Things To Know Before Going To Pamukkale | Turkey Travel Guide 2022

Pamukkale is a geological wonder and a very popular tourist destination in Turkey. Pamukkale means "cotton castle" in Turkish and it's easy to see why when visiting its travertines. It's famous for its blue hot pools sitting in its surreal white landscape however there's also Hierapolis and Cleopatra's Pool in the very same complex. In this vlog we share our experience and some tips to help you get the most out of your visit to Pamukkale.
ADDITIONAL INFO
🛌 ACCOMMODATION
▸ We stayed in the neighbouring city of Denizli and made a day trip out to Pamukkale as we wanted to be able to spend as much time there rather than be constrained by a rushed tour of the place.
▸ We also chose not to stay in Pamukkale as we found Denizli to be a lot cheaper, had a lot more accommodation options and there are more restaurants too compared to Pamukkale.
🚌 GETTING TO AND FROM PAMUKKALE
▸ There are minibuses that frequently go to Pamukkale from Denizli however we went by taxi for convenience sake and had them drop us off at the South Gate.
▸ We did however take a minibus (dolmuş) from Pamukkale back to Denizli Otogar (bus station) which cost 30TL per person (less than $3 NZD / $2 USD). It's a much cheaper mode of transport though it can get crowded.
▸ However, we didn't know of its timetable or where to catch it from as this information was hard to come by online so we simply asked around and found that we could wait for one from the Northern entrance on the opposite side of the road to where the cars enter into Pamukkale's gated complex.
▸ There weren't any bus stop signs there but we checked with the guard at the toll booth and a family that were waiting too to confirm it was the right spot to wait. A dolmuş with a sign saying Denizli arrived around 4pm which took us back to Denizli Otogar (bus station).
#pamukkale #denizli #türkiye #turkey #turkiye
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VLOG DATE: 15 July 2022
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[@sweetrockification]

Amazing Pamukkale. I and my husband have been there for our honeymoon trip 20 years ago. And I took my parents from Thailand to there 5 years ago. They loved it. I’m so glad I impressed them the right place. ❤

[@PeterandYen]

O nice! Must have enjoyed it so much since the scenery is so different from beautiful Thailand.

[@onentogar9599]

I think you managed to shoot one of the best Pamukkale vlogs of the recent years! As usual, very well researched 👍

[@PeterandYen]

That's very kind of you to say, thank you 😁💪✌️

[@darylmckay]

Such a beautiful place. The dazzling white of the landscape and the Cleopatra Pool with random fallen ancient Roman columns in the water, and random ruins... 😄👍

[@PeterandYen]

This place was one of the highlights of our trip for sure 😁 crazy that it even exists. Think back on this day sometimes and it's so mind blowing that we got to see it.

[@orhandurmus1869]

You two guys are such a joy to watch. Your chemistry along with the places you visit is very addictive for viewers like me. I'm up late every night watching your vlogs and can't wait for my next holiday to Turkiye 🇹🇷 😍 ♥

[@PeterandYen]

😁 thanks for the lovely message. We're glad you're enjoying the videos. Hope you get to visit again soon.

[@donbrashsux]

Turkey looks soo packed with History and beautiful sites .. such great blue skies to boot .. awesome edit you guys do .. thanks so much .. take care

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks diesel 😁🤙 this was a special place we had sooo much beautiful footage from here. Enjoyed just sitting next to the water soaking it all in... (pun intended) 😂

[@JustineInNZ]

Wow guys this is my favorite vlog so far of your trip what an absolutely epic place & thank you so much for sharing your travels with us 🫶🏽💖🥰

[@PeterandYen]

It was one of our favorite places to visit too. Had an amazing day and it's still pretty hard to believe it's real 😍😊

[@kathrynfahm6762]

I've watched several videos on this area, and your video is by far the best!

