Pamukkale, Turkey - Not What it Used to Be

Pamukkale was our next destination in Turkey located here. Since visiting it about 18 years ago, we knew what to expect – more commercialized and more expensive. The pictures you see on Pinterest and wikipedia are for the most part fake. I’m sorry. I want to show you what the real Pamukkale is today and some tips to make a visit more enjoyable.

Pamukkale is not what it you see in pictures anymore

Why? We asked one of the locals at the site. He said that there is seismic activity under the mountain and that a number of years back the ground shifted and stopped the water supply. Now they must pump the water up to the so-called thermal pools. The result is less water and hence less thermal pools.

Lower your expectations

Even compared with the last time we came, there was a notable difference. The pictures that you see on tripadvisor and other sites are way out of date. Below is the picture that wikipedia advertises. We took the picture from the same spot today.

Picture from Wikipedia

Same spot. Dried up.

Tour brochures these days are using old pictures when the water supply was abundant in order to get likes and traffic.

This is not to say that there are no pools with water. They have about 7 or 8 selected pools that they pump water into. They are about knee deep at the highest and are open for tourists to go into. Come ready to walk around or swim in the pools.

The selected pools are knee deep, but you can walk freely in them.

There is another thermal pool called the Hierapolis Antique Pool (also called Cleopatra’s Pool). You can enjoy a most picturesque swim in it. It is filled with broken columns and artifacts. But here’s the catch – it is expensive. They charge a premium to swim in it. So I don’t recommend it since you can swim in the ones above for free. Here it is.

Entrance to Cleopatra’s the pool – top left

This pool is constructed and is paid admission.

Here are the signs posted outside the pool. Even if you have a museum pass, it will not get you into this pool. The price is double what it was last year.

Picture of sign at entrance. 2020 prices. Adult is about $15 USD.

Hierapolis Antique Pool operating hours – 2020.

Pamukkale is still an amazing place

Sorry if I seem a little down on the place. I just want to give you the reality of what Pamukkale is today, not what it used to be. But I still highly recommend going there. Especially if you are visiting nearby Laodicea. It is still an amazing place.

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