turkish turquoise coast beyond the resorts
is Antalya for boring family vacations only? spoiler, no
Where I live, Türkiye isn’t seen as an exciting, trendy destination. Many people have been to Bodrum or Antalya on an affordable all-inclusive family vacation at least once, and view the country as a budget version of Greece.
I’ve never had the typical Turkish family holiday. But still, when I started travelling on my own, Türkiye wasn’t ever on my radar—maybe partly because of the reputation.
My interest in checking the country out is recent. I have some Turkish friends who are all incredible cooks, so I fell in love with the food before ever setting foot in Türkiye. Then, earlier this year, my sister announced that she would be hiking the Lycian Way. I’m not much of a hiker and using my limited PTO to walk a lot isn’t what I’d consider fun, but the pictures she showed me piqued my curiosity, and before I knew it, flights were booked.
My fiancé and I spent 10 days at the beginning of May 2025 driving along the Turquoise Coast, staying in Antalya, Kaş, and Çıralı along the way. Now I’m here to share my best tips, recommendations, and takeaways from this trip with you 🌸
Antalya
Antalya the city was where we flew in and out of the country, and we only stayed there for the absolute minimum time needed.
Unless you want to spend your trip buying designer knockoffs and drinking pints at the Irish pub, I recommend you rent a car (or catch a bus) and get out to the nicer, quieter sections of the coast.
Speaking of cars, we ended up getting scammed by our car rental, which is apparently a canon event, albeit one I’d gladly miss out on. The scammer company was called Right Cars, which looking back should have been an immediate red flag, but anyway—may this be your reminder to book with a reputable company. Not getting your deposit back turns out to be more expensive than paying a few extra liras per day.
Stay
We spent our first night at the Villa Italic Suites in Kaleiçi (the Old Town), a well-situated, lowkey yet comfortable accommodation I can wholeheartedly recommend.
On our last night, we ended up staying in a run-down, cheap hotel halfway to the airport for convenience.
TIP: If you’re renting a car, I don’t recommend you use it to get around Antalya city. The traffic can be hectic, and the public transport works just fine if you need to go somewhere that’s too far on foot.
Do & Eat
It’s not that there isn’t anything to do in and around Antalya - there 100% is. It’s just a bit too crowded, so we chose not to spend much time there in favor of places further up the coast.
We walked around the old town, the harbor, the bazaar, checked out a few shops, and called it a day. If we had more time, we would probably at least go see the waterfall and the beach.
TIP: For food, we got recommended Paşa Bey Kebap by the guys from our accommodation, and it was definitely my food highlight of the entire trip. Loved it so much that we came there again for our last dinner.
Kaş
The small, picturesque town of Kaş was the main focus of our trip. It’s a 3-hour drive from Antalya, and the roads are good once you get out of the city. We made a pit stop at the Phaselis Ancient City on the way there to see some ruins by the beach.
TIP: The entire coast has ruins, tombs, and other remains of the ancient Lycian civilization scattered all over so feel free to pick and choose which ones you want to see —you really don’t need to visit all the archaeological sites in the area unless you’re real life Indiana Jones.
From what I read and heard beforehand, I was under the impression that Kaş was sort of a hidden gem, but no. It’s a busy, touristy destination, especially popular among Russians, Chinese, and vacationing Turks. According to a Turkish couple we met, Kaş is the go-to spot for a romantic getaway in Türkiye. Who knew?
There are no big-name resorts in Kaş, the town isn’t overdeveloped for tourism, and it feels very picturesque, fairly authentic, and yes, romantic. It’s tiny, so you can explore it within a day, but there are plenty of things to do in the area that justify a longer stay.
We spent around 5 days total in Kaş, which seems to be more than most people do. For us, though, it felt like the perfect amount of time—and that’s coming from someone who gets bored easily.
Stay
The backpacker in me hates committing to one accommodation for the entire stay. I book a couple of nights in an area, and we go from there.
So naturally, we ended up staying in two different accommodations in two different areas of the same town. And I would do it all again!
Luna Kaş
Our first few days were spent at this nice boutique hotel up on the hill, just a short walk from the city centre.
It features a breathtaking view, the best Turkish breakfast, and a guy who brings you tea as soon as you sit down in the pool area—couldn’t ask for anything more, really.
Many accommodations around Kaş town seem to be of a similar style, but we were very happy with our choice.
Sole‘n’Blu
After checking out of Luna, we moved to the peninsula to the only hostel in the area.
