Cappadocian thermal resort Population: 350
Some 25km east of Göreme, Bayramhaci is a small troglodyte settlement that has the great asset of a couple of hot springs on its outskirts. These have been enclosed and turned into a kaplıca, the Turkish version of a spa resort.
Don’t come here expecting luxury. Although the water is gloriously hot (it comes out of the ground at around 38 degrees C) and it’s bliss to be able to swim outdoors, those in charge of the two indoor and two outdoor pools appear to lack all sense of aesthetics which means lots of concrete and scrawled hand-written notices. Nor are there any of the extras one might anticipate. Sometimes you can get a massage at one of the baths but that is about the sum of it.
Recently the land in front of Bayramhacı was inundated behind a dam. The scenery is glorious, especially in spring when a sea of green rolls out from the banks of the reservoir which is rapidly sprouting waterside houses. It may well remind some visitors of Scotland.
A second Cappadocian thermal resort at Kozaklı is much more developed.
As for the village itself, it still retains some of the old stone houses for which Cappadocia is famous, many of them now abandoned.
Sleeping
There are basic camping facilities here and one hotel, the Bulut Motel, if you fancy staying.
Transport info
There is no public transport to get you from the main Cappadocian tourist centres of Göreme, Ürgüp, Uçhisar and Avanos although tour operators in these bases will be able to organise a private tour.
