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Kas sits 85 nautical miles east of Fethiye on the Turkish south coast. Kekova, with its sunken city and the Specially Protected Area status that goes with it, is another 15 nautical miles further east. A 7-day Fethiye-base charter that pushes to Kekova covers roughly 200 nautical miles in transit. A 7-day Kas-base charter that loops Kekova and the local bays covers 110 nautical miles and works as a calm week. The difference matters and brokers consistently sell the harder version because Fethiye has the bigger fleet.
The other facts that brokers underexplain: Kekova is a Specially Protected Area with strict no-anchoring and no-diving rules over the sunken city, drone flight is prohibited inside the protected zone, and the anchorage at Ucagiz village (the gateway to Kekova) has a mooring buoy system that books out by 14:00 in July and August. This piece is the verified version of the Kas to Kekova week, the route, the timing, the rules, and what to ask the captain before embarkation.
Why this stretch of coast is worth a week
The Turkish south coast from Kas east to Cirali is the cleanest, least-developed coastline in Mediterranean Turkey. The mountains drop to the water, the towns are small, and the yacht traffic is roughly a third of what you see in Gocek or off Bodrum. Water temperature in July and August runs 26 to 28 degrees. Holding in most bays is good, in 8 to 25 metres of sand and weed.
The catch is the wind. The Meltem-equivalent on this coast (locals call it the Lodos when it runs from the south and the Poyraz when from the north) can build to 25 knots in the afternoons, particularly off the headlands at Tekirova and Cape Gelidonya. Schedule open-water legs for the morning, anchor by 14:00, and the week is easy. Push hard in the afternoon and the week is unpleasant.
The verified 7-day Kas-base route
Most clients fly into Dalaman or Antalya and transfer by road to Kas. The transfer is 2.5 to 3 hours either way. Kas marina is small (around 100 berths) and operated by Setur. Berthing is reservable. Yachts over 30m should confirm a slot before arrival.
| Day | Route | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat | Embark Kas marina, run east to Asirli Adasi | 8 nm | Easy first night, anchor at Asirli or Tersane Koyu |
| Sun | To Ucagiz, tender to Kekova sunken city | 12 nm | Anchor or take a mooring buoy at Ucagiz |
| Mon | Day at Kekova, overnight at Gokkaya Limani | 6 nm | Move to quieter bay for the night |
| Tue | Run east to Adrasan or Cirali | 22 nm | Long-ish leg, finish before afternoon wind |
| Wed | Adrasan day, optional Olympos shore visit | 0 nm | Stay put, swim, beach, tender ashore |
| Thu | Return west to Kalkan | 35 nm | The longest day, morning start |
| Fri | Kalkan to Kas via Kaputas beach | 8 nm | Short final day |
| Sat | Disembark Kas | 0 nm | Standard 10:00 disembarkation |
Total: 91 nautical miles. The longest single leg is 35 nautical miles, on Day 6, and is run in the morning before the afternoon wind fills.
Day-by-day truth
Day 1, Kas to Asirli Adasi. Asirli is an uninhabited island 7 nautical miles east of Kas. Holding is in 12 to 18 metres of sand. The bay on the north side of the island is sheltered from southerly weather. Tersane Koyu, on the mainland directly opposite, is the alternative if Asirli is taken. Both work as a first-night anchorage. Tender ashore is not the point; this is a swim and sunset night.
Day 2, Kekova and the sunken city. The Kekova Specially Protected Area covers roughly 260 square kilometres of coast and includes the village of Ucagiz, the sunken ruins of Simena on the Kekova island shore, and the medieval castle at Kalekoy. Anchoring is permitted in designated zones outside the immediate ruins area. The mooring buoy field at Ucagiz holds 30 to 40 yachts. In July and August all buoys are typically taken by 14:00. Captains who do not run ahead to claim a buoy end up anchoring out and tendering in.
The sunken city itself is visible from the surface in 1 to 3 metres of water on a calm day. Swimming over the ruins is prohibited. Diving is prohibited. Glass-bottom-boat operators from Ucagiz run trips for €15 to €25 per head and are the only sanctioned way to view the ruins up close. A small number of brokers continue to market "swim over the sunken city" days at Kekova. They are selling an activity that is prohibited and that local authorities now enforce with fines. Push back if you see this in the proposal.
The shore at Kalekoy is reachable by tender. The medieval castle is a 20-minute walk up. Lunch at one of three tavernas on the waterfront, then back to the yacht for the afternoon.
Day 3, Gokkaya Limani. Gokkaya is a sheltered bay 5 nautical miles east of Kekova proper. Holding in 8 to 15 metres of sand and weed. The bay is large enough to accept 20-plus yachts without crowding. Two small tavernas ashore. This is the correct overnight after a busy Kekova day.
