In and around Didim, there are many important places where you can see historical ruins and enjoy natural beauty. Every week, we will share these places which you can visit and spice up your holiday. The first in our Explore series is Lake Bafa.
Bafa Lake is the first proposal, with its ancient city ruins, small islands, and monasteries on the islands, as well as its natural beauty. We recommend you see Lake Bafa, the biggest in the Aegean Region, as it is close to Didim.
You can spend a very nice day with its calmness and peace. You can also consider staying here, and there is a list of addresses and contact information at the end of our article.
Lake Bafa is located within the borders of both Muğla and Aydın. Areas to visit in Lake Bafa consist of two sides: Söke and Milas.
Söke side of the lake hosts a rich bird diversity that will attract the attention of bird watchers. However, we recommend you to go to Milas, as Bafa Lake Nature Park is located there where you can see historical places and go hiking on impressive routes.
You can reach Milas from Didim with by car within 45 minutes. If you do not have a private car, you can always hire a vehicle, instead.
PLACES TO VİSİT
1. Start your tour from Kapıkırı Village
We recommend your starting point is Kapıkırı Village. This small village is built on the Herekleia Ancient City and the shore of the village to Lake Bafa is an ancient port. There are modest hostels for accommodation. At the entrance of the village, you can come across the villagers selling their local products and buy gifts that will remind you of this ancient city. The villagers’ main source of livelihood is land and lakes; namely olives and fish.
You can enjoy the delicious fish of the lake by sitting at the restaurants nearby, after a nice village tour by letting the old olive trees surrounding the village impress you. You can find contact details about restaurants and cafes at the end of the article.
2. Walk the Trekking Routes
If you are a hiker, the village has beautiful trekking routes varying between 3.5 and 9 hours. The most popular trekking routes are:
• Yediler Monastery Route: A total of 5 hours. The round trip takes 12 km. On the route, 8,000-year-old rock paintings, Yediler Monastery built in the 7th century and Hz. You can see the Jesus frescoes.
• King’s Road and Stylos Monastery Route: A total of 9 hours. The round trip takes 22km. On the route, passing through a royal road built by the Persians, Stylos Monastery, and Hz. You can see the frescoes of the early Christian period.
• Hellenistic City Walls Route: You can walk along the 6.5-km city walls of the Ancient City of Herakleia. The route takes about 3.5 hours.
3. Explore the Islands on a Boat Ride
You may be interested in boating on the lake instead of hiking as there are five islands on Bafa Lake. The islands are worth seeing with their Byzantine monasteries, churches, and castles on them. You will find that although many of them are in disrepair, they are still impressive.
The island tours are carried out by the boat owners in the village. It is possible to go on tours by agreement with the fishermen or boat owners, the price schedule varies according to the size of your excursion group.
The names of the islands in the lake are Kapıkırı Island, Twin Islands, Menet Island, and Kahveasaar Island. There is a monastery and two small chapels on Kapıkırı Island, which is surrounded by walls from the Hellenistic Period.
The Twin Islands are two small islands, and there are the remains of a church built in the name of the Virgin Mary.
On the biggest island of the lake, Menet Island, you can see the ruins of a church and chapel, and many bird species.
Finally, there are monastery ruins on Kahveasar Island, two chapels, and a church that are in better condition than on other islands. Tasting the mystical atmosphere on the islands and seeing the ruins of monasteries, churches and chapels will provide a nice sightseeing experience.
While it is not known when Herakleia was founded, which takes its name from the Greek mythology hero Heracles, the settlement is believed to date from 8BC. Herakleia, which was an Ionian city, was connected to Caria for a while, then lived through the Hellenistic period with Alexander the Great’s entry into Anatolia, and later became a Byzantine and then Ottoman land.
Once Herakleia was a port city that was an important point of maritime trade just like Ephesus. As a result of the Menderes River filling the Latmos River with alluvium, the city remained miles away from the sea and was eventually abandoned.
At some point, you should take in the Beşparmak Mountains behind you and sit facing Lake Bafa. While you rest, you will be fascinated by the intertwined traces of great civilizations, and the impact of humanity and nature on the earth.
Accommodation & Restaurant:
Selenes Pension: 05423164550 – Kapıkırı Bafa Lake 48234 Milas/Mugla
Ada Pension: 05426796494 – Bafa, 48200 Milas/Mugla
Karia Pension: 02525435490 – No:4, 48234 Milas/Mugla
Agora Restaurant & Pension: 02525435445 – Kapıkırı, Herakleia-Bafa Lake, 48234 Milas/Mugla
Herakleia Pelikan Restaurant & Hostel: 02525435158 – Kapıkırı, 48210 Milas/Mugla
Latmia Pension: 05466238923 – Kapıkırı, 48230 Milas/Mugla
Zeybek Restaurant & Pension: 02525435441- Kapıkırı, 48230 Milas/Mugla
Çeri Restaurant: 02525191011- Pınarcık, Milas Söke Yolu, 48230 Milas/Muğla
How to get there: Bafa Lake Nature Park from Didim is 45 minutes via Aydın Didim Road and Milas Söke Road/D525.