Cotton Castle of Turkey (Pamukkale)

Member Name: Emrahsenel

Product:	Pamukkale
Date:	04/10/01 (606 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It is most interesting place I have ever seen, it is the only one in the world, It looks like Cotton. You will enjoy the hot water in the pools.

Disadvantages: The hotels overusing the water

Pamukkale is one of the most beautiful wonders of the world. It is a wonderful place, which is located located in the Inner Aegean region at a distance of 20 km from Denizli. This lovely valley, which enjoys a temperate climate over the greater part of the year, has all the conditions required for an ideal touristic resort. If we translate Pamukkale into English, it means Cotton Castle. It is really like cotton, it exactly looks like cotton. Cotton Castle is a very appropriate name for such a beautiful place like that.

You may approach Pamukkale by the main roads marked on your map like I did. On approaching Pamukkale, you will be confronted by one of the most remarkable landscapes to be seen anywhere in Turkey. The first thing you will see is a rock platform over 100 m in height rising up from the plain. The slopes of this hill, which look from a distance like a great white speck, are covered with large numbers of pools and terraces. As you come nearer, you will begin to see this natural phenomenon, which resembles a frozen waterfall. You will be really amazed by the view. You may think it can not be real. But it is.

From the edge of every terrace and every step in Pamukkale, you can hear nice splashing of the waters of the hot springs as they cascade down over slopes. The temperature of the water forming the travertines, which comes from the hot springs on the hills above, falls to around 33 C° lower down. The water flows over the slopes into pools, the small basins surrounding them and finally into the fields below. I don?t know if it is still the same but you are allowed to enter the pools and enjoy the hot water on travertines.

Although the water flowing from the hot springs rapidly loses heat during its flow, it is still hot enough to make it possible for one to bathe throughout six months of the year in the open-air swimming pools in the motels and on the terraces.

However, as far as I know, Pamukkale has been experienci
ng some problems since 1990's. Because of the overuse of the water in the hotels, travertines start to dry and get darker in some areas. But I heard that the government warned them and it started get better again.
Actually, as far as I am concerned , the hotels should not be allowed to use the water, as the Pamukkale's nature is very sensitive. We should not forget that it is the only one in the word and has no counterpart.

I was amazed by the nature there. I know that it attracts so many tourists. I am sure you will like this Cotton Castle as well. It is worth going there and seeing Pamukkale.

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