Kekova, the Sheltered Channel Between the Ruins

The boat leaves the jetty at Üçağız and the engine settles to a low note. Ahead, a long, low island lies parallel to the shore, and between the two the water is flat in a way the open coast never manages. Pines come down the slopes to the rocks. Nothing is on a schedule.

Then the first bay opens, and a stretch of old wall rises straight out of the shore, with a goat or two on the stones above it. Few places on this coast let you swim with a ruin in view and no ticket booth in sight.

A channel that stays calm

Kekova Island lies along the mainland and shuts off the worst of the open sea, so the water inside is almost always still. Small bays follow one another in quick succession, each with its own character, and the pleasure of the day is moving between them without much of a plan.

The swimming is unlike that on the long beaches to the west. Most coves are rocky or pebbled, with little in the way of sunbeds or facilities. What they offer instead is clear, calm water, pine-covered slopes and ruins close at hand. Part of an ancient city sits just under the surface here, and that shapes how the place is run.

Small boat or kayak

Kekova is best understood from the water, and the choice of vessel matters more than anything else you decide. Large party boats follow a fixed circuit and linger at the busiest stops. Smaller operators know the quiet coves and change the route to suit the weather. A sea kayak, hired in Üçağız, goes slower still and reaches rocks and tombs that a boat cannot.

The main stops fill with tour boats by midday, so ask your captain for the smaller bays. The coves have no facilities, so whatever you want for the day comes aboard with you.

Two stops and a village

Leave from Üçağız or Kaş in the morning, when the water is flat and the light is gentle, and plan for two or three stops rather than five. Late in the day the boats go back and the channel empties.

At Tersane Bay, on the island, the remains of a Byzantine church stand beside a deep, protected inlet. The hills are low and bare, the water is calm, and swimming is allowed here. Aquarium Bay, reachable only by boat, is the other classic swim stop, with water clear enough to justify the name.

Across the channel is Kaleköy, a village that no road reaches. A Lycian sarcophagus stands in the water just off the shore, and a castle sits above the houses. Climb up for the view over the channel, then eat fish at a waterside café with boats coming and going.

Editor's picks

• Leave before the day boats.Early, the channel is flat and the bays are empty.
• Choose a small boat or a kayak.Both reach quieter coves than a party boat will, and the kayak does it in near silence.
• Swim at Tersane Bay.Calm water beside a Byzantine church.
• Snorkel at Aquarium Bay.Bring a mask. The clear water is the point.
• Stop at Kaleköy.See the sarcophagus in the water, climb to the castle and have lunch by the quay.
• Consider a private boat.It lets you set the route and the hour. Ask for a quote and what it includes.

Insider notes

Before you book, ask a few plain questions. Is lunch included, and where? Is snorkel gear provided? How long will you actually have in the water? A good operator answers without hesitation.

The water above the submerged ruins is protected, and swimming or diving over them is not allowed. Boat crews know the boundaries and will tell you where you can swim. It is a sensible rule, and it is the reason the ruins are still intact.

Bring a hat, sun protection and a mask. Shade is scarce, and the best of the swimming is under the surface.

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How to get to Kekova

Dalaman and Antalya are both about three hours by road from Üçağız. Boats leave from Üçağız, Kaş and Demre, and Üçağız is about 45 minutes from Kaş by road, so a base in either town works. Flights from Europe and Istanbul are covered in Getting there.

A goat on a Byzantine wall is the only crowd you will meet.