Compare · Turkey for British travellers
Two of the prettiest Mediterranean towns in Turkey, thirty minutes apart and very different.
Kalkan and Kas both sit on the Lycian coast 2.5 hours from Dalaman airport, both have whitewashed-Ottoman charm, and both attract the same kind of British client who has outgrown the all-inclusive resorts. But they offer different holidays. Kalkan is a hillside village famous for clifftop villas with private pools, glass-walled fish restaurants over the harbour and a clear honeymoon-and-private-villa identity. Kas is a working harbour town on flat ground around a Lycian theatre, with boutique hotels, the best diving in Turkey and a lively bohemian high street.
Our verdict
Pick Kalkan for villas with private pools, gourmet harbour dining and a hillside-honeymoon feel; pick Kas for boutique hotels, diving, Greek-island day-trips and a younger town feel.
| Factor | Kalkan | Kas |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Villa groups, honeymooners, couples wanting privacy | Divers, boutique-hotel seekers, walkers, foodies |
| Hotels and villas | Mostly private clifftop villas with pool | Boutique B&Bs and design hotels in town |
| Town beach | Small pebble bay below town | Rocky harbour and small swim platforms |
| Famous beach | Patara (40 min west) | Kaputas (15 min west, between the two) |
| Transfer from Dalaman (DLM) | 2 hours | 2h 30m |
| Best for diving | Limited, mostly day-boats | Best diving in Turkey, PADI courses from £85 |
| Greek island day-trip | No direct ferry | Yes, Meis (Kastellorizo) 35 min |
| British direct flights | Daily DLM ex-LGW, MAN, BHX, BRS, NCL | Daily DLM ex-LGW, MAN, BHX, BRS, NCL |
Kalkan is a steep village built into a cliff — every street is a hill, every restaurant is a rooftop, and most accommodation is private villas higher up the slope. Kas is on flat ground at the head of a bay, built around a Hellenistic theatre, with the entire centre walkable in fifteen minutes. Couples who want privacy and dramatic views go to Kalkan; couples who want a buzzy harbour and shorter walks go to Kas.
Kalkan is essentially a villa-and-restaurant holiday. Most clients spend mornings by their pool, drive to Patara beach (20 km of empty Roman-era sand), and return for dinner at a famous harbour restaurant (Aubergine, Korsan Fish Terrace, Kalamaki). Kas is more activity-led: dive day, Meis ferry, Lycian Way walk, Kekova kayak, sea-kayak around the sunken city.
Kalkan and Kas are 30 minutes apart on the spectacular D400. Many British clients now do four nights in Kalkan plus three in Kas, or vice versa. Transfer between the two is 25 to 30 minutes by private car (we include it free in combination packages). Kaputas Beach sits between the two and is the prettiest Mediterranean swim in Turkey.
Kas, generally. Teenagers appreciate the diving, the Meis day-trip, the harbour evening atmosphere and the choice of activities. Kalkan is private-villa and restaurant-led which younger teenagers can find slow. Families with under-tens are usually happier in a Kalkan villa with private pool.
Kalkan, marginally. The Kalkan harbour scene has eight to ten internationally-recognised restaurants (Aubergine, Korsan, Trio, Patara Stone House) and the standard of cooking and wine is the highest on the Turkish coast. Kas has lovely meze restaurants and one or two excellent fish places but the gourmet density is lower.
Kas — boutique B&B in Kas runs from around £85 a night versus £160-plus for a Kalkan villa night with pool. For a non-villa couples holiday, Kas wins on value. For a six-to-ten-person group taking a villa, Kalkan can work out cheaper per head.
Possible but not ideal. Kas has the dive shops, the certified instructors and the wreck sites; clients staying in Kalkan can join a Kas-based day-boat at extra transfer cost. If diving is the holiday, stay in Kas.
Yes — the D400 is a tarmacked two-lane coast road with regular passing places, but there are very tight switchbacks above Kaputas and we always recommend a private driver rather than self-drive for first-time visitors. Hire cars are popular with confident UK drivers and we can arrange them on request.
A quick WhatsApp and we will quote both options side-by-side, ATOL-protected and TÜRSAB Licence #14817.
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