When we were invited to like the Facebook page for Chakra Beach in Kabak, this really piqued our interest.
It happens a lot on Facebook: “______ invited you to like their page.” Oh, go on then.
Some you like out of politeness because it’s your friend, even though you’re not remotely interested in the subject matter.
And then there are pages that really get your interest. Pages you actually want to like and want to visit, if just to see the photos and see what’s going on.
You know us; always up for a nosey around a new place to stay of any description (we had a good old nosey around Hotel Unique in Fethiye).
We knew we were going to be in Kabak to stay at the Olive Garden Camp in the not so distant future so we decided we could visit from there…
Chakra Beach, Kabak
So we messaged our friend to see if it would be okay for us to go for a little mooch. “Come down whenever you like. We’re close to the beach.“
We’d seen the photos of the circular bungalows and were really curious. And, despite numerous trips to Kabak of late, it was at least 8 years since we’d ventured down to sea level.
A perfect excuse to put that right, again.
Thatched Roofs At Chakra Beach!
So we set off down the hill – in July heat – in flip flops (flip flops not recommended) and arrived in the valley 30 minutes or so later.
That little trek from Kabak village to the beach is a blog post in itself – but let’s get back to Chakra Beach.
Because, not only is it a camp of circular bungalows; it’s a camp of circular bungalows with thatched roofs!
Not seen a thatched roof since we were back in the UK. How lovely!
You can already see we fell for this place, can’t you?
We sat and chatted for a while in the bar/dining area.
We’re suckers for chunky wooden tabletops and these are proper chunky. Made from cedar wood.
So now we’ve got chunky wood for the tabletops, the bar and kitchen counters, and thatched roofs. We’ve even got a thatched roof on the kitchen, too.
Every business needs a USP.
There are quite a few camps in Kabak now, so what do you do to attract those that venture down the mountainside into your camp?
Well, what they’ve done at Chakra Beach certainly had me and Barry gushing interested. We’ve never seen thatched roofs in Turkey.
And, apparently, these were done by a family who came from Konya to do the job; one of the only families in Turkey doing this.
A Bungalow Tour
“Shall we have a look at the bungalows?”
Well isn’t that just the question we wanted to hear? Yeah, let’s go and look at these bungalows.
We were itching to see them!
If you’re even remotely interested in architecture, you can’t not love these bungalows. Apparently, the bamboo walls insulate the structure so they’re cool in summer.
After clever designs by the architect, it was hard to find carpenters who could actually do the job…but they did eventually find the carpenters.
And this is the result.
A circular room with large double bed, skylight so you can watch the stars at night (Kabak is a fab star spotting zone), lattice woodwork around the interior walls.
And then, behind the wood panelling, walk to the left of the bed and you’ll come to the shower. Walk to the right of the bed and you’ve got the toilet and washbasin.
The toilet and shower are separated by a brick partition. It’s all just the sort of stuff that does make me and Barry gush – hence the unapologetic gushing!
Chakra Beach On A Budget
And if you come to Chakra Beach and there’s a few of you, and you’re on a bit more of a budget, then you could always bunk down in these rooms, below:
These 2-storey wooden bungalows have one room on the ground floor and one above. It’s a simple, bright and airy room with two single beds and small side table. That’s it.
Should you feel the need to shower or use the loo, there’s a communal block just opposite.
Chill Out Zone
Because let’s just be straight, here. This is Kabak.
You’re not coming here to open your massive suitcase and hang up all your clothes and spread your make-up and toiletries all over the place.
You come to Kabak to chill out with minimal baggage. The smaller your rucksack, the better; especially if you’re hiking down the hillside to get to sea level.
Kabak is about camping (albeit usually with beds), relaxing, hiking, swimming, reading, just enjoying ‘being.’
For some, that’s gonna be your worse boring nightmare. But for others, well Chakra Beach is just going to be your paradise.
Chakra Beach, Kabak – Useful Information
- Chakra Beach is in the valley at Kabak, just a couple of minutes walk from the beach.
- You can either hike down to the beach (around 25-30 mins) like we did, or take a service bus.
- If you are travelling in Turkey or you are in Kabak as part of a longer hiking trip, there are facilities at Chakra Beach to wash your clothes.
- Prices for your stay at Chakra Brach include breakfast and evening meal.
- If you fancy staying here, we recommend you book in advance. You can book Chakra Beach in Kabak through Booking.com.
Khaled
Monday 20th of July 2015
This must be a sign. This blog post was published exactly a year ago and I will be traveling there in 4 days. Thank you for such a review! I am looking forward to my trip there. I've got a few questions i hope you could answer before I travel: 1. Where specifically are the clothes washing facilities? At the hotel itself; Kabak Beach? 2. Where else can I get food other than from the restaurant there? 3. It says on Booking.com that the beach is only a 100 meters away, but you're telling me that the beach is a 25 - 30 minute walk to it. Who is right? 4. What other things can be done around that area?
I'm simply going there to disconnect from the world and reconnect with self.
Thanks a lot!
Khaled
Turkey's For Life
Tuesday 21st of July 2015
Hi Khaled, Thanks for your comment. :) 1. Chakra Beach itself had washing facilities, last year. They were in a block on the site. 2. If you book accommodation in Kabak - at Chakra Beach or other places - your fee includes bed, breakfast and evening meal. Portions are large. If you do get hungry, though, there's a beach bar/restaurant on the beach itself. 3. Yeah, the beach is only about 100 meatres away from Chakra - maybe less. In the blog post, we meant it's a 25-30 minute walk down the mountainside to the beach if you walk from the top where the bus drops you off (near the Olive Garden). There's also another dolmuş to bring you down the hill if you don't want to walk it, though. 4. It's a very remote and mountainous area. There are treks you can do to a waterfall and another bay. Perfect for disconnecting from the world and reconnecting with self, we'd say. :)
Rambling Tart
Thursday 24th of July 2014
I am smitten. Thoroughly. :-)
Turkey's For Life
Saturday 26th of July 2014
Rambling Tart: Ha ha, knew you would like this place. Hopefully you'll get to Turkey someday to visit Kabak and Chakra. :)