Tucked between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, Kemer is one of the most naturally beautiful resort destinations on the Turkish Riviera. Pine forests run down to the water's edge, the sea shifts from turquoise to deep cobalt depending on the depth, and the mountain backdrop gives the coastline a drama that the flat resort towns further east cannot match. The town itself is relaxed and well organised, with a marina, a pedestrian promenade and a range of restaurants and shops that serve both the resort hotels and independent travellers equally well. What sets Kemer apart from other destinations along this coastline is what surrounds it. Within thirty minutes in any direction, you can be inside a mountain canyon, on a boat heading toward an uninhabited island, rafting a glacial river or standing beside flames that have been burning from the bare rock for two and a half thousand years. Kemer is an excellent base, and the region around it consistently exceeds expectations.
Region
Antalya, Turkish Riviera
Population
~ 50.000
Elevation
Sea level to 2,365 m (Tahtali)
Climate
Mediterranean
Best Time to Visit
April to November
Nearest Airport
Antalya Airport (75 km)
Known For
Pine forests, mountain canyons, turquoise coastline
Distance to Antalya City Centre
45 km
Kemer sits directly below Tahtalı Mountain, and the Olympos Cable Car at its base is one of the most dramatic ways to spend a morning anywhere on the Turkish Riviera. A 10-minute ascent in a panoramic cabin takes you to 2,365 metres above sea level, where the entire coastline from Alanya to Finike stretches out below you and the air is sharp and cold regardless of the temperature down at the beach. For those who prefer their altitude with more adrenaline, the Göynük and Köprülü Canyons are both within reach of a half-day excursion, offering gorge trekking, white-water rafting and ziplines through terrain that most visitors to the Turkish Riviera never see.
The coastline around Kemer conceals some of the most pristine and least accessible bays on the entire Mediterranean, reachable only by boat. Suluada, an uninhabited island with white sand beaches and water of an extraordinary turquoise clarity, sits 45 minutes offshore. Porto Genoese Bay offers natural mud baths, luminous sea caves and sheltered coves that larger vessels cannot enter. Closer to shore, Aquarium Bay and Kiriş Bay provide some of the clearest conditions for scuba diving and snorkelling on the Turkish coast, with visibility that regularly exceeds fifteen metres on calm days.
The Taurus Mountains rising behind Kemer are not simply a backdrop — they are a destination in their own right. Jeep safaris climb forest tracks to traditional villages at over 1,500 metres above sea level, where the views back down to the coast are unlike anything visible from the beach. The mountain streams flowing down from the peaks feed the cold, clear trout waters of Ulupınar Village, one of the most quietly beautiful spots in the entire Antalya region. For those who want the mountains without the vehicle, the trails above Olympos and Çıralı connect directly to the Lycian Way, one of the world's great long-distance walking routes.
All About Kemer
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