Kaş: a Turkish gem

Kas, Turkey, by Packing my Suitcase

Many of you might have never heard of this little town in the Turkish Riviera before, some of you probably already did. I never did until I was reading a German diving magazine and discovered it is actually the best city for divers in Turkey, and that’s when I decided to check it out by myself.

While writing this text I thought about not recommending this city to you, or never mention about it to anyone at all! Why? Because I hope this city keeps being a gem, an amazing little place that almost no one ever heard of… but of course I am kidding, and I am more than happy to share a little bit more about the captivating and adventurous city of Kaş with you.

Kaş is a small town part of the Antalya province, with only 7,000 inhabitants, located between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. The city is still relatively unspoiled, and the reason for that its probably because getting there might not be the easiest task. It is necessary to fly either to Dalaman’s or Antalya’s airports, and from there take a bus, rent a car or arrange a transfer to reach the little town by driving through very narrow roads in the mountains.

Kaş seems like a little island, though surrounded by sea and mountain. The bad news is, there are no beaches, at least not the sand beaches we know, though very close to the city you can find amazing ones, like Kaputaş. However, don’t be sad, here comes the good news. Activities in Kaş vary and there are options for everyone’s tastes, from laying on the beach to snorkeling, from hiking to a boat trip to Greece, from paragliding to diving, taking a day trip to the famous sunken city of Kekova – considered to be the so called Atlantis – not to mention shopping in its little shops and eating amazing food in its restaurants.

Kaş is a place for people of every age and for relaxing away from your busy days; for getting to know the Turkish culture better, for trying new adventures, for watching an unforgettable sunset, for coming back. At the end of your trip you will probably know most people, cats and dogs of the city…

When to go

As you may imagine, the summer season between June and August it’s when the city opens its doors to the highest number of tourists. I went in mid September and it was simply the perfect time, when the boats were not full, when you can get a table on your favorite restaurant and at the same time with a lot going on, and as hot as 32C with the water temperature varying between 23C and 25C! So yes, September is a perfect month to visit the city.

Where to eat

When arriving in Kaş it’s impossible not to notice how many restaurants there are hidden among its narrow streets, so choosing one can take longer than expected and the choice can be very difficult to make. After spending 10 days in this little town, I had enough time to find my favorite spots, and here are the ones I went to more once and highly recommend:

Natur-El

This well located and very friendly restaurant offers amazing fresh food; and by fresh a mean really fresh, with local ingredients and everything cooked as you order. Their menu options vary from pasta to lamb and steak, their service is something, that type you get attached and it’s hard to say goodbye! I enjoyed every single meal I had there, and according to my count, in one week I went there 5 times. If you ever go there, say hi to the owner for me!

Cafe Mola

This place is a gem in Kaş! There are only 6 tables, and its basically always full. Get a table there and you won’t regret! Try their homemade lemonade and their lemon and sugar crêpe, all that for a great price.

Sarpedon’s Burger

I found this place a bit hidden and after checking their pretty cool menu I decided to give it a try and ended up returning there. Their specialty is burger… amazing burgers! In Kaş most of the restaurants have the same food offer, and what differs one restaurant from another it the quality and taste… but here they bet in offering something different from the others.

Dedikodu Garden Coffee House

This little cute place is right beside Natur-El and it’s the perfect spot to have a coffee, tea and dessert. Their cakes and cheesecakes are to die for, as well as their cinnamon and almonds mini cookies!

Where to stay

In Kaş you won’t find any resort or luxury accommodations. Pensions, guesthouses, Airbnb and small hotels are your options, and in my opinion that is also another reason for making this city so especial: everyone meets up in the center city and get to know the locals, getting the feeling of the place.

I stayed at Puya Pension, and it was ideal for W and me. It was recently renovated so the room was very new. However, the Internet was not the best, the shower was hard to regulate the temperature and the breakfast was not my favorite with limited options. On the other hand it was very clean, confortable, in a great location, the price was fair and the owners were very helpful and extremely friendly. I would stay there again.

Kas, Turkey, by Packing my Suitcase

Getting there

My advice is: fly to Dalaman and arrange a transfer – normally provided by diving centers or local tourist agencies – to take you from the airport to Kaş.

Distance from Dalaman’s Airport to Kaş: 146Km (approximately 2h30min)

Transfer price: between 50-60 Euros per person both ways

Important remarks:

Antalya’s airport is further, 187Km away and it takes around 3h30min to Kaş, so unless your previous destination is Antalya, flying over to Dalaman is faster.

When arriving at Dalaman’s airport, make sure you let your transfer know in which terminal you arrived: Domestic or International, otherwise you might wait and wait…

Kas, Turkey, by Packing my Suitcase

Kaş is really a Turkish gem and you might want to go there soon, before it becomes too popular!

*While in Kaş I have sent 5 postcards to 5 people from different countries around the World; a little giveaway campaign launched on Packing my Suitcase’s Instagram:

Kas, Turkey, by Packing my Suitcase

If you didn’t have the chance to take part, don’t worry; there will be more coming up! Stay tuned for more giveaways on:

About Allane

A Brazilian living in Germany. Married to Wolfi, mommy to Madu and Fitz, our Golden Retriever. Traveler, writer, photographer, diver, wine appreciator, dog Formula 1 fan. City girl, nature lover, believer of a better world one little change at a time.