Pamukkale Thermal Pools
Pamukkale Thermal Pools
4.5
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, this stunning landscape of white travertine terraces is a natural collection of mineral pools formed by calcite-laden waters from hot springs. Together with the Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis, it's recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. An entrance ticket grants access to both sites.
Enjoy the unique experience of walking barefoot in some of the pools and soak in the selected areas open to the public. Early morning is the best time to visit so spend a night in the nearby towns. Or join a bus tour from seaside towns like Kusadasi and Antalya.
– Tripadvisor
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See what travellers are saying
- Michael MDieppe, Canada7 contributionsTurkish Thermal PoolsVery interesting and historical site of ancient thermal pools, some of which are still in public use today. The site is very large, and you can walk it, if you wish, but you should be in good physical shape to undertake it. There is a shuttle service at the main entrance at an additional cost. Was there in early Sept. 2022 and it was 30 + C, so bring plenty of water. It can be crowded as well, so going to souvenir shop or purchasing refreshments may require queuing and patience. Lots of venues for picture taking.Visited September 2022Travelled as a coupleWritten 9 January 2023
- Sylwia TRomeoville, Illinois40 contributionsPamukkale, I love it!Beautiful thermal pools. I have never seen experienced walking in thermal waters. The drive was long. It seems like this attraction is in the middle of nowhere but it’s worth every effort to get there. Plan at least half of the day there to walk around ruins, pools $ sit at Cleopatra’s pool. We skipped atv rides to see this nature beauty. You won’t regret it, I promise you.Visited September 2022Travelled with friendsWritten 9 February 2023
- traveledge.lifeMumbai, India10 contributionsMay not look like in the pictures but still worth a visitThe pools are within the same complex as the Heirapolis ruins and are well worth a visit. The one thing to note though is that the water flow through the pools is manually controlled to prevent erosion of the calcium structures. This means that on some days there is full flow of water and on other days there is little to no flow. All the beautiful pictures of the Pamukkale pools are from the days with full water flow - which may or may not be the case when you visit. When I visited, for example, there was ZERO water flow and the place looked nothing like in the famous Pamukkale pictures (see attached photos)Visited October 2022Written 12 February 2023
- doctorfoxtrotTaguig City, Philippines8,122 contributionsStill Worth the VisitIt can be an expectation vs reality kind of thing. Since actual lookout of this nature wonder can leave one to be disappointed, especially when seeing postcards or instagram posts. But somehow it is still a must see. Only for periods except winter when it is hard to remove footwear with the cold weather and thick clothing. The consolation is you can visit the famous amphitheater near it.Visited February 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 14 February 2023
- neale9318 contributionsUse the South gate entrance for the full experience.To experience Pamukkle at its best, I recommend that you ignore the tuk tuk drivers and pamphlet sellers in Pamukkle and use the South gate for entry, 200 tl ,you will need to carry your shoes as this path is only allowed in bare feet, but we did it with no problems and the temperature was only 5 degrees. Having reached the top where the water is warm it can be quite slippy. At the top having replaced your shoes walk on the boardwalk to your extreme right and this is where you will see the best of the blue pools. From there experience Hierapolis which is spread over a huge area, and then having remembered to carry your costumes and a towel have a swim for 130 tl in the thermal pool. Exit is then allowed back down the slope, without your shoes on.Visited March 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 21 March 2023
- Lewy29Melbourne, Australia4 contributionsPamukkale man made pools at South entry lovely and blue but the other renowned pools empty (March 2023).Yes the views are amazing but be prepared that the renowned cotton pools that were closed to the public were not currently filled with water when we visited in late March. The ‘man made’ pools as you walk up from the south entrance do have water in them and are worth that photo shot in the morning and late afternoon, but the picture shown on Trip Advisor currently is not an accurate picture of what we saw in March. Once you reach the top if you walk to the Northern gate there are a couple of pools in the distance that do have some water and give you the aquamarine colour that the pools are renowned for. We were told by our hotel that the water source over time has changed and that water now has to be directed to different parts of the pools to stop the white calcium turning black, which you can start to see in some areas.Visited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 April 2023
- gabi hRishon Lezion, Israel37 contributionsWasted day.It was a very long drive through the mountains. almost 3 hours. There are many archaeological remains in the place but the main attraction are the travertine pools, which were extremely disappointing. Most of the pools were dry, and the few that had water in them, were full of tourists and the water was cloudy. It’s really not like what you see in the photographs in the various publications. We had to drive back three more hours and for us it was definitely a wasted day.Visited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 April 2023
