From Kas: Guided Kekova Sea Kayaking Tour

Kekova is best seen at water level, where ancient walls and stone tombs sit beside clear blue coves. This six-hour trip from Kaş gives you that view by kayak, with a stop at Simena Castle for wide views across the coast.

I like the careful setup for beginners and the support boat that stays with the group. I also like the mix of paddling, swimming, ruins, and a proper lunch in Üçağız. The catch is simple: this is an active outing, with roughly eight kilometers of kayaking, and heat or wind can make it tiring.

Key points

• Paddle beside the Sunken City of Kekova: You see the protected ruins from a kayak, where swimming is not allowed.
• Beginner-friendly instruction: The guide explains paddle technique and navigation before you set off.
• A support boat follows the group: It carries your belongings and can help with emergencies or a tow.
• Simena offers the best high view: Allow time for the uphill walk to the castle and necropolis.
• Two useful water breaks: Tersane Bay and the area around Simena provide time to swim and rest.
• Lunch is included: After the morning on the water, you eat in Üçağız before returning to Kaş.

Why Kekova Works So Well by Kayak

Kekova is a special place for a small, quiet craft. From a kayak, you move slowly enough to notice the details: a submerged wall, squared stones below the surface, or a Lycian sarcophagus set above the shore. You are not simply passing the ruins on a boat. You are close to them, at the same height as the waterline.

The Sunken City of Kekova is the tour’s main prize. This ancient settlement was damaged by earthquakes and now lies partly below the sea. The area is protected, so you cannot swim over the ruins or climb onto them. Kayaking is a smart way to see the site while respecting those limits.

I also like that the trip does not try to fill every minute with paddling. You get a swimming stop at Tersane Bay, time in Simena, another chance to rest near the water, and lunch in Üçağız. That balance matters, especially on a hot day.

The tour costs $65 per person. For that price, you receive transport from Kaş, return transport, four hours of sea kayaking, equipment, a live guide, a support boat, swimming opportunities, and lunch. You pay an additional 4 euros for entry to Simena Castle. Compared with a basic boat ride, the kayak makes this a more active and personal way to see the coast. Compared with a short paddle session, it gives you a full day of places and stops.

From Kaş to Üçağız by Morning Transfer

The day begins around 8:00 a.m. with pickup in front of Smiley’s Restaurant in Kaş. The drive to Üçağız takes about 45 minutes, and the exact pickup time can change by season. You receive the final time by WhatsApp or email the day before.

Üçağız is the practical starting point for the water portion. Here, you meet the guide, receive your kayak and life vest, and listen to a safety briefing. Paddle instruction follows, so you do not need previous sea-kayaking experience.

The first session is deliberately gentle. You paddle near Üçağız to get used to the kayak, practice steering, and learn how to move with the group. I consider this one of the tour’s strongest features. A novice can feel awkward for the first few minutes, but basic instruction and a short practice session help you get your bearings fast.

The group is limited to 15 people. That is small enough for a guide to keep an eye on the group, although staying together can still take work when wind picks up or different people paddle at different speeds. The support boat adds a useful safety net.

Tersane Bay: Your First Swim and Real Test on the Water

Around 9:30 a.m., the group leaves Üçağız with the motorized boat escorting the kayaks. You paddle southwest along the Lycian coast toward Tersane Bay, arriving at about 10:15 a.m.

The route gives you a first proper taste of the activity. The water is scenic, but kayaking is still physical work. One person described the effort as similar to a long brisk walk, while another found the eight-kilometer route hot and tiring. Both points are useful. You do not need an athlete’s fitness, but you should be ready to paddle for several hours with breaks.

Tersane Bay is the first major pause, lasting about 40 minutes. You can swim, rest, and take in the surrounding coves without rushing straight to the next archaeological stop. The water break is especially welcome if the sun is strong or the wind has begun to push against the kayaks.

