Located within the provincial borders of Aydın and Muğla, Lake Bafa what you wonder about, Where is Lake Bafa, How to go Herakleia Ancient City ve Mount Latmos All the details about it are waiting for you in this article, happy reading!
What You Will Find In This Article
About Lake Bafa
The place where Lake Bafa is located was a port in the Aegean Sea 2000 years ago. Over time, the alluvium of the Büyük Menderes River filled the front of the port and broke the connection between the sea and the bay here, thus Bafa Lake was formed. Lake Bafa is the largest lake in the Aegean Region. It is also known as Çamiçi Lake among the people.
Since it has little connection with the sea, it is a slightly salty lake and the lake has a rich underwater life. There are mullet, sea bass and eel in Lake Bafa, and fishing is done in the surrounding villages.
In addition to the underwater life, the lake, which is located on the bird migration routes, can be observed in intense bird existence, it is a valuable natural area especially for waterfowl. Small grebe, grebe, black-necked grebe, cormorant, small cormorant, gray duck, apple-head patka and sakarmeke can be counted among the bird species that spend the winter in Bafa Lake.
In addition, there are olive trees up to 2000 years old around Lake Bafa. This region is also fertile in terms of olive production.
With this fertile geography, Lake Bafa was declared as a Conservation Area of Lake Bafa Nature Park in 1994. Lake Bafa and the 250-meter coastline starting from the lake shoreline is a 1st Degree Natural Protected Area. In addition, the ancient cities of Heraklia and Latmos are located in the area. These ancient cities are within the scope of the 1st Degree Archaeological Site.
There are 5 large and small islands on Lake Bafa: İkiz Island, Menet Island, Kapıkırı Island, Kahve Asar Island and Uyuz Island. There are Byzantine period defense structures and monasteries on these islands. There were island trips by boat/motorbike in the lake, but there was no one at the time we went. That's why I can't give detailed information about it, if those who have experience add it as a comment to this article, it will be great for everyone to benefit.
Located at the foot of the Beşparmak Mountains, Lake Bafa has started to attract the attention of nature and cultural tourism lovers with its natural beauties and historical assets in recent years. Local and foreign visitors to Lake Bafa can do activities such as trekking, photo safari, angling, camping, bird watching in all seasons of the year.
Heraklia Ancient City
Heraklia, which was an important port city in the times when Bafa Lake was a port, was established in this region. Products such as figs and olives grown in the region were traded from this port. Heraklia is also known for being the hometown of the famous philosopher Heraclitus.
To see the ruins of the Ancient City of Heraklia, you need to reach Kapıkırı Village on the shore of Lake Bafa. There is a "toll booth" at the entrance of Kapıkırı village.
If you continue on the right, you will reach the place where the old village school is. At this point, you can park your car and go to the place where the old wall ruins are and look at the village and the lake from above.
If you leave your car just to the left of the box office and follow the “Rock Tombs” sign on foot, you will reach a monastery on the path, and if you continue through the monastery and continue towards the lake, you will reach the rock tombs. I definitely recommend you to see this place.
If you continue to the lake side to the left of the toll booth, you can see the island, which has one of the Heraklia city ruins, from the islands in the lake, and the view here is very beautiful.
The Ancient City draws attention with its magnificent stone workmanship. When you raise your head around the lake, it is possible to see the ruins of the walls in many places.
Latmos Ancient City – Beşparmak Mountains
The ancient name of the Beşparmak Mountains, on which Lake Bafa is located, was Latmos. You can hike on the paths from Gölyaka village by Lake Bafa to Wheel Peak (1.375 meters), which is the summit of Latmos mountain.
After a 2,5-minute walk with a 45-kilometer-long path that has been used for centuries, BC. A cave with prehistoric rock paintings dating back to 7-8 thousand years is reached. After a second 45-minute journey, many Byzantine monasteries and monk caves and shelters of the region are found inside. Seven Monasteryis reached. The most known place of this region is this monastery. 2 kilometers of the road that leads from Gölyaka Village to Yediler Monastery can be reached by car, you have to walk the last 500 meters.
Where is Lake Bafa? How to go to Bafa Lake?
Lake Bafa is the intersection point of Aydın and Muğla provincial borders. It is located on the side of the Söke-Milas highway with the official name of İzmir-Bodrum. There are restaurants on this main road on the shores of Lake Bafa, but to reach the places around Heraklia and Latmos, which I mentioned above, you have to leave the main road and take the village roads.
The closest airport to Lake Bafa is Bodrum-Milas Airport, about 40 minutes away from here. If you continue towards Izmir from the airport, you will see the lake on your right. There are "fox crossing area" warnings on the side of the road when crossing the lake shore. It is useful to slow down in order not to harm the animals.
To reach Bafa Lake, you can use the buses and minibuses departing from Didim, Söke or Milas.
If you come to this area Places to visit in Didim My post will also be of interest to you.
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1 Comment
Lake Bafra is a beautiful lake or a lake that fascinates me when I look at it from almost every angle. When I stayed last year, a boatman took me for a ride on the boat and we both caught fish and had an excellent conversation.