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks for the kind words 😊👍

[@catherinekhoo474]

Beautiful country Beautiful ppl😍😍😍

[@PeterandYen]

So true 💯

[@Kiwi_Col]

Wow, some spectacular views there! Thanks for sharing them with us 😊

[@PeterandYen]

No worries thank you for watching 😁

[@amelhalliday8777]

Wow you guys are amazing! I am planning a trip to Turkey this year and your content is so incredibly helpful. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@PeterandYen]

No worries hope you have an amazing time 👍

[@ShahzadKhan-ip7py]

I really love these travel vlogs. Full of insights, knowledge, background and, great picture quality and excellent content.

[@PeterandYen]

😁👍 thank you, we're glad you're enjoying our travel videos

[@fifi1561]

Thank you for another great video... very informative too.

[@PeterandYen]

No worries glad you enjoyed it, was a super fun day out 😁🤙

[@michaelboyle7435]

Your videos are terrific. I am gradually making my way through them all.

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you and hope you're enjoying the videos 😁

[@marwat2000]

Hi guys i have seen many vlogs on pamukkale but you guys are special with amount of information you pass on to us is great. Well researched vlog I must say. Looking forward to hear much more from you....

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you Naveed glad you enjoyed the vlog and the information that we included 😁👍 appreciate the feedback

[@Amanders]

I visited Turkey earlier this year around the end of February and it’s so cool to see you guys go to some of the places I have been! Next stop for me is NZ! Cheers!

[@PeterandYen]

Nice 👌 enjoy your time in New Zealand 🇳🇿

[@benselman548]

Thanks for the nice video and information around Pamukkale. We will visit this place at summer im excited to see it like you...

[@PeterandYen]

Nice! Hope you have a great trip 😁🤙

[@bookwormfaith]

gosh its so quiet when you're there! So lovely!

[@PeterandYen]

Gotta go super early to have it this quiet.

[@veganvendetta0187]

Beautiful and informative video. Thank you! We are going next week and will definitely check out these places ❤

[@PeterandYen]

Exciting! Hope you have a great time

[@halileroglu6023]

harika... amazing...🧿🧿🧿🧿🧿🧿

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you 😊 💓

[@tantizepontocompontobr]

What a lovely couple! Thanks, excelent video, I'm gonna use all your tips to my trip to Pamukkale.

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you 😊 hope you have a great time there

[@jacksalami9945]

It so cool even it look like StoneHedges.Great video.

[@lh6135]

Another good breakfast for me, it place is so out of the world, the brilliance of the white︎ and followed by a dip 💦 in the antique pool. Those travelling there will no doubt appreciate the details of timing and relative cost of staying at Denzil to get to Pamukkale. Have a great week and thank you again 🙏🏻

[@PeterandYen]

Yes! The contrast of that pale blue water and the white terraced pools are just incredible. My favorite part is the bottom where you can see a single tree 🌳 growing from the white silica terrace structure surrounded by the water. So stunning 😍

[@LifetimeTravelmates]

oh.... this place was called Pamukkale!! so beautiful! It looks like heaven! It's amazing that the water is also good for skin and health! Nature is truly magical. thanks for sharing another great episode guys!

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks guys 😁✌️ hope you've both been well. Pamukkale was a magical destination for sure.

[@Jamestwothirteen]

We thank God for a beautiful creation 🙏

[@TheMamuchos]

Pamukkale 😍😍 The time trick is a game saver. Happy you got to the south entrance There are some pools that some areas are warm and in the corners is colder. We were fascinated with the whole experience. We went in late spring and there were tons of doggies too, we even saw people bringing their doggies. Can't wait to see Nala there one day. We didnt get to the Cleopatra pool, but the entire place is fascinating. So happy to see you guys enjoying every corner of this awesome country!

[@PeterandYen]

O man is crazy seeing this video and thinking we were here. Such an amazing place and we have such fond memories of our turkey trip ❤️ Def need to go back one day

[@otukenforests4132]

Yet another good work. Cheers…

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks 😊👍

[@AO-oy4rf]

I am sure you now can see why Turkey is still the favourite country I have ever been to (so far). Pamukkale is similar to Cappadocia in being other worldly. And so glad you went to the pool too from my memory it was like swimming in champagne with ancient ruins thrown in. Great photography too. Makes you wonder what the pink & white steps would have been like before being destroyed.

