Kemer

Kemer sits squeezed between the steep pine forests of the Taurus Mountains and the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Built primarily as a resort town in the 1980s, it serves as a base for coastal day trips and mountain hikes rather than deep urban exploration. You move around mainly on local dolmuş buses that run along the coastal highway. Expect large resort complexes, pebbled shores, and easy access to ancient Lycian ruins.

Dining in Kemer splits between large hotel buffets and roadside taverns. For authentic regional meals, head inland to Ulupınar where mountain streams keep fish farms cool. Stream-side wooden platforms serve fresh trout grilled over charcoal or baked in clay dishes.

• Ulupınar Stream Dining

  Eat fresh trout on low tables built directly over running water, 25 minutes south along the D400.

• Weekly Market Eats

  Monday's food market near Kemer clock tower offers regional citrus, olives, and fresh gözleme flatbreads.

• Paying Away From Hotels

  Town restaurants accept cards, but carry cash Turkish Lira for dolmuş fares and roadside fruit stands.

Kemer was named after the stone wall built in 1910 to protect local settlements from mountain mudslides. Before the coastal D400 highway arrived in 1980, access was strictly by boat. Today the former fishing hamlet functions as a planned resort hub.

1. c. 700 BC

   Phaselis Founded

   Rhodian colonists establish Phaselis as a prominent maritime trading port.

2. 1910

   The Wall Built

   Villagers construct a 23-kilometre stone wall (kemer) to direct flash floods into the sea.

3. 1980

   Highway Opening

   Construction of the coastal D400 highway ends Kemer's overland isolation from Antalya.

4. 1987

   Master Resort Plan

   The South Antalya Tourism Project transforms Kemer into a purpose-built resort destination.

Choose your location based on how often you intend to leave your resort. Central Kemer places bars, shops, and dolmuş hubs in easy walking distance. Staying in Çamyuva or Tekirova means committing to self-contained beachfront properties.

• Independent travellersCentral Kemer — Direct access to public dolmuş lines and town restaurants.
• Hikers and active pairsGöynük — Close to Göynük Canyon trailheads and Lycian Way routes.
• Families seeking quietÇamyuva — Calmer beaches with less late-night music noise.
• Luxury resort stayersTekirova — Spacious beach properties set beside pine forests.

Kemer relies on the D400 highway for regional connections. Local dolmuş minibuses run frequently along the coast, stopping on demand at marked roadside points.

• White minibuses marked 'Kemer-Antalya' run along the main highway every 15 minutes in daylight.

• Drivers accept cash in Turkish Lira; hand change forward through passengers on packed buses.

• Dolmuş service decreases significantly after 23:00. Pre-arrange taxi returns if staying out late.

• Verify the taxi driver switches on the meter before departing central town ranks.

Kemer uses the Turkish Lira (₺). Prices in tourist shops are frequently displayed in Euros, but paying in Lira avoids poor exchange rates.

• Sunbed rental: ₺150–300 per day

  Beach clubs along Kemer town beach charge daily fees unless you buy food.

• Dolmuş fare: ₺40–80

  Covers short hops between Kemer, Göynük, and Phaselis.

• Tahtalı Cable Car ticket: €40–50

  Priced in Euros; booking online in advance skips queue lines.

• Water Shoes

  Bring rubber water shoes to walk across hot, coarse pebbles comfortably.

• Currency Choice

  Choose Turkish Lira when card terminals prompt you to select a home billing currency.

• Phaselis Timing

  Arrive at Phaselis before 10:00 to avoid tour group buses arriving from Antalya.

• Mosquito Protection

  Forest-backed zones get evening mosquitoes; buy local repellent at pharmacies.

• Mountain Weather

  Tahtalı peak can be 15 degrees cooler than the coast. Pack extra layers.