Summer is here, and the wondrous nature of Turkey awaits with open arms to welcome visitors. In these dog days of summer, a particular spot in southwestern Turkey's Denizli has been drawing large amounts of local and foreign tourists with its azure waterfalls and deep canyons.
More than 5,000 people visited the Acıpayam Canyon, located in Denizli's district with the same name, over the holiday of Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, and the numbers continue to increase day by day.
The canyon, which is about 50 meters (164 feet) high, appeals to nature lovers with its clean waters flowing through giant cliffs and offers a unique beauty as it creates pools in some regions.
The canyon, which is located in the forest area, has a natural walking area of approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
It has become an especially frequent destination for people looking to cool off on these exceptionally hot days.
It is also a must-visit for most nature, photography and camping enthusiasts from Denizli and the surrounding provinces, and is reached through the pine forests.
Hulusi Şevkan, Mayor of Acıpayam, said the district had started to make a name for itself with its natural beauties and that many people come to the region to get away from stress.
"For a long time, the villagers were afraid of it, saying 'we will fall.' With the work we did in the canyon, we turned the feared place into heaven," Şevkan said.
"Now everyone comes running. We started to welcome local and foreign guests. All our citizens have seen the natural beauty of our canyon ... Those who come to the canyon, don't want to leave."
Şevkan noted that the canyon had seen notably higher interest during the Qurban Bayram period.
"The number of daily visitors in the canyon reached approximately 5,000 people. With the normalization experienced after the pandemic, our canyon attracts a lot of attention," he said.
"It is a wonderful canyon. It is a very beautiful place. I will definitely recommend it to my friends when I return to Istanbul," said Nasuf Yağlı, a visitor from Istanbul.
"It is a beautiful canyon. I think it is now one of the must-see places. The environment is crowded, but everything is beautiful," said Hüseyin Yağ, who travelled from Aydın.
Others who visited from nearer locations spoke as highly of the natural wonder as those who came from far away.