[@PeterandYen]

😁 good choice! Turkey is so hard to beat. So many amazing things to see and then you add good food on top of all this 🙌 👌 the pool was an awesome way to escape the heat 🤙

[@jordanthedoge535]

Turkey is one of the country I had so much fun.

[@nikkilogan7726]

Love Pamukkale 🆒💖 Love the white-blue colors. It is winter feels. Also, the Cleopatra pool is a healing pool for everybody. Love your vlog guys!! So amazing!! Thanks Peter & Yen 😎🥰🇹🇷🆒💖✨

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks Nikki, it really is such an amazing place right. The colors are just beautiful and then you add on the historical elements and great weather it's the formula for an incredible day 😁🥂

[@nikkilogan7726]

@@PeterandYen So true! Thanks P&Y

[@mooniramoolla212]

On the drive from Konya to Pammukkala , thank you for the tips

[@PeterandYen]

Hope you enjoy your time there! 🙂

[@ummesalmamohamedrashid4736]

So nice Thank you

[@raywayski]

What an adventure to see this unique site! As usual, I loved your vlog (editing, scenery, comments and cost breakdowns.

[@PeterandYen]

😁✌️ thanks Ray ✌️ so excited gotta tell you looking forward to our next year's travel started booking some stuff already. Asia to Europe its gonna be a fun one 👍

[@raywayski]

@@PeterandYen Sounds like exciting travel plans! How long do you expect to be away from NZ? Have fun planning and booking your Asia to Europe trip!

[@PeterandYen]

Probably about half a year maybe still not 100% confirmed 🤔

[@raywayski]

@@PeterandYen You two might as well plan to stop by California on your way home to NZ! 🤣🤣🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️

[@PeterandYen]

😂 need to time it one year so we can catch a baseball game with shohei ohtani, basketball game with Steph curry and an NFL game with Brady 😁

[@miftahandriansyah]

nice vids..great editing... may be you can make video about hotels you've stayed while in turkiye.. thanks a lot

[@rlim9947]

Wow, some pretty amazing scenery and historical ruins in this excellent video, guys. Thanks for showing these to people like me, who will probably never go there is person.

[@PeterandYen]

Yeah totally the scenery is amazing there, good to have KZbin 😁

[@SeoulMan2020]

cotton castle soooooo cool...amazing...and was awesome to hear the excitement in your voice Peter when you said you couldn't believe you were there...very very cool. Glad you guys got to see it without the crowds (good job on the research). Probably one of the coolest things you guys have shown from your Turkey travels... so many things were awesome, but nature trumps man made in my opinion..so this is up there. Thanks for all the awesome things you guys have shown! By the way, looks like Peter's hat would have come in handy that day... hope you are recovering well Peter!

[@PeterandYen]

O yeah so wish I had my hat for this day 😅 left the house sitting in the taxi and was like damn... Nature plus some cool human made stuff is a real cool combo. Like Angkor Wat for example with the incredible trees growing over the ruins. So super cool. But yeah Pamukkale is hard to beat, one of the most amazing things we've seen. The colors the textures and grandness of it all just amazing. I'm going good 👍 almost back to 100% 😁🤙

[@SeoulMan2020]

@@PeterandYen Glad to here you are almost back to 100%... hopefully no more surgeries!!

[@PeterandYen]

🤞 but it was pretty good getting them all out of the way at once though 😂

[@NorjahanAKarim]

Hi Peter & Yen! Great video with stunning places. I'm glad that both of you had returned from Turkey. There's an explosion in central of Istanbul.

[@PeterandYen]

So sad reading about that this morning 😥 thank you for your concern ❤️

[@bromie21]

So cool ! reminds me of rotorua

[@PeterandYen]

But just waaay bigger 😁

[@camelia1987]

Very usefull info about the gates and entry hours in order to have as much as possible the teraces only for yourself. Hope to take some nice photos there, going next summer. Also Ephesus in on our list, hope your next video is from there :) . Kas and Cappadocia are also on our list and of course I watched all your videos from there. :)) Glad I found your channel, love your energy and joy! :)

[@PeterandYen]

Ephesus is coming up next Sunday. Izmir is this week's video 😁 glad you've been enjoying the videos. Kas and Cappadocia are great picks for places to visit 👍

[@YoungCampbell]

This is what the turkish taxi driver recommended me to go when I was on way to Queenstown from Sydney. How exciting!!

