Pink Lake? Turkey’s Amazing Salt Lake – Tuz Golu
When I first stumbled across photos of the Pink Lake in Turkey, I was in awe. I had never seen people visit here before and I soon found out that it is one of the most underrated tourist attractions in Turkey. To this day, I can’t quite figure out why so few people come to visit this incredible and HUGE pink lake. I put it on the top of my “Places to Visit in Turkey” list.
We went to visit the Pink Lake, Tuz Golu (meaning Salt Lake in Turkish) on a day trip from Cappadocia. We rented a car,hired a driver, and set off to visit this beautiful lake.
Tuz Golu
Driving along the road to the official entrance to the lake, we began to see the incredible pink waters blending into the horizon into a blur of purple and blue. We got to Tuz Golu early in the morning. There weren’t many people around, and even fewer (if any) tourists. At first we were quite disappointed that the “Pink Lake” was actually much more white. Although also beautiful, we drove by such vibrant pink waters on the way, that it was a bit sad to just see white.
We were told that because of the evaporation that occurs in the summertime, most of the lake was dry and the salt was a whiter color. It was still incredible to see the enormous expanse of salt as far as the eye could see. The salt formations were beautiful and we saw many locals collecting bags of the healing salt to bring home for a spa night.
Although the white salt beds were very impressive, I was still determined to see the PINK lake. Our driver promised to try to find a way to the pink portion and we got our things and started driving.
Pink, Pink, Pink!
A little bit later, as the pink waters started to come into view, he went off the highway and into a pathway made through some empty fields. We started to drive towards the pink. Reaching the edge of the salt bed, we get out of the car, and start walking towards the pink waters.
Because of the summer evaporation, it was a bit of a walk before we reached the pretty pink waters. And it was so worth it. Absolutely STUNNING. The colors were magnificent and the waters smoothed the skin to an amazingly silky feel. It felt like a wonderland.
We walked around, exploring the beautiful shallow water. The salt formations were beautiful and impressive. So happy to have made it to the pink portion of this enormous lake, we walked back to the car, rinsed off the salt with water, and continued onto our next destination.
When to Visit the Pink Lake
Although the Pink Lake can be visited all year round, be aware that in the summer months much of the water evaporates. The lake itself is already extremely shallow in most places, but in the summer months the water may evaporate entirely in some areas, leaving just a large salt bed. Particularly at the official entrance, the water was almost entirely gone when we visited in July. When we drove a bit farther away to the area with the more pink water, there was some water, but it was still extremely shallow.
How to Get to the Pink Lake
The Pink Lake is a bit in the middle of nowhere, quite the drive from any main tourist attraction. The best way to visit in my opinion is to take a day trip from Cappadocia/Goreme as we did.
We rented a car and driver for the day and visited a few places outside of Cappadocia. First visiting the Pink Lake, we then made our way to Ihlara Valley.
Directly from Goreme it is around a 1.5 hour drive. Because of this, it’s best to add a couple of other amazing things to do in the region as well, to make it worth the drive.
As it can be a bit difficult to find the way to the pink portion of the lake, it may be easier to rent a car with a driver as we did. He knew the area very well, exactly how to get there, and the cost difference was negligible.
Tips for Visiting the Pink Lake
- SALT – If you’ve never visited a Salt Lake or a very salty body of water, know that it can get messy. The salt will stick to your legs and clothes if you touch it. It’s easily rinsed off with water though. Also be sure to rinse everything well that came in contact with the salt so that it doesn’t ruin your clothes or shoes.
- Shopping – Looking for a spa night? The salt from the Pink Lake is the perfect addition! You can buy salt at the official entrance to take home for a nice salt scrub.
- Where to Stay – The best place to stay when visiting the region is one of the famous cities in Cappadocia. The most famous among them being Goreme. It is very easy to rent a car from the city to take a day trip to visit the Pink Lake. The next main closest city is Konya. Although there is not much to do in Konya itself, you can take a day trip from the city to visit the Pink Lake.
- Places to Eat – At the official entrance to the lake, there is a small cafe where you can purchase food, water, and other touristic items. If you also go in search of the pink area of the lake, there is literally nothing around, so be sure to bring snacks and water!
- Cost – Entrance is free! Both to the official section and of course the non offical.
Fun Facts
- The Pink Lake is the second largest lake in Turkey! Over 1,500 square km (643 square mile) surface area.
- Tuz Golu as it is called in Turkish means “Salt Lake”
- 63% of the salt consumed in Turkey is produced from the mines near the lake.
