Manavgat Waterfall is a charming corner of the planet, located in the resort town of Side in Turkey. Millions of tourists come here every year to enjoy the river mountain streams and take unforgettable pictures against the backdrop of breathtaking landscapes. It is noteworthy that you can visit this tour yourself, saving a lot of money. But for this, it is worth knowing in advance how to get to the place and examine its infrastructure. You will find all the necessary information about the object in our article below.
General information
Manavgat Waterfall is located on the river of the same name, 4.4 km from the city of Manavgat and 8 km from the ancient resort town of Side, located in the province of Antalya. Its width is 40 meters and its height reaches 2 meters. In reality, this is not exactly a waterfall, but a stream of mountain waters falling from a large river threshold. But this fact does not in any way derogate the beauty of local landscapes. For a long time Manavgat waterfall even showed off on old Turkish banknotes of 5 lira denominations.
In the immediate vicinity of the river threshold, special observation platforms are installed, from where you can take beautiful photos of Manavgat waterfall. It is forbidden to go down to the river, let alone swim in it. But during the flood period, rapid river flows rise to the level of viewing platforms, and tourists have the opportunity to stroll through the icy mountain waters and feel their seething onslaught. The water temperature in this area even in the hottest months in Turkey does not exceed 10 degrees.
Earlier, entrance to the park with a waterfall was free, but today both tourists and locals need to pay $ 1.5 for visiting the sights.
The facility is open daily not only during high season in Turkey, but also in the winter, and can be visited from 8:00 to 19:00.
Infrastructure
Around the Manavgat waterfall in Turkey there is a well-equipped green park, on the neat paths of which it is pleasant to take a leisurely walk and enjoy the lush landscapes. There are several cafes and restaurants where you can taste the famous Turkish gozleme cakes, try grilled trout, and then, slowly drinking strong and invigorating Turkish black tea, contemplate the local beauties.
There are also shops and souvenir shops huddling around the waterfall, selling both standard Turkish souvenirs and handicrafts. As a rule, in Turkey, in shops in the immediate vicinity of the sights, prices are too high, so we do not recommend spending your time here on shopping. But to take a photo against the background of a turquoise stream sparkling in the sun with a parrot on his shoulder will be very exciting. At the entrance to the object there is a large free parking, which is convenient for those tourists who get here in a rented car.
How to get there
If you are resting in Turkey in the resort town of Side, then be sure to include Manavgat Falls in your excursion list. To enjoy the natural beauty of the area and walk through a shady flowering park, you will need no more than an hour. How to get to Manavgat waterfall from Side? There are three ways to do this.
There are no direct flights from Side to the waterfall, so you can get here only with a change in Manavgat. The distance between these cities is just over 5 km, and the travel time takes about 10-15 minutes. You will need to take the dolmush following the Side-Manavgat route. Since this direction is very popular, minibuses approach the bus stop literally every 10 minutes, so you do not have to languish in the scorching sun for a long time. The fare will be no more than $ 1 per person.
Upon arrival in Manavgat, we advise you to land on the central city street “Antalya”: the reference here can be an artificial multi-meter waterfall located in the city center, a large Waikiki store or a bridge over the Manavgat river. Near these facilities you will find stops, some of which are air-conditioned. A bus with the Şelale sign (translated from Turkish as “waterfall”) runs every half hour on the main street, which is what you need. The fare to the object will be equal to $ 1 per passenger.
If you are disoriented upon arrival to the city, then you can always clarify where and how to get to Manavgat waterfall from the driver of any dolmush or from numerous tourists strolling around the city environs.
The easiest and most comfortable way to get from Side to the waterfall will be a taxi. The cost of such a trip can range from $ 12-15, which, of course, is more expensive than public transport, but more convenient and faster. Many taxis in Turkey in Side are designed for 7 people, so if a full passenger car is typed before the waterfall, this option will be quite profitable. Well, do not forget to bargain if you do not have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the fixed price list, and you feel that the price tag is clearly overpriced.
Renting a car in Turkey is easy. This can be done at the airport, at the hotel, in offices in Side and Manavgat. The cost of daily rental budget car is $ 25-30. This option would be logical if you plan to visit several attractions in the Side area at once. But before you drive, it is worth considering that Turkey has its own unofficial laws on the roads, which often contradict the established rules of the road. Therefore, it is important to study in advance the specific behavior of motorists on the road in resort areas.
Useful Tips
If you were fascinated by the photo of Manavgat waterfall in Turkey, and you decided to visit this attraction by all means, you should take into account several nuances so that your excursion does not become a bitter experience.
- Go to the waterfall yourself. If you relax in the Side area, then an independent visit to the sights will not be a problem for you. Above, we already described the ways to get to the object and gave all the prices, so you just have to clarify the location of the Manavgat waterfall on the map and, in fact, hit the road. Your guide will certainly offer you this excursion route, but, firstly, the cost of a tour with an agency will be several times more expensive than even a taxi ride to the waterfall. And secondly, most of the time you will be transported to shopping centers in the hope that you will exorbitantly buy some unnecessary goods from which the guide will receive his treasured percentage. As a result, you will spend the whole day on an excursion, which with an independent visit will take 2-3 hours on your strength.
- Go on a tour early in the morning. During the high season in Turkey, Manavgat waterfall is literally teeming with tourists. Crowds of people fill the viewing platforms so tightly that sometimes it is not even possible to make a decent shot. As a rule, sightseeing buses begin to approach the parking lot by 11.00, so we recommend visiting the waterfall from 8.00 to 10.00, when the flow of visitors is still not so powerful. The ideal time to get acquainted with the attraction is the period from October to April: during these months there are practically no tourists here, and you can enjoy the local beauties in a relaxed atmosphere.
- Pay in Turkish liras. Payment of public transport fare and entrance tickets to Manavgat Falls is most advantageous to make in local currency. You can exchange dollars or euros for lira in the exchangers of Side and Manavgat (in the latter rate it is always better).