Day 4, run east to Adrasan. The 22 nautical mile leg east takes the yacht past Cape Gelidonya, the most exposed headland on the southern Turkish coast. The cape generates afternoon wind acceleration. Run before 11:00. Anchor at Adrasan, a wide bay backed by a small village, or push another 10 nautical miles to Cirali for a quieter and more dramatic anchorage at the foot of the Olympos mountains.
Day 5, stay put. Adrasan or Cirali is the right place to spend an at-anchor day in the middle of the week. Tender ashore. Olympos is a half-day shore excursion if you want it: a 15-kilometre taxi ride from Adrasan to the ancient ruins. Otherwise swim, beach, eat ashore. Do not move the yacht.
Day 6, return west to Kalkan. This is the longest day. 35 nautical miles west, in the morning, before the afternoon wind. The route passes back through Kekova and continues west to Kalkan. The Kalkan harbour is small and well-protected. Berthing is at the town quay; reserve in advance. Kalkan town has 30-plus restaurants and is the prettiest small town between Fethiye and Kas. Worth the night.
Day 7, Kalkan to Kas via Kaputas. Short 8 nautical mile final day. Kaputas is a beach in a gorge between Kalkan and Kas, accessible only from the water or via a long stairway from the road above. A swim stop, not an overnight. Continue to Kas for a final dinner ashore and a Saturday morning disembarkation.
Why the Fethiye-base version is harder
Brokers without Kas inventory route the same week from Fethiye. The Fethiye to Kekova run adds 85 nautical miles each way. The week becomes:
- Day 1: Fethiye to Butterfly Valley (25 nm)
- Day 2: Butterfly Valley to Kalkan (35 nm)
- Day 3: Kalkan to Kekova (30 nm)
- Day 4: Kekova
- Day 5: Kekova to Kalkan (30 nm)
- Day 6: Kalkan to Butterfly Valley (35 nm)
- Day 7: Butterfly Valley to Fethiye (25 nm)
That is 180 nautical miles in transit, four long days, and no time to push east of Kekova to Adrasan or Cirali. Brokers continue to sell this week because their inventory base is Fethiye and the fleet is bigger there. The honest answer is: a Kekova-focused week from Kas is the better product. If your charter has to start in Fethiye, accept that you will see Kekova in passing and not properly.
Permits, fees, and the protected area rules
The Kekova Specially Protected Area applies the following enforced rules:
- No anchoring directly over the sunken ruins (the area is marked on charts)
- No swimming or diving over the ruins
- No drone or unmanned aircraft operations within the protected zone
- Mooring buoys are paid (€20-€50 per night depending on yacht size)
- Glass-bottom boats are the only sanctioned tour operators inside the inner zone
Fines for violations have been issued to charter yachts in 2024 and 2025. Captains know this. If a broker's itinerary includes anything in the prohibited list, push back. The cost of a single fine plus the brand damage to the broker on a guest's social-media post is not worth the saving.
Charter rates and what to expect
Indicative weekly rates for a Kas or Fethiye-base charter, peak season, as of May 2026:
| Yacht size | Peak weekly rate |
|---|---|
| 24-30m motor | €70K-€110K |
| 30-40m motor | €130K-€220K |
| 40-50m motor | €250K-€400K |
Plus 30 percent APA and 20 percent Turkish charter VAT on the charter fee. See our Turkey blue cruise vs broker piece for the broker markup question on the gulet end of the fleet.
The friction
The "sunken city swim" sold by a handful of brokers in 2024 itineraries should be removed from every proposal. It is illegal and the fine is real.
The Fethiye-base Kekova week is a worse product than the Kas-base Kekova week. Brokers who have only Fethiye inventory should either route Kas-base bookings to a different broker or be transparent that the Fethiye week sees Kekova on a same-day turn rather than a real visit.
The 14:00 mooring buoy cutoff at Ucagiz should be disclosed at the proposal stage so clients know to expect a 06:00 wake-up call if they want a buoy on a Saturday in July.
FAQ
Is there a no-fly zone over Kekova? Yes. Drone and unmanned aircraft operations over the Kekova Specially Protected Area are prohibited and enforced.
Can you swim at the sunken city? No. Swimming, diving, and anchoring directly over the sunken ruins are prohibited. Surrounding bays are fine.
What is the closest airport to Kas? Dalaman is 2.5 hours by road, Antalya is 3 hours.
Can the week be run east to west or only west to east? Either direction works. East to west (starting Kas, ending Fethiye) is more common because it puts the Kekova highlight in the middle of the week, not at the end.
Verdict
Kas-base, 7-day, with Kekova in the middle of the week and a push east to Adrasan or Cirali on Days 4 and 5, is the right shape for this stretch of coast. The Fethiye-base version is a compromise driven by broker inventory, not by the cruising ground. Pick the base for the week, not the marketing.