Kalkan's main beach is shingled and this may not appeal to many would-be beach-goers but the water sports and activities on offer off these shores still attract thousands of tourists each year. Nearby Kaputas Beach is sandy and much more pleasant for those longing to dig their toes in the sand. Enjoy sailing, jet skiing, water skiing, scuba diving, parasailing and banana boating or discover what lies beneath the crystal clear waters on a snorkelling trip of plunge to the depths and enjoy the marine life on the reefs on a scuba dive. The ruins at Xanthos Valley and the New Acropolis are popular attractions to visit, as is the ancient city of Patara.

Turkish is the official language, but English is widely understood in the main tourist areas.

The official currency is the New Turkish Lira (TRY), which was introduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from the TL and the sub-unit New Kurush was created. Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths, post offices, airports and ferry ports; banks have the worst rates and highest commissions, but will exchange lesser known foreign currencies. Banks open mainly Monday to Friday, but some are open daily in tourist areas. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas, but Turkish ATM keypads usually do not have letters of the alphabet on their keys. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and Plus. Major credit cards are widely accepted; the most popular are Visa or MasterCard, but American Express is accepted in many of the more expensive places. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at some banks and currency exchange offices, but are not as welcome as cash or credit cards. US dollars or Euros are preferred. Some pensions and hotels in the most popular destinations accept US dollars as payment.

Kalkan can often be packed with British tourists and the main beach is shingle so shoes are advised for beach excursions, although the water depth drops off close to the shore, so travellers won't have to walk over the pebbles for long.

Kalkan's nightlife will keep all types of visitors busy. With plenty of restaurants, cafés, bars and nightclubs to enjoy, the town comes to life after dusk. Head to one of the many rooftop terrace bars for sundowners, listen to a gypsy band while sipping on the local aniseed drink, 'raki', smoke a hookah pipe and recline on Ottoman-style cushions, or enjoy the local ladies putting on a belly dancing show.

There is a high concentration of restaurants in Kalkan, most of which are peppered around the centre of town. There are over 100 restaurants ranging from trendy and market eateries to local lokantas (tavernas) and even rooftop restaurants offering breathtaking views over the harbour and serving a variety of cuisines, including traditional Turkish, locally caught seafood and oodles of Mediterranean favourites, while local meze (similar to tapas), cheese and trout are popular features on restaurant menus. There are a number of eateries offering international cuisine, and they come with an international price tag.

Kalkan's Thursday market is a great place to pick up souvenirs and mingle with the locals to get a true reflection of Kalkan life. Gold and silver jewellery, Turkish kilims (hand-woven rugs) and a traditional blue-coloured glass 'evil eye', said to ward off evil spirits, are the main buys when enjoying a little retail therapy in the streets of Kalkan and many of the shops stay open till at least midnight. Another popular purchase is tailor-made suits and other clothing.