Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast: Ölüdeniz and Kaş

Türkiye, June 2024

By Francisco Morais

March 1^st, 2025

In June 2024 we spent time between Ölüdeniz and Kaş, two very different places on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast. Ölüdeniz is known for its calm lagoon and paragliding over turquoise water, while Kaş offers a smaller-town feel with narrow streets, lively cafés, and easy access to ancient ruins and diving spots. Driving the coastal road between them, we found a mix of beaches, mountains, and villages that show the everyday rhythm of life in this part of Türkiye. This story brings together those impressions — not just the views, but the experience of being there.

Ölüdeniz — Sea & Lagoon

Our week in Ölüdeniz was a mix of sea, sun, and contrasts. By day, we joined boat rides that carried us across the turquoise coast, stopping at small islands and hidden coves where the water was so clear it felt unreal. Each trip was less about rushing from place to place and more about drifting — swimming, sunbathing on deck, and watching the coastline unfold from the sea. Evenings brought a different rhythm. Just a short drive uphill, Hisarönü came alive with bars, music, and late-night energy. It was the opposite of the calm beaches below, but part of the same experience — a reminder that this corner of Türkiye offers both quiet and celebration. And in between, some of the best moments were the simplest: lying on the sand of Ölüdeniz’s lagoon, doing nothing but enjoying the view of mountains meeting the sea.

Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast: Ölüdeniz and Kaş

Hisarönü: After Sunset

From quiet beaches to crowded bars, Ölüdeniz and Hisarönü show two sides of the same journey.

Kaş

Our days in Kaş felt slower, shaped by the sea and the small-town atmosphere. The old town, with its cobblestone streets and whitewashed houses covered in bougainvillea, was the perfect place to wander without a plan. From the harbor, boat rides took us to Kekova Island and Kaleköy, where ancient ruins rest just below the surface and Lycian tombs overlook the Mediterranean. Back in town, evenings meant simple pleasures: fresh seafood by the water, a quiet drink in a shaded square, or watching the sun set from the ancient theater. Kaş is less about rushing through sights and more about enjoying the rhythm of a coastal town that balances history, nature, and everyday life.

Streets of Kaş

The harbor is Kaş’s living room.

Cobblestone alleys, bougainvillea-covered houses, and the slow rhythm of a coastal town. Fishing boats, diving tours, and evening walks.

On the Water

Boat rides along the coast reveal hidden coves and islands, each stop a pause in turquoise clarity.

Kekova Island

Kekova Island is one of the most fascinating places along Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast. Reached by boat from Kaş, it is best known for the “sunken city,” the remains of an ancient Lycian settlement partly submerged after earthquakes centuries ago. From the deck you can see stone walls, stairways, and foundations disappearing into the water, a reminder of how history and nature coexist here. Nearby, the village of Kaleköy, crowned by a small castle, adds to the sense of timelessness. Visiting Kekova is less about sightseeing in the usual sense and more about drifting through layers of history, landscape, and sea.