Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Other Local Resorts & Areas => Kayakoy Discussion Forum => Topic started by: flightyrachel on September 06, 2014, 16:25:03 PM

Title: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: flightyrachel on September 06, 2014, 16:25:03 PM
Hello! We stayed in Calis this summer and had a fab time. My favourite place though was Kayakoy, and we are thinking of basing ourselves here next summer! I've found a great villa behind Gunay's Garden which would seem to combine a bit of privacy with being within easy reach of good food and wine, but have a few concerns about the general location, which I'd really appreciate your expert opinions on!

We really don't want to hire a car and used the dolmus really successfully whilst in Calis. Is Kaya well served? Is there a beach easily accessible (walk or dolmus?) How far is Olu Deniz beach?

Would the excursion companies come and pick us up from Kayakoy? I'm thinking specifically of the boat trip ones, we loved our boat trip and my kids think if we go back we need to do it twice!  :)

Would it be a bit quiet for my teens? They are by no means ravers, we live in the sticks and they hardly ever go out (poor things) but I don't want them being tutted at for being alive...

I really adored Kayakoy, I thought it was magical, and would LOVE to stay here, my eldest and middle son think the same, the little one just wants a pool and my husband never really minds what we do, he just pays for it  :) My daughter though has major anxieties about being stuck up a mountain and being forced to look at ruins all the time, so I would so appreciate any advice or opinions you might have!

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: WordBird on September 06, 2014, 17:17:25 PM
The dolmuş service runs every half hour during the summer, going through Hisarönü and Ovacik to Fethiye. Takes about 20 minutes/half an hour.

To get to Ölüdeniz you have to change in Hisarönü and get a second dolmuş, there is no direct route.
There is however a taksi service which will take you wherever you want to go whenever you want to go.

There are plenty of excellent bars and restaurants, but it's not what I would call 'lively' for older teens - though Hisarönü is only ten minutes away if that's what they want. My daughter is 14 and loves the village, it's very safe and she'll happily go to places on her own.

Gemiler beach is down the other end of the village and there is a dolmuş during the season. (However, the cost of food and the people who run it etc is a whole other topic.)

I don't know about excursion companies generally collecting you, but I do know of at least one great boat trip run by someone in the village who will do door-to-door collection and drop-off.

Hope that helps for a start. I've only lived here full-time for three months and there are others who know it far better than me, but feel free to PM me if you think I can help with anything.
Title: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: kayakebab on September 06, 2014, 17:23:06 PM
We stayed in Kaya every year for about 10 years, twice a year if we could afford it.
We used to stay at Muzzys place, so had  their pool and the kids used to love the waiters and having other guests around.
To be honest I think they would have got bored in a villa. It's nice to have company, other people to chat to, other families visiting the pool etc.
We never found getting out and about a problem, dolmus every half hour and we used to go out alternate days, either to Olu, into Fethiye, to Gemiler beach etc
You need to get a dolmus to the beach. For Olu you go up to Hisaronu, then change to go to Olu Deniz, it's pretty straightforward.
The Gemiler dolmus is very infrequent, I think only 11am and 3 pm, although that may have changed.
On the Kaya days we often would go out for a walk, go for pancakes in the village, and got to know a Turkish couple, and crazy as it sounds we used to love going up the mountain with him at the end of each day and give the goats water etc.

Evenings in the village were quite low key, either staying chatting with new friends, trying different restaurants for dinner, or going up to Hisaronu.
If we missed the last dolmus Muzzy used to send someone to come and get us, sometimes we used to go out with him and the staff after hours up to Hisaronu to the bars and go dancing.
Once they got quite a bit older we started to stay in Calis, so then they could go out in the evenings and come home together, or with friends they brought over on holiday with them.
We never had any problem with any tour companies picking us up, apart from one morning at 6 am waiting to go to Pammukale, when they forgot to come and get us, but that could have happened anywhere, I'm not sure about boat trips as we used to get the bus down to Fethiye or Olu for boat trips.

Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: kayakebab on September 06, 2014, 17:24:20 PM
Ooops, posted at the same time Wordbird... Sorry for all duplicated info.
Forgot to say, there's horse riding in the village too if they enjoy that.
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: KKOB on September 06, 2014, 18:50:45 PM
The dolmuses go through to Gemiler every hour.

If you get the chance to go out to Af Kule Monastery it's well worth it. It's a steep climb down, and subsequently, a steep climb back up again. Definitely not for the faint-hearted but the views are stunning in the afternoon as the sun's setting.
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: DonM on September 07, 2014, 10:53:51 AM
The shortest journey from Kaya to Fethiye is by the Kaya village dolmus, it takes about 20 minutes and goes via the mountain road. That's the good news, the bad news is it only runs 3 times a day. 7am?, 11am and 3pm from Kaya and returns at 9am?, 1.30pm and 6.30pm from Fethiye. When we had the camper van we used it a lot and it was cheap and convenient.

We arrive back in Kaya on the 22 October for another 6 month stay. For the last 5 years we have rented a cottage in Keciler but due to failing hips and knees and 30 uneven steps at the cottage this year we are staying in one of the bungalows at the Istanbul restaurant.