Due to not having much competition, this place is all over TikTok (I swear I didn’t know beforehand). The property is gorgeous, clean, sports a nice big pool and even an air-conditioned coworking space, but at the beginning of May, it was rather empty and quiet. We spent most of our time on our private room balcony overlooking the ocean anyway, and loved our stay, but if I went there as a solo backpacker, I might not be so thrilled.
The accommodation is quite far from the main town. If you don’t have a car, you’re reliant on the bus that services the peninsula every so often to get around. There aren’t many food options in the area either, let alone budget-friendly ones. During the main season, the hostel organizes events and parties for guests, but during our stay, the social vibes weren’t all there.
Do
As I said, there’s no shortage of things to do in and around Kaş. Besides the obvious things like ✨go to the beach✨ and ✨get lost in the streets of the old town✨, here’s a list of activities we did (and one bonus one we ended up having to bail on).
Antiphellos sunset
Antiphellos was the name of the ancient Lycian city that existed long before Kaş, and it’s also the name of the well-preserved, free to access Greek theatre where you can bring a bottle of wine and watch the sunset while listening to buskers who still use the theatre for its original purpose—to put on a show.
Kaputaş beach
I know I said I wouldn’t be talking about beaches, but making the trip to Kaputaş beach is worth adding to your itinerary, as it really is a nice beach you can easily spend the entire day at. Just be aware that it can get a bit crowded.
Day trip to Greece
There is a tiny Greek island called Kastellorizo, or Meis in Turkish, only 20 minutes away from Kaş. The ferry ticket prices are pretty hefty (~30€ round trip + port fees), but the trip is worth every cent. If you ever wanted to live out your Mamma Mia fantasy somewhere gorgeous, quiet, and not ruined by overtourism, this is it.
Hike to Limanağzı Bay
The secluded Limanağzı bay is only accessible by boat or by hiking. Sure, the entire beach is occupied by beach clubs and if you want to lie down, you’ll have to purchase some mediocre overpriced food and drinks, but on the upside, it’s beautiful and we had almost the entire beach for ourselves when we went.
The hike there is part of the Lycian Way, and while this portion is short, it is quite steep and hard on the knees at times.
Turkish bath
The beginning of May doesn’t guarantee you good weather and we did have a few days of rain and gloomy skies, so we decided to unwind at a hammam. We went with Melisa spa, and while the traditional hammam experience isn’t very relaxing, combined with a nice massage, it ended up being just what the doctor ordered.
TIP: If you’re going to a Turkish spa, do it at the beginning of your trip. Before you manage to get sunburnt. It involves a lot of scrubbing.
Kekova sunken city
Probably the most famous Kaş activity is a day of exploring the sunken city of Kekova. You can do a boat tour, but we opted for the sea kayaks. No matter which means of transportation you choose, you will visit the same sites—a beach, the underwater ruins, and the Simena castle island. We booked this through our hostel Sole‘n’Blu, but many local companies offer this tour.
Bonus: scuba dive
Kaş is known for Türkiye’s best diving, offering a variety of wreck dives and underwater museums with antique amphorae. Sadly, we had to cancel our dives due to coming down with a cold from the first few rainy days, but we’d planned to go with Nautilus, one of the better-known shops, in case you’re wondering.
Eat
Throughout our stay, we had the opportunity to eat at a variety of restaurants, both budget and nicer. If I told you that something stood out though, I’d be lying. The great thing about the food in Türkiye is that it’s pretty much consistently delicious so unless you’re a real Turkish cuisine connoisseur, you’ll be fine no matter where you eat.
The only place I just have to mention it is the bakery. The easiest and cheapest way to fill your stomach without sacrificing deliciousness is to stop by and pick up some börek and sweet pastries. Thank me later.
Çıralı & Olympos
On our way back to Antalya, we spent a few chill days in the quiet town of Çıralı. Well, Olympos. Let me explain the confusing layout of this area.
Çıralı is the name of a long, scenic beach that looks like Ipanema. It is also the name of the village on the beach that reminded me of Puerto Viejo, or somewhere in Southeast Asia, or any other beloved hippie beach town that hasn’t gotten too popular yet.
Olympos is the name of the even smaller and even more hippie village on the other side of that same beach. It is also the name of (yet another) ancient city situated directly on the beach.
Çıralı and Olympos are connected by the beach, but driving between the two takes over 30 minutes one way, and I don’t know if other transport is even an option. On top of that, Olympos ancient city charges for entrance, so each time you walk between the two villages, or go to the beach from Olympos side, you should technically pay 10€.
Despite all the strange logistics, the vibes were impeccable, and I would have stayed longer had we had the time! This place also felt like a true hidden gem, and like something we managed to discover before the hype. The nature around is wild and unspoiled, offering many activities for the more adventurous. In early May, the beach and both villages felt very chilled out and nearly empty.
