The Cotton Castle of TURKEY

Pamukkale has one of the most spectacular landscapes I have ever seen. On approaching it, one notices a rock rising up, with terraced slopes filled with natural basins of white water that seemed more like ice than a hot spring, because of the colour. When I saw the hill , I gasped - the place was breathtakingly beautiful. It was a waterfall in snow.

There are several ways to approach the place, but the best way is through the western gate, near Necropolis. UNESCO declared it a world heritage site in 1988 to restore the natural wonder which was being detsroyed by excessive commercialism and tourism. It was a mess, but concerted efforts of various agencies paid off and the place has regained much of its lost splendour. There is an entrance fee of 3 Euros. Ideally, this place is best appreciated off-season. Somehow, a lot of toruists wandering about the travertines takes away much of the magic. As the waters rolled down each terrace, they created magnificent white stalactitiles, and in the travertines the temperature of the water is around 33 degrees Celsius. It takes 20 mins to reach the top of the plateau - all barefoot.

You could take a dip in Cleopatra’s pool—the Sacred Pool (for a small fee), which is a nice experience and although it does not make you look a decade younger as it is often claimed, it is still fun. The water is supposed to have medicinal properties, but I guess a 15-minute dip is not the answer. The springs have been renowned for their therapeutic features dating as far back as the Roman era.

I was told that the calcium carbonate in the water as it flows down the hill, on reaching the surface allows carbon dioxide to be released and the carbonate forms the white sediment. These sediments create travertines where water collects and created this visual tapestry. The continually forming terraces and pools, allow for continuous movement of water and formation of stalactites. In winter, you can see a mist over the surface of the water. You can take off your shoes and walk in the water. The reason I suggest staying a night in Pamukkale, is that it is worth visiting the ancient city of Hierapolis and a few other places. You can get relatively cheap accomodation in this place - 20 USD for a double if you are really on a low budget.

There are a lot of good pensions and although a lot of them have swimming pools as an attraction, you are unlikely to use the pool - not the one in the hotel anyway. In winter, make sure you stay in a better place as hot water is a problem!! But in summer there are many good places. When you take a dolmus from Denizli to Pamukkale you can just tell them which hotel you want to go to. If you call the hotel a day earlier, giving them details of when you will arrive they will generally arrange for a pick-up. A couple of recommendations for pensions are Serin and Koray - very basic, but nice. The bigger resorts are in Karayhit, which is located north of the plateau. Wherever you decide, you will get a great deal with breakfast included, as there are too many hotels and too few tourists.