Located 20km from Kas and 7km from Kalkan in the south west of Turkey is Kaputas Beach. Kaputas Beach is a popular place to visit, mainly because of the natural beauty.
There are no fixed facilities on Kaputas Beach, however there are vendors that set up stalls during the day, so somewhere to buy a drink or hire an umbrella.
To reach the actual beach you have to go down several steps and the beach is closely protected by the Kalkan police. The sea can get rather deep close to the beach so care should be exercised at all times.
Kaputas Beach is the ideal place to stop if you are journeying from Kalkan to Kas. If you are simply passing through be sure to take in the amazing scenery, golden sands with clear blue waters. There is a small place with parking but the spaces do get filled quickly so ensure to get there early if driving.
The D400, which is the access road to the beach, has not come without a cost. To build the road it was necessary for dynamite to be used to blast away the cliff face and it was at this time that four of the road workers tragically lost their lives. Either side of the gorge are plaques to commemorate their lives. Between these plaques three is an additional board, which provides information about the nature of the area which is called the Five Wonders of Antalya Conservation Project.
This conservation project is in existence to prevent the extinction of endangered plant species which only grow in this region. Currently there are 250 plants of which 44 are labelled as critically endangered. The seeds of these plants are collected and stored in a special gene bank with people being specifically trained to recognise each species so that they can be protected.
One such plant is the Kaputas Inula which is a yellow flowering plant that blooms from June to August in the rocky areas, so be sure to look out for this on your visit.
Kaputas Beach is located below the D400 road, and it is simply a beach and conservation area. Remember to go well prepared, as there is nothing on the actual beach; no refreshment facilities and it is a long climb back to the top!
Although there is nothing to really do, this does make for a great day out purely for the sheer beauty, peace and tranquillity that you will get. What a perfect way to appreciate a stunning area whilst soaking up the sun.
Driving from Fethiye will take about an hour but the Fethiye Antalya bus passes the beach once it has stopped in Kalkan. Ask the driver and they will be happy to drop you at the entrance to the beach (well the top of the stairs) just make sure that you know what time the bus returns! There is accommodation available locally but this is limited so be sure that you have made the arrangements well in advance.
Whilst you may not want to spend a whole day this is a place that you need to see to truly appreciate so ensure that it is on your to do list.