The Ultimate Travel Guide to Kas, Turkey

I first met Kaş more than 10 years ago, thanks to scuba diving. Kaş and Kalkan were our favorite places for diving. Since then, I had the opportunity to spend many vacations in Kaş. Kaş has always been beautiful, it is still beautiful, and it is one of my favorite holiday destinations in Turkey. I think it attracts all kinds of travelers with its beaches where you can see every shade of turquoise, cute streets, historical ruins, many places to visit around it, hotels suitable for different budgets and tastes. If you haven’t been there yet, definitely make a plan. Now I will try to give you Kas travel notes based on all my experiences. Here is the Kas travel guide for you…

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How to get to Kas? Kas Transportation

The closest airport to Kas is Dalaman. From Dalaman you can take one of the shared Kas shuttles or you can take a bus from Fethiye bus station, it is also possible to arrange a private transfer. Renting a car is of course the most comfortable option, it’s a 2.5 hour drive, and I must say that it’s quite a winding road towards the end. I’ve driven myself before and I wouldn’t recommend it to those who don’t like winding roads. If you land at Antalya airport, there is a public shuttle service to Kaş. You can go directly to Kaş with the shuttle or you can go to the bus station with Havaş and take Kaş buses. If you prefer to drive, you will have to travel for 3 hours. Transportation in Kas is very easy, usually on foot, sometimes by minibuses or at least by taxi. You can find taxis almost everywhere and the minibuses pass every 1 hour. Cars are not allowed around the bars and restaurants in the center, if you are in a car you will have to park a little bit outside. If you go without children, I can recommend renting a motorbike.

Where to Stay in Kas? Kas Accommodation

If you want to stay in the center of Kaş, there are many nice and affordable hotels nd guesthouses, you can look for one of them. If you stay in the center, you can go everywhere on foot in a short time except Kaputaş beach, Büyük Çakıl, Hidayet Bay and Limanağzı. We chose Hotel Luna for accommodation on our last visit. I can say that we were generally satisfied. The location is a little bit above, but there is a staircase where you can go directly to the center, so you are in Kas within 3-5 minutes by walking. Of course, do not forget that you need to use this staircase again on your way back. 😊 Our room was on the garden floor and it was quite simple, we had a refrigerator. There are rooms with sea view on different floors, of course their interior may be different. I think the breakfast was very successful, there was a lot of variety, the products were high quality and delicious. Other hotels that I liked very much and would recommend are as follows: Luff Boutique Hotel – Adult Only, Luff Suites, Neva Boutique Hotel, Kuytu Terrace, Kaş Köy Hotel, Kaş Joy Glamping.

Alternatively you can stay in Kalkan wihich is very close to Kaş. I highly suggest Fidanka Hotel to stay in Kalkan.

Where to swim in Kas? Kas Beaches

I think Kaş beaches are the most beautiful beaches in our country. In my opinion, they have the ideal temperature, they are sparkling and they are everywhere. So even any ordinary beach you see on the way to Kaş is calling you to “come and swim here”.

Küçük Çakıl Derya Beach in the center is one of my favorite places in Kaş. The pizzas, music and cocktails are good. Right opposite Derya Beach is Çınarlar. You don’t pay for entrance or sunbeds in these places, you just pay for what you eat and drink, there is a minimum spending limit but I think what you eat will cover it. In the middle of these two places is Küçük Çakıl Beach where you can swim for free. Büyük Çakıl beach is also one of my favorites. There you have to pay for sunbeds and umbrella or you have to eat and drink something from the place.

You pay for a sunbed and umbrella at Blanca Beach in Hidayet Bay. The sea here is very beautiful but it gets very crowded, you need to go very early in the morning. On the way to Hidayet Bay, there is Incebogaz beach at the very beginning of the peninsula, I think the water here is also legendary, but there are no facilities on this beach. I recommend going to Kaputaş early in the morning, it is very popular and the sunbeds fill up around noon. The municipality runs this beach and if you use it you pay for sunbeds and umbrellas. There is also a municipality facility for food, the prices are affordable. On the way from Kaş to Kaputaş, there are 2 beaches with facilities: Seyret Çakıl and Akçagerme. You pay for sunbeds and umbrellas here too.

I receive a lot of messages saying that you can’t go to Kaş with children, I think this is because there are not many sandy and shallow beaches. I can’t say that the water temperature is very warm, but it is cold enough to get used to when you get into it, which is my favorite temperature. In any case, based on our experience with my son, Limanağzı was our favorite beach, I think it is the most suitable place for children, and the best of the beaches there is Bilal’s place, we also love Delos. To find a place at Bilal’s either make a reservation or go early. The sea minibuses departing from Kaş Liman stop at all the beaches there, other places in Limanağzı are La Moda and Nuri’s Beach.

At all the beaches in Kaş, even at the establishments that charge for umbrellas and sunbeds, you can swim without having to pay any fee if you are not going to use the facility.

Where to Eat in Kas? Kas Food and Drink Guide

The most popular and my favorite taverns in Kaş: Nereid, Zaika and Ruhi Bey Meyhanesi. It’s hard to find a seat at Zaika in the evenings, so if you go before dinner, you’ll find a place more easily. Other places I haven’t tried but highly recommended are Sardelaki, Smiley’s, Gaia, Piraye, Üzüm Kızı, Memedin Yeri, Müptela Ocakbaşı. Oburus Momus serves vegetarian food, has a great garden right in front of the sea and the food is very good. I recommend Lily’s Corner for their pizza. Kaşık Mantı’s house pasta and ravioli are not bad at all. Biiisstt and Frida Pub are good for a drink. Also, I must mention Mavi, which has been in Kaş for ages and immediately attracts your attention with its colorful tables in the piazza, and Deja Vu, with its sunset, which has been a preferred choice for years.