[@PeterandYen]

Def needa check this place out if you're ever in turkey 🇹🇷 an amazing day out 😯

[@wagherbert]

You guys are awesome 👌

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you! Hope you enjoyed the video 😁🩵🩵

[@paulinetan781]

thank u for info on logistics, very helpful and informative

[@PeterandYen]

No worries glad you found it useful 👍

[@paulinetan781]

@@PeterandYen pity abt the bomb blast. Now I hv to re-think turkey trip

[@PeterandYen]

Very sad about the bomb 😥 hope you have a safe and enjoyable time where ever you decide to go.

[@SamHussainPlumMobile]

Thanks!

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you much appreciated 😊❤️

[@mohamedrashidibraimo6954]

Great Thank you

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks for watching

[@NotBROLL]

Wow, that's a pretty cool thumbnail!

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks ✌️

[@mostpeople_]

Yo! That thumb nail 😍 how do you guys go about planning your itinerary? So many beautiful locations

[@PeterandYen]

😁 I usually put a want to go marker of all the places Yen and i wanna visit in a country and then plan a route that can visit as many of them as possible. Works out pretty good so far.

[@rob1971]

What a beautiful place to spend the day! I didn't realise you could walk around inside the Cotton Castle 🤯 I'd imagine it's very similar to the White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana, before Mount Tarawera erupted. Cleopatra's pool looks idyllic too, especially if it's possible to go at a quieter time 🙂

[@PeterandYen]

It's very similar to Rotomahana and various other parts of Taupo and Rotorua however the scale is just so much larger at Pammukale. An incredible area 😁❤️

[@josephlownang6992]

beautiful good video

[@PeterandYen]

😁 thanks mate

[@whitemustang.]

My city❤

[@TinanaDIY]

I feel like they would be similar to the Pink and White terraces here in Aotearoa - that were destroyed in the Mt Tarawera eruption many years ago!

[@PeterandYen]

Yeah! Always reckon the pink and white terraces would've been such an incredible sight to see ay!

[@xiaopingsong1240]

Haha, baby feet? I couldn't bear the pain of pebbles pricking the soles of my feet, so I walked to the first pool and sat where Yen was sitting. There was a ditch where hot springs flowed. I sat for half an hour while dad went to further pools, it was amazing place, so beautiful. Thanks guys for remind me when we were in Turkey September 2022, good job🥰😍

[@PeterandYen]

Hahaha at least you can enjoy the video. Too bad your feet are so sensitive, the bottom is really beautiful.

[@AnnMariespeas]

Awesome job reporting on one of my favorite places. I went there about 18 years ago , and plan on going back this September. Looks like they have uncovered more in the ruins. I am not excited to go back!

[@PeterandYen]

Have an awesome trip 👍 it's a beautiful place for sure 😁

[@MindfulMeditation-lk6iu]

Subscribed 🎉

[@AleeThamara]

Incredible video! Thank you for the tips. How long does it take to go around the whole place?

[@PeterandYen]

I would say that you would need the whole day to enjoy this place fully and take everything in.

[@ouradventerousdays]

Thank you for showing us these beautiful places especially the white limestone and floury water. Ahah, one ep of you guys not eating yummy food 🤣.

[@PeterandYen]

Hahahaha baloney sandwich 🥪 wasn't quite the usual standard 🤣

[@ouradventerousdays]

@@PeterandYen it didn't look appealing at all 🤣

[@TravelingToday-yu9gv]

Excellent video! We're about to spend time in Izmir and already watched your great video on Ephesus and how you got there by train. Much appreciated! Now a question... you were at teh gate at 6:30. Did you stay in Izmir and take a train over? I think it'as about 3 hours from Izmir to Pamukkale so trying to figure out the logistics. Thanks for any input you have.

