Green Canyon Manavgat // Detailed review
The Green Canyon is located near the town of Manavgat. The surrounding mountain villages are home to very simple people. Here you can experience the country's unglamorous, non-touristy life, which is far more diverse, rich, and genuine.
One of the easiest ways to get to the Green Canyon is to book a day trip. It can be purchased for $40 at any travel agency.
The first attraction is the Side Aqueduct. Built by the Romans in the second century AD, it served the city and had one interesting feature: it delivered water from the Manavgat River to Side in a virtually straight line. 30 kilometers of complex engineering structures, reaching a length of 2,260 meters, all because the water had to be released from a height of 36 meters. But what's most astonishing is how it has survived to this day.
On the way to the Green Canyon, we'll stop at another observation deck to admire the incredible beauty of the local hydroelectric power station.
The canyon itself, or rather the reservoir, was created as a result of the construction of the hydroelectric power station. The powerful dam on the Manavgat River was built by the Swiss over nearly a century. It opened in 1984. At the time, it was the third-largest dam in Turkey and the country's largest high-altitude structure.
Already on the approach, the mountains and the size of the dam are mesmerizing. The dam is 185 meters high, and its upper edge is 454 meters long. A four-turbine hydroelectric power station with a total capacity of 540 MW/hour is housed in the rock structures beneath the dam. Entrance to the hydroelectric power station is guarded, but free for everyone.
The Green Canyon is not a mountain gorge or a hollow in the ground, but a huge artificial reservoir that supplies fresh water to the eastern Antalya coast. This hydraulic structure and the surrounding area have been designated a national park.
We'll explore the canyon on this spacious double-deck boat. The Green Canyon in Manavgat is the largest artificial reservoir in Turkey. And as I already mentioned, the canyon's territory is designated a national park. The canyon is a valley in the Taurus Mountains, completely flooded. Previously, there was a bend in the Manavgat River here, along with several mountain lakes, from which the ancient Romans drew water. In the late 1980s, the Turks dammed this area, creating a huge lake that immediately became a local landmark. The reservoir got its name for two reasons: its water has an emerald hue due to its iron content, and the surrounding mountain slopes are covered with lush green vegetation.
The captivating beauty and grandeur of the emerald waters, surrounded by the richest nature, is captivating. It's an ideal spot for those who appreciate high-quality landscape photography and the aesthetic pleasure of contemplating the local beauty. This is precisely why Green Canyon is so beloved by locals and tourists alike.
The lake on the site of Green Canyon is called "Oymapınar." It is the confluence of 27 mountain springs. Even in ancient times, the Romans created a network of reservoirs here, supplying the ancient city of Side and the surrounding fields with fresh water through a multi-kilometer aqueduct and underground tunnels. We've already seen a fragment of this ancient engineering marvel. In the late 1970s, when the cities of Manavgat and Side began to expand, and a large aluminum smelter was being built in the area, the need for a major source of drinking water and electricity arose. It was decided to extract these resources from the Oymapınar cascade of mountain lakes, which were dammed in 1984.
A huge lake formed in the valley's place. It lies at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level. Its surface area covers 500 hectares, and its deepest point reaches 100 meters. Its temperature is said to be constant at 11-12°C year-round. A little later, we'll have the opportunity to take a dip and experience the temperature of the water here.
Given its impressive size and aesthetic appearance, it's no wonder that Green Canyon has become a favorite among tourists. People now come here from all over the area to take a boat ride, dine on trout at one of the local restaurants, and simply swap the boring seaside setting for the mountains.
So, naturally, I couldn't resist asking Cap if I could take the helm of this ship. We're heading toward the pier, where we'll have the opportunity to swim and fish. A little later, we'll head to a local restaurant and sample some delicious trout.
It's best to plan a whole day for this trip; it's truly worth it.
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