Bring a change of clothes. Your gear includes a life vest, and swimming is part of the plan, so keeping dry clothes on the support boat is a sensible move. The boat also stores your belongings, which means you do not need to pack a phone, towel, or spare clothing into the kayak.

Passing the Sunken City of Kekova

After Tersane Bay, the group paddles slowly over and beside the Sunken City of Kekova. This is a short sightseeing section, listed at about 10 minutes, but it is the visual heart of the tour.

You will not get out to walk among the ruins. Swimming is forbidden in this protected zone, and the guide keeps the group moving through the permitted route. From the kayak, you can look down into the water and along the shoreline for traces of the old settlement.

This stop rewards attention more than speed. Listen to the guide’s explanation of the ruins, watch for stonework beneath the surface, and keep your camera ready. Yaşar, the guide most often named by participants, is praised for explaining the ancient sites clearly and for helping first-time kayakers with technique.

A kayak also changes the mood of the visit. Large boats can show you Kekova, but a paddle craft lets you approach quietly and pause without the noise of an engine beside you. That does not make the ruins more intact or more dramatic than they are. It simply gives you a closer, slower view.

The restriction on swimming may disappoint anyone hoping to snorkel directly above the submerged settlement. You can still swim at the designated stops, but the protected city itself is for looking only.

Simena Castle and the Hillside View

The group reaches Simena, ancient Kaleköy, around 11:30 a.m. You have about 45 minutes to an hour here, depending on the day’s timing. This is your chance to leave the kayak and see a small village with castle ruins and a necropolis.

The best view requires effort. Walk uphill toward Simena Castle and you gain a broad panorama over Kekova, the islands, and the bright water. The climb is the part of the stop that turns a pleasant visit into a memorable one, but your time is limited, so pace yourself.

The castle entrance costs 4 euros and is not included in the tour price. If you would rather not pay or do not want an uphill walk after paddling, you can spend the time near the water instead. A second swim is available, and looking up at the castle from below still gives you a good sense of its position above the village.

This choice makes the stop work for different kinds of visitors. History-minded visitors should use the time for the castle and necropolis. Anyone feeling the morning in their shoulders can rest, swim, or explore the village at an easier pace.

Do not expect a long archaeological visit. Simena is a compact stop within an active coastal day, not a full museum-style tour. The reward is the combination of ruins and the view, not a large number of preserved buildings.

Theimussa and the Return to Üçağız

In the afternoon, the route heads back toward Theimussa, where you get a closer look at Lycian sarcophagi. These stone tombs are among the most distinctive remains along the coast, and seeing them from the water helps connect the shoreline to the people who once lived here.

The return is not simply a repeat of the morning. You have already learned how the kayak responds, so the paddling often feels more natural. Still, the final stretch can be tiring if the wind rises. One participant noted that the support boat could tow paddlers when needed, and that practical help is worth remembering if your arms begin to fade.

You then return to the kayak base and continue to Üçağız for lunch at about 1:15 p.m. Lunch is included, which improves the value of the tour and gives the day a proper finish rather than sending you straight back to Kaş hungry and wet.

The full activity lasts six hours, though the schedule can shift with group pace, weather, and time spent at each stop. The return transfer brings you back to the starting point on Liman Street in Kaş.

The Guide, Group Size, and Safety Setup

Yaşar is a central part of the experience. He gives paddle instruction, explains the historical sites, helps beginners steer, and keeps the day light with a good sense of humor. Several participants singled him out for clear explanations, enthusiasm, and calm support.

A live guide speaks English and Turkish. That matters here because the best parts of the tour are not only scenic. The ruins, tombs, and submerged structures make more sense when someone points out what you are seeing.

The group size is capped at 15, but you should not confuse small group with private tour. You share the route and stops with other paddlers, and the guide has to balance people who move at different speeds. A motorized boat follows along throughout the day, carrying belongings and helping with emergencies or difficult sections.

The equipment is reported to be clean and in good condition, including kayaks, life vests, and snorkeling equipment. Snorkeling gear is available, but the supplied schedule specifically limits swimming around the protected Sunken City. Use it at the permitted swimming stops instead.

