Patara Beach

You can’t visit Kas without seeing the ancient city and beach of Patara. It’s one of the country’s longest, most unique, and amazing beaches. The beach is unique in that it is the only place on the Mediterranean coast with sand dunes extensive enough to make you feel like you’re in the Sahara Desert. By car, it takes less than an hour from Kas to Patara.

If you go in the early morning, the wavy, wind-made patterns on the sand dunes are incredibly photogenic, having yet to be disturbed by any footprints. Instagramers and wedding photographers have realized this and come here in the early morning. You can add the ancient cities of Xanthos, Letoon, and Patara to your day-long route of places to see around Kas.

Patara Beach

Patara Beach is one of the Turkey’s longest sandy beaches located near The Ancient City of Patara. The Esen (Xanthos) River separates the beach into two. The beach is 18 kilometers long. The fine sand found on the beach stretches one kilometer inland toward the ancient city. The same sand dunes that form in deserts are found here too. Changing places with erosion and the wind, the sand dunes give Patara Beach the look of a desert.

Patara is perfect for families with small children thanks to its fine sand and shallow water. There is a café here serving beachgoers. You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach. The sun is very hot in summer; make sure to bring sunscreen.

Carrying the title of one of Anatolia’s longest beaches, Patara Beach is also home to horseback riding tours. Follow one-, two-, or three-hour routes, the first stop on these rides is the ancient city of Patara. They include the temple of Athena, public baths from the Lycian Period, sarcophagi, and buildings. You also get breaks for a meal, a mud bath, and swimming.

Patara has been declared a ‘Special Protected Area’ in international agreements. The loggerhead sea turtles native to this region have been using Patara as a nesting ground for hundreds of years. Today, loggerhead turtles have been added to the endangered species list and are under protection. The highest number of nests was recorded in 2019 when 17,323 of the 21,821 eggs laid hatched and made it to the sea.

The loggerheads that you’ll see frequently on your boat trip around the bays of Kas are thought to have been on earth for 100 million years. During our Kekova boat trip departing from Kas, you might see these turtles, even while sailing. We invite you to join us in Kas next summer to swim with the sea turtles.

How to get to Patara

Patara Beach, located right next to the ancient city of Patara, sits in Antalya between the counties of Kas and Fethiye within the borders of today’s Gelemis Village.

The ancient city of Patara lies within the borders of Antalya, but the closest airport is Mugla’s Dalaman Airport. Located 115 km away, there is no public transportation from the Dalaman Airport to Patara. You can take the airport shuttles Havas or Muttas to the center of Fethiye and take one of the vehicles running from the Fethiye bus station towards Kas or Antalya and get off at the Patara junction.

Located 220 kilometers away, the trip between Antalya and Patara takes 3.5 hours but is easy if you have a private car. Driving from Antalya towards Fethiye, you’ll see the Patara junction 11 kilometers after Kalkan.

You’ll follow this asphalt road for six kilometers before seeing the guesthouses of the village to your left and right. Continue for another kilometer to reach the unmatched beauty of Patara Beach.

Patara is 837 km from Istanbul, and 657 km from Ankara. Izmir is a bit closer at 407 km away.