Kas
Kas
Kas, Turkey is a small coastal tourist resort on the Turquoise Coast, hallway between Fethiye to the west and the city of Antalya to the east. It sits below the mountains that are a feature of the region and the small harbour, and the subsequent development of a new modern marina has made it a favorite stopping-off point for the yachts and gulets that cruise these seas, visit Blue Cruise Kas for options.
Summers are hot spring and autumn warm and even in mid-winter the Kas to Meis ferry is generally a pleasant trip. Meis is a Greek Island just offshore and a popular day trip for visitors keen to set foot in a different country for lunch.
This is a fertile region with a wonderful range of fresh fruit and vegetables which is reflected in the excellent cuisine available in the many cafes and restaurants in this small town of just a few thousand. The fish could not be fresher while menus also include the Turkish favorite, lamb, as well as chicken and beef. The local honey comes from the pine forests above the town. There are also citrus orchards and plentiful almonds.
It is tourism however that has become the main activity of the town. Kas has become an important diving center, perhaps the most important on this stretch of the coast. Those interested in history will probably know that settlement here began under the Lycians and later Greek and Romans were stationed here. Later it was threatened by Arabs frequently but became first of all a Seljuk stronghold and then part of the Ottoman Empire.
When the Turkish Republic was formed in 1923, Greeks left for the islands to be replaced by the Turks who still make Kas their home today. There are still some abandoned Greek homes to be seen around the town even today.
The growth of tourism was a feature of the 1990s and has continued ever since. The result has been considerable construction of villas, apartments, and hotels, especially on the Cukurbag Peninsula which juts out towards Meis.