Kundu→Patara

Kundu sits on the eastern side of Antalya Bay, among wide sandy beaches and red pine forest. Patara sits on the far western edge of the Antalya province, where the Lycian coast opens onto one of the longest beaches in Turkey. Between the two lie 148 kilometres of road and about 156 minutes of driving, which makes this a full coast-to-coast morning or afternoon rather than a quick hop.

This is not an airport run. It is a point-to-point journey that collects you at your hotel in Kundu and sets you down at your accommodation in Patara, or at the gate of the ancient city if that is where your day begins. You do not change vehicles, you do not wait at a bus station, and you do not carry suitcases across a junction in the heat.

The road is the great coastal artery of the Turkish Riviera. For most of the 148 kilometres the sea is on your left, the Taurus foothills are on your right, and the scenery changes every half hour. Here is how the drive unfolds.

Leaving Kundu and crossing Antalya

Your driver collects you from the hotel lobby or reception area. The big resorts along the Kundu strip each have their own entrance and drop-off point, and our drivers know where each one is, so you are not wandering around the grounds with your bags looking for the car.

From Kundu the road heads west towards the airport side of the city, then on through Antalya itself. You pass the long arc of the bay, with Lara beach and its cliffs behind you. Then the road runs around the old harbour area and out along Konyaaltı, where the mountains drop almost to the sea. This first stretch through a city of this size is the part of the journey where traffic matters most. It is also the part you can influence by choosing a sensible departure time.

The Kemer and Beydağları stretch

West of Antalya the landscape turns greener. Pine forest covers the hillsides and the Beydağları mountains rise steeply inland. Tahtalı peak, the high point above Kemer, is often still snow-streaked in early spring while the beach below is already warm. Resort towns follow one another: Kemer, then Tekirova, with signs for the ancient city of Phaselis and the side roads down to Çıralı and Olympos, where the natural flames of the Chimaera burn on the hillside.

This is the busiest section for resort coach traffic in high season, and the first stretch where you feel the coast road rather than the city ring road.

Kumluca and Finike: the orange coast

After the mountain section the road drops towards the flatter, farmed stretch around Kumluca and Finike. Greenhouses, citrus groves and orange orchards fill the lowland. In winter and early spring the trees are heavy with fruit, and roadside stalls sell oranges by the bag. Finike has a small harbour and marina, and above it in the hills lies the ancient site of Arykanda. If you travel in the cooler months you will see how different this coast looks without the summer haze: the mountains sharp, the sea dark blue, the citrus bright.

Demre and the Myra area

Demre is known for ancient Myra, with its rock-cut Lycian tombs, and for the church of St Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop whose legend became the Santa Claus story. The town itself sits on a wide, fertile plain. From the road you mostly see greenhouses and a busy local centre, but the signs to Myra and to the Kekova area, where a sunken Lycian city lies in the shallows, tell you that you are entering a region where almost every headland has a story.

If ancient history is your interest, tell your driver before the journey. A stop at Myra adds time, but a private transfer makes it possible.

The mountain road towards Kaş and Kaputaş

Past Demre the road becomes more dramatic. It climbs along cliffs, curls around headlands and drops to small coves, with the Greek island of Kastellorizo visible off the coast near Kaş on a clear day. Kaş is the lively harbour town of this coast, a handful of streets of whitewashed houses, boutiques and waterfront restaurants. Then the road carries on towards Kalkan along the section many people consider the finest of the whole drive.

Kaputaş is the best-known landmark here. Far below the road, a narrow gorge opens onto a small turquoise beach, reached by a long staircase from the roadside. It is one of the most photographed spots on the Turkish coast, and the viewpoint above it is an easy place for a short stop. Ask your driver and they will pull in where it is safe.

Kalkan and the descent to Patara

Kalkan is a small, elegant harbour town built in steps up a hillside, with Ottoman-style stone houses and a famously photogenic old quarter. The road passes above it, then runs on across hills and along the coast to the broad Patara plain. The landscape flattens, you cross the plain with the Xanthos valley to the north, and the road ends at the village of Patara, usually called Gelemiş by locals, close to the beach and the ancient city.

The journey is 148 kilometres and the drive is about 156 minutes, or roughly two hours and thirty-six minutes. That figure assumes steady moving traffic and no long stops. In practice, treat it as the middle of a range.

• Quiet times: early morning, mid-morning outside the school holidays, and the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn. You are likely to match or beat the quoted time.
• Busy times: July and August, especially at weekends and in late afternoon. Slow lorries on the climbs, coaches on the Kemer section and holiday traffic through the towns can add a good deal. Allow extra time.
• With stops: a photo stop at Kaputaş, a coffee in Kalkan or a walk at Myra each adds time. Thirty to forty-five minutes per stop is a sensible planning figure.