- The lake is pink partially because of a type of algae that grows in the water (the same algae that flamingos eat that causes to be pink)
- This lake is also a breeding ground for thousands of flamingos!
Things to Do in the Area
Since the Pink Lake is a bit of a drive from so many other places in the area, we decided to take advantage of the rented car and enjoy some of the other amazing things to do in the region.
Ihlara Valley
Just about an hour’s drive from the Pink Lake, you can visit Ihlara Valley. It is an incredibly remarkable place. In the middle of a desert region, no water around except for the undrinkable Salt Lake, you’ll find the beautiful, lush Ihlara Valley. A fresh water river runs through the 16 km gorge carved through volcanic rock. It even boasts a few small waterfalls! It’s quite the desert oasis and worth a visit!
View the full post: IHLARA VALLEY – STUNNING RIVER GORGE IN THE DESERT | CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY
Underground City
The whole region of Cappadocia has many Underground Cities available to visit. The most famous being Derinkuyu Underground City. As the name suggests, it is a full city built underground. Large enough to house 20,000 people, livestock, and built on multiple levels, it is said to be truly incredible. Bearing a secret of its own, this ancient city was only discovered when a man started renovations to his home, and stumbled upon it.
Giving a lot of insight into how people lived in this region historically, it can be visited along the way if you take a day trip to the Pink Lake and Ihlara Valley.
Pigeon Valley
Although we did not have a lot of time to explore this interesting valley, we did have the chance to stop here at sunset on our way back from the Pink Lake and Ihlara Valley. As I’m sure you can guess, the name comes from the many pigeons that flock to the area. You can even see in the rocks the MANY ancient dovecotes (Pigeon Houses) carved into the rocks for the carrier pigeons many years ago.
If you have time, there is also a small hike that can be done in the area, a cute gift shop, and lots of pigeons to watch.
Sunflower Fields
When we visited the area (July) there were literally ENDLESS fields of sunflowers everywhere. It was so beautiful. I found out that Turkey raises lots and lots of sunflowers and uses them for snacks and cooking oil.
Looking for more amazing things to do near Cappadocia? Or Turkey in general? Be sure to check out some of our other blog posts for more amazing tips and itinerary ideas!
Lots of Love and Safe Travels,
Danielle and Brooke, Colorful Sisters
77 Comments
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10 AMAZING Things to do in Cappadocia, Turkey | Travel Tips
October 24, 2020 at 11:40 pm[…] View full post: PINK LAKE? TURKEY’S AMAZING SALT LAKE – TUZ GOLU […]
Ihlara Valley - Stunning River Gorge in the Desert | Cappadocia, Turkey
October 25, 2020 at 3:38 am[…] View full post: PINK LAKE? TURKEY’S AMAZING SALT LAKE – TUZ GOLU […]
Sabiscuit
October 25, 2020 at 3:54 amIt’s beautiful out there. Loving the pink salt. 🤍❤️
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 5:14 amIt really is such an incredible place!! So happy I was able to visit 😍
Soni Cool😎
October 25, 2020 at 6:10 amWowwwwwwwwwwww…… ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 3:59 pmSuch an INCREDIBLE place!!
aksbookclub
October 25, 2020 at 6:49 amThis is beautiful!!! How do you guys travel around with the pandemic around?
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 12:09 pmIsn’t it just so incredible?? Pink for days!! Well since my boyfriend and I are long distance we’ve been having trouble meeting up because of covid 😔. So I’ve been doing mlre traveling than ever this year trying to find places to meet up since our home countries weren’t allowing tourists! Sometimes that means getting doing quarantine when we go back to our homes or testing but we manage! 😊
aksbookclub
October 25, 2020 at 12:11 pmYes! It’s incredible. Keep going places. And share it all with us. It’s exciting when I get a notification about your posts in my inbox.
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 12:15 pmAww thanks so much!!! I’m happy you enjoy 😍😍 I was in Kenya for a month and now I’m visiting family in the States so I’ll have lots of more travel posts coming soon!!
Zoewiezoe
October 25, 2020 at 7:54 amThose pictures are insanely gorgeous!
You’d think that lake would be an Insta-girls magnet but it’s the first I’ve ever heard/seen of it!
Wow
trumstravels
October 25, 2020 at 11:24 amThe Underground Cities sound intriguing! and that lake, awesome!
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 12:09 pmYess! It’s such an interesting area!! So many cool things 😍
Des
October 25, 2020 at 1:33 pmThe photography on this post is just beautiful! Great job on documenting your travels around the Pink Lake area.
