THE BEST OF BURSA: HIGHLIGHTING THE BEST OF BURSA, TURKEY

Pond Hopping in Nilufer

by | Apr 8, 2022 | Nilüfer, See, Do, and Play, Summer

Hasanaga Baraji | The Best of Bursa
We set out as a family one particularly beautiful summer morning. Our goal was to find a quiet, natural environment with water where our kids could splash around and play. We had two potential spots in mind — both yet undiscovered by us. We figured if the first spot was a flop, surely the second would work.

Çalı Göleti (Cha-luh Pond) 

Çalı Göleti is tucked away on a quiet, forested corner of Nilufer county. The water is still and clear and, if the municipality allows, potentially an excellent place for kayaking! (Be sure to check with the Bursa or Nilufer municipality before putting in.) On the hill overlooking the pond, there is a small picnic area with a few tables, benches and trash receptacles. Like many secluded nature spots, there was evidence of night-time drinking, but not so overwhelming that it detracted from the beauty of the scene. While we didn’t see any fish on our visit, it certainly would be a serene spot to try (again, please check for permissions and licensing from local authorities first). The edges of the pond were quite steep and the banks were made of rock, not sand. For our young family’s purposes, we opted not to stay, but enjoyed taking in the beauty of the natural surroundings. Not recommended for toddler play time, but an excellent spot for a picnic or quiet nature walk.

Hasanağa Barajı (Ha-san-ah Dam)

Our second stop was the dam in Hasanağa. This small water body had a much different atmosphere. The town around it was visible from the water’s edge. Cars could be seen and heard as they drove by on nearby commutes. From the amount of litter, it was obvious that this spot was far more frequented by the community as a quickly accessible natural getaway. Again, we did not find it suitable for our little water splashers, but we did spend a good amount of time chasing the myriad of frogs!

Küçükkumla Sahili (Koo-chook-koom-lah beach) 

After driving and wandering ponds for several hours, we decided to take our weary children to a reliable water-spot: the beach in Gemlik. You’ve heard from us before about this particular beach (see our article here), and once again, it did not disappoint. 

The moral of this story is:

When adventuring, be flexible and go with people you love.

No matter where you end up, it’s the people that make it worthwhile. 

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