lakes Aegean

The Aegean Region, which covers a surface of 85,000 square meters. It is the third most populous region and is one of the regions with a high population density. The Aegean Region borders the Central Anatolia Region to the east, the Marmara Region to the north, the Mediterranean Region to the southeast, and the Aegean Sea to the west. It is a very rich region in terms of lakes. 

Lake Acıgöl (Lake Çardak) 

Located in the south of Dazkırı District in the province of Afyon, on the northwestern edge of the Turkish Lake District, Acıgöl (Çardak) was formed because of a volcanic eruption.

The minerals in the water here are believed to be good for healing acne, itching, wounds, and other skin ailments.

Acıgöl, one of Türkiye's most important wetlands, attracts the attention of both birdwatchers and nature photographers from Türkiye and abroad with the variety of bird species that can be found here, and especially flamingos. Visited by many domestic and foreign birdwatchers, the lake is estimated to have over 160 bird species from about 20 families.

Acıgöl is located on the border of the provinces of Afyonkarahisar and Denizli. You can reach the area by car or by intercity buses. Once in the region of Denizli, you can use various public transport to reach the lake. 

Lake Bafa 

Lake Bafa is located in the provinces of Aydın and Muğla and has been filled with alluvial deposits carried by the Menderes River since late antiquity. Latmos Bay was disconnected from the sea and turned into an inland lake in the Middle Ages.

Beşparmak Mountains (Latmos Mountains), rising from Lake Bafa, are home to thousands of years of history, evident in such sites as rock paintings dating back 8,000 years, cave frescoes belonging to the Christian period, Yediler Monastery, Kiselik Monastery, Arab courtyard Monastery, and Sobran Castle.

Trekking tours conducted under the guidance of local residents showcase little-known features of the region. The area around the lake displays Mediterranean vegetation and is covered in olive groves and pine forests. The largest part of the lake's shores is framed by olive trees. In fact, there is a 2,000-year-old olive tree still standing by the lake’s shores.

According to scientific research, eels set out from the Saragosso Sea cross the ocean, pass through the Strait of Gibraltar, and enter the Aegean waters through the Mediterranean Sea. The eels reach Lake Bafa via the Büyük Menderes River, which ends its course in the Aegean Sea. The mystery of how eels found this migration route and how they make this long migration is unknown to this today.

Lake Köyceğiz

Lake Köyceğiz is in the province of Muğla. The lake is one of the most important lakes of the region. The lake was formed about 7,500 years ago when the entire Eastern Mediterranean experienced a series of earthquakes and has a fault line on its south side. There are many streams and brooks that feed this freshwater lake. Köyceğiz is the 16^th-largest lake in Türkiye. The depth of the lake ranges from 20 to 60 meters, and its surface area is 52 square kilometers.

Speedboats and large yachts are prohibited from entering Lake Koycegiz from the outside. The lake is part of the Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area. The wetlands surrounding the lake are a breeding area for all sorts of birds and attract many birdwatchers. The lake has endemic fish species, and the Dalyan Delta, which is part of the protected area, forms a long, golden sandy beach at its mouth which is the mating site for Caretta carettas. Tourists can join sightseeing boat tours from Köyceğiz and Dalyan.

Other Lakes in the Aegean Region 

• Lake Işıklı (Denizli)

• Lake Marmara (Manisa)

• Lake Azap (Aydın)

• Lake Çatalgöl (İzmir)

• Lake Gebekirse (İzmir)

• Lake Kocagöl (Muğla)

• Lake Küçükdalyan (Muğla)

• Lake Baldırmaz (Muğla)

• Lake Ala (Muğla)

• Lake Gülağzı (Muğla)