourist strip, which north to south encompasses Beldibi, Göynük, Kemer itself, Kiriş, Çamyuva and Tekirova. Arslanbucak and Kuzdere are residential districts inland from Kemer. Çıralı the southernmost village is part of this municipality but described on a separate page as Olympos.
The Kemer strip has many west European tourists but in the 2020s mostly caters to Russians, to the extent that hotel and restaurant staff are more likely to know Russian than English.
Get in
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For long-distance routes by air, bus or car see Antalya#Get in. From the airport (AYT IATA) take the bus (from both terminals) or tram (from T1) downtown to Antalya bus station. Or a taxi might be €50.
Bus TA08 runs from Antalya bus station every 30 min to Kemer, Çamyuva, Phaselis and Tekirova. In 2023 the fare is about 40 TL.
Bus TA07 runs from Antalya bus station every 15 min to Beldibi, Göynük and Kemer.
Buses going further south to Kumluca, Demra, and Kaş don't come into Kemer, but can be stopped on D400 at the intersection by the Otogar.
1 Kemer Otogar the bus station is 1 km west of town centre at the intersection with D400. It's reasonably clean.
By road follow directions to Antalya then join D400, the divided highway south along the coast.
Get around
[edit]See above for buses TA07 and 08 from Antalya. Others you might use, all starting from Kemer Marina, are Bus 5 to Arslanbucak, Bus 4 to Kuzdere and Bus 1 to Kiriş beach.
Yellow taxis are common. The fare is about 10 TL flagfall plus 10 TL per km.
See
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- 1 Beldibi cave at the north end of that village contains rock paintings of unknown date. You're unlikely to find it open.
- Çamdağ Tunnel burrows through the headland by the cave, and gives access to a secluded shingle beach.
- 2 Göynük canyon, ☏ +90 850 307 3303. Daily 09:00-17:30. A beautiful flooded canyon, you either take a boat ride or swim up it (which gets you further, but the water is cold). The entry fee includes a shuttle from the entrance down to the dinghy, where you're issued with helmet, life-jacket and paddle. Adult €20.
- 3 Kemer clocktower (Saat Kulesi) is the focal point of the main village - all local buses stop here. There's a cafe beneath and a little park surrounding. East lies a hotel quarter and Kemer's main beach, which is narrow, shingly, and sardine-packed with sun loungers.
- Kemer harbour is a modern marina. The "folklore open-air museum" on the east point is just a few waxworks, not worth paying to see.
- 4 Moonlight beach east of the marina is sand and shingle.
- 5 Çalıştepe the hill south of Kemer is best ascended by taking the lane Mustafa Ertuğrul Cd then the summit track, though there are steeper direct trails from south or north. There's a telecoms station on top.
- 6 Çamyuva south of the hill has a long shingle beach. The north end is called Kiriş.
- 7 Cennet Koyu ("Paradise Bay") is a secluded cove reached by a track from the loop of road towards Phaselis.
- 8 Phaselis, Tekirova (Bus TA08). Apr-Oct 08:00-20:00, Nov-Mar 08:00-17:30. Dilapidated ruins of a Graeco-Roman port, overgrown by pine forest. It had three harbours in small coves: North, Battle, and Sun the southerly and best preserved. It suffered repeated pirate raids and lost its importance after the 3rd century AD. Adult 90 TL.
- 9 Üçadalar meaning "three islands" are rocky uninhabited islets about 3 km offshore. Boat trips often visit for snorkeling and diving.
Inland
[edit]- 10 Mnara is the jumbled remains of a hilltop city. Very little is known about it, except that it was inhabited from Hellenistic times and abandoned in the 8th century. You need a guide for the three-hour ascent with no clear trail.
- 11 Twin rocks (Ikiz Kayalar) are outcrops rearing up on the hillside south of Kuzdere.
- 12 Kemer canyon is a scenic gorge at the point where the road west from Kemer hairpins up the slope towards Gedelme. There's a Roman bridge and pools you can dip in.
- 13 Gedelme castle is just a few scrappy walls of a 9th century fortress, Byzantine era. It may have been a secure warehouse for grain rather than a military outpost. The giant sycamore nearby is thought to be 2500 years old.
- Gedelme cave (100 m south of castle). Daily 09:00-17:00. Small karstic show-cave. Adult 30 TL.
