Kaş, Turkey: Off Season
I like to travel off season. Sometimes I end up traveling too off the season, meaning it is too cold and the town is totally shut down. This trip was one of those too off season times. We got rained in most of our stay and the few gorgeous days we had just did not suffice.Part of it was lack of luck. We happened to be in Kaş during some of the worst rain storms they have seen in a long, long time.
Kaş is a small fishing village in Antalya, Turkey. Because it is in the South the weather is mild. And because it is a bit hard to get to, it is less touristified. That said it gets busy when season starts and much of the town is dedicated to the tourist experience. Going off season - January - meant we had the pebble beach to ourselves, saw maybe one other tourist, and got the feeling of the pure, local vibe. It also meant we could not swim in the ocean and got rained in. I learned while there that the best months to go, just off season, are November and March. Finding those optimal times often takes a visit or two.
Getting to Kaş requires a flight and then bus rides or a taxi/transfer. We flew into Dalaman airport and took two buses from there. The bus from the airport to Fethiye is seamless. The bus waits for the plane to land and the ride costs fifteen Lira. Once in Fethiye you have to wait for another bus to go to Kaş. We waited just under two hours. There are a few cafes around, but go for the restaurant that does not advertise cheesecake. They have real Turkish food that is decent. The final bus ride takes a while but you follow a snaking road along the coast, which is beautiful. This journey takes its toll on a toddler though, so be prepared for possible bouts of complaint. On the way back I opted for a transfer. It beat the taxi prices and we got a very comfortable and private ride straight to the airport for seventy Euros.
I stayed in an Airbnb which are easy to find. Prices in winter are low and I discovered much lower than many prices listed on Airbnb. I learned through retrospect that I could have bartered much harder. The hotels here are dark at night. Renting anything on off season is lucky for the host.
Be prepared to walk. I highly recommend leaving the stroller behind and using a carrier. You will want to take the short cut routes of stairs, of which there are many around the village. The village is on a hill so its easy to get fit without trying to. The actual centre is small but has everything you need. From the large chain grocery stores - Migros and Carrefour- to local vegetable shops and a good chemist. Most tourist oriented places were closed on off season but the essentials were open. Good restaurants were few and mostly served a basic breakfast and lunch. We had one terrible experience at a tourist spot that is open year round. The locals cook at home and that is what we did.
The nicest playground is near the harbour, within a garden so very shady. The local children play there all day and Ruya got to play with them. But the real delight for Ruya were the cats. In Turkey there are abundant cats living on the street. People care for them, leaving them food and water. Cats in general here are treated with love. Ruya adores kitties and spent a lot of time following them and instructing them to go 'there'. Of course the cats seldom obeyed.
Every Friday there is a market, behind the bus stop. The outdoor market is a traditional Turkish experience. Some of the food is sourced from large depots, but a small portion of it is locally grown. You can usually tell what is local by finding the smaller vendors. Prices are low and the produce is better usually than store bought stuff. Not only that you get the social experience of out door market buying, watching people barter, drink tea, share stories and mill around.
Some general tips:
As with most places in Turkey, you have to buy drinking water. You can order a large nineteen litre bottle for long stays, but you need to purchase a pump with it.
Turkish people love children and you will get treated very well anywhere you go. However, the infrastructure for babies is lacking. It is hard to find a changing station, even in a big city like Istanbul. Best thing to do is ask people if they can offer you a spot to change a nappy. I find that generally works. Otherwise find a park bench and just change your baby there.