What to Bring and How Hard It Feels

You should treat this as a physical sightseeing day, not a passive boat cruise. The activity includes about four hours of kayaking, and the route covers roughly eight kilometers. Beginners can manage it, but you should expect sun, repeated paddling, and some effort if wind works against you.

A useful packing list includes:

• A change of clothes
• Swimwear and a towel
• Sun protection
• Water
• A secure place for small personal items, or a bag for the support boat

The support boat carries belongings, so you do not have to load everything into the kayak. You should still keep important items protected and follow the guide’s advice about what to bring on the water.

The best preparation is modest: eat something before pickup, drink water, and do not treat the swimming breaks as optional if you are feeling hot. The route has rest built in, but you are still responsible for pacing yourself.

Wind is the main variable. On a calm day, the water makes the kayaking feel easy and scenic. In stronger wind, the same route becomes more demanding. The support boat can help, but the tour remains an outdoor activity, so conditions affect how hard the day feels.

Who Gets the Best Value at $65

At $65, this tour suits you if you want Kekova’s ruins with more involvement than a standard boat outing. You get transport from Kaş, equipment, instruction, a support boat, four hours on the water, lunch, and a castle stop. Those inclusions make the price reasonable for a full half-day experience.

It is a good fit for:

• First-time sea kayakers who want instruction
• Active couples, friends, and families with older children
• People who want swimming and archaeology in the same outing
• Visitors who prefer a small group to a large cruise boat
• Anyone staying in Kaş without a car

A reluctant teenager may enjoy this more than a standard historic site visit because the ruins come with movement, swimming, and open water. It also works for a mixed group, since someone can choose the castle climb while another person rests or swims.

Think twice if you dislike sustained physical activity, become uncomfortable in hot sun, or want a slow archaeological tour with lots of time at each ruin. Simena’s visit is limited, and the Sunken City is viewed from the kayak rather than explored on foot.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity, and you can reserve without paying immediately. Those terms are useful if your Kaş plans are still shifting, but the key decision is your comfort with the activity itself.

Should You Book This Kekova Kayak Tour?

I would book it if you want the most active and close-up way to see the Kekova coast without arranging transport or equipment yourself. The strongest combination is the beginner instruction, Yaşar’s guiding, the escort boat, the protected Sunken City, and enough time for swimming and lunch.

Choose a boat tour instead if you want minimal exertion or more time simply sitting and looking. Choose this kayak trip if you are happy to paddle, accept some heat and wind, and want the ancient coast to unfold at water level.

The extra 4 euros for Simena Castle is small, but the uphill visit is optional. Pack dry clothes, pace yourself, and allow the morning pickup and return transfer to shape your day. For $65, this is a well-rounded way to meet Kekova: part outdoor activity, part history lesson, and part swim day.

FAQ

Where does the Kekova kayaking tour start?

Pickup is in front of Smiley’s Restaurant on Liman Street in Kaş. The group then transfers to Üçağız, about 45 minutes away.

How long does the tour last?

The activity lasts about six hours. The schedule begins around 8:00 a.m., with the exact pickup time varying by season.

Is the tour suitable for complete beginners?

Yes. The guide provides a safety briefing, paddle instruction, and a practice session near Üçağız before the longer route begins.

How much kayaking is included?

The tour includes four hours of sea kayaking. The route covers about eight kilometers toward the coastal stops and islands.

Can I swim at the Sunken City of Kekova?

No. The Sunken City is protected, so swimming is not permitted there. Swimming is available at Tersane Bay and near Simena.

Is Simena Castle included in the price?

The visit to Simena is included, but the castle entrance ticket costs an additional 4 euros.

What is included in the $65 price?

The price includes lunch, transfers between Kaş and Üçağız, and four hours of sea kayaking. A motorized support boat accompanies the group.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live guide speaks English and Turkish.