- 14 Kitanaura is the ruined acropolis of an ancient city, curiously not mentioned in classical texts, but its large bath-house and several churches indicate its former importance. It's reached by rough tracks and is free to explore 24 hours.
- 15 Olympos Teleferik, Tahtalı Teleferiği Yol, Tekirova, ☏ +90 541 814 3021. Daily May-Sept 09:00-19:00, Oct-April 10:00-17:00. Cable car to the 2365 m summit of Mt Tahtalı. The base station is 7 km up the lane branching off D400 near Phaselis. Shuttle minibuses also run from Kemer (250 TL return) and from the highway junction (100 TL). Gondolas run every 30 min and the ride takes 10 minutes. From the top you can go hiking, mountain-biking, climbing and para-gliding. Adult return 1200 TL, child 900 TL.
Do
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- Hiking trails include Çalıştepe, Tekirova to Çamyuva, Tahtalı summit, and Mount Chimaera to Ulupınar.
- Lycian Way is a 540 km way-marked hiking trail from Fethiye to Geyikbayırı in the hills above Antalya.
- Boat trips for sightseeing or fishing putter out from the marina.
- Scuba diving centres are Octopus, Aqua Age and Diving Kemer all in Kemer, and DiveEx in Tekirova. The Turkish Med is good for beginners, and there's a couple of shipwrecks and caverns nearby, but limited marine life.
- Dolusu Park, Sahil Cd 15, Kiriş, ☏ +90 242 824 7707. Daily 10:00-17:00. Water park midway along Çamyuva beach strip with a couple of slides and pools, and an icky "mermaid show". It's way overpriced. €50 pp.
- Kemer Dolphinpark on Moonlight Beach by the marina is a sad little tourist-trap. The "aquapark" nearby is just a shop.
- Dinopark Antalya, Adnan Menderes Cd 69, Göynük, ☏ +90 242 815 2939. Small theme park for kiddies on the main highway through Göynük, bring swimwear. Older children may soon get bored.
- Land of Legends theme park is plugged by several hotels as offering free entry with their hotel package. But it's east of Antalya in Belek, so it's a long day out even with a complementary shuttle.
Buy
[edit]Lots of convenience stores open daily. The main concentration around Kemer clocktower includes Oscar, Sok, A101, Migros and Carrefour.
Eat
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Budget
[edit]- Tadim kebap, Dörtyol Blv, Kemer (by clocktower), ☏ +90 242 814 2012. Daily 08:30-00:00. Filling portions and a friendly atmosphere.
- Kemer pastanesi, Lise Cd 4, Kemer (100 m south of clocktower), ☏ +90 242 814 4020. 05:30-00:00. It's primarily a cake shop but also popular for breakfasts, borek and meat dishes.
- 1 Kardelen, Cumhuriyet Blv 110, Arslanbucak, ☏ +90 242 814 5525. M-Sa 11:00-23:00. Chain pide and kebab place, about your best option in Arsanbucak. There are three more Kardelen outlets near Kemer clocktower.
Mid-range
[edit]- 2 Balıkçı Faruk, Dörtyol Blv 18, Kemer, ☏ +90 530 065 1869. Daily 09:00-03:00. Great seafood, open late. Their basement wholesale store supplies other seafood places in town.
- Paşa Kebap, Atatürk Cd 36, Kemer (100 m north of Merhaba), ☏ +90 242 814 2913. Daily 11:00-23:00. Filling inexpensive kebabs.
- Gürcü (Заходи, генацвале!), 127th Sk 1, Kemer (50 m east of Merhaba), ☏ +90 536 829 9313. Daily 11:30-00:00. Authentic Georgian cuisine, great fun.
- Naturel Balık Evi, 128th Sk 5, Kemer (100 m north of Gürcü), ☏ +90 535 585 1092. Daily 10:00-01:00. Affordable friendly seafood restaurant. The cats hope you won't finish.
- 3 Monte Kemer, 125th Sk 58, ☏ +90 242 814 4577. Tu-Su 10:00-02:00. Montenegrin and Bosnian cuisine. Their signature dishes are pleskavica and cevapcici.
- 4 Steak House For You, Atatürk Cd, Çamyuva, ☏ +90 535 274 4133. Daily 15:00-01:00. Best steaks in Çamyuva.
