Kalkan, Dalaman Area

Sophisticated resorts providing an authentic experience, in the midst of history and stunning nature

In recent years, Kalkan has become an in spot for upmarket couples seeking a taste of authentic Turkey. It is a pretty village of stone-built houses set on a hillside around the attractive harbour. Narrow lanes lead down to the seafront, packed with shops, sophisticated bars and restaurants, mostly serving traditional Turkish fare, with some excellent seafood and fish restaurants on the harbour-front. The roads are steep so you need to be relatively fit to get around, but the hotels and villas set higher up on the hillside, benefit from stunning views down over the pretty bay. Due to the landscape there is simply no room for large-scale development so most of the hotels are small and intimate.

The resort has expanded rapidly in recent years, however, and the buildings have extended beyond Kalkan itself to the bays on either side, such as Kalamar bay to the west – a long walk or a short taxi ride away from the centre. Most of the hotels on the seafront in this area and the ‘beaches’ have access to the sea via platforms or ladders, straight into deep water. Kalkan does have a small pebble town beach, but serious beach-lovers head out by the regular dolmuş service to stunning Kaputaş, approximately 6 kms away, a fine pebble and shingle beach which has clear, impossibly turquoise water. It is reached by a long flight of steps with no facilities and no shade, so you need to come prepared. Others prefer the long stretch of sandy beach at Patara, which is reached by a regular dolmuş service. Boats leave from the harbour here and from nearby Kaş, approx. 26 kms away, for trips around the bays and to the surrounding islands. Kalkan has a unique ambience and is one of the most sophisticated of Turkey’s resorts, but is not recommended for those with difficulty in walking or for those with small children. The ancient sites of Xanthos and Letoon are within easy reach of Kalkan.