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 3:57 pmThank you so much!! That really means a lot 🙂 Was such a beautiful area!!
Cindy Georgakas
October 25, 2020 at 5:58 pmFly me to the sparkles.. beautiful! ❤️ Cindy
visit sometime.. haven’t seen you for awhile
roxancena
October 25, 2020 at 8:28 pmIt’s so beautiful.. Pink lake is amazing..
Colorful Sisters
October 25, 2020 at 9:12 pmIt really is! 🙂
roxancena
October 27, 2020 at 1:26 pm❤️❤️❤️
Blanca
October 26, 2020 at 12:56 pmI´ve been to Turkey but never to Pink Lake. Thank you for sharing these amazing pictures and all the information. Very inspiring!
Colorful Sisters
October 26, 2020 at 3:41 pmI hope you can visit if you ever go back to Turkey! It’s such an underrated treasure!!
Blanca
October 26, 2020 at 10:29 pmI visited Turkey few years ago and I fell in love with the country. I will definitely visit Pink Lake in my next trip.
Colorful Sisters
October 27, 2020 at 2:13 amI definitely fell in love too! Amazing people, places, and food! Hope you can visit next time 😍
Jyothi
November 2, 2020 at 8:27 pmWow.. The Pink Lake looks gorgeous! Beautiful images!
Colorful Sisters
November 3, 2020 at 2:43 amThank you!! It’s truly a beautiful place 😍
restlessjo
November 4, 2020 at 9:09 pmI can see why you enjoyed it 🙂 🙂
Colorful Sisters
November 5, 2020 at 12:55 amA truly amazing place 🙂
craig lock
November 6, 2020 at 1:05 pmGreat photography and happy travelling
http://www.craigstravelblogg.wordpress.com
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Hi
Thanks for the follow(s) and happy blogging
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Ruelha
November 8, 2020 at 6:02 amWow that’s beautiful
Colorful Sisters
November 8, 2020 at 4:31 pmTruly an incredible place!!
da-AL
November 10, 2020 at 12:02 amso beautiful — like you 🙂
Colorful Sisters
November 10, 2020 at 12:46 amSo sweet!! Thankk you :))
ridiculouslyretro
November 13, 2020 at 6:49 amLove the Pink Lake! I will be adding that on my list of places to go. 🌸
Colorful Sisters
November 13, 2020 at 11:57 pmYess! I hope you get to visit. Truly unique!
Hansidani
November 14, 2020 at 12:10 amThat is absolutely beautiful 😍 I can imagine how it feels to be standing there!
Beautiful! Who takes the pictures!?
Hansidani
November 13, 2020 at 7:11 pmI meant I can’t imagine how it feels not I can imagine 🙄🙄🙄
Colorful Sisters
November 14, 2020 at 1:19 amIt truly is!!! On this trip I took the general landscape and my boyfriend took the ones of me 😍
Hansidani
November 14, 2020 at 2:23 amAww that’s so cute!
Colorful Sisters
November 14, 2020 at 2:24 amYess I’m very grateful that he’s always willing to take a million pictures 😍 hahaha
Hansidani
November 14, 2020 at 3:46 amHaha is he your official photographer 😂
Colorful Sisters
November 14, 2020 at 5:30 amHahahaha pretty much 😂 Brooke’s boyfriend also takes a lot of the pictures and our mom if we’re visiting the states 😊
dfolstad58
November 15, 2020 at 10:43 pmI loved Turkey and long to return and visit again. I travelled with a tour and that was relaxing. It looks like you did it on your own. I think that is incredible, do you speak Turkish? You should writing books, not blogs. – David
Colorful Sisters
November 16, 2020 at 6:24 pmThank you so much!! Maybe one day a book will be written! But for now just the blogs. Although sometimes I do travel alone alone, this trip was with my boyfriend 🙂
Manny
November 16, 2020 at 4:58 pmOMG WOW WOW WOW!! Those are also some great photos but I’m sure the real thing is EVEN better! Thank you also for the great travel tips xx
Colorful Sisters
November 16, 2020 at 6:26 pmThank you!! The real place truly is STUNNING. I’ve never seen anything else like it!!
Hansidani
November 16, 2020 at 7:32 pmOh my gosh I hadn’t realize that you were in turkey! I wasn’t to turkey once it was amazing!!! How many times have you been there!?