- Aspava Restaurant, Atatürk Cd 35/3, Çamyuva (50 m north of Steak House), ☏ +90 242 824 5011. Daily 09:00-00:00. Good trad food, inexpensive.
Splurge
[edit]- Qualista, Yalı Cd 5, Kemer (Kemer marina), ☏ +90 542 466 8027. Daily 09:30-00:00. Great choice for steak or seafood.
- 5 Merhaba Garden, Atatürk Cd 44/A, Kemer, ☏ +90 546 798 9894. Daily 10:00-04:00. Popular restaurant for steak, kebabs, fish and vegetarian dishes.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
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- 1 Crystal Flora Beach Resort, Atatürk Cd 139, Beldibi, ☏ +90 444 0558. Efficient but relaxing hotel, with high standards beyond its price range. B&B double 4000 TL.
- 2 Nirvana Mediterranean Excellence, Atatürk Cd 141, Beldibi, ☏ +90 444 0552. Well-run hotel, comfy and kiddy-friendly. B&B double 4000 TL.
- 3 Paloma Foresta, Atatürk Cd 143, Beldibi, ☏ +90 850 440 0000. Good value mid-price hotel. B&B double 3000 TL.
- 4 Baia Kemer Club, Atatürk Cd 147, Beldibi. Decent hotel, some reckon it understaffed.
- 5 Rixos Sungate, Atatürk Cd 153, Beldibi, ☏ +90 242 824 0000. Good all-round resort hotel.
- 6 Corendon Playa, Atatürk Cd 195, Beldibi, ☏ +90 242 824 9801. Comfy enough, but staff have little English - Corendon is the budget airline mainly serving Russia. B&B double 3000 TL.
- 7 Seven Seas Hotel Life, Sakıp Sabancı Cd, Göynük, ☏ +90 242 815 1511. Fun place with lots of entertainment. B&B double 3000 TL.
- 8 Sherwood Greenwood Resort, off Sakıp Sabancı Cd, Göynük, ☏ +90 242 815 2125. Cleanliness and service erratic. B&B double 2500 TL.
- Mirage Park Resort, Ahu Ünal Aysal Cd 29, Göynük (just south of Sherwood Greenwood), ☏ +90 242 815 2244. Good beach resort, lots of entertainment. B&B double 3000 TL.
- 9 Sherwood Exclusive, Ahu Ünal Aysal Cd 37, Göynük, ☏ +90 242 815 1655. Family-friendly hotel with lots of pools and entertainment for children. B&B double 4500 TL.
- Doubletree by Hilton, Atatürk Blv 28, Kemer (just north of Akra), ☏ +90 242 814 7000. Good all-round hotel by beach. B&B double 3500 TL.
- 10 Akra Kemer (Barut), Atatürk Blv 24, Kemer, ☏ +90 444 4045. High standards of service at this hotel near town centre. B&B double 3000 TL.
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- 11 Fame Residence, Deniz Cd 15, Kemer, ☏ +90 242 782 4049. Pleasant beachfront hotel near the harbour.
- 12 Maxx Royal Kemer Resort, Kiriş Cd 88, Kiriş, ☏ +90 242 813 6060. Upscale hotel north end of Kiriş strip, mostly good reviews.
- 13 Alva Donna World Palace, Sahil Cd 5, Kiriş, ☏ +90 242 813 6363. Large place but efficient and welcoming.
- 14 Rixos Premium Tekirova, Şehit Er Hasan Yılmaz Cd 20, Tekirova, ☏ +90 242 821 4032. Great reviews for comfort, cleanliness, service, entertainment and catering. B&B double 6000 TL.
- 15 Gural Premium Tekirova, Şehit Er Hasan Yılmaz Cd 4, Tekirova, ☏ +90 242 813 5555. Good all-round resort hotel.
Connect
[edit]Kemer and the coast road have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of June 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
[edit]- Olympos a few km south is an ancient port, better preserved than Phaselis.
- Antalya north is a big modern city and most visitors just transit the airport, but it has several antiquities in its old quarter.
- Belek further east is a golf resort.
- Side has extensive ruins of a Roman city.
| Routes through Kemer |
| Marmaris ← Olympos ← | W  E |
→ Antalya → Mersin |
| Fethiye ← Olympos ← Çıralı ← | W  E |
→ Gedelme → Hisarçandır → Geyikbayırı |