Getting There
Halfway between Dalaman and Antalya airports, Kalkan lies along the southwestern coast of the Mediterranean. If you're arriving by long-distance bus, direct service is available year-round from Istanbul with Pamukkale (tel. 444-3535; 12 hr., 75TL) leaving at 9pm nightly (on its way through to Kas), and from Izmir (8 hr., 38TL), leaving at 12:30 and at 10pm. The luxury Kamil Koç (tel. 0800/293-1115) also serves the long-distance routes to Istanbul, Ankara, and locally, to Ortaca and Dalaman. From Kas (via minibus) it's about a half-hour (3TL), and to/from Antalya it's about 3 1/2 hours (19TL).
Independent travelers from Dalaman Airport are up against a series of transfers, including the one from the airport to the Dalaman bus station, which must be done by taxi. From the bus station, you can either catch a through-bus headed to Izmir (double-check that it stops in Kalkan) or take a minibus. Or, you could hop on the Havas shuttle to Fethiye (1 hr., 20TL) and then transfer at the Fethiye otogar for a minibus into Kalkan. Adda Tours (tel. 0242/844-3610; www.addatours.com) offers private transfer from Dalaman Airport for around £50 for up to four people (1 hour and 45 minutes) and from Antalya Airport for £90 (4 hrs). Better yet, if you rent a car through them, they'll send a driver to the airport with your car for an additional £20.
Perhaps most convenient is to visit Kalkan as a port of call on a Blue Voyage. (If you're taking a Blue Voyage, it's worth trying to coax your captain into stopping in Kalkan for an overnight visit.)
Visitor Information
There is no tourist information office in Kalkan. A good source of information before you go is Enjoy Kalkan (www.enjoykalkan.com). Thursday is market day.
There are a number of banks in Kalkan, all located on Sehitler Caddesi: Akbank (no. 26; tel. 0242/844-1440), Deniz Bank (no. 19; tel. 0242/844-1383), Garanti (no. 6; tel. 0242/844-1499), Yapi Kredi (no. 43; tel. 0242/844-3892), and Ziraat Bankasi[id] (no. 18; tel. 0242/844-1601).
At the marina, you can take care of the basics, such as the use of coin-operated public toilets, showers, or laundry facilities, or hire a local boat and captain for the day.
Orientation
The historically preserved village of Kalkan is built on a steep hillside that tumbles steeply into the bay, enclosed by rocky and rugged mountains. Although years ago I was told that because of this rocky topography, the village could not succumb to sprawl, economic interests have obviously overturned any reticence on the part of the municipality to welcome further development. Building (mostly of hotels and private villas) persists along the scenic road into Kalkan and out to lovely Kalamar Bay, yet thankfully, the center of Kalkan remains as compact and preserved as it ever was. The main square sits at the top of the village, serving as a parking lot as well as the town's miniscule commercial center. There are two or three bus company offices, some travel agencies, a barber, a PTT, and a handful of bodegas for essential refills of water. The crisscross of narrow streets packed with restaurants, pensions, and shops from the main square down to the marina is known as the catchall Yaliboyu neighborhood. This absence of definitive street addresses may at first seem odd, but even though nobody uses a street address, it's unlikely you'll get lost. All of the charming little roads and stairpaths lead to the harbor and marina, and you will find yourself trekking up and down countless times a day.
Getting Around
Kalkan center is primarily a pedestrian village of limited size. The main square is closed to incoming traffic, requiring automobiles to circle down to the marina, turn left at the harborfront road, and left again back up the hill to the main square. Some of the hotels lining the road out of the village are still within walking distance, but anything beyond that may require wheels. If you're entering the village by car, be aware that the harbor road closes to traffic at 7pm, so you'll need to be settled in (or plan to leave your car at the top of the village) by then. If you have trouble walking up and down steep inclines, Kalkan is not for you. For day-tripping, dolmuses are an easy, cheap and truly scenic mode of local transport and depart regularly to most of the area attractions recommended here. Note: The Kalkan Taxi Cooperative (locally called the taxi mafia) charges the highest rates in all of Turkey: 15TL for 1.5km/under a mile.
By Dolmus -- Dolmuses leave from the main square regularly (as soon as they fill up), heading east toward Kas or west to Patara and points beyond. There are also dolmuses that depart to specific destinations; these run on a timetable (and you'll have to buy your ticket at the ticket window in advance). In general, dolmus service back into Kalkan ends as early as 6pm, so if you pop out of town for the day, make sure you have a ride home.
By Bus -- There is a limited number of major bus companies in Kalkan, generally servicing only the longer hauls. Destinations and schedules are posted on placards outside the few minuscule ticket offices located on the main square. It's usually okay to buy your ticket at the office just prior to boarding.
If you're headed to or from any of the towns along the coast up to Antalya, catch one of Bati Antalya Tur's (tel. 0242/844-2777) air-conditioned buses and head out early in the morning -- the lack of traffic can shorten your trip by up to an hour; from Antalya, it'll cost around 19TL.
By Car/Scooter -- It's almost impossible not to trip over a sign touting the rental of a scooter, car, or jeep. You'll find the scooters up in the main square across from the post office and car rentals through most travel agencies for around £22 per day and up, depending on the model and the length of the rental.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
