Kalkan Harbor at sunset
In 2007, my parents told me we were going to Kalkan for our 2 week summer holiday. I looked at them blankly and said "That's cool but where the hell is that?" Who knew that 6 years later, I would have visited Kalkan 4 times and proudly know it as my second home. This year marked my fourth time to the wonderfully idyllic Turkish town for three glorious weeks basking in the all day sunshine, thriving culture and eating some of the best cuisine in the whole country.
The small fishing town of Kalkan is hidden away from the large tourist cities such as Fethiye and Olu Deniz. A two hour drive away from both Dalaman and Antayla airport, it is the perfect place to go for some peace and quiet. However, when I visited this year, I have seen an increase in British tourists and even the odd teenage party goer flooding local bars such as Chocolate and Mojito's to celebrate the end of A level exams and the start of their new chapter at university. Despite it's ever growing popularity, it's not spoiling the breathtaking views that Kalkan has to offer. I never got tired of eating my breakfast or having a pre-dinner drink on the roof terrace gazing out towards the sea watching the boats come and leave the harbor.
The breathtaking view from our roof terrace at midday
Chilling by the pool while we do...well nothing
The flowers in Kalkan are extremely pretty, I just had to
My days were spent lounging around the pool in our apartment block topping up my tan. Virtually no sound can be heard as you lie there, whistling away all your worries about reality. The heat can get pretty unbearable though so I recommend toning down the tanning time between the hours of 11am-2pm.
Kalkan Beach Park - lazy days spent on a beautiful beach
If you ever wanted a change of scenery, there was also the option of going to the local beach park located on the other side of town. The free boat service leaves from the harbor regularly and gives you a 20 Turkish Lira off voucher for your food, drinks and other amenities over at the park per person in your party. There is a lot to do for kids and thrill seekers as they have a water sports center with the opportunity to ride jet skis, banana boats and crazy sofas (bring goggles for the inflatables - you'll thank me later!)
Traditional Turkish laterns lighting up the pretty cobbled streets
The nightlife within Kalkan is as relaxing as the day time. With over 200 restaurants to choose from with a mixture of foods on their menu, you are truly spoiled for choice. The restaurants I would personally recommend are Sade, Cafe Leon & Alternatif. If you go to Alternatif, there is only one thing you should be ordering and that is the plain steak. It's beautifully prepared, cooked and will provide you with one of the best eating experiences you'll ever have (see the evidence in the photo below).
A steak well and truly demolished - highly, highly recommended!
The beautiful hidden cove of Kalkan (featuring a mud bath to use at your will)
Our boat decorated with balloons and streamers (tinsel) for friend's birthday
Time for a swim!
The crew on the boat bought us a birthday cake - it was good stuff!
Another activity I highly recommend you do whilst on holiday is take one of the many boats from the harbor on a guided trip. They show you all the hidden coves of Kalkan across the beautiful, crystal clear blue ocean, giving you plenty of time to swim around with the fishes. The crew on board even cook you lunch and give you traditional Turkish tea and cakes for afternoon tea. My family and I went for a family friend's birthday and they decorated the boat with balloons and streamers. It's a truly amazing way to spend a day for a reasonable price.
Kalkan at a glance - mid morning shot at town - how perfect is it?!
My summer getaway this year was truly incredible. Three weeks in one of my favourite places in the world, especially during the stresses of A level results day, made me feel a lot more relaxed and made me forget all of my worries of school and reality. I also now know a lot of the locals a lot more than I used to. The Turkish family in the apartment below me even cooked me and my family a wonderful cheese omelette and prepared us a traditional Turkish breakfast with breads, honeys and many other wonderful jams with full sized fruit in it. The entire town of Kalkan now depends on tourists but that hasn't spoiled their hometown (in fact they kind of like the company of English people and our culture and funny accents)
Turkey isn't usually a place people consider going on holiday due to the rocky stability of their major city Istanbul with regards to riots and other violent acts. However, if you visit anywhere in Turkey, Kalkan is the best place anyone can offer to you.
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