Visit the Mediterranean resorts of Kas and Kalkan, and you’ll quickly notice that most local travel agents offer boat trips to the sunken ruins of Kekova. Situated opposite the historic village of Simena (Kalekoy), these submerged remains receive little attention in mainstream guidebooks, yet during the busy summer months hundreds of visitors pass by daily. Beyond regular day trips, the bay is also popular with yachts cruising between Fethiye and Olympos on overnight gulet voyages.
About Kekova
Kekova lies along a stretch of coastline known for the Lycian Way, a long-distance trek of about 560 kilometres that passes numerous Lycian-era ruins. Over the centuries the site has been known by several names, including Caravola, Dolichiste and Kakava.
Records are fragmentary, but Kekova appears to have been significant during both the Lycian and Byzantine periods. An earthquake eventually caused much of the settlement to submerge. Those who remained afterward faced raids during the Arab invasions, and the area was largely abandoned by the 19th century.
In 1990, Turkish authorities recognised that Kekova was a popular spot for swimming and scuba diving and grew concerned about antiquities being removed and sold illegally. Swimming was banned in zones covering the ancient submerged city to protect archaeological remains. In 2000, Kekova was added to Turkey’s tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status and remains on that list pending any future decision.
Getting to Kekova
I’ve visited Kekova twice. The first visit was on a sea-kayaking trip, an activity that revealed I’m not a natural kayaker. On the second visit I enjoyed a more relaxed approach aboard a yacht during a four-day cruise from Fethiye to Olympos.
Having seen many archaeological sites, Kekova’s appeal is subtle: the ruins lie underwater, so you cannot walk through the streets to fully imagine the town’s original layout. From the boat it’s possible to make out building walls and steps that now end in the sea, hints of a once-thriving settlement.
If you’re in the area, Kekova is worth a visit for its atmosphere and for the unique sight of submerged ruins. That said, I personally enjoyed sailing a short distance across the bay to explore the Byzantine castle of Simena and to sample the village’s homemade ice cream more than lingering near the sunken city.
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