Turkey: The Cotton Castles of Pamukkale

Have I mentioned yet how much we loved Turkey? Because it really is quite a wonderful place. One of Turkey’s more well known attractions is Pamukkale. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. This is definitely one of those moments.

See what I mean? Stuff like this really does put the “wonder” in natural wonders. How exactly does a place like this come to be? The name Pamukkale itself means "cotton castle" in Turkish, but that doesn't really explain it. Long story short, the travertine pools of Pamukkale are the result of calcium carbonate minerals. The minerals are deposited by the flow of water surfacing through a series of natural hot springs.



You can see this carbonate in the form of soft silt that packs almost like white mud at the bottom of the terraced pools all the way up the slope. It feels strange squishing between your toes, but many seem to think it’s good for the skin. The minerals also give the water a mystical light blue tinge during daylight hours.

The water in the travertine pools is lukewarm at best, getting progressively hotter the higher up the hill you get. While admission permits you to dive in if you want, I’d say the pools accessible along the path climbing up the hill are more aptly described as deep foot baths suitable for wading. Whatever you decide, dress accordingly; also keep in mind that you will be asked to walk barefoot through the entire area to preserve the surfaces.

The Ancient Pool 

At the hill’s crest is a separate resort called the Ancient Pool, reminding us that this area has been a tourist attraction since Roman times. Made famous as Cleopatra’s bath, this pool supposedly gives you a true opportunity to bathe in between Roman columns and ruins which fell into the pool during an earthquake in the 7th century.

I say supposedly because with our meager budget, we were too cheap to pony up the additional 30 TL it costs to gain entry. We learned afterward that if you ask, you can view the pools for free as long as you don't get in. This is secondhand information though, so I haven't confirmed it directly.

Heiropolis 

It doesn’t stop here though—Cleopatra’s bath is merely the beginning of the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Heiropolis. Perched above the natural pools, Heiropolis served as a popular spa in Roman days. Unlike the baths, they don’t charge extra here, so view to your heart’s content. It’s nice, but nowhere near as impressive as Ephesus or Aprodisias.

Entry to Pamukkale and Heiropolis will set you back 20 TL. The optional Ancient Pool will run an additional 30 TL. At least one couple that did pay told us they enjoyed themselves, so you judge for yourselves whether the additional expense is worth it.

Whether you decide to take a dip in the pool or not, Pamukkale is a travertine wonderland for photogs, especially around sunset. The raw beauty of the place is stunning, and this goes double once the sun gets lower in the sky. While buses do make it more than possible to visit Pamukkale as a daytrip from either Selcuk, Fethiye or other regional cities, we recommend staying for the sunset and staying the night. The grounds don’t close at night, so stick around as late as you want.

Pamukkale at sunset

Dissenting opinions—is it worth it? 

Talking with others that visited Pamukkale, opinions were worryingly divided. I think this has to do with expectations. Some were disappointed that many of the pools were now dry, which is unfortunately true. I believe this damage is a result of hotels that were built over Heiropolis in the mid-20th century. The hotels and roads up to the top were removed when Pamukkale was declared a World Heritage Site. Still others were probably expecting to go for a swim, then faced with a steep 30 TL price tag on top of the normal admission and decided against it.

If you appreciate natural beauty and are just going for the view, however, you will most definitely enjoy yourself, especially if you’re camera-happy. While it’s a shame that the far section of pools is totally drained, the near side pools are the epitome of natural beauty and more than worth the price of admission.

Pamukkale is on the short list of most every traveler going to Turkey, and with good reason. Don’t leave it out of yours!

Good Restaurant: Lamuko’s Lokanta 

First, there are plenty of budget meal options in town for those on a budget. We chose to splurge a bit for dinner though and were glad we did! For the first time in our then three months on the road, we opted for a little taste from our home, Japan.

While there are plenty of imitators in town, Lamuko’s Lokanta offers authentic Japanese food made by its Japanese owner with ingredients imported from the homeland. If you’re hankering for some good, home-cooked Japanese food, this is the place for you. And if all you really know of Japanese food is sushi and Benihana's, this is a great place to broaden your horizons. If you're not sure what to order, you can't go wrong with the oyako donburi (chicken and egg, mixed over rice).

Daytrip Option: Aphrodisias 

For those of you that want to see Ephesus but don't like the crowds, Aphrodisias may just be the option you're looking for. We researched it and in the end decided it wasn't for us, but a few friends that did go spoke very highly of it. The ruins are well preserved and a bit cheaper than its more famous counterpart in Ephesus, but it's a bit out of the way and thus often overlooked. This means more open views over largely uncrowded ruins for those that do choose to put in the effort to get there.

Temples, mosques, churches, castles, ruins—in any of these cases, we've found that you can only see so many before you start getting burnt out. For this reason, unless you're a big history buff, limiting yourself to just Ephesus or just Aphrodisias might be enough for you if done properly.

While accessible by dolmuş via Denizli, renting a car or even guide might be an option worth looking into for those interested in visiting Aphrodisias.

One last Pamukkale picture for the road!