Hansidani
November 16, 2020 at 10:10 pmI meant I went to Turkey once not I wasn’t Turkey 😂
Colorful Sisters
November 17, 2020 at 1:28 amIt really is a super amazing place!! I’ve only been once, for a 12 day trip and it was INCREDIBLE. We traveled all around the country and got to see so much of it 🙂
TheMinuette
November 16, 2020 at 8:14 pmWoow. So cool.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
TheMinuette
Twilight & Sushi
December 1, 2020 at 3:52 pmWow! I never knew there was such a thing as a pink lake! Thank you! What a treat!
Colorful Sisters
December 2, 2020 at 4:47 pmNeither did I before researching a bit about Turkey!! I was so excited to discover this incredibly unique place!!
Twilight & Sushi
December 2, 2020 at 9:43 pmIt sounds absolutely beautiful!
Michael Polyak
December 2, 2020 at 1:48 pmAwesome post and photos! Really an interesting destination that I hadn’t heard of before — thanks for the tip!
Colorful Sisters
December 2, 2020 at 4:49 pmIt’s truly a hidden gem!! Hope you can visit one day 🙂
22 – Salt – Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking
December 15, 2020 at 6:09 am[…] The salt of Pink Lake in Turkey (photos and text) […]
lisaonthebeach
December 16, 2020 at 3:52 amI was fascinated by this post. Great photos and detail. Thank you! I, too, would love to see those pink lakes!
Colorful Sisters
December 16, 2020 at 12:14 pmIt is truly a very unique place!! I had no idea a pink lake existed before my trip to Turkey and it was among the highlights of my trip 🙂
flaviastamatoFlavia
December 17, 2020 at 6:36 pmThe pics, the vibe, the info… I felt in love with it! You have definitely influenced me to book a trip to Turkey next year! haha <3
Colorful Sisters
December 19, 2020 at 6:37 pmOh my goodness so amazing!! I really hope you do get to visit as it is a truly incredible place!
Noreen Young
January 4, 2021 at 2:38 amYou had me at PINK ! 💕💕💕
Colorful Sisters
January 4, 2021 at 12:34 pmHonestly it was incredible place to visit!!
JOHANNA MONTES
May 24, 2021 at 6:50 pmHi! do you mind sharing who you hired to drive you? i will be visiting in mid June and would love to see this.
thanl you
Colorful Sisters
July 7, 2021 at 3:38 pmSo sorry for the late response! We hired a driver while we were in Cappadocia. We talked with a few of the tour agencies in the town and found the best deal. Unfortunately I no longer have his information though. I hope you enjoyed your Turkey trip! Did you visit the Pink Lake?
Fatima
August 23, 2021 at 6:36 pmLooks beautiful! Can you share the name of the driver?
Colorful Sisters
September 5, 2021 at 11:44 amSo sorry for the delay! We got the driver through one of the small travel companies in Goreme town itself. I can send you his contact information privately if you would like 🙂
Miryam Garrido
April 11, 2022 at 5:30 pmHi! could you share the contact info with me as well? thanks a lot! Great post about the pink lake :))
Colorful Sisters
May 5, 2022 at 5:44 pmHi! So sorry for the delay, feel free to send us an email and I can share the contact details with you if it is still relevant!
Sofia
May 30, 2022 at 10:11 amHi do you have to book the driver in advance? Thanks
Colorful Sisters
June 11, 2022 at 5:57 pmWe booked the night before 🙂
Alicia
March 18, 2022 at 9:17 pmHi! Would you mind sharing the contact details of your driver? Thank you so much!
Colorful Sisters
May 5, 2022 at 5:44 pmHi! So sorry for the delay, feel free to send us an email and I can share the contact details with you if it is still relevant!
Anna Pacholski
May 8, 2023 at 12:04 amCan you share the info for the car and driver pls. Thank you
Colorful Sisters
May 11, 2023 at 11:50 amWe looked for a driver in the town of Cappadocia and booked it from one of the travel shops in the town!
Dipika Sharma
May 15, 2023 at 11:35 amHello!
We are going to Cappadocia and I loved your all pictures from the Pink lake and Ihlara valley. Can you please share the contact information to the driver? It would be really helpful:)
Colorful Sisters
May 16, 2023 at 7:54 pmHope you enjoy! We looked for a driver in the town of Cappadocia and booked it from one of the travel shops in the town!
tuz gölü nerede #2023
May 26, 2023 at 12:30 pm[…] Oct 25, 2020 … Did you know that Turkey has a HUGE lake that is all pink? Tuz Golu, Lake Tuz, The Salt Lake, the Pink Lake, whatever the name, … devamini oku […]
Jhon
May 31, 2023 at 4:06 amBeautifully put forward in an articulated way.