- Axel MIxelles, Belgium6 contributionsWonderful experienceWe were a familly of 5 persons , during our visit to turkey we headed to Pamukkale , the parking is available next to the location for 15 lira , the entrence fee was arround 150 but it worth it . The place is very crowded in summer , we expected the water to be hot and boiling, apparently it wasn't the case , normal temperature. But the view and the place is fantastic. I'll definitly come back and , there still so many things to discover arround the place from Roman age .Visited June 2022Travelled with familyWritten 17 April 2023
- bidwiselyJakarta, Indonesia191 contributionsA unique place better during sunsetWe went there mid afternoon since people recommend to stay there until sunset. We came through the South gate, so we found and spent time first at the Roman ruin, up to the Hierapolis theatre from the south (looked like the theater complex was fenced in but no worries there are entrances up the top). The view from the top was gorgeous, we hesitated whether viewing the sunset from the theater or from the pool, but we did go down to the thermal pool just before sunset. We did not dip in the Cleopatra pool, just wading in the hot spring (actually only warm) little stream down the travertines. It's true that most of the pools were empty, should be more exciting if they were still like the photo brochures in the Internet. Since it was human action that made the pools not receiving water, I guess it should be feasible to retract the action and make the pools filled with water again, dunno why this did not happen yet. A bit of a let down, but the site itseld was so uinique that it's still worth a visit. A few other places on earth is like this. We have been to Huanglong China but I think Pamukkale is way better.Visited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 April 2023
- DocB_12Salisbury, United Kingdom34 contributionsReally is a wonder of the worldYou have to see this amazing place with the different rock formations and colours. It is a 3hr coach trip each way from Armutatelan (beaches in Dalaman). The coach tours offer breakfast (very basic) and lunch (which was OK) and note the entrance for the park and the dip in the pool is never included in the tour price. Anothr £14+. Dip in cleopatra's pool is geat but the floor is shingle and rocks so you will be unsteady.Visited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 April 2023
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4.5
7,979 reviews
Excellent
5,151
Very good
1,723
Average
645
Poor
278
Terrible
182
Steve_Grant1
Oldham, UK1,593 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
This is a great natural site. Make sure that you visit the pools to the right side as most people get sucked in by the pools going down the slope on their arrival.
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tatts l
Guangzhou, China165 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
The terraces are a wonderful and i will remember forever
The town below is lovely to stay in and not to spoilt
The ruins are also wonderful in themselves
Especially the theatre
HOWEVER
THE HOT POOLS AREOVERRATED OVERCROWDED ANDGENERALLY CRAPPY
The town below is lovely to stay in and not to spoilt
The ruins are also wonderful in themselves
Especially the theatre
HOWEVER
THE HOT POOLS AREOVERRATED OVERCROWDED ANDGENERALLY CRAPPY
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rezi Mazi
2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
What I saw was different from all photos on internet, as it was a season that they stopped the water flowing and the pools were empty. Still beautiful but not as good as you would expect. It can get very busy and crowded with lots of kids screaming !! Not a peaceful surreal atmosphere that I was expecting
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ankit2385
Bengaluru, India622 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Wonderful place with amazing views.We already knew not to expect clear blue waters, but it was still beautiful. Even in October the place was crowded but there are places to get really good pictures. Entry price is 700 TL which covers Travertines, Hierapolis, Amphitheatre and Museum.
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patric D
Sandbach, UK945 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
This is a wonderful place and it combines ancient Roman with unusual geology.
The pools are stunning and the rock formations unique. That would be enough for a ghood visit anyway, but the Roman museum on the same site is also increadible and shows how the geology has been used by man for centuries.
The pools are stunning and the rock formations unique. That would be enough for a ghood visit anyway, but the Roman museum on the same site is also increadible and shows how the geology has been used by man for centuries.
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ectoplasm Fantasia
Birmingham, UK1,391 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Beautiful and unlike anything else I’ve seen in nature but…
Ver very very busy.
Rough under foot and people push you! Not cool!
Worth going very early or later.
There us plenty of space to take pictures but my nicest ones were from the boardwalk rather than on the terraces themselves where I was worrying about falling over.
Didn’t want to sit in pools as not at all relaxing.
Many were full though and looks like pictures.
Ver very very busy.
Rough under foot and people push you! Not cool!
Worth going very early or later.
There us plenty of space to take pictures but my nicest ones were from the boardwalk rather than on the terraces themselves where I was worrying about falling over.
Didn’t want to sit in pools as not at all relaxing.
Many were full though and looks like pictures.
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue W
Ilkeston, UK990 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
These limestone terraces are spectacular from down below looking up at them. When up amongst them they are vast but not so shiny and white. Many people were walking in the shallow pool but it is rough underfoot so not for the faint hearted.
