Kaş (Kas), once an unspoiled fishing village, is now a relatively unspoiled tourist town on the southern bulge of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast two hours’ drive southeast of Fethiye and three hours’ drive southwest of Antalya.
Despite dozens of new hotels and pensions, Kaş (KAHSH) still has charm, part of which comes from its setting at the foot of a wall of mountains facing the sparkling Mediterranean.
Another part of its charm comes from Kaş’s unhurried ambience. Because it is hours away from the Mediterranean’s two major airports (Antalya and Dalaman), it gets fewer visitors than towns that are more quickly accessible.
Ruins of the ancient town of Antiphellos mix with modern buildings in Kaş. Across the water to the south lies the Greek island of Megisti (Kastellorizo; Meis Adası in Turkish). You can go there easily for a day trip.
Kaş’s beaches are small, pebbly and apt to be crowded, so visitors in search of a broad, long sand beach drive west to Patara.
Otherwise, visitors to Kaş spend time in waterfront coffee-houses and restaurants, take boat trips to nearby Üçağız and Kaleköy or the Blue Cave, visit the neighboring village of Kalkan, or walk up the mountain to the cliff tombs.
Kaş is also a good base for exploring the plentiful ancient Lycian cities and archeological sites such as Demre (Kale), Patara, Xanthos (Kınık), Letoön, Saklıkent and Tlos.