Kaş and Kalkan: The Quieter, Boutique Side of the Turquoise Coast

Not everyone wants a huge all-inclusive resort. West of Antalya, along the Lycian coast, lie two towns that offer something different: Kaş and Kalkan, a pair of whitewashed, bougainvillea-draped harbours that trade big-resort scale for boutique charm, good food and clear water. They are the stylish, low-key side of the Turquoise Coast, and even if you are staying elsewhere, they make a lovely day out.

Kalkan tumbles down a steep hillside to a small harbour, its white houses hung with bougainvillea and its lanes full of boutique shops and restaurants. It is best known for its rooftop dining scene — dozens of restaurants with terraces looking out over the harbour and the sea, where dinner as the sun sets is the evening's main event. Elegant, a little upmarket and very pretty, Kalkan is the coast at its most romantic.

A little further along, Kaş has a more relaxed, bohemian feel. Its palm-lined square, ancient Lycian tombs standing casually among the modern streets, and a harbour looking across to the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo) give it real character. Kaş is also the coast's diving capital, with clear water and dramatic underwater scenery drawing divers from all over. It is arty, easygoing and full of small cafés and shops — a place to wander and linger.

Whether you visit for a day or stay a while, Kaş and Kalkan offer a change of gear from the big resorts. As a day trip from further east they are a longer drive, but the reward is a genuinely different atmosphere — a real town rather than a resort strip, with independent restaurants, sea views and Lycian history woven through. For travellers who find the big resorts too much, they are also a wonderful base in their own right.

Kaş and Kalkan sit well to the west along the coast, so from Antalya or the eastern resorts they are a longer drive — a full day out rather than a quick trip. The coastal road there is beautiful, winding above the sea, and that is part of the pleasure, but it does mean planning the day around the travel. It is worth it: few places on the coast reward the journey more.

The drive to Kaş and Kalkan is scenic but long and winding, and both towns are about strolling, dining and lingering into the evening rather than a quick stop. A private transfer means the beautiful coast road is a comfortable pleasure rather than a chore, you can stay for a rooftop dinner as the sun sets, and you are driven home afterwards without worrying about a long night drive. For an evening in Kalkan especially, that is exactly the right way to do it.

• Allow a full day given the drive, and consider staying for dinner.
• Book a rooftop restaurant in Kalkan for sunset if dining is part of the plan.
• Bring swimwear for Kaş if you want to enjoy its clear water or a boat trip.
• The coast road is winding — a comfortable car makes the journey far nicer.

Kaş and Kalkan are the Turquoise Coast for those who want charm over scale: whitewashed lanes, rooftop dinners over the harbour, clear diving water and Lycian tombs among the streets. They are a longer drive west, but a beautiful one, and a private transfer turns that journey into part of the pleasure — letting you linger for a sunset dinner and be driven home in comfort. The coast's most stylish day out.