Floating islands on Çat Dam serve as recreational area


The floating islands in Adıyaman's Çelikhan district are ready for visitors. Locals as well as international tourists can enjoy the area's beautiful scenery while fishing near the district's Çat Dam. Developed with the support of İpekyolu Development Agency (İKA), the floating island project was approved two years ago. The first phase of the project involved a major landscaping process that reshaped the entire area. The second phase saw the addition of new roads, walls and gazebos. Çelikhan Governor Adem Kaya said people can enjoy lunch in the gazebos and continued, "We finished the renovations and maintenance work and believe that people are interested in the area. We received TL 1.3 million ($460,000) in funding and spent almost all of that money. We have finalized 95 percent of the project so far." During the holy month of Ramadan a lot of people came to the picnic area to break their fast. As the region remains relatively cool during the summer, it has become a favorite of locals. "This place is the first choice for many people since the area is so blue and green," Kaya said. "Once our restaurants are open, families will come here and have picnics. We are currently building a synthetic indoor football pitch, which we hope will be finished within this month. Our facility will offer quality services to local residents."

The Çelikhan Governorate built gazebos, playgrounds, hotels, picnic areas and a synthetic football pitch. The area not only draws tourists from Adıyaman and neighboring provinces such as Malatya, but also draws international visitors. Speaking to an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent, Çelikhan Governor Adem Kaya said they are initiating a number of projects to transform Çelikhan into a hub for alternative tourism. İKA Adıyaman Coordinator Onur Yıldız noted that his agency made a major investment and covered 55 percent of the project's financing. "We believe that people from neighboring provinces will come to this recreation area. We also plan to start new projects in Çelikhan and attract even more visitors," he said.