Emperor Constantine Porphrogenitus described Kas as;

“Thrice blessed, myrrh-breathing city of the Lycians, where the mighty Nicolaus, servant of God, spouts forth myrrh in accordance with the city’s name.”

(Note: In the text, referred Nicolaus is Santa Nicola as we know today )

Kas is a small historical town on the south coast of Turkey. It was one of the most important bishop and marine city of the Lycian civilization and is now surrounded by rock tombs and ruins of the ancient city Antiphellos dating back BC 4th century.

Kas is the marriage of beauty and the deep blue Mediterranean Sea. In Kas, the center of the historic Lycian Region, the Taurus Mountains embrace the sea as they continue to the great depths of the Mediterranean. The area is rocky all around, which helps to keep the bay crystal clear.

Present-day Kaş is known as the queen of the  Turquoise Coast and has become a stylish holiday resort with some of the best shops and restaurants on the Mediterranean. The new marina will host 4000 boats which can turn the village to a new high-end Mediterranian location. A 15 km away airport is undercontruction and will be operating by 2011.

The small town is a center for artist and craftsman, jewellery producers. Each year Kas /Lycia Culture & Art Festival takes place in September for three days. There are plenty of excellent beach clubs, restaurants, bars and cafes.

Kas as in Lycian tongue  Habesos, was the most important city during Hellenstic and Roman era in the region.Considering it’s importance as the major bishop icty adnd trade port, it’s underwater is filled with ruins of the past. Kas is nominated as number one diving destination in Turkey.Freaya Stark says it all in her novel Passionate Nomad as ;

‘There are not so many places left where magic reigns without interruption, and of all those I know, the coast of Lycia was the most magical.’

A few years back, I spent New Year’s Eve with friends in Los Cabos, Mexico, on the southern Baja peninsula. While it was a lovely gathering and a relaxing beach holiday, I wasn’t so taken with the area’s touristy development. Sure, there’s something nice about sitting on the beach and drinking cocktails by the pool all day but after a brief taster of that, I usually want to move on and see something “real”.

This time, it was Todos Santos, a magical little town about 45 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, a place that a Los Angeles-based friend of mine had raved about. What I heard was – artsy vibe, laid-back energy and great surfing waves. And all was true.

Todos Santos is where the desert meets the Sierra Laguna mountain range meets the Pacific Ocean. Arriving to town felt like entering a time warp. Founded by missionaries in the 18th century and known later for its sugar mills with booming cane production, the town remains a dusty outpost of unpaved roads, adobe haciendas, pristine white-sand beaches and thriving tropical orchards.

It may be the supposedly special energy that has drawn artists from all over the world to this pretty little town. After all, Todos Santos does straddle the Tropic of Cancer. Maybe that explains the creative spark in the air? You won’t find chain restaurants, all-inclusive resorts, or glitzy shops. Everything is one-off, earthy and real.

Accommodations range from stylish old haciendas (<a href=”http://www.todossantosinn.com” target=”_blank”>Todos Santos Inn</a>) to funky bohemian hideaways (<a href=”http://hotelcaliforniabaja.com” target=”_blank”>Hotel California</a>) and beachside tropical enclaves (<a href=”http://www.lapoza.com” target=”_blank”>Posada La Poza</a>). As for food, you can find anything from terrific taco stands, where you can fill up for a song, to gourmet restaurants that serve locally-grown organic food. One such find was La Coronela Restaurant at Hotel California, with a great garden and delicious meals. El Gusto! at Posada La Poza also gets great reviews.

Outside town extends a maze of dirt roads leading through lush palm tree groves and orchards of mangos, papayas and avocados. At one end stretch miles of unspoiled beaches, backed by the desert beyond. You can spend days exploring the surroundings on foot, horseback, bicycle or – in a kayak.

One of the things I loved the most about Todos Santos was the profusion of art galleries. Admittedly, I am quite picky about my art so I wasn’t all that impressed with most of the work on display. I did, however, have a great encounter with a local art celebrity, an eccentric artist called Gabo. Somebody told us to look for the man in his studio on the edge of town but with a warning – we may be either sent away brusquely or engaged in a lively conversation, depending on his mood.

We were lucky – Gabo had just woken up from a siesta and, in a great mood, welcomed us with open arms. We spent the entire afternoon checking out his colorful often bizarre artwork on a private tour of his atelier. We talked of art, love, sex, politics, and other meaty subjects. Time just whizzed past in the company of this flamboyant man. I still remember Gabo’s engaging conversation and the unique ambiance of his studio – it felt like being in a parallel universe. For more about Gabo’s work and where to find him if you happen to be in Todos Santos, see <a href=”http://www.todossantosguide.com/galleries/gaboartgallery.htm” target=”_blank”>TodosSantosGuide.com</a>.

All that said, undiscovered it is not, Todos Santos. This eternally sunny town does get its fair share of mainly North American tourists year-round. You certainly won’t feel like you’ve stumbled upon an oasis untouched by tourism. Still, it’s delightful and captivating. So if you’re in Los Cabos and fed up with flashy nondescript tourism, you know where to come. For more information about Todos Santos, visit <a href=”http://www.todossantos.com” target=”_blank”>www.todossantos.com</a>.

Photo “Baía de Todos os Santos” by Eduardo Pelosi on Flickr

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