[@PeterandYen]

Hello yes we caught the bus from denizli to izmir. And visited ephesus from izmir. Glad you enjoyed the videos ☺️

[@shiyunho576]

Such a nice video!! May I check, how did you get to Denizli? Thanks!

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you! We went to Denizli from Fethiye the same way we got around most of Turkey and that's via Kamil Koç (coach bus) 👍 Very convenient way to visit lots of cities around the country 🙂

[@kylies3706]

Amazing video! Did you guys stay overnight in Pamukkale and got there in the morning to the pools or drove in from another place? Where are some good accomodations?

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks! We covered your answers in our video and the description section. You can check on Airbnb for some options in Denizli. We reckon it's better to stay there rather than in Pamukkale itself 👍

[@arpitsharma1362]

Hello..lovely to see your vlog..please let me know how much time does it take to visit just the travertin and heirapolis theatre if we go early morning like you guys !!

[@PeterandYen]

Hello if you're just visiting those two places half a day should be more than enough. Hope you have a great time 😊👍

[@arpitsharma1362]

@@PeterandYen Thank you for the reply :) Actually we have a flight to catch on that day from Antalya, hence we need to reach Antalya Airport latest by 5 pm, which further means we need to leave Pammukale latest by 1 pm. So I was wondering if 4 hours would be sufficient for the two places i.e thermal pool and theatre

[@arushimehta1060]

Are minivans available in midnight around 4-5AM from Denizli to Pamukkale steps?

[@Tollefsongirls]

Is Pamukkale worth visiting from Bodrum in the summertime?

[@annelee1887]

When did you guys go? I heard so many things about the dried pools too!

[@PeterandYen]

We went during July, which is middle of summer ☀️

[@ElleAngeles]

I wonder if the springs still look like this, apparently a lot of the water is gone

[@AtHomeInTurkey]

Great video! Let me explain something you could not know. There is not enough water to flood the whole mountain. Due to hotels tapping in for there pools years ago. To keep it all white they have made sections. Every section gets the water for a few days at the time. Hence empty sections in a different place all the time. Hope this is of some help.

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you for the extra info 😊👍

[@kcastano6733]

I am going next June, sadly I am with a tour and I am afraid we will have the place crowded. But I guess we will still enjoy it

[@PeterandYen]

It's still wonderful even with a lot of people. You'll still get great views from the top of the terrace. Have fun 👍

[@Jitwatch]

How to go to south gate from town in early morning?

[@18till_I_die]

Hi, is drone fly allowed in Turkey?

[@goodvaluehouse]

Can you provide me your travel plan for Turkey? I am planning for April tirp

[@murattahan2391]

👍👍👍

[@PeterandYen]

😊✌️

[@MsE.Yen.S]

Hi. I've got a question. What van was it that u took to the north entrance? How to catch that? Also, were u able to get on to a dolmus from the north gate back to Denizli? From what I gathered, the dolmus only stops at the Town entrance

[@PeterandYen]

You might've found it already but in case you haven't all the details are in the video description section 🙂 to get to the North gate there's a bunch of shuttles gathered outside the Cleopatra pool area that run pretty frequently so it's easy to get there but getting the dolmuş back to Denizli is a lil random (described it best we could in the video description) but you essentially pass the gate guy, exit out of the complex to cross the road to where the trees are and wait for a dolmuş that says Denizli on it, flag it down to get on. If you aren't sure the gate guy can point you to the waiting spot (there's no signs unfortunately when we were there at least) just ask Denizli dolmuş if his English is limited. But yea it'll be able to bring you back to the bus station and from there we just taxi'd back to our accommodation. Good luck! Have your Google maps and Google translate apps ready just in case you get stuck 🙂🍀

[@MsE.Yen.S]

@PeterandYen To play it safe, we plan to take the opposite route, ie get off at the north gate, get on the van to the pools, walk down towards the town exit & take the dolmus back to Denizli.

[@keniafuentes4938]

Can u wear water shoes in Pamukkale and/or Cleopatra pool?

