Kabak Bay, the Cove at the End of the Road

The road to Kabak ends. Past Faralya the tarmac thins, the pensions come further apart, and then there is a car park, a signpost and a path that drops into the trees. The way down is steep and shaded, with the sound of surf reaching you before the view does.

At the bottom, a valley opens onto a strip of pebbles and coarse sand, with cliffs holding it in on both sides and water that is deep and clear almost from the edge. There is no promenade and no traffic. The loudest sound in the evening is usually insects.

Where the valley reaches the sea

Kabak lies on the same wall of coast as Butterfly Valley, under the western flank of Babadağ. A stream runs down through the valley and reaches the sea at the back of the beach, and when it is running well there is a waterfall a short walk inland. The shore is stones rather than sand, and the bay shelves quickly, so the first steps in are on rounded pebbles and a few strokes later you are over depth.

The Lycian Way passes through the cove. It links Kabak with Faralya and Butterfly Valley in one direction and with Alınca in the other.

A walk instead of a boat

Kabak is often set beside Butterfly Valley, and the comparison holds. Both are valleys that end in the sea. The difference is the way in. Butterfly Valley is a boat ride, and Kabak is a walk, which keeps it quieter than its reputation suggests.

The bay is open to the sea and the waterline is stones, so this is not a place for a floating afternoon. Services are simple, the climb back is part of the day, and there is nothing to do after dark but sit still. For the right traveller, that is the offer.

The loudest sound is insects

Early, before walkers come down from the village, the beach is almost empty and the water at its most settled. By late morning a few sunbeds fill and the small café opens. In the afternoon the light slants across the water and the whole bay looks polished.

In the evening, once day visitors have climbed back up, the bay belongs to the people sleeping in the cabins. Between the beach and the lodges, Kabak has built a quiet culture of yoga, walking and plain, good food, with bread, vegetables from the garden and fish from the grill.

Editor's picks

• Walk down early.The path is steep and shaded in the morning, and you reach the water before the beach has filled.
• Check the sea before you swim.The bay is open and can be lively. Keep to the edge on rough days.
• Follow the stream inland.It is a short walk to the waterfall and its pools, which are the place to rinse off the salt.
• Take a morning class.Several lodges run yoga on wooden terraces above the trees, and it suits the pace of the place.
• Stay a night, or two.The first day goes on adjusting. From the second, the valley starts to feel like yours.
• Walk on along the Lycian Way.Faralya and Butterfly Valley lie one way and Alınca the other. Start early and carry water.
• Pair it with Butterfly Valley.The two coves share a coast, and a boat from Ölüdeniz covers the second.

Insider notes

Leave the car at the top and carry only what you need, because everything you take down comes back up. Bring cash and a torch, and do not count on fast internet. Ölüdeniz and Fethiye have the nearest shops and cash machines.

Lodges are small and popular with walkers, so book ahead. The road is a dead end, and you return the way you came, through Faralya. Check the last dolmuş before you settle in.

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How to get to Kabak

Dalaman is the closest airport, about an hour and a half by road. The route runs through Fethiye and Ölüdeniz, then climbs through Faralya, narrow and slow on the final stretch, so take the dolmuş or a taxi from Ölüdeniz and agree the fare before you set off. Flights from Europe and Istanbul are covered in Getting there.

The road ends above the bay, and the rest is on foot.