Kaş
A whitewashed former Greek fishing town on Turkey's Lycian coast, Kaş curls around a small harbour where wooden gulets moor beneath bougainvillaea and dinner tables edge the water.
- Best forCouples · Divers & snorkellers · Walkers & hikers
- In June29°C · 4 rainy days · sea 26°C
- Ideal stay4-5 nights
- Approx. flying time~14h 15m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyTRYTurkish lira
- LanguageTurkish
- Local time12:232h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+90
Why go
Set on a peninsula where the Taurus mountains drop into the sea, this is a small town of steep lanes, Ottoman and Greek houses and jacaranda trees, with a Lycian rock tomb standing in the middle of a residential street. The harbour is the centre of everything and the evenings revolve around it. Swimming is off concrete platforms and rock ledges rather than sand, and the water is clear enough that nobody minds.
Four or five nights suits it, longer if you use the town as a base for boat days and walking. The Lycian Way passes close by, Kaputaş and Patara lie along the coast road west, and Dalaman and Antalya airports are each a few hours away. High summer is hot and busy, while spring and October are far kinder. Families wanting sand from the doorstep should look at Patara instead.
- Ideal stay
- 4-5 nights
- The vibe
- Bougainvillaea, boats, easy evenings
From our guides
Swimming is off ladders and little lidos around the peninsula, and the ludicrously turquoise Kaputaş beach is twenty minutes away by dolmuş. Take a sea kayak over the sunken ruins of Kekova for the classic day out. May, June and October dodge the fiercest of the heat.
Featured in Ten lovely beach towns for lazy harbourside evenings
Things to do
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Kaputaş beach
A slot of turquoise water at the bottom of a gorge, reached by a long flight of steps down from the coast road. Go early, as there is almost no shade.
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Kekova and the sunken city
Boat and sea-kayak trips pass Lycian ruins half submerged by ancient earthquakes, with the castle village of Simena and its harbour above the waterline.
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The Lycian Way
Turkey's long-distance coastal path runs through the area, and even a few hours on it delivers cliff sections, ruins and coves with nobody in them.
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Antiphellos theatre
The Hellenistic theatre on the western edge of town looks straight out to sea and is the standard walk for sunset.
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Patara
Kilometres of dune-backed sand west along the coast, with a substantial Lycian ruin behind it and loggerhead turtles nesting in season.
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Diving and snorkelling
This is one of Turkey's better dive bases, with wrecks, walls and reliable visibility from spring through to autumn.
Getting there
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Fly to
Dalaman (DLM)
Nearest airport to Kaş, about 95km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Kas
Ignore tiny Kastelorizo (KZS) across the water in Greece. Dalaman is the practical airport, about three hours by car east along the coast road, while Antalya is roughly three and a half hours from the other direction. Coaches run to Kas from both.
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On the ground
Getting around
The harbour town is small and steep and best walked. Dolmus minibuses run west to Kaputas beach and Kalkan in about 20 to 30 minutes, and boats leave the harbour daily for Kekova and the sunken ruins.
Public transport: Dolmus minibuses along the coast road are frequent and cheap in season, and long-distance coaches connect to Fethiye and Antalya. A car only helps for the inland Lycian sites.
Flights
Los Angeles Kaş, Turkey
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about 16°C in January to 33°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in January, with rain on about 14 days. The sea is warmest in August at around 30°C, coolest at 18°C.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
June29° · rain 4 days · sea 26°Warm with the odd shower.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — April to October. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Small boutique hotels, family pensions and apartments, many adults-only on the peninsula. Very few large resorts and no all-inclusive strips, which is precisely why people choose Kas over Kalkan.
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Best base overall
Kas old town
The lanes above the harbour put the waterfront restaurants, the dive shops and the dolmus stop at your feet. Streets are steep and narrow, parking is difficult and bar noise carries in summer.
Find stays in Kas old town -
Best for couples
Cukurbag Peninsula
The finger of land west of town, lined with small hotels that have sea platforms and sunset views. It is a twenty-minute walk or a short taxi into town, uphill on the way back.
Find stays in Cukurbag Peninsula -
Best with children
Kucuk Cakil
The pebble bay just east of the harbour, with lidos, ladders into calm water and hotels a few steps from it. Pebbles rather than sand, so bring swimming shoes.
Find stays in Kucuk Cakil -
Best value
The upper town
Behind the centre, around Yeni Cami and the streets climbing towards the main road, pensions cost noticeably less. No views to speak of, and you walk down to everything.
Find stays in The upper town
Worth knowing before you book: July and August are hot and fully booked, and several peninsula hotels do not take children. Check that policy, and check how far the sea platform actually is.
Search everything else in Kas by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Dalaman and Antalya are the nearest airports, both roughly three to four hours away. Buses run along the coast, but a hire car makes the beaches easier.
- Swimming
- Most swimming is from ladders and platforms rather than sand, so bring water shoes for the rocky entries.
- Timing
- May, June, September and October give warm sea without the peak heat or the August crowds.
- Cash or card
- Cards are widely accepted, but keep lira for dolmuş fares, market stalls and beach club entry.
- Driving
- The coast road is spectacular and slow, full of hairpins and tour coaches. Allow far longer than the distances suggest.
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Kaş?
For warm, mostly dry days, April to October. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 16°C in January to 33°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in January, with rain on about 14 days. The sea is warmest in August at around 30°C, coolest at 18°C.
How long should I spend in Kaş?
Our suggestion: 4-5 nights.
How do I get to Kaş?
Ignore tiny Kastelorizo (KZS) across the water in Greece. Dalaman is the practical airport, about three hours by car east along the coast road, while Antalya is roughly three and a half hours from the other direction. Coaches run to Kas from both.
Do I need a car in Kaş?
No. Dolmus minibuses along the coast road are frequent and cheap in season, and long-distance coaches connect to Fethiye and Antalya. A car only helps for the inland Lycian sites.
What currency and language are used in Kaş?
Currency: Turkish lira (TRY). Language: Turkish. Plugs: type C and F.
Who is Kaş best for?
Best for couples, divers & snorkellers and walkers & hikers. In a phrase: bougainvillaea, boats, easy evenings.