Modern Kalkan, known as Kalamaki in ancient times, is thought to have been founded 150 - 200 years ago by traders from the Greek island of Meis (Castellorizo), which is a couple of miles off the coast from Kas. 

Their initial success encouraged the settlement of both Turks and Greeks, particularly from the island of Rhodes. In those days of course all were subjects of the Ottoman empire.

The influence of the settlers from Meis can be seen in the architectural similarities between Meis and Kalkan. Having the only hospitable harbour between Fethiye and Kas also encouraged the development of the village. In the old town there are now two mosques, the one opposite the Akin pansion was originally a Greek orthodox church and you can still see a small cross on the roof .

During the 500-year Ottoman rule over the area, Turks and Greeks lived alongside one another in the region until the early 1920's. Today you can still see a lot of similarities between Turkish and Greek cultures, cuisine and lifestyle.

The main occupation of the early settlers of modern Kalkan was trade. Produce was brought to the village from the highlands and the fertile Patara plain by camels and loaded via small boats onto large ships moored in the bay. From here the produce was transported to Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus and Rhodes, all part of the Ottoman Empire.

During the early 20th century, Kalkan appears to have been quite a prosperous port. There were 17 restaurants, a goldsmith and several tailors. There was also a customs house which has since been restored and used as a private residence. Other thriving industries and trade were charcoal, silk, cotton, olive oil, grain, sesame (a trip to Bezirgan village in the summer will reveal fields of sesame), grapes and timber .

The first changes began to occur in the early 1920's with the founding of the Turkish Republic and the subsequent population exchanges between Greece and Turkey. The Greeks who lived in Kalkan and other parts of Turkey moved to mainland Greece, the Greek islands and Australia. Turks who were living on mainland Greece and the Greek islands moved to Turkey.

The first road linking all of the southern coastal towns opened in the early 1960's . At this time many local inhabitants left Kalkan to pursue opportunities in larger towns such as Antalya and Fethiye.

Kalkan's resurgence began in the late 1960's with visits from wealthy yachtsmen. Tourism received a huge boost with the asphalting of the road between Kalkan and Fethiye in 1984 which improved access to Kalkan and forever changed the destiny of Kalkan.