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally P
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Friends
The mineral deposits were huge and quite impressive but the spring has all but dried up now. What remains is carefully managed and piped to a carefully managed pool which is treacherous to reach and you are not allowed free access. The public pool is an artificial concrete pool. It is quite pleasant and warm but there is some sludge and algae. Our Turkish guide told us that the natural pools have been empty for about 20 years. Most photos out there on brochures are old and photo-shopped with artificially vivid colour. It's a shame that it just isn't advertised honestly.
Written 26 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matnshaz
Perth, Australia183 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
If you come expecting to see the bright blue water against the white travertines, i'm afraid you may be disappointed. The area is still beautiful and along with ancient Hieropolis adjacent has great historical value. However, tourists continue to walk on areas of the travertines that are closed off and our tour guide informed us that some of the water is now being diverted to thermal pools at nearby hotels which is detracting from the visual appearance of the cascades. As stated in other reviews, more needs to be done to protect this area from stupid people chasing the perfect Instagram shot.
Written 25 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
erylperdomo
Doral, FL8 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Where to start? First, be prepared to wade through crowds of people,all trying to take the perfect social media photo. You have to walk barefoot and some of the areas have sharp edges and will hurt your feet. I was very disappointed.
Written 25 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pamela M
Prague, Czech Republic2 contributions
Bonjour, j’aurai voulu savoir s’il y avait des consignes à bagages sur le site car nous avons prévu de ne pas passer la nuit là bas. Merci
Rohini S
Ahmedabad, India10 contributions
You will have to enquire at your hotes travel desk. We did noot carry any luggage on oursightseeing tour
Adrián M
1 contribution
Gracias porque te creo, a vecea la gente sale decepcionada de un lugar y dice que fue maravilloso para dar envidia. Te agradezco tu sinceridad, iré a otro sitio
Maria Cecilia D
5 contributions
Si no vale la pena gastar tanto dinero y tiempo en eso , más bien aprovechar la
Playa en kusadassi y ver el amr Egeo o
De ruinas las mejores la de la ciudad de Efeso con esa es suficiente
Y Definitivamente capadoccia si es una belleza absoluta y montar en globo es fenomenal
Sufiyan Y
1 contribution
My wife is pregnant at 24weeks is it safe for her to go here
Ramona Rorvik Art-Tour
Paris, France222 contributions
Dear Sufiyan Y.,
I can not answer this question, because I am not a doctor. The best thing to do, it is to ask a doctor. I think it is very important to ask the regular doctor of your wife. 24 weeks means 6 month.
Depending on where you come from (country/city) and what kind of transportation you will use (plane/car/bus/train...), I think for a woman who is 6 months pregnant, you should seek medical advice, if it is okay to travel or not (in general) and if it is ok to experience thermal hot water in addition, or not.
NOTE: Keep in mind that summer is very hot in Pamukkale (Denizli), even if the weather is dry, it may not be beneficial (I don't know) for a pregnant woman. Greetings,
Ramona Rørvik.
Sheila A
Granite Bay, CA9 contributions
We will be visiting in september. Are there many pools with water as it shows in lots of pictures? Also, how much time should we expect to spend there?
Arina Matveeva
New York City, NY12 contributions
September is a great time to visit too. it is actually very beautiful place. we booked tour with an agency in istanbul named "Tours Flame". We have almost 2-3 hours in that and we had swimming time extra. yes there are many pools. but the main pool named "Cleopatra pool" is best for swimming,
Haily M
1 contribution
Are the travertines empty/dried up last week of September? I will be there then and i am worried it will be dried up based on the recent reviews.
Dieter K
DELHI22 contributions
Hello everyone, does anyone of the thermal pools are open these days (beginning april 2021)?
Thanl you all in advance
Anmar A
Iraq7 contributions
Is Pamukkale will be open in December with Turkish new Covid-19 restrictions?
Ramona Rorvik Art-Tour
Paris, France222 contributions
The situation can change daily. Nobody knows what new restrictions will apply. For now, all the pools (indoor and outdoor) are closed. Pam hotel for instance is open only for accommodation and half board but the outdoor thermal pools (even if they are outdoors) are closed.
Moana Lindi
Dubai, United Arab Emirates8 contributions
We are looking at travelling this weekend. Will the park be open with the new restrictions?
Ramona Rorvik Art-Tour
Paris, France222 contributions
Hello,
As I know, the museums are open in Turkey, even with the new restrictions. The park is consider open museum. 80 TL/ pax/ ticket.
You have to wear a mask everywhere, including on the street, otherwise you will pay a fine.
Try to have HES code (for each member of family) in your phone.
It is available 2 weeks. Internal fly don't ask for, but you never know.
