Private Kekova Boat Tour from Demre

Kekova is a small island and coastal region off today’s Antalya Province, situated between Kaş and Demre (ancient Myra). This is the heartland of Lycia, the mountainous region that stretched roughly from modern Fethiye (ancient Telmessos) in the west to Phaselis (near modern Kemer) in the east.

Kekova is a unique blend of nature, history, and living culture. The island itself is uninhabited, stretching about 4.5 km, but its coastline shelters bays, inlets, and the ruins of once-thriving Lycian towns. Earthquakes in the 2nd century CE partially submerged these settlements, leaving stairways that lead into the sea, half-sunken walls, and the outlines of ancient harbors visible beneath the clear Mediterranean. This “Sunken City” is protected—swimming directly above the ruins is restricted—but boats glide along its edge, allowing visitors to peer into antiquity through the turquoise water. Across the water lies Kaleköy (ancient Simena), a village that has remained accessible only by boat or footpath, where the rhythms of life still echo the slow pace of the Mediterranean. Here, you’ll find a medieval castle built atop earlier Lycian foundations, sarcophagi scattered across gardens and shoreline, and families selling homemade ice cream and embroidered goods. Together, Kekova and its surrounding settlements form a rare cultural landscape where the deep past of Lycia meets the serene beauty of today’s Turquoise Coast.