If you have a fixed commitment on the Patara side, such as a boat trip, a restaurant booking or a check-in cut-off, build a buffer into your departure time. It is easier to arrive early and sit with a drink than to arrive late and rush.

For most travellers, a morning departure works best for three reasons. First, you cross Antalya before the day's traffic builds. Second, the light on the Lycian coast is at its best in the morning and early afternoon. Third, you reach Patara with the whole afternoon free for the beach.

A departure after lunch is also popular, particularly for guests who have a late hotel check-out. The road is still comfortable, although you will arrive in the early evening, in time for dinner and a walk but not for a full beach day.

Kundu's resorts spread out along the beachfront, many of them large, with long drives, gardens and several entrances. Titanic Beach Lara, Delphin Imperial, Delphin Palace, Nirvana Cosmopolitan and Royal Holiday Palace are among the properties our drivers visit regularly, and each has its own routine for taxi and transfer pick-ups.

To keep things simple on departure day, check out before the driver arrives, give us the hotel name and the entrance if the resort is large, and tell us how many suitcases you have. Resort holidays often mean more luggage than people expect.

Your driver meets you at the agreed point and the journey starts from there. There is no need to walk to the main road or to a public stop.

Patara is a small place. The village itself is a modest cluster of guesthouses, family-run hotels, restaurants and shops on the way to the beach and the ruins, and there is no large central square or one-way maze to get lost in. That is a real advantage after a long drive.

Many of the places to stay are on narrow lanes or in gardens, and some larger vehicles cannot get to the door. In those cases the driver will stop as close as the road allows and help you the last few metres with your luggage. Having the exact name and a map pin of your accommodation makes the final stage easy, especially if the owner can also send a message to the driver.

If you are arriving late, tell your hotel in advance. Smaller family-run properties often have staff who stay up for arrivals, but they need to know when to expect you.

Patara is compact, but the places to stay fall into a few clear types. Choosing the right one makes a bigger difference to your trip than you might expect.

The village centre (Gelemiş)

This is the heart of Patara. Small hotels, guesthouses and apartments cluster along the main road and the lanes behind it, with a few restaurants, shops and cafes close by. It suits couples, solo travellers and anyone who likes to walk to dinner and be back at the room in a few minutes. It is relaxed rather than lively. You will not find big clubs, but you will find a warm welcome and plenty of quiet corners.

Close to the beach and the ruins

Properties near the road that leads to the beach and the archaeological site are good for visitors whose main plan is the sand and the ancient city. You can walk to the entrance, return to the pool at midday and go back for the sunset. Expect more traffic of day visitors in the middle of the day, but quiet evenings.

Hillside and garden properties

Some of the more peaceful places sit a little way out among the fields and hills, often with a pool and a view across the plain. They suit families who want space and a calm base, or travellers who like to hire a car or scooter and explore.

Patara beach is the reason most people come. It stretches for about eighteen kilometres, which makes it among the longest unbroken beaches in Turkey. The sand is fine and pale, with rolling dunes behind it and a backdrop of mountains. The sea shelves gradually and can bring good waves on windy days, which both children and adults enjoy.

Because the beach is a nesting area for loggerhead turtles, it has been protected from heavy development. There are limited facilities, and the rules in the nesting season mean the sand is quiet and natural after dark. This is part of the charm. You are not here for a row of beach clubs, but for open space.

Practical tips for a beach day:

• Bring a hat, sun cream and plenty of water. Shade is limited on the open sand.
• Follow the signs and staff instructions in the turtle-protection areas, particularly in the nesting season.
• Check access at the gate, since the approach is through the archaeological area and arrangements can vary.

Patara was once the main port of ancient Lycia and, according to historical tradition, the seat of the Lycian League, one of the earliest known federal democracies. Many visitors know it as the traditional birthplace of St Nicholas. Today the ruins sit among dunes and scrub, much of it unexcavated, so there is a feeling of discovery rather than of a ticketed museum.

Highlights for an easy half-day:

• The monumental gate at the entrance to the city, one of the best-preserved structures on site.
• The theatre, set into a hillside, with views across the plain.
• The parliament building (bouleuterion), where the Lycian League is said to have met.
• The ancient lighthouse and harbour area, now buried in sand and reeds, reminding you that the sea once reached much further inland.
• The colonnaded street and baths, which give a good sense of the scale of the city.

Mornings and late afternoons are the best times for the ruins, when the light is soft and the heat is lower. In midsummer, start early and bring water.

Patara is a village of family-run restaurants rather than a nightlife resort, and that is the pleasure of it. Evenings are about dinner under a pergola, with local dishes cooked simply.

• Fresh fish and meze are the stars of the coastal menu. Ask what the day's catch is.
• Gözleme, the thin savoury flatbread filled with cheese, spinach or potato, is a regional classic and a very good lunch on the way back from the beach.
• Local honey, olive oil and citrus from the surrounding farms appear in many dishes and make good presents.
• Tea and Turkish coffee after the meal are part of the ritual, and often come without a rush to clear the table.