[@whitemustang.]

Not wear shoes

[@aquaticdas5958]

Hiii!

[@PeterandYen]

😁👋

[@demiroz4022]

Just so you know, the municipality controls the water flow , and cuts off it and sends out the water to the hotels . Seasonal routine.

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks for the additional info 👍

[@intrepidadventurer1932]

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! That's the comment!

[@PeterandYen]

😂❤️🇹🇷

[@AoParaklitus]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@itchyfeet8695]

Water used to flow naturally over all of the terraces. But an earthquake diverted the water and possibly human exploitation also, so that the water now has to be artificially piped to the terraces. They water a different part each day to try and preserve them.

[@PeterandYen]

Thank you for the additional information 🙏

[@Mousy1603]

Hi guys, how did you get from Izmir to Denizli ?

[@PeterandYen]

Hello we went from denizli to izmir via bus 🚌

[@intrepidadventurer1932]

Hahaha, I will do my usual comments now! Summer there and a public holiday! Yeah great information you provided and and heck yeah I bet it would get far more crowded when the tourist buses arrive! Yeah those pools just look amazing and that would be so refreshing in the summer! Oh heck over tourism yeah that's sad, especially now after those things called lockdowns when people now are travelling! I wonder if those dry pools also dry in the summer due to evaporation! So much like the Wairakei Terraces here in New Zealand! Of course how allowed to walk into the terrace part though! Oh haha I typed that and literally 15 seconds after I typed that Peter mentioned the Wairakei Terraces! How uncanny! Yeah the dogs there too where you were in Pamukkale were so cool! Heck watching you guys eat afterwards is making me hungry! Antique Pools looks so great - are they thermal pools? Yeah I bet there was ruins in the Pools as well! Yeah what an amazing amphitheatre that would be trying to imagine all todays CGI filling in an epic battle scene in a blockbuster movie! Yeah what an amazing location and yeah amazing job on this!

[@PeterandYen]

The terraced pools have thermal water running through them and different pools are heated at different temperatures. If you want to swim in them you'd probably need to pick one where the water suits you 😁 But the cleopatra pool is from natural spring water so it is room temperature. Lovely area we really enjoyed this day 😊❤️

[@burhanbatnbaklan8326]

Fun Fact: Denizli Airport is a small aiport it only can go to istanbul

[@bartel-shop]

amazing 🎞(❁´◡`❁)

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks ✌️

[@educationmatter788]

Wonderful vlog ❤. Please come visit my country India 🇮🇳 .World's oldest and most beautiful civilization and destination.If you are looking for a trip to South Asia, India 🇮🇳 the best option for you. India has huge audience of 600 million active you tube users. 🇮🇳❤🤩💜🙏.

[@hidayatjanur2826]

I ask permission to take a few seconds of your video for Instagram content needs but I will not sell it

[@PeterandYen]

If you do please include attribution back to our KZbin channel @peterandyen , thank you.

[@mattbutler3292]

1.4K views . time to give up ??

[@ali78610121012]

26k now

[@davidbeazley1958]

Guys, have you thought about doing guided tours? You've been to some pretty amazing places and know some pretty cool facts about these places. I'm sure quite a few of your subscribers would pay good money to travel around with you... Just an idea. 🤷

[@PeterandYen]

Thanks for the idea David 💡 keep it in mind. Yen and I generally like as little responsibility as possible though especially while we're traveling hahahaha. Tour guides gotta work super hard.

[@davidbeazley1958]

@@PeterandYen lol... That's true.... 👍🏾😂

[@PeterandYen]

Hahaha thanks for the vote of confidence for thinking we could even do it though 😆🙏 The very good tour guides are exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about their subject matter whereas we merely scratch the surface and remember enough for what we're visiting at the time 😆 people definitely wouldn't get their moneys worth with us unfortunately 😂🙏

[@davidbeazley1958]

@@PeterandYen lol... Don't sell yourselves short bro... You guys come across as very knowledgeable and super organised... Love your work guys. 🙂👍🏾