Kas

Hemmed in between the turquoise coast and a hard place, Kaş (pronounced Kash) remains relatively un-spoilt despite the tourism. The hard place we speak of is a mountain, which languidly reclines at 500m over the settlement. Locally it is known as ‘Yatan Adam’ –meaning Lying man, a name derived from its curious shape, like that of a person curled up on his side. In the spirit of Yatan Adam, the town’s inhabitants have adopted a similarly, relaxed pace of life. And it is this mellow ambience and its distinctive Mediterranean charm which has visitors returning year after year to this sleepy harbor town.

Despite this, Kaş also has plenty of water sport activities on offer for the adventurous at heart. Paragliding and scuba diving are readily available. And there’s a surplus of historical sites, like the rock tombs and Hellenistic theatre, remnants of the ancient Lycian town of Antiphellos, which was located here. Also popular are the coastal excursions to unmissable nearby locations like the Blue Cave, Üçağız and Kaleköy.

Once a place to which political dissidents were exiled, Kaş today is an idyllic retreat and an ideal base for exploring the region. Throughout the day, the waterfront restaurants and coffee houses are as much a buzz with tourists as they are with local clientele. Wealthy, retired Turks who have made a home for themselves here, sit about the shaded tea gardens, discussing politics and home-grown gossip. And the fishermen bring in their days catch at the harbour.