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Kayakoy, a place where a sad sense of absence hangs in the air, may not be an obvious choice for a holiday itinerary but it's unique, evocative and memorable (daily, 9am-7pm; TL5/£2.20). Kayakoy, or Levissi as it was known, was home to 2,000 or so Ottoman Greeks at the beginning of the 20th century, but the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923) and the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne led to the forced repatriation of Greek and Turkish communities living outside the newly defined borders of their respective countries. Kayakoy was abandoned and never re-populated so its churches, schools and streets still exist in an eerie time-warp. Wander the streets alone at sunset for a powerful experience. Kayakoy is only five miles from Fethiye and easy to get to; minibuses (TL2.50/£1.10) run 7am-10pm in summer.

This is a seismically, as well as politically, active land. Following massive earthquakes in the second century along Turkey's Mediterranean coast, the land dropped by up to six metres into the sea and the port of Kekova became the "sunken city". It's a captivating sight. To visit Kekova you can take one of the boat excursions that depart from Kas or Kalkan – simply walk along the harbour in the evening as the crews will be touting for business. They're good value with prices around TL40/£20 for a full-day including food, however boats are not allowed too close to the ruins.

To get a better view, try a sea-kayaking trip. Bougain-ville Tours in Kas (00 90 242 836 3737; www. bougainville-turkey.com) runs trips for all levels that include lunch and transfers for TL55 (£26). They'll pick you up from your hotel in Kas or Kalkan and drive you to Ucagiz, a charming seaside village. (If you want to stay, Onur Pension, 00 90 242 8742071; www.onurpension.com, has a stunning location on the water's edge and double rooms from TL40/£18, bed and breakfast.)

When the water's choppy it can be a strenuous paddle across the bay to the ruins, but you should arrive at Kekova before the boats from Kas. From there you paddle across to Kalekoy (formerly Simena), a tiny hamlet with an impressive Byzantine castle and a Lycian necropolis. Great Lycian sarcophagi now tower out of the cobalt-blue shallow waters. In the wake of the earthquakes their occupants found themselves literally sleeping with the fishes as cemetery became bay.