Sneakers and socks removed, I gingerly stepped onto the path with running water which led down the face of Pamukkale (“cotton castle”) in Turkish.
My eyes were convinced the ground would be slippery, however, I quickly realized it was only an illusion. Far from hard and slick, it was soft and spongy, giving a sense of traction I didn't expect.
A natural landscape derived from mineral deposits, Pamukkale has been fascinating visitors and bathers for over a thousand years!
The site was recognized by UNESCO in 1988, and is described as follows:
“Deriving from springs in a cliff almost 200 m high overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have created at Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced basins.
At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site.” —
The scene reminded me of a cross between a ski resort melting away in Spring and the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia.
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Hierapolis-Pamukkale became a World Heritage Site in 1988.
Click here for the full list of UNESCO sites Dave has visited during his travels.
My visit was in partnership with Turkish Airlines.
Planning a trip? The Go Backpacking team uses and recommends:
- Skyscanner for researching flights
- Hostelworld for booking hostels
- Airbnb for renting rooms and homes
- Rail Europe for train passes
- World Nomads for travel insurance
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Omg this place is beautiful I never knew before that this exist
Marvellous…really nice scenery and photos
Wow, how cool. I would have guessed it to be very slippery as well. Strange.
Hi Dave,
Turkey is such a beautiful place that I have often wondered why people don’t travel there more often. I have made a trip to turkey once and I can’t wait to visit back. Your story with the cotton castle took me back down the memory lane and I felt like I lived your experience myself.
Wow! Finally, non-heavily edited-heavily photoshopped pictures of Pamukkale! And, I see it as beautiful as i thought it to be.
Thank you Dave for uploading these!
I whole-heartedly agree…Turkey is one of the under-rated destinations, it surely deserves more tourists…
Great work with the blog!
Hi Dave, such a nice storyline and a good infos you have here.. May i have your permissions to use your photos in my Bahasa Malaysia blogs to publish it to our own country people? Please let me know soon ya.. Thank you…
Hi Ayesha, thank you for asking however I prefer not to allow these photos to be used outside of GoBackpacking.com.
Surreal topography. The stark juxtaposition with the rest of the terrain is really something to marvel at. I have been to Uyuni and it was an unforgettable experience. I have never seen anything like it. I still have to visit Turkey soon. It seems like it has so much gems. I love how you include the importance of UNESCO heritage sites. Always enjoy checking your blog, Dave!
I spent 6 weeks in Turkey last year and still have so much to write :)