Beautiful Pamukkale: Must See Attraction in Turkey [Full Guide]

If you’re planning to visit Turkey, one place should be on your “to see” list no matter what: Pamukkale.

This is one of the most amazing of nature’s wonders and no photos in the world can actually describe its beauty and the level of awe you feel when you get to experience it live, first hand.

Pamukkale is the perfect place to visit in Turkey and one of the top destinations in the world. And today, we’re going to learn everything about this absolutely amazing and breathtaking attraction.

The truth is that Turkey is fabulous. Turkey is safe overall. Turkey is safe for women traveling alone. And it’s absolutely beautiful! It’s a stunner worthy of a jaw-drop!

And not only because it has some of the most fabulous and extravagant five star resorts in the world, where you will be treated like a king or queen or royal family.

No, it also has the history and beautiful natural wonders to round up an already complex and amazing experience. Like Pamukkale that we’re talking about today or Cappadocia that we’ve talked about recently.

Pamukkale – one of the most beautiful places in the world

I’m going to be sharing quite a bit about Turkey’s splendor on this blog – since this is one of my favorite vacation spots in the world – but let’s begin with one of the first things I was able to experience: Pamukkale.

I first saw it during my trip to Kusadasi – followed by a couple of hours of driving to this beautiful place, and it was all worth it!

Seriously, how cool IS this place? Just enjoy the photos in this article!

Pamukkale is one of Turkey’s best, well-known and most frequently visited natural sites, and the name literally means “cotton castle.”

Now, it’s not actually made out of cotton – duuh! – but calcium carbonate, which is science for “white chalky stuff.”

Turquoise, travertine pools break up the white landscape, and offer up a nice break from the heat.

Find a pool and hang out for a bit. Since I visited during the summer, it was super busy… but I still managed to take some nice photos, enjoy the out-of-this-world perfect blue waters and irremediably fall in love with this place.

Walking up and around the pools is buttloads of fun, but be sure to stop and look back every so often. The views of the town and surrounding area are phenomenal as well.

The place itself is absolutely beautiful and being there is even more beautiful than the beautiful-est (ahem!) of photos.

Really, it’s a truly remarkable experience, with or without crowds and you will find it difficult to believe that nature alone was able to create such an amazing place.

Nestled in the heart of Turkey, Pamukkale beckons with its unique blend of natural awesomeness and unbelievably rich history. And it’s definitely bucket-list material.

Is Pamukkale worth visiting?

Absolutely, Pamukkale is worth visiting. Its stunning terraces of thermal waters and the historical significance of Hierapolis make it a unique and jaw-dropping destination not only in Turkey, but also in the world.

As I said before, I would go as far as considering any trip to Turkey incomplete without a visit to Pamukkale.

How to get to Pamukkale

There are tons of tours and offers taking you there, so if you stay in a hotel – or even if you don’t – you can easily find an agency that will handle everything for you. Recommended one below:

Recommended Pamukkale Tour: with lunch included, and visit to Cleopatra’s Pools. From Antalya, Tekirova, Kemer, Belek and more. Click to see other options too.

We had a whole day trip that included Pamukkale and dinner to nearby Pam Thermal Hotel (another attraction on its own, and a 5 star resort offering amazing thermal waters and super high quality overall).

But if you want to do it yourself, it’s not difficult either! You can get to Denizli (the largest city that’s just a stone’s throw away from Pamukkale) from basically any Turkish city you fancy if you’re traveling via Turkey’s drool-worthy bus system.

Despite what tour operators tell you, the normal buses do not take you directly to Pamukkale. Don’t be too shocked when you arrive in Denizli either, because it’s not exactly the most charming of towns at first glance.

Once you get to the bus station, find a dolmuş (a smaller, local bus) to Pamukkale.

There will be plenty, but if you’re confused just approach someone and ask for the “dole-mush to Pam-ooo-kahl-ay?” You’ll probably get the exact pronunciation a bit off, but they’ll get the point. It’s obviously the main attraction in the area.

Once you cough up around 5 TL (Turkish lira) and travel 20 kilometers out of town, your eyes will be assaulted by one of the coolest things you’ve ever seen.

Walk toward it, pay the entrance fee (20 TL), take off your shoes, and wander around happily. Welcome to Pamukkale!

Pamukkale Trip Tips

Here are some of my personal tips for those planning to visit the stunning Pamukkale during their stay in Turkey. Some are pretty much common sense stuff, but it’s better to share them, to make sure that you truly get a perfect experience.

– You might want to bring sunglasses. White is bright.

– Sunscreen is vital. At least for pasty white (and already sunburnt) people. Like me.

– If you’re doing a day trip to Pamukkale before taking a night bus elsewhere, the Denizli bus station has luggage storage. Find the ticket office and ask around until someone there finally gives up and helps you.

– Spend some time wandering around Pamukkale’s other offerings, like the Roman amphitheater of Hierapolis (it’s at the top of the travertines, so no excuses) and the actual town which holds a lot of local Turkish charm.

– My final recommendation would be to visit this beautiful place during the summer. Or at least when the weather is decent enough so that you can fully enjoy it under the sun (so between May – mid October, but you could get lucky with early November too).

And if you want to make sure that you pick an AMAZING spot for the rest of your stay, if you’re traveling with your loved ones, make sure to read my previous article sharing the best hotels in Lara, Turkey, for families.

Final words

Of all the places I’ve seen, Pamukkale is one of the most special ones by far.

Maybe because it was also one of the first things I’ve seen when I started traveling, but you still can’t ignore its beauty and jaw-dropping impressiveness.

And trust me, again, when I tell you that it feels a lot better to actually be there and walk around the cotton castle than to look at photos. It’s a must see for sure and one you don’t want to miss while in Turkey.