Hasankeyf is a touristic area in the province of Batman. Yes, there is a town in Turkey called Batman, ( Don’t laugh!). The reason I am writing about Hasankeyf, is because I have been going over family photographs and found pictures of Hasankeyf from last year.
What can I tell you about Hasankeyf? Not a lot because the pictures are from another traveler, my husband! I am quite sure he won’t mind if I steal his pictures to use on my blog. If I find myself headed in that direction on my next travels then I will update this blog post with information on how to get there and what to do.
An Endangered Site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasankeyf – According to Wikepedia, the area is at risk of slowly being flooded by the dam there. That would explain why people moved out of the houses in the caves. The World monuments Fund has listed Hasankeyf as one of the Worlds most endangered sites. Would be a shame if this area was to disappear.
Thousands of caves are in the hillside of Hasankeyf where people were living
My husband with fantastic views from behind him.
Hasankeyf clock tower
Souvenirs
The old town
Relaxing in one of the restaurants built into the hillside
Hasankeyf mosque minaret
Inside the Mosque
Knock Knock. Anyone home?
Farmer on his way to work!
What a view!
If you have been to Hasankeyf yourself then let me know below the highlights and lowlights of your trip. If you have any pictures as well, then I would love to see them.
only just found this one what a fantastic read and this place looks amazing dose your hubby have family there cant wait untill we can spend more time in turkey there’s so much to see and do
ive just googled Hasankeyf and what a place such history and all in one place there is a photo of a new bridge at the side of an old roman one or what is left of the roman one
and its on the old persian silk road there must be lots to see and do over there but and its a big but its very close to iraq or it seams to be on the map
i find that worrying we plan to do a lot of traveling when we retire and were both looking forward to it would it be safe for white British people to go there
how far away from Iraq is it its hard to tell on the map and i bet they dont speak English there so we would have to learn turkish then
Hi Phil and Di. Eastern Turkey is now becoming just as popular as western Turkey for touring.
If you are worried about the language then go on an organized tour. I found this company for you. They operate a tour which includes Hasankeyf. Not sure if they are any good but they do have a UK telephone number for you to ring.
http://www.easternturkeytour.org/tour-eastern.htm
If you don’t like them, then just type “tours of Eastern Turkey” into Google. There is loads of companies selling tours.
thanks Nat ive just had a look and its about 1700 euros per person and we just cant afford that at the moment thats a lot for 12 days
its defo something we will be doing in the future but i think we will do it on our own as you no we like to wonder around by ourselves
and as long as its safe for us to go we will be off im sure we can book flights from istanbul and find a hotel on the internet but it wont be for a year or two
we plan on semi retiring at the end of 2012 or early 2013 so it will be some time after that your blog has given us a lot to think about so thanks for that
and keep it coming
.
No probs Di. I will probably be heading back to Istanbul first before I head to the East but hopefully sometime in the next year, i should have some stories for you.
Hello Phil, Di and Natalie – we are a specialist tour company based in Van, Eastern Turkey, where we have operated cultural and historial tours for many years. We offer fully escorted tours with English speaking guides, air conditioned transport, great prices with no hidden extras. As a travel agency/tour operator we are able to book your international and domestic flights, we will book hotels, ensure entrance to all sites are sorted and take you to restaurants where you will eat freshly prepared tasty food. Hasankeyf is one of the many wonders of this beautiful and interesting country. If I can be of any further assistance please don’t hesitate to get in touch. In the meantime you may be interested in a brand new Eastern Turkey travel guide written by Diana Durke (Bradt Travel Guide. Regards. Sally
Haven’t been to Hasankeyf but Goreme and Konya were really very interesting places to seek out history.
Still remember the rifle fire going of in the town, and from passing cars…a wedding party!
Jim recently wrote about..Elephant Ambush! Chobe Game Viewing At Its Best.
Love that it is called Batman- I did kind of laugh, a little! Looks like a cute place to spend the day walking around.
jade recently wrote about..…The Kids Aren’t Permanently Damaged
This is how I got to Hasankeyf from western Turkey in the summer of 2011: a) by train to Malatya, b) by bus from Malatya to Batman and c) by bus from Batman to Hasankeyf. The information I got is that there aren’t any trains to Batman, and think that information is correct.
There’s always a tension between progress and conservation in every country. It’s particularly acute here in Turkey where the vast span of human history lies casually underfoot and around every corner.
Jack Scott recently wrote about..No Arab Spring for Syria
Hi Natalie
The clock in the picture-where is it?
Also the mosque, am researching Hasankeyf at the moment for a photo essay etc
Have enjoyed reading your blog by the way
Cheers
John
http://wreford.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hasankeyf-A-Town-in-Limbo/G0000MIDKqaDxC5A
Hi John – They are my husbands photos and he is not around to say where the clock tower is. One lady who might be able to help you is Inka at http://www.glamourgrannytravels.com/. She went there last year
Lovely blog!
I was in Hasankeyf last year. Most people only visit when passing thorough and for sure you can do this – but I stayed two days there, not only for the amazing beauty of the place, but also because I found Hasbache Hasankeyf – down the river road from Hasankeyf Motel – about 150 m. ‘A little taste of paradise’ at 40 TL pp. with a wonderful garden in which animals of all kinds roam freely. It was such a rest after travelling round Turkey for several weeks!
I recommend climbing up to the citadel – and looking behind you every step of the way. Every step, it seems, brings a new and splendid view.
But hurry – it’s scheduled to be submerged in 2013.
BTW – I’m a solo woman traveller and felt very safe there and in all of south east Turkey. You can do it on your own, using local buses. My lack of Turkish wasn’t too much of a handicap, either.
Love your blog! My hubby and I are returning to Turkey for a few weeks in September — we honeymooned there in 2007 and loved it so much we’re bringing our son
FYI, the cost of a visa for a Canadian is $60US. Why US, when we’re Canadian? No idea.
Once thing that would be super helpful your blog could do is provide a Google Map link to the locations you talk about. I’ve spent quite a bit of time trying to find the locations you mention in your blog (since a lot of them sound just wonderful and worth visiting). Thanks for writing and I look forward to reading more.
Hi Lorien – The google link map has been on my list for quite a while but what I would like to do is provide the map link inside the post. Just trying to find the right tool to make those posts and embed it. The other thing I have thought about is making the categories of where the places are more obvious, perhaps putting them in the side bar as well.
Glad you like my blog and also have chosen to come back to Turkey. It is a wonderful country.
Natalie recently wrote about..23 Landscape Photos of Turkey