In V century B.C. Dolihiste was a flourishing Lycian city. The largest part of the city was in the vicinity of Kekova (island) but in II century a powerful earthquake happened, and as a result most of the city was flooded, except for a narrow strip of a few hundred meters stretching along the coast of the island where you can see the ruins of the houses and stairs of this city.
The city reached its heyday after Lycia voluntarily came under the rule of Alexander the Great in 320. Large houses appeared there, some of them even had two floors. It is believed that the ancient city remained under water, but this is an exaggeration, diving with an aqualung and even with a mask is prohibited here, and you can see only some large foundations from the boat, but not houses.