Because everything is small and close, there is no need to plan a night out. Most visitors end the day with a walk, a drink and an early night, ready for the next morning's beach.

The drive of about 156 minutes is a long time for small children, so a little planning helps.

• Ask for child or booster seats when you book. Tell us the ages and number of children so that the vehicle is ready at the Kundu pick-up.
• Pack snacks, water, a toy and a light jumper, as the air conditioning can feel cool after the heat outside.
• Plan one break around the halfway mark. Finike or Demre are convenient, with cafes and clean places to stretch your legs.
• If a child is prone to travel sickness, tell the driver at the start. The mountain section has plenty of bends, and a slower pace makes a difference.
• Aim to leave Kundu after breakfast rather than very early, so children have had time to eat and wake up properly.

In Patara, the gently shelving beach suits families, though waves on windy days need watching. The ruins reward children who like to climb and explore, provided they stay with an adult.

This route is a point-to-point trip, but many of our guests join it at either end of a flight.

If you land in Antalya in the evening and go straight to Patara, remember that the airport is about 18 kilometres from Kundu, and the Patara drive is a further 156 minutes beyond Kundu. Tell your accommodation your expected arrival time, because smaller family-run hotels will usually wait for a late guest if they know when to expect you.

If you leave Patara for an early flight from Antalya, work back from the flight time: airport check-in and security, then the drive, then a buffer. That usually means a very early start. Give us your flight number and time when you book.

Many guests use this route in the opposite direction at the end of their stay. The drive is similar in length, and the airport sits on the eastern side of Antalya, so the airport run is a little shorter than the full Kundu leg, although it still needs generous planning.

A simple rule is to work backwards:

1. Decide when you need to be at the airport. For an international flight, this is usually around three hours before departure.
2. Subtract the drive of about two and a half hours, then add a buffer for traffic in Antalya and for any stops.
3. That gives your pick-up time at Patara. For an afternoon flight, it often means a morning departure after breakfast. For an early morning flight, it means leaving before dawn.

In July and August, add more buffer, since the roads through Kemer and Antalya can slow significantly in late afternoon. If your flight is in the evening, an early lunch in Patara or Kalkan is possible before the drive, but avoid cutting it fine.

Patara is an excellent base for exploring, and a private driver makes it easy to see several places in a day.

• Xanthos and Letoon: the former capital of Lycia and its sacred sanctuary lie a short drive inland from Patara. Both are recognised as World Heritage sites and are less crowded than the better-known Aegean ruins.
• Kalkan: a short drive away, ideal for a harbour lunch, shopping and a stroll through the old town.
• Kaş: the lively harbour town to the east, with boat trips, diving and a good selection of restaurants.
• Saklıkent Gorge: a deep canyon in the hills north of Patara, popular for walks and a cool escape from the summer heat.
• Demre and Kekova: Myra and the sunken city around Kekova are excellent on the way back towards Antalya if you have a day to spare.

If you plan any of these, tell us when you book. A driver who stays with you for a day can often offer a better route than a series of separate rides.

Spring (April to May): The countryside is green, the days are warm and the sea is still cool. It is a good time for the ruins and for walking, and the beach is quiet.

Summer (June to September): Hot and sunny, with the sea at its warmest. The beach is at its best, and the heat in the middle of the day can be intense, particularly at the ruins. Plan outings for morning and late afternoon.

Autumn (October to November): The sea stays pleasantly warm into the autumn and the crowds thin out. This is a good time for those who like swimming without the peak-season heat.

Winter (December to March): Mild by northern European standards, with many days of bright sunshine but cooler evenings and some rain. Many small businesses reduce hours or close for the season, so check that your hotel and restaurants are open before you book.

Doing this journey by public transport means a bus to the central station in Antalya, an intercity coach, and then a local minibus from the Patara junction. With luggage and children in summer heat, that is a long day. A metered street taxi over 148 kilometres is also difficult to plan for, and not every driver is happy to take a long coastal route.

A private transfer gives you one vehicle from your Kundu hotel to your Patara accommodation, with no changes. It runs at your pace, so a stop at Kaputaş, Myra or Kalkan is easy to add, and the driver knows the bends and the best places to pull in.

Reserve with your Kundu hotel name, your Patara address, the number of passengers, the amount of luggage and your preferred departure time. Add any child seat needs and a phone number you can be reached on.

If your plans change, contact us by WhatsApp as early as you can, so we can adjust the pick-up time or add a stop. Turkey Transfer is a small Antalya-based team, and our aim is to make this long, beautiful journey a calm and predictable part of your holiday, from the first kilometre in Kundu to the last turn into Patara.