Discover Kekova on turkey sailing tours: glide by the sunken city of kekova, climb Simena Castle, and anchor in Aquarium and Gökkaya bays. An informative overview for gulet cruises, with highlights like Üçağız, Aparlai and the Blue Cave.
Kekova is a coastal pocket on Turkey’s southwest shore, within the Turkish Riviera, where small fishing villages, sheltered inlets and modest islands share the landscape with ruins from the Lycian era. Fringed by hilltop fortifications and rock-cut tombs, the area blends luminous water with layers of history, making it a fixture on many turkey sailing tours and a favourite waypoint for gulet cruises.
The best-known sights are the village of Simena (today’s Kaleköy), crowned by a Roman-era fortress, and the sunken city of kekova, where traces of streets, steps and walls slip beneath the surface. All across the slopes you’ll spot sarcophagi and tombs hewn straight from the rock.
Because the water is exceptionally clear and the anchorages are well sheltered, turkey sailing tours and private yachts regularly weave through this region for lazy swim stops, snorkeling over seagrass meadows and easy deck time between ancient sites. Spanning roughly 260 km², Kekova’s mix of unspoiled nature and archaeology puts it on nearly every classic gulet cruises itinerary between Demre and Kaş.
A short distance from the coast you’ll find the sunken city of kekova: terraces and walls along the shore that slipped beneath the sea after earthquakes in antiquity. Stone stairways vanish underwater; foundations, quays and streets appear when the light is right. To protect the archaeology and the environment, swimming and snorkeling directly over the site aren’t permitted; instead, boats idle along the coast so you can view the remains from the deck through crystal-clear water. Many routes also pair this pass-by with time at Kaleköy, Üçağız and nearby coves.
Kaleköy—literally “castle village”—can only be reached from the water, which preserves its timeless feel. A short climb leads to the hilltop fortress with a tiny rock-carved theatre (about 300 seats) and sweeping views across the islands and turquoise shallows. Below the walls, scattered Lycian tombs dot the slopes, and the village is known for simple cafés and famously good homemade ice cream. On most gulet cruises, this is a relaxed, photo-heavy pause.
This lagoon-like inlet is prized for glass-clear visibility, making it ideal for swimming, snorkeling, paddling a kayak or simply dangling your feet off the stern. With the seabed visible from the surface, you can often watch schools of damselfish and mullet drift over sand patches and rocky coral nooks. Aquarium Bay is typically included as a lunch-and-swim anchor on Kekova-side gulet cruises and day trips from Kaş.
Protected from open water by low islets and cliffs, Gökkaya is a favourite overnight spot: calm seas, pine-green hills and water the colour of cut aquamarine. You’ll find scattered Lycian ruins ashore and, in season, the chance to spot sea turtles. After a sun-soaked day, some boats run tenders to a rustic nightlife outpost on a nearby islet—parties with a pirate vibe that many crews affectionately call “captains’ paradise.”
Üçağız (“three mouths,” for the trio of channels leading in from the sea) is a small, protected harbour where development is limited, preserving its low-key charm. The harbour’s look is simple—timber piers, small fishing craft at their moorings, and a compact waterfront walkway. Expect straightforward seafood restaurants serving the day’s catch, ice-cream stalls and a few vendors with easygoing beachwear—perfect for a gentle wander between legs of your turkey sailing tours route.
Aparlai is loved for clear, calm water and sunset views across the Turquoise Coast. With secure holding and shelter, it’s a popular anchorage for gulet cruises and charter yachts plotting an unhurried night under the stars. Access is by boat only, which helps keep the bay’s hush intact.
Named for the electric glow created when sunlight bounces through a low sea-level opening, Blue Cave is a classic swim stop in fine weather. Adventurous guests can slip through the mouth to watch the interior light up in shifting shades of cobalt. Local lore still calls it “Pirates’ Cave,” a nod to the days when crews hid out here awaiting merchant traffic—another tale that adds atmosphere to modern gulet cruises.
