An old fishing town that offers the only safe harbor between Fethiye and Kas, Kalkan is often photographed; you might recognize pictures of its whitewashed houses that descend from the hills toward the sea, with brightly colored pink and red bougainvillea providing a brilliant contrast to the structures as well as the sapphire blue sea. This beautiful little piece of paradise gets about 300 days of sunshine each year and boasts several fantastic dive sites. Here are just five to help get you started.
Camel Stone
Also known as Deve Tasi, the Turkish name for Camel Stone, this site is named in honor of the stone which looks like a kneeling camel. There are many other underwater stones here in fascinating formation that remind one of buildings. Pathways between the stones active roadways lead you from one little grotto to the next. Home to enormous groupers, big jackfish, and plenty of sleek looking barracuda, it is also an excellent site for smaller marine life. An enormous dive site that could occupy one for days, it offers maximum depth at 25 meters and is suitable for experienced divers only.
Medallion Reef/Three Anchors
Featuring a fantastic volcanic landscape that creates a lunar vista, Medallion Reef and Three Anchors is an interesting multilevel dive site. It is called Medallion Reef because of an anchor suspended by a chain hanging between two rocks just like a pendant. This is found at a depth of 18 meters, and further down, and a depth of 22 meters, there are two more massive anchors. Watch for nesting triggerfish, but be careful as they are territorial, and during the autumn months enjoy the sight of shoaling bream. There are plenty of other fish here as well as a number of crustaceans and other creatures.
Heybeli
At Heybeli, you'll find both the reef and an island, approximately 100 meters from one another. Interesting both for its top biography which features impressive walls and amazing rock formations, and for its marine life which includes Leerfish, white groupers, dusky groupers, schooling mackerel and barracuda, and plenty of smaller fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates, this is an outstanding site for all divers. The top of the reef lies at a depth of only 10 meters, and on one side meets the ocean floor at a depth of 40 meters; on the other, it drops away to a stunning depth of 80 meters. Blue shark and Dolphins are seen feeding on the schools of sardines that swirl through the water here. Excellent for both photography and videography, this is a truly exciting dive site.
Middle Reef
An excellent site for all divers, Middle Reef features incredible rock formations that look much different from other underwater rock formations found in the area. The shallow portion of this reef begins at a depth of 10 meters, and there are at least three anchors leaning up against the reef structure. Maximum depth in this shallow and sheltered location is only 15 meters, yet you can sometimes see tuna hunting, along with some other very large fish. A great site day or night, and very close to the harbor, Middle Reef is also a good spot to encounter the occasional sea turtle.
Frenk Bay
Located just offshore from Kalkan, Frenk Bay began life as a natural harbor. Today it is no longer used in the harbor, but the evidence of days when boat traffic was heavy can still be seen lying 20 meters beneath the surface. A field of amphorae, some shattered and some intact can be found here, creating homes for many fish and little crustaceans. During the heat of the summer, you can head closer to shore where freshwater springs flow into the ocean, creating a fantastic cooling sensation.
A wonderful historic town, and beautifully romantic, Kalkan was listed by the British newspaper, The Independent, as one of the top destinations for travel worldwide. When you visit for yourself, you'll surely agree.