If it’s an ‘authentic’ Turkish resort experience your clients are after then Kalkan is a peach. Nestled in a curved bay on the Lycian coast between Kas and Fethiye, with a mountain backdrop, this beguiling old fishing town is easy on the eye.
Traditional white-washed houses, many framed by colourful bougainvillea, tumble down the hillside to the pretty harbour where, in the evening, tourists gather in the restaurants to watch the sun set over the eastern Med and feast on the catch of the day.
And while it remains relatively compact, Kalkan is also blessed with a strong tourism infrastructure, with a wealth of boutique-style hotels, villas, bars and restaurants.
Andrew Lee, managing director of Exclusive Escapes, points to the strict control on new developments which has helped the resort maintain its appeal. “I’ve known Kalkan since the 1980s and to this day the thing you still hear is ‘I am glad I got here before it is spoiled’,” he says.
This, combined with the lack of large hotels and relative distance from the nearest airport – Dalaman is an hour and 45 minutes’ drive – has helped keep
it under the mass tourism radar.
Anatolian Sky marketing manager Steve Goodenough recommends it for mid to upmarket clients as it offers a more authentically Turkish alternative to resorts such as Marmaris. “Kalkan has one of the highest levels of repeat business in our brochure,” he says. “It is stylish but laidback, very peaceful and with really good restaurants. It is not ideal for young children, but the right type of client will be delighted.”
New entrants to the market include Wings Abroad, which added Kalkan, along with nearby Kas, for 2010 and features four properties: Xanthos Hotel, EkinHan Hotel, Nur Hotel and Pirat Hotel.
“Agents selling Kalkan should ensure their clients understand that this is a far less commercialised resort than some of the other coastal playgrounds,” advises marketing manager Chris Mansell. “It is more refined and sophisticated, with a nightlife offering a genuine Turkish flavour. The pace is very calm and slow.”
Activities
The small harbour has great dining options and visitors love to explore the town’s winding cobbled streets and cute shops. The resort also has a good range of beach clubs offering watersports and sunbathing.
While it lacks a sandy beach of its own, visitors drawn by the 300 days of sunshine a year are well served by nearby Patara, whose 12 sandy miles are some of the best in the Med. Another popular option is Kaputas, where the stunning turquoise waters pull in water sport fans and divers.
The surrounding area is also littered with remains from ancient Lycian civilisations, with 20 major sites within two hours’ drive away. These include the former capital Xanthos, with its spectacular theatre, just north of Patara.
Other options include the cities of Pinara and Tlos, carved out of the limestone mountains. A particular highlight is a boat and snorkelling or diving trip to explore the sunken city of Kekova.
Accommodation
What Kalkan lacks in big hotels it makes up for in its wide choice of smaller options, from villas, apartments and cottages to characterful boutique hotels, including some with spas such as the 27-suite Likya Residence (likyakalkan.com).
One thing to note, however, is that many of the properties are not suitable for small children.
Simply Travel offers a wide choice of accommodation, ranging from a 15-room hotel, Fidanka House, to standalone properties like The Stone House, which has a private pool and sleeps six, and apartments like those at Yeni Korsan, which also sleep six.
Exclusive Escapes offers a range of unusual, high-quality properties in Kalkan and the surrounding area, including the intimate, five-room Serra Boutique hotel, which it describes as an “upmarket B&B”, and the swanky Hotel Villa Mahal, which has a private beach club.
Exclusive offers all its Kalkan hotel guests a complimentary gulet cruise and a hammam (Turkish bath) at another of its featured properties, the Kalkan Regency, whose beauty centre treatments range from mud and seaweed wraps to aromatherapy baths. The Regency has 30 rooms and 13 suites, including, new this year, eight with private pools, perfect for trendy couples.
On the villa front, Exclusive has added The View and Korsan Koy, both of which officially opened last month. Facilities at Korsan Koy, a collection of five-bed villas in a private bay 10 minutes west of the town, include a large terrace area and infinity pool.
Alternatively, Exclusive managing director Andrew Lee recommends quirky one-bed hideaway Salkim Evi, located in the mountains over looking Patara, for romantic breaks and honeymooners. All Exclusive’s villa guests get transport included.
Anatolian Sky has three four-star properties in Kalkan, all offered on a bed-and-breakfast basis. They include the Rhapsody, which has prices starting at £475 for seven nights, though it is not recommended for children under 12.
Ilios Travel has introduced Kalkan for the first time this year. Its portfolio of five properties includes the Villa Giordana, which has its own infinity pool, and the Kalube Hotel, a boutique property with a wellness centre.
Meanwhile, Mosaic Holidays added a hotel in the resort this year to test the waters, and is looking to add more products for 2011 on the back of positive feedback from customers staying at the recently opened four-star Asiyan.
Managing director Sabina Shaida says the resort has bags of character and its product mix fits in well with its desire to add “small and friendly, unique and boutique” properties in the country.
Sample product
Wings Abroad is offering seven nights’ B&B at the four-star Club Xantos Hotel for £510 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Dalaman on July 23. wingsabroad.co.uk, 0844 576 8086
Exclusive Escapes offers seven nights’ B&B in one of the new pool suites at the Kalkan Regency from £1,200 per person (peak season £2,500), based on two sharing. The price includes return flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester or Birmingham to Dalaman, transfers, a Turkish bath and a day’s gulet cruise. exclusiveescapes.co.uk, 020 8605 3500
Ilios Travel offers a week at the Villa Giordana from £610 per person, based on six people sharing. iliostravel.com, 0845 675 2602