Stay
If it isn’t clear from the intro, I really, really beg you to stay on the Çıralı side to avoid the logistical nightmare we had to deal with. Yes, it will be more expensive, but you won’t have to walk through a literal river and then trespass into a ticketed area to avoid paying 10€ just to go to the beach.
The accommodations in the area (especially Olympos side) are very basic and often camping-style. We booked a wooden cabin in an orange orchard—lovely in theory, but after our comfy stays in Kaş, the downgrade had me in a bit of a shock.
FUN FACT: Many accommodations around Çıralı/Olympos are called treehouses, despite not being in actual trees. That’s because of Kadir’s Treehouses, a famous backpacker hostel and party spot that allegedly first put this area on the tourism map. Sadly, Kadir’s Treehouses were completely destroyed in 2024 in a devastating fire and there seems to be no plan to rebuild.
Do
Çıralı is probably my favorite beach from the trip, and it’s perfect for all-day lounging with a cheeky cocktail in hand. But there are other things to do and see.
TIP: Çıralı beach is also a famous nesting spot for loggerhead turtles! We came too early to spot any, but if you visit, watch out for eggs and turtles, as well as potential restrictions that might happen when hatching season hits.
Flames of Chimaera
The main attraction in Çıralı is undoubtedly the Eternal Flame of Chimaera. It sounds cooler than it looks, although I guess there aren’t that many places around the world that have constantly burning fires randomly coming out of a mountain.
You have to pay a small fee before making the short hike (another portion of the Lycian Way trail) to the flames. Don’t forget your marshmallows, and if you’re planning a chill bonfire night, just know that this place gets swarmed with tours from the resorts in neighboring Kemer.
Olympos ancient city
I do recommend paying the fee once and spending some time at this extensive archaeological site. But then again, I wouldn’t consider it a must, especially if you have already visited one of the other ancient cities in the region.
Ulupınar
This was our one big flop—don’t bother.
I found this village where you can dine in one of the many scenic river restaurants. I also saw videos of people fishing for trout directly from one of the wooden platforms, and the restaurant preparing the fish they caught for them—how fun?! I couldn’t find much info about this online, so we decided to investigate it ourselves.
Davdi & I arrived at Tropik restaurant at an odd hour, so it was almost empty. We were seated on one of the river platforms and informed that it’s not the right season for trout fishing. No biggie, we ordered some fish from the menu… and then proceeded to get mercilessly attacked by ducks throughout our entire dinner. They even took my sandals and dropped them in the water. It was also way too late when we realized that there was duck poop everywhere, and trying not to step in one was a whole obstacle course.
Food was nice, but was it worth all that? Hell no.
Things we didn’t do
There are a few other popular activities we passed on, but I want to mention them for completion.
Mt. Olympos - Hiking it wasn’t an option, we didn’t have the right gear—it’s a proper mountain, not an easy stroll. You can take the cable car there, but it’s quite pricey.
Suluada “Turkish Maldives” - This is a popular day trip for the resort dwellers and from what I’ve seen and heard, it gets extremely packed. Not worth it for us.
Eat
Just like Kaş, Çıralı has no shortage of well-rated, authentic restaurants with delicious food, so you can’t go wrong anywhere.
TIP: One place we loved was Mavi Bistro & Mutfak, a cozy garden restaurant run by a welcoming woman who loves cooking, and does it very damn well. The menu changes every day based on available ingredients & what she feels like making. Perfection.
Most proper restaurants, bakeries, and cafés are located in Çıralı, with Olympos mostly having just bars and fast food-y joints.
TL;DR
The purpose of our trip to Türkiye was just to enjoy a chill, hassle-free (but not boring) vacation—something I’m still learning to do after years of mostly adventurous backpacking trips.
The only negatives we experienced were the car scam and some unfriendly people. Mind you, I’m Czech, so my bar for friendliness is already in hell, yet I still managed to get taken aback by the attitude of some locals. But of course, we might have just gotten unlucky.
I also recommend learning some basics of Turkish and looking up how to pronounce their letters, because despite this being a quite touristy part of the country, we found that outside of Antalya city, most people didn’t speak any English at all.
If you’re someone who likes the sea, water activities, hiking, and eating insanely delicious food until you pop, I would 100% recommend taking the trip.
Finishing this guide off with a picture of me chilling next to an ancient tomb.
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fialka
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Wonderful guide, thank you!
I'm so glad you mentioned the Lycean Way even though it's not your thing. I didn't know about it before and it looks interesting!