The dolmus to Gemiler runs about 2/3 times a day at the most in the high season and not at all in the winter.

I can recommend Kaya for the winter if you like peace and quiet, having said that it was very noisy at times last winter with all the building going on. I'm hoping it was a one off.

Wordbird where abouts in the village do you live? I'm looking forward to meeting you.

DonM


Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: flightyrachel on September 07, 2014, 12:18:19 PM
Thank you all so much for all the info!  :) It doesn't sound too cut off at all, at least not in August!

Kayakebab your hols sound just like our sort of thing, a good mix of days out and days in!  :)
Wordbird I will get in touch with you about the boat trip person nearer the time if that is ok with you?  :) And about taxis, our sole adventure in a taxi this year involved my husband having to travel in the boot!! Perils of being a large family I guess!
I've googled your monastery KKOB and it looks fascinating, if a bit vertiginous!
Don, I hope you have a peaceful trip!

One more question everyone and I hope it's not too silly a one... what is the beach/bay that you can see from the top church in the ruins? Is this Gemiler beach? We went through a sort of gap in the rocks, below and to the left of the church, with little caves in it and  there seemed to be a path continuing on down towards the sea from there but we didn't have time to explore further (and the sun was going down so I was worried we'd suddenly be plunged into darkness!) It was very beautiful, anyway.
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: KKOB on September 07, 2014, 13:37:59 PM
That's Cold Water Bay. There used to be a very small cafe/restaurant there. Not sure if it's still open.

There also used to be a fella with a small motorboat who would take you around the headland to Oludeniz. He used to get his son to stand on the footpath to Oludeniz at the top chapel to mis-direct walkers down to the bay. Then he'd offer to take them to Oludeniz in his boat for 20 - 30 TL a head. By the time they'd walked down to the bay and had a couple of drinks most walkers would go for the offer of the boat trip.

Gemiler Island and beach is about 3 miles to the right of where you were standing.

Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: kayakebab on September 07, 2014, 16:31:03 PM
I thought how much your hols reminded me of mine too Rachel!
We went to the monastery with the wacky walkers, fab views, not for the feint hearted walking down there to it though!
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: KKOB on September 07, 2014, 16:46:30 PM
I used to lead parties of walkers down there. Sometimes went 2 or 3 times a week. Definitely kept me fit !
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: WordBird on September 07, 2014, 16:48:07 PM
No problem Rachel.
The other good thing about Kaya is that even in the height of summer there is generally a nice breeze that takes the worst of the heat off - Fethiye is such a sweatbox, I've avoided it as much as possible since early July!!
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: flightyrachel on July 04, 2015, 19:37:34 PM
I'm bumping my post, as, goodness me, the summer is nearly upon us! We did indeed book the villa behind the Izela, and now I am all ears to hear your top tips for a hol in Kayakoy! We are all so excited to be returning to lovely Turkey, and we are ignoring all the doom merchants who tell us we'll be shot by ISIS! (Living near London, we tend to be philosophical about such things). What's good, what's bad, what's new, what should we not miss?? Where are the camels? How can we avoid the jeeps? I am all ears and all of a quiver!

Wordbird, do pm me the details of the boat trip, as that is deffo on our to do list!

Rachel xx
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: Jacqui Harvey on July 04, 2015, 21:20:39 PM
Why not  try hiring a car for a while to see how it goes.  Very convenient not having to wait for the dolmus, particularly if it is full. 
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: flightyrachel on July 05, 2015, 08:50:09 AM
It really doesn't appeal I'm afraid, Jacqui! I'd be far to terrified to drive amongst mountains and goats and things, and my husband likes to have a break from it when we're  away. We have to do such a lot of driving day to day that the bus (and walking) seem very holidayish to us! I know some people love driving and find it relaxing though... I find it more blood pressure raising (but that might be because I'm a rubbish driver!)  ;D
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: Jacqui Harvey on July 05, 2015, 09:15:34 AM
My husband is now a "Turkish Driver"  means he drives like a Turk and has no fear.  I suppose it is because he drove to work every day in Scotland a 50 mile round trip, in the rush hours.  He has also driver abroad i.e  American, Denmark etc., through his job.  We live one third of a mile up a farm lane in Scotland, so driving is a necessity to us.  We are probably very lazy but would not dream of going to Turkey without hiring a car.
We love Kayakoy and visit more and more these days.  The camels are opposite the Muzzy's and the Istanbul.  The quad bikes are real pest and it is hard to avoid them, they roar through Kaya all the time and are worst than the Jeeps.  So, if you are walking on the road (which you know have no pavements) keep an eye open for them.
Visit Villa Rhapsody which is a lovely little Hotel, they have beautiful gardens and would welcome you for dinner.
Try the Levissi Gardens for a bit of wine tasting.  There is also a very nice little shop just opposite, which has very reasonable priced clothes etc.,
Title: Re: Kayakoy as a holiday base
Post by: flightyrachel on August 17, 2015, 10:17:39 AM
Thanks, Jacqui, for your advice. We're very much looking forward to arriving this evening, and exploring tomorrow!