Sultaniye

Sultaniye hot springs

Sultaniye is a thermal area on the shore of Lake Köyceğiz. It is reached by boat from Dalyan; hot water and mud are part of most boat trips. It’s crowded, with facilities and that distinctive smell. It’s a nice afternoon. When people leave, their skin and hair are different. Someone who leaves there can ride a horse the next day — or at a cool time of day — in Çandır. Two places in the same geography, two different stops.

The Sultaniye complex, the ticket office, the mud. We take the spa tour by horse, descend to a quiet spring, and spend an hour and a half. If you’re going to do both on the same day, a short ride is more comfortable. Getting out of the mud and immediately riding into the lake for two hours can be tiring; skin, sun, then horse. For us, one day at Sultaniye, one day at Çandır. Both are referred to as “spas” in the language, but they’re different days.

The rhythm of a boat day is slow water, a pier, sometimes music, and crowds. The rhythm of a horse day is a path, birds, and little talk. Those who love both are already in Dalyan. The story of our source is the horseback spa. For mud, there is mud and horses.