Altınbeşik Experience - A Boat Trip on Turkey's Biggest Underground Lake

Hello my friends. I visited Altınbeşik Cave after the ancient city of Side. This is the place where one of Turkey's most impressive underground systems is hidden. The winding curves leading to the cave took us slowly into a deep canyon, further and further down. Every bend offered breathtaking views. I think its height was something like 10 times that of Göynük Canyon.

At the entrance of the canyon, every visitor is given a bright yellow helmet. I felt like a real caver 😊 Helmets are worn so stalactites don't fall on your head or rather, so they don't cause harm if they do fall. The roof of the canyon is alive, so safety comes first.

Putting on our helmets, we crossed the bridge over the mountain river and arrived in front of a giant stone mouth. Above our heads was a natural stone dome. You cannot go very far on foot here. The only way to explore the first level of the cave is by inflatable boat. The stream was ice-cold.

When translated from Turkish, Altınbeşik means "golden cradle". For centuries locals have passed down a legend that bandits hid the golden cradle of an ancient king deep within these mountains. The shape of the mountain peak above the cave actually resembles a baby cradle as well.

What is surprising is that the world learned about this place relatively recently. In 1966 the famous Turkish geologist Temuçin Aygen was conducting hydrological research in these regions prior to dam construction. While examining the bed of the Manavgat river, he acidentally came across a giant karst sinkhole, leading to the discovery of Altınbeşik.

Scientists know that this is a massive three level underground labyrinth stretching over 5.5 kilometers. The first level, the lower floor is a water kingdom. It is precisely here that the largest underground lake in Turkey and the third largest in all of Europe, is located. The water here is so clear that even at depths reaching fifteen meters, the inflatable boat feels as though it is floating in midair.

The second or middle level is hidden behind a travertine wall. In summer dry galleries and small halls can be found here. In spring during the active melting of snow in the mountains, this floor transforms into a roaring waterfall and river.

In the third, highest level which is the oldest and driest, there are giant halls, massive stalactites and unique cave crystals. Regular travelers are only allowed into the first level. The reason is that the path leading up is blocked by narrow underwater tunnels. Only professional caver divers with specialized diving equipment can pass through here.

Explorations continue to this day. International expeditions have revealed that Altınbeşik is the majestic exit portal of a massive underground system collecting water from tens of kilometers away. It's a great feeling. It felt like we were right in an Indiana Jones movie or on the set of Journey to the Center of the Earth.

If you're ever around Antalya or Side, definitely check out Altınbeşik. Altınbeşik is not just a cave. The underground lake was totally calm, like a mirror. We just glided right across in a boat. And the water was very clean. It reflected every glimmer of light and every ledge of rock, creating an illusion of infinite depth.

The scale of the cave ceiling is crazy. The stone here feels alive. Thousand year old stalactites hang from the ceiling like a crystal chandelier. The light of the spotlights is enough to paint the limestone and draw these whimsical shapes out of the darkness. We could see the silhouette of another boat in the distance, reminding us once more of how immense this underground world is.

At the very end of the lake, an incredible vertical wall of white travertine, as tall as a 15 story building greeted us. And above our heads was a terrain feature that looked like it had come entirely from outer space. It was as if liquid gold had flowed down the rocks and frozen in place for a moment. On the right, thin garlands of stalactites hung down, while on the left, smooth travertine layers descended in steps. Passing right underneath these majestic stone folds, I could physically feel the age of this place and the full force of nature.

Our boat turned and set its course back toward the exit. Ahead, a bright almost magical light appeared. It was as if we were passing through a time portal, returning from a mysterious underground fairytale back to our familiar world.

It was an incredible journey, because for the first time in my life I was in a cave like this and on a boat trip across an underground lake no less. Naturally my excitement was off the charts.

Keep in mind that even if the thermometer outside shows 35 degrees, an eternal coolness reigns inside Altınbeşik. The temperature here generally does not rise above 15 to 16 degrees. So if you plan to visit, bring along a cardigan or a light jacket so you can comfortably enjoy this magical beauty.

See you on new adventures my friends.