Did you know about a place called Gazipaşa? Gazipaşa is not known much, except that it is a city named after Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha and bananas are wildly produced. The city, which is the easternmost district of Antalya, is waiting to be discovered by those who love different routes and want to see new places with its interesting natural formations, ancient cities by the sea.
Without knowing how many sights there are in Gazipaşa, in order to set off from Alanya and go down the paths to the sea all day, visit ancient cities, enjoy the banana gardens and make the most of our time; waiting to be discovered The 5 most beautiful places in Gazipaşa We made a list and toured there.
Gazipasa South King Bay – Delik Deniz
The place that caused us to turn our route to Gazipaşa was the untouched cove of magnificent beauty, hidden among the steep rocks, known as Kral Bay and Delik Deniz. The bay, which is 23 km from Gazipaşa center and 67 km from Alanya center, is located within the borders of Güney Village, therefore it is referred to as "South King Bay" on the signs on the road.
You have to come by car to the point where the Castle of Antiocheia Ad Cragum Ancient City is located, and then go down a steep path to the cove. In front of the castle, there is a narrow dirt road leading to the banana groves a few meters from the parking lot. After walking 20-30 meters on the dirt road, you will reach the beginning of the descent path, from here you will descend from the path. My advice would be to go down with sandals or sneakers, not slippers, because the path is stony and grounded. But don't be afraid, a Russian group, young and old, went down the path while we were returning, so you don't have to worry about whether we're human or not, if you don't have a serious health problem, you can handle it.
If you don't want to deal with coming here by land, boat tours departing from Gazipaşa also stop by.
While going down the path, there is a cove on the side where the castle is on the left, it looked very beautiful, but we preferred to go down to the cove where the perforated rock is located on the right.
Where you land, there are no facilities, no security points, no entrance fees. Since there is no facility, if you are going to stay for a long time, it is better to take food and drink with you. Don't trust the banana orchards around you. Bananas were ripe like December, they were still not edible in October.
You can lay your towel on the rocks and immerse yourself in the waters of the king's bay, which I claim to be one of the most beautiful seas I have ever swam in from Turkey. Separated from the sea by a large rock mass, the bay was much warmer than the sea, even though we went in October. You can also reach the open sea by swimming through the perforated rock, the view looks great from every angle.
On the way to the King's Bay in Gazipaşa; It would be better to bring sports shoes for the descent, sea shoes for walking comfortably in the sea, and food and drink if you are going to stay for a long time.
One more note: Since we went early in the morning, we did not come across a crowd, but there is a possibility that it will be crowded during the peak season. However, as the sun hits the bay in the afternoon, the photos will look much better, so you can plan your route accordingly.
Sheep on Google Maps Click for location.
Antiocheia Ad Cragum Ancient City – Güney Castle
BC, located in the region known as Mountainous Cilicia in Antiquity. Antiocheia Ad Cragum Ancient City, which was founded in 170, is a city built on three hills. To go to Kral Bay, you have to pass by the ancient city and park your car at the entrance of the castle. The entrance to the ancient city is free at the moment, excavations continue in some parts. The entrance to the castle is closed for security reasons, but you can visit other parts of the city.
The ancient city on Google Maps Click for location.
Gazipasa Banana Gardens
As you enter the borders of Alanya, you start to see banana gardens with many tropical fruits. As the hot climate becomes more evident towards the east, the number of banana orchards in Gazipaşa district is increasing significantly. Banana garden tours are organized in other countries, but I don't think there is such an event in Alanya, Gazipaşa or Anamur. Although some of them are under greenhouses, most of the banana orchards are open and can be visited. I also took advantage of the opportunity and did not neglect to dive into a garden and take pictures. Garden bananas start to ripen in December, other than that, the bananas you eat are greenhouse bananas, for your information.
Gazipaşa Koru Beach Natural Pools
Koru Beach, which is approximately 6 kilometers from Antalya's Gazipaşa district, stands out with its two features. The first is the natural pools you see in the photo above, formed by interesting cliffs in the sea, and the second is the natural spawning area of caretta caretta turtles.
These rock formations, also known as "Mansion Stone" among the people, have created natural pools. The water cleaned by the filter effect of the rocks looks incredibly clear. The pools, which are also home to many fish, are a frequent destination for those who love to fish. If you go swimming in the pools, take sunglasses with you, it will be very enjoyable to watch the fish from under the sea.
After swimming in the pools (or first, it's up to you, of course), don't forget to go to the top of the hill, where there is a facility called Barco Blanco, which overlooks the pools, and look at the pools from here. The photo above was taken from that hill.
There is also a caravan park on Koru beach, it belongs to Gazipaşa Municipality. Those who will come with a caravan can benefit from there.
Natural Pools on Google Maps click for location.
Iotape (Aytap) Ancient City and Bay
Another gem of Gazipaşa waiting to be discovered is Iotepe or Aytap Ancient City and Cove. Although there are a few ruins left from the ancient city, which is located on the old Alanya Gazipaşa coastal road, 10 km from Gazipaşa, very beautiful views emerge at the point where it meets the sea.
Although the ancient city got its name from Iotape, the wife of Antiochus IV, King of Commagene, it is popularly known as Aytap or Aydap. There is no security or checkpoint at the entrance to the ancient city, so the entrance is free. In order to descend to the cove where the ancient city is located, you have to descend from a steep path again. So you better get off with sneakers. Since the sea is still stony, you can also choose sea shoes.
The ancient city on Google Maps click for location.
Other Places to Visit in Gazipaşa
While returning to Alanya from Gazipaşa, I did not include it in this article because Alanya is within the district borders, Sapadere Canyon and you can add the Dwarves Cave to your itinerary. In addition, if you have time, located within the borders of Gazipaşa district; You can also see the Ancient City of Selinus, the Cave of the Lying World, and the Ancient City of Nephelis.
The 5 most beautiful places in Gazipaşa and the places to visit on our route were all more beautiful than the other, but Kral Bay and Sapadere Canyon were our favorites among the places we went in this region.
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See you on the next route, stay on track!
2 Comments
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