Kalkan sits in the middle of one of the richest stretches of the Turkish coast, and the day trips from the town reach the ancient cities, the dramatic gorges, the long beaches, and the hidden bays. The region around Kalkan packs the remarkable variety into the short drives, and this guide ranks the best day trips with the practical notes for each.
The Ancient City of Kaş
The town of Kaş, about twenty-five minutes along the coast, makes the easy and the rewarding day trip. The old town of Kaş climbs the hillside above the harbor with the whitewashed houses, the bougainvillea, and the little squares; the ancient theater of the town sits above the water; and the harbor is the lively one with the cafés, the dive shops, and the boat trips. The visitor combines the wander through the town with the lunch at the harbor, and the return to Kalkan comes in the evening. Kaş is the closest and the most convenient of the day trips, and it makes the good first excursion.
The practical note: the dolmuş runs the route between Kaş and Kalkan, and the drive along the coast is the scenic one; the day in Kaş passes easily, and the sunset at the harbor is the possible extension.
The Sunken City of Kekova
The sunken city of Kekova is the day trip with the wow factor, and it lies about an hour from Kalkan. The boat trips from Kaş or the nearby Üçağız visit the bay of Kekova, where the ruins of the ancient city lie below the clear water; the glass-bottomed boats give the views of the underwater walls, and the boats also stop for the swimming in the coves of the region. The village of Kaleköy, with its castle above the water, is the highlight of the route. The sunken city is the protected archaeological area, and the tours follow the rules that keep the ruins safe.
The practical note: the boat trips run from Kaş and Üçağız, and the full day is the wise one to allow; the swimming stops and the lunch on the boat make the trip the comfortable one, and the early departure avoids the crowds.
The Ghost Town of Kayaköy
Kayaköy, the abandoned Greek village near Fethiye, is the haunting and the fascinating day trip from Kalkan, about an hour and a half away. The village was abandoned in the population exchange of the 1920s, and the hundreds of stone houses, the churches, and the streets stand empty on the hillside; the walk through the ruins gives the eerie, the atmospheric experience, and the views from the upper houses stretch over the valley to the sea. Kayaköy is the museum without the roof, and the silence of the empty village is the memorable one.
The practical note: the village is the walkable one, and the comfortable shoes are the essential ones; the visit takes the half day, and the combination with the nearby ruins or the beach fills the day.
The Saklıkent Gorge
The Saklıkent Gorge, about an hour and a half from Kalkan, is the natural wonder of the region, and the day trip is the adventurous one. The gorge is one of the deepest of Turkey, with the walls rising hundreds of meters and the cold river running through the bottom; the walk into the gorge follows the wooden platforms and the shallow water, and the swim through the narrows is the reward for the brave. The canyon is the dramatic, the refreshing escape from the summer heat, and the cold water is the shock of the day.
The practical note: the gorge needs the water shoes and the change of clothes, and the water is the cold one even in the summer; the nearby trout restaurants and the river beaches complete the day.
The Ancient Sites of Xanthos and Letoon
The ancient cities of Xanthos and Letoon, about an hour from Kalkan, are the UNESCO-listed sites of the Lycian region, and they give the history in the quiet, the evocative setting. Xanthos was the capital of the Lycian League, with the theater, the tombs, and the famous reliefs; Letoon was the sanctuary of the region, with the temples and the sacred spring; and the two sites together tell the story of the Lycian civilization. The sites are the atmospheric ones, with the wildflowers among the stones, and the visitor often has them almost to himself.
The practical note: the two sites sit close together, and the combined visit takes the half day; the history buff should bring the guidebook or the audio guide, and the summer heat makes the morning visits the wise ones.
Patara Beach and the Ancient City
Patara, about half an hour from Kalkan, combines the great sandy beach with the ancient ruins, and it makes the day trip that suits everyone. The beach is one of the longest of the Mediterranean, the wide golden sand with the dunes and the shallow water; and the ancient city of Patara lies right beside it, with the theater, the baths, the granary, and the birthplace of Saint Nicholas. The morning at the ruins and the afternoon on the sand make the perfect day, and the sunset over the beach is the fitting end.
The Lycian Way Walks
The Lycian Way passes through the Kalkan area, and the sections of the trail give the day walks with the coastal views. The trail runs from Fethiye to Antalya along the coast, and the sections near Kalkan pass through the pine forests, the cliffs, and the little bays; the viewpoints above the sea give the panoramas, and the wildflowers and the wildlife accompany the walker. The day walks range from the easy strolls to the full-day hikes, and the trail is the well-marked one.
The practical note: the trail needs the water, the sun protection, and the good shoes; the sections are the hilly ones, and the fitness is the requirement; and the spring and the autumn give the best walking weather.
The Boat Trips Along the Coast
The day at sea from Kalkan is the day trip that needs no driving, and the boat trips of the harbor cover the coast the roads cannot reach. The full-day trips visit the coves, the sea caves, and the swimming spots along the Lycian coast, with the lunch on board and the stops for the snorkeling; the trips toward Kaş and the Kekova region add the sunken city to the route; and the smaller boats reach the hidden bays that the larger tours skip. The boat day is the classic of the region, and the sea is the star.
The Practical Notes for the Day Trips
The practical notes for the Kalkan day trips keep the excursions smooth. The rental car is the freedom of the region, and the tours and the shuttles cover the routes for the non-drivers; the distances are the manageable ones, and the roads are the scenic ones; the summer heat makes the early starts the wise ones; and the water, the sunscreen, and the hats come along for the sites and the beaches. The day trips from Kalkan are the easy ones to plan, and the region rewards the extra days.
The Tlos and the Saklikent CombinationnnThe region rewards the combining of the day trips, and the Tlos and the Saklıkent combination makes the full day of the variety. Tlos, the ancient Lycian city on the hilltop, gives the theater, the acropolis, and the views over the valley; and the Saklıkent Gorge, the short drive away, gives the canyon walk and the cold water; the combination covers the history and the nature in the one day, and the lunch at the trout restaurants of the valley breaks the journey. The day trips from Kalkan combine well, and the planning of the pairings fills the days with the variety. The region delivers the rich days, and the combinations make the most of the stay.n
The Takeaway
The day trips from Kalkan reach the best of the Lycian coast: the ancient cities of Kaş, Xanthos, and Patara, the sunken city of Kekova, the ghost town of Kayaköy, the Saklıkent Gorge, and the beaches and the coves of the region. The distances are the short ones, and the variety is the remarkable one. The visitor who stays a week in Kalkan can see the ancient world, the natural wonders, and the turquoise sea — all within the day-trip radius.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Kalkan?
The sunken city of Kekova for the unique experience, and Patara for the beach and the ruins combined.
How far is Kas from Kalkan?
About twenty-five minutes along the coastal road, by car or dolmuş.
Can I visit the Saklikent Gorge from Kalkan?
Yes, the gorge is about an hour and a half away, and it makes a full-day trip.
Do I need a car for the Kalkan day trips?
The car gives the freedom, but the organized tours and the dolmuşes cover the popular routes.
Is the boat trip worth it from Kalkan?
Yes — the coast around Kalkan is the spectacular one, and the boat gives the views the roads cannot.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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