Kabak Valley (the Valley of Squash!) is a hidden little gem on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey where the waters are azure and the tourists flock by the hundreds to resort towns the like of Ölüdeniz. For your sanity, please avoid the latter unless you're looking for small Britain with a more favourable climate as endless sandwich boards proudly proclaim they will get you bangers and mash and you can pay in GBP. Why? You're in Turkey, sillies!
From the lovely town of Fethiye take a
dolmuş (a mini-van that is a shared taxi, a Turkish specialty for getting around) from the bus depot. A few hours of winding cliff-hugging roads and voilá - you are at the end of the line, the sleepy tiny village of Kabak. There is a guesthouse or two here on top of the hill but you are a long way from the beach down below, beckoning with its gentle surf and white sand. So here is my suggestion.
Pay the dolmuş driver the nominal fee for getting you here safely despite his careening speeds past the long drops to the valley floor. Disembarking, note the small bushel of signs for accommodation, jeep transportation, etc. marking the start of the climb down to the ocean. Also etch in your mind the second café/shop combination to the right of the signs - this is the place to stock up on ice-cream bars, beer and miscellaneous items to carry to your camp haven below. They also serve fantastic and cheap gözleme with
ayran (that's a stuffed flat-bread and savoury yogurt drink respectively) and sell local honey and crafts.
Now you are ready to hoist your belongings as comfortably as possible and start the descent to the valley below. You'll be walking along a part of the
Lycian Way, a fabulous trekking route that echoes of long-gone civilizations that once thrived along this rocky coast. This walk will get your heart pumping for the views as well as the steep angle you are navigating, but it couldn't be more worth it.
There are several camps that have sprung up in the valley. One of the pioneers is
Reflections Camp and I adore this eco-lodge with its calm tranquil magic. Started by Chris who is American and currently run by a beautiful Turkish couple, they endeavour to recycle everything possible, provide refills of potable water to reduce consumption of plastic bottles, remove all their trash from the valley and are continually improving their lush natural oasis of wooden bungalows and tent platforms while pouring on the famous Turkish hospitality. Breakfast and dinner are divine buffets served on the communal terrace with luscious views, candles and backpackers mingling their stories and accents between bites and praise of the food. Lunch is extra, but we loved the reward of gözleme and ayran
after a long climb to the valley's rim, to break up all that lying around on the beach.
Mmmm... the Valley of Squash... save this gem for your favourite people who will treat it with respect.
