Isolated holiday in Karacabey forest popular among day trip vacationers

BURSA

The flooded forests located on the Karacabey coast of the Marmara Sea and which are home to different species attract the attention of day trip vacationers who prefer holidaying outdoors due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Approximately 25 kilometers from the district center and under the protection of the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, the forest welcomes its visitors with its long, sandy roads, large reeds, majestic trees, birdsong, puddles and Dalyan Lake.

Hosting endemic plant species, water lily flowers blooming in spring, wild mammals and rare bird species, Karacabey enchants visitors with its peaceful environment.

In the forest, where the rainwater remains on the floor for most of the year and which is defined as “forests formed below sea level,” boating is possible in the winter months while it can be walked in summer.

The 100-year-old bridge made of wooden logs, used by the rural residents who bring their animals to the forest for grazing, also allows visitors to enjoy the unique view of the forest.

The Karacabey forest and Dalyan lake are also one of the resting places for migratory birds as the area is rich in plant species. The buffaloes belonging to citizens living in Bayramdere, the closest rural neighborhood to the forest and where hunting is prohibited, cool off in this lake in summer.

The region, which is one of Turkey’s leading floodplain forests, is an area registered as a wildlife protection and improvement area. It is the natural habitat of pelicans, swans, herons and ducks, and has a distinct beauty with the lotus flowers blooming on its surface. In parallel with the increasing water level during the winter and spring rains, the habitat of the forest is revived.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that affected the world, daily vacationers who move away from indoor spaces and come to Karacabey enjoy both the open air and the natural beauties.

Some of the visitors, who take a nature walk and photograph wildlife, take a boat tour in the lake and take photos of water lily flowers and endemic plants.

[HH] Previously a movie set

Bungalow houses built by actor Şahan Gökbakar in the Karacabey forest for his film “Recep İvedik 6” are also the center of attention for visitors.

Curious about the region, the visitors come to Karacabey to take pictures. Married couples also use this environment as an open-air studio.

Fascinating visitors with its wonderful nature during the day, the forest hosts sky-watching events at night, too. Hundreds of observers who came together over social media in the past weeks gathered on the seashore to watch the passage of Comet Neowise. The guests from Bursa and surrounding provinces observed the comet in the event organized by Alper Tüydeş, a nature photographer.

The Perseid meteor shower was also watched by 500 people from Ankara, İzmir, Eskişehir, Zonguldak, İstanbul, Balıkesir, Kütahya and Şanlıurfa within the scope of the event organized by Tüydeş.