I advice you for Pam Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale - Karahayit region. It is recently renovated (less than 2 years), anyway it is one of the few hotels open in the area, but is very good. It is clean, some of the staff speaks English and offers rooms with half board included.
You have access to the natural thermal pools (outdoors) from morning to 10 pm. The natural water is very hot and is refreshed twice a day, so, you can enjoy the SPA all months of the year. Towels, bathrobe, etc .... everything changed daily.
The hotel is a 3 minute walk from the 'dolmus' (a minivan that runs all day). Price 5 TL/pax to Hierapolis or Denizli....
If you want to see the historic site and Cleopatra's pools (with less hot water) you will need half a day.
Activities in the area: air balloon, paragliding (activities depending of wind, not sure can be experienced).
Places to Visit:
1) Hierapolis* (in Frigia) - historical Roman archeological site.
by dolmus, taxi; 5 minutes from Pam hotel.
2) Laodicea* - close but rich just by taxi. It is an amazing Roman archeological site. (10/15 minutes by taxi)
3) Aphrodisias* an amazing Roman archeological site. (one hour/ one way by rent a car from Denizli).
Please note:
Probably if you compare the hotel with what you have in Dubai, it is not a big deal, but the thermal water is a big deal! It is the only hotel that dug a well of about 80 m, that's why the thermal water is so hot, because it comes directly from the source. It also has many healing qualities. Enjoy your holiday !
Ramona
There are tiny worms in the craters of the hot springs. Also there are some larger ones the size of your pinky finger but not as thick. Are these safe to be around?
Pabel R
1 contribution
This is such a bad website. Dont get scam be careful. They are fraud
Andrew Sparrow
Moscow, Russia80 contributions
Can I pay credit card here? We don’t have a cash at all.
Ramona Rorvik Art-Tour
Paris, France222 contributions
Dear Andrew,
1 - Pamukkale Thermal Pools - at Pam Thermal Hotel Clinic & Spa in Karahayıt, 5 minutes drive from historical site of Hierapolis (North Gate), it is one of the best hotel in the area, still open during this pandemic, and yes, they accept credit card.
(Pam hotel was recently renovated, 2 years ago.)
2 - If you are referring to Cleopatra's Pools (inside the ancient city of Hierapolis), yes, they also accept credit card.
Note: The both Thermal Pools are in the open area.
Thermal Pools of Pam hotel have natural hot water at 58 degrees, refreshed twice a day. You have free access to the swimming pools, all day long (until 10 PM) if you stay in the hotel, plus the necessary accessories, bathrobe, towels, sauna ... etc.
For rich Cleopatra's Pools, you have to pay 80 TL every day (the entrance ticket to the historic site) and separate the entrance ticket to Cleopatra's Pools, 100 TL per person, per day. Total 180 TL/pax.
The waters are different, and have different therapeutic qualities.
The waters of the Pam Thermal Hotel in Karahayıt come from a 70-meter underground borehole, drilled 31 years ago. The waters of Cleopatra's pools, are not as warm as the waters from Pam hotel, but it is a combination of thermal pools and an authentic historical site, with ancient columns inside the pool. Very special.
Just let you know.
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Claim your listingPAMUKKALE THERMAL POOLS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Pamukkale Thermal Pools
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Pamukkale Thermal Pools:
- Pamukkale Hot Springs and Ancient City of Hierapolis with Lunch from Kusadasi (From £100.81)
- Pamukkale and Hierapolis Daily Tour... (From £64.87)
- Pamukkale Small Group Tour From Kusadasi / Selcuk Hotels (From £51.95)
- Pamukkale Hot Air Balloon Flight (From £64.87)
- Pamukkale & Lake Salda From All Antalya Hotels (From £70.13)
- Hotels near Pamukkale Thermal Pools:
- (0.16 mi) Hotel Hal-Tur
- (0.18 mi) Hotel Sahin
- (0.18 mi) Alida Hotel
- (0.16 mi) Willys State Camping Restaurant
- (0.37 mi) Bellamaritimo Hotel
- Restaurants near Pamukkale Thermal Pools:
- (0.15 mi) Cadde Grill House
- (0.17 mi) Teras Restaurant
- (0.27 mi) Hiera Coffee & Tea House Restaurant
- (0.18 mi) Asian Kitchen Landscape Restaurant
- (0.25 mi) Mom Eve Restaurant & Pub
- Attractions near Pamukkale Thermal Pools:
- (0.27 mi) Tours 4 Turkey Travel
- (0.15 mi) Quince Tour
- (0.29 mi) Hierapolis Arkeoloji Muzesi
- (0.22 mi) Mount Honaz National Park
- (0.27 mi) Moonstar Tour