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A few years ago hardly anoyone had heard of
the town Manavgat? and things
haven't changed much since then...
Ideally situated just an hour from Antalya
International airport and midway
between the cities of Alanya and Antalya this bustling Turkish town is just
4 kms from the resorts of Titreyen Göl, famous for being a natural shelter
for all kinds of birds such as cormorants and pekin ducks, and just 6kms,
from the historic beach resort of Side. Here, you have the best of all
worlds, living amongst the local Turkish people, uninterupted river views
and just a 10 minute dolmus ride to the wonderful sandy beach, historical
sites and attractive harbour of Side.
It is not certain when Manavgat was founded
however from early documents it
is estimated to be around 150-200BC when up until quite recently all
transportation and cargo was made by river to the sea. In 1913 Manavgat was
designated a village of the Republic.
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The name *Manavgate* literally means *village
of vegatables* and until the
last couple of years the towns main income has come from agriculture. This
situation has rapidly changed with the incoming tourism market and now 80%
of the population is employed in some way within the tourism industry
predominently in the tourist resorts. Manavgat offers a full range of
amenities, from banks, modern shops, restaurants bars and the inevitable
tea shops. The town centre itself is flanked by tierd waterfall, topped by
a monument to Atatürk and here is where you will find many Turks during the
hot summer days enjoying a cup of *çay.*
There is a market in one or another area of
the town on most days, however
the area is well known for having the largest markets in the region on a
monday and thursday. These are the days you will find aswell as the full
selection of handbags, jackets and jeans, the local people who have come
from the villages to sell their traditional wares, from chickens to hand
carved wooden spoons. The markets are a *must* especially for the first
timer to Turkey offering a great oppertunity to soak up the sights and
practice your bargaining skills.
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The Northern part of the town is bordered by
the Taurus mountains covered
with forests but the *emerald* river, originally the Melas, that runs
throuh the town itself is a focal point of interest. The banks are scattred
with a selection of tea gardens, restaurants and fishing points and there
are a selction of boat trips available at most hours of the day either down
river towards the sea, passing turtles, pelicans and fishfarms on the way
or upriver towards the local beauty spot of the
Manavgat Şelale; the Waterfalls. |
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Just 4kms from the town centre the falls
themselves are favoured by the
Turkish asmuch as the tourists during the summer months as they offer a
haven of coolness set in pine trees where the waters temerature never rises
much higher than 0 degrees. At the estaury where the river meets the sea
beyond the forests it is possible to swim in the freezing cold waters of
the river and then to run and jump in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.
Offering bars, restaurants and a small market it is possible to visit the
falls independently to enjoy a lunch of freshly grilled trout caught only
minutes earlier. |
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Beyond the falls following the river inland
12kms north of Manavgat is the
Sıhlar village and the ancent site of Seleuccia. İt is one of the nine
cities named after seleukos Nicator, one of the Generals of Alexander the
Great in the third century BC. İt is believed that with its strong city
walls, dungeons and good strategical position that it offered to protect
coastal cities from the north.
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Travelling inland just 30 mins further you
will find the amazing *Oymapinar
Dam*. When it was built in 1984 it was the 3rd biggest dam in Turkey with
four turbines located underground producing electricity for the whole area. |
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For the sports enthusiast you will find many
horse riding ranches set in
the forest offering sun down canters along the coast, tennis at many of the
public courts, bird watching, walking, fishing, aswell as the beach
activities just 5kms away swellas skiing during the winter months at the
resort of Saklıkent, an hour and a half drive away.
If you are looking for a home away from the
tourist, beach resorts where
you will have the opportunity of mixing with the locals, shopping in
Turkish markets and most importantly enjoying better value properties then
consider Manavgat, a town of the future.
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