I’ll recommend a hamburger place called Bunbun, but they make their hamburger buns in the Far Eastern style, a very different kind of fluffy bread. We tried it with meat, they made it with tandoori meat, it was very legendary, we really loved it. They also have different kinds of meatballs, falafel, etc. If you feel like eating something like this for dinner one day, I recommend it. When I was writing about the beaches, I mentioned the pizza at Derya Beach, but I will mention it here too, because I find it really successful. Since I love falafel, I went to Falafel Dürüm one day, which serves falafel in a small buffet, you can eat it as a wrap or as a portion, it was good. For nightlife I would recommend two places with live music, Echo and Miromara, both the bands and the atmosphere are good.

Things to see and do in Kas

Uzun Çarşı is one of the most photogenic places you can visit in Kaş. There is a King’s Tomb at the top of the Long Bazaar, I think it is very valuable to see such historical monuments while just wandering around. Apart from that, the square where the statue of Atatürk is located and the shopping bazaar you will see when you take the first left turn from there are also places you should visit. Kas is not a very big place, you have to go in and out of every street, there will always be little surprises waiting for you. Kas is also a shopper’s paradise, you can find bohemian clothes, extremely cute ceramics and many other souvenirs. Also, make sure to go to the Antiphellos Ancient Theater from the Hellenistic period, it’s nice to go at sunset, but you’ll have a great view at any time of the day. You will definitely come across ancient ruins while walking on the streets, every corner is a paradise.

Things to see and do in Kas

Kekova boat tour is a must activity in Kaş! There are lots of boats waiting at the harbor and they have stands in front of them for sale. You can decide on the boat you like by asking what you would like to know. There are also shops belonging to the tours in the shopping bazaar. My recommendation is to choose Xanthos. The fact that there is no music on the boat, that it accepts guests well below capacity (25 people on a 55-passenger boat) and that it departs from Üçağız instead of Kaş are plus points. The guide’s explanations during the tour are very detailed and good. You go to Üçağız by minibus, and when you leave from Üçağız, you have the chance to go to more places and swim more, instead of the long time on the boat. The food is also delicious, but the price is more expensive than other tours, children are not charged. No matter which tour you go with, make sure you do this tour. The other boat that is most recommended to me is Engin Kaptan, I think his boat is a little smaller and leaves from Kaş Harbor. Let me talk a little bit about the content of the Kekova tour. First you go to Akvaryum Bay, it is really like an aquarium. Then Tersane Bay, Pirate’s Cave, Sunken City, dinner in Gökkaya Bay, Burç Bay, Kaleköy and finally we finish our trip with Boğaz Bay and arrive in Üçağız. There is a break for at least 1 hour at each point, so you have plenty of time to enjoy. I thought the variety and flavor of the food was really good. Kaleköy is a really beautiful place, the other name is Simena, you can even choose it for accommodation. You can go up to the castle. I can say that eating homemade ice cream here is a must. You can also do islands tour from Kaş. The best boats for islands tour are Tia and Tufan Boat.

Things to see and do in Kas

If you have an extra full day to spend in Kaş, I recommend you to visit Saklikent Canyon. First you cross a suspension bridge adjacent to the canyon walls, then you walk 200 meters in a buzzing water that reaches your knees at most. Here you feel a little pain in your ankles because of the cold water. Then you walk about 1 km in ankle-deep and warm water. Do not go with slippers, wear hard-soled sea shoes or sandals suitable for getting wet. Actually the canyon is 18 km but after some point it gets very narrow and there are some obstacles. There were families with children of all ages, so you can go with children, but you may have some difficulty with a child on your lap in the part where you walk in the flowing water on the stones. You can also participate in rafting activities from Saklikent. There is also Gizlikent Waterfall 2 km away from Saklikent, where you walk through the water and reach the waterfall, there is also a short but enjoyable zipline opportunity. Saklikent is 1 hour away from Kas and you can go to Saklikent individually with your own car or with a tour. I went with Xanthos tour again and I recommend it. The last point of the tour is Patara, where you have a break for 1 hour, you can either visit the ancient city or swim in the sea. Patara sea is very wavy but sandy and clean.

When to go to Kas? How Many Days to Stay in Kas?

Kaş is one of the rare places to visit in every season in Turkiye. You can go in spring and summer, including April and October for the sea season. Keep in mind that it is really hot in the summer, you should spend the daytime in the magnificent sea and take care of the places to visit in the early morning and late afternoon. If you ask how long to stay in Kaş, I think 4 nights and 5 days is ideal, enough for both sightseeing and beach time. You can easily add a few more days, so if you spend your entire 1-week vacation in Kaş, you won’t have time to get bored. If you only think of making a weekend plan, you will not be able to enjoy it fully, I think you should add a minimum of 2 days.

I hope you will benefit from my Kas Travel Guide article while making plans for Kaş. There may be something I have missed, if there are other things you want to ask, please leave it as a comment. If you have any extra suggestions, I would also welcome them in the comments. 🙂

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