Lake Van
4.5
About
The largest body of water in Turkey, this triangular shaped lake contains salt water that is unsuitable for drinking or irrigation. The only life form that can survive in the water is a species of freshwater fish called darekh that has adapted to live in a saline environment.
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4.5
289 reviews
Excellent
208
Very good
68
Average
11
Poor
1
Terrible
1
shahla36944
Iran8 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
It was very nice place and lovely sea . I and asal my dauter had a good travel in ship . This. Lake is very nice
Written 5 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
worldnomad_01
Los Angeles, CA1,634 contributions
Sep 2022
It's the largest lake (more than 3,000 square kilometers) of Turkye and for us, its significance and importance lied on the small island of Akdamar, which hosts the 10th century Armenian Church of the Holly Cross, whose architecture is amazing and amazingly well preserved. In the city of Van, the Ramada Hotel is located on the shore of the lake and most of its rooms have lovely lake views.
Written 1 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elaleh4tehran
4 contributions
Jul 2022
A very interesting event took place, but it holds a very important place for me. It has a very impressive blue. really healing water
Written 13 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SIMIN.TRAVEL
Isfahan, Iran15 contributions
May 2022
Traveling by car around the lake is a great experience, there are flowers everywhere, it is a good view for photography
Written 8 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rezaali
3 contributions
Mar 2022
good exacly go ıt here lake ıs ıt very good bırd ıs have thıs on the beatch breakfast restarunt ıs have take the breakfast 40 degırmen cafe nıce locartıon
Written 23 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kezcullen
13 contributions
Mar 2021 • Solo
So pleasant to warch and relaxing to listen to. Many ıbterestıng and historic places scattered in and around it.
Written 26 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erhan Yildirim
Türkiye2,350 contributions
Jan 2021
Lake Van, history and geography..
Lake Van,home to its interesting geological formation,history,fish species, natural beauty and dozens of civilizations that settled around the lake...
It is surrounded by volcanic mountains around the earthquake zone within the turkey's largest, 5th largest lake in Europe. The area of the lake is 3764 km². It exceeds 125 km in length and 65 km in width. Its height above sea level is 1646 m. The most important feature of the lake is that its water is salty and soda. It is stated that there is 42.3% kitchen salt, 34% soda, a small amount of sodium sulphate, potassium sulphate and magnesium carbonate in lake waters. With this feature, it is the world's largest soda lake. The fact that the water of the lake is soda limits the biological diversity in the lake and its shores. No mollusk crustaceans or plant-like animals can survive in the lake and its shores. The biggest reason why the lake is salty and soda is that the lava gushing out from the subhan and nemrut volcanic mountains about 100,000 years ago, blocking the front of the lake and becoming a closed lake. Before becoming a lake, the van lake is thought to be a part of the Karasu or Tigris river. It is known that the van lake basin and the plain of Muş province were a single basin before volcano lavas. The age of the salt in the lake was measured to be about 60,000 years. Van lake is fed by Karasu, Bendimahi, Deliçay, Zilan, Sapur and Engil rivers, apart from underground waters. The depth of the lake varies between 170 meters and 450 meters. the heights of the volcanic and other mountains surrounding the Lake van Basin range from 1600 meters to 4000 meters. Pir Rashit, Isabey, Erk, Sudis, Baset, Ispiriz, Hibarit , Mengene,Artos, Vavirar, Kevushshahap, Sarı, Hosabeshir, Pili ,Kars ,Nemrut , Suphan , Aladaglar and Tendurek mountains surrounded the Lake Van Basin. The most important ports of van lake are Erciş Bay, Van, Gevaş and Tatvan bays. There are 4 islands in the van lake. Akdamar Island, Çarpanak Island, Bird(Lim) Island and Adır Island.. One of the most important features that make van lake unique is the pearl mullet, which has only lived in the van lake and has been a source of income for the local people since ancient times. The pearl mullet (Chalcalburnus tarichi), a species from the Cyprinidae family, lives. Pearl mullet is a migratory species. Although he lives in the lake, he migrates to the rivers that drain the lake to reproduce and returns to the lake after breeding. Festivals are held every year in the Van Lake basin during the migration and breeding times of the fish. Van, Erciş, Tatvan, Ahlat, Adilcevaz and Gevaş settlements are located in the van lake basin. The first inhabitants of the lake van basin were the hurries. Later, after the urarti, the meds, persians, the Armenian principalities, the great Alexander, the Romans, the parts, the sasanis, the Umayyads, the abbasians, the Seljuks, the Mongols and the Ottoman. Ship transportation has been used in the Van lake since ancient times. Some ruins of the ancient port can still be seen on the west side of the van castle. Besides the port of van, Tatvan, Erciş, Gevaş and Ahlat ports are the most important trade and transportation ports of the lake. Since ancient times, the height of the mountains around the van lake basin, geographical conditions, security reasons have led people to ship shipping. In the records of the 10th century, we know that ships were popular during the period of some Armenian principalities that ruled here.again, it is known that Ahlat shipbuilders went as far as the Black Sea for shipbuilding.it is mentioned in some sources that during the Ottoman Empire, 3 ships were built by Mimar sinan to pass through the army in the 16th century. the first records of the region are recorded in expeditions and plundering events in the region during the Assyrian period(BC 13 century). the most important historical artifacts of the Lake van Basin are artifacts made during the time of the Urartians,Armenian principalities,Seljuks and ottomans. the Church of the Holy Cross(Akdamar),Van Castle and Ahlat cemetery located on akdamar island are the main historical monuments. nemrut crater lake at an altitude of about 2400 meters, located in the basin of Lake van, is one of the natural beauties of the basin. around the lake and in the surrounding settlements ,many historical monuments dating from the Armenian principalities period,dating from the Urartu, Seljuk and Ottoman periods are very visited today.
Lake Van,home to its interesting geological formation,history,fish species, natural beauty and dozens of civilizations that settled around the lake...
It is surrounded by volcanic mountains around the earthquake zone within the turkey's largest, 5th largest lake in Europe. The area of the lake is 3764 km². It exceeds 125 km in length and 65 km in width. Its height above sea level is 1646 m. The most important feature of the lake is that its water is salty and soda. It is stated that there is 42.3% kitchen salt, 34% soda, a small amount of sodium sulphate, potassium sulphate and magnesium carbonate in lake waters. With this feature, it is the world's largest soda lake. The fact that the water of the lake is soda limits the biological diversity in the lake and its shores. No mollusk crustaceans or plant-like animals can survive in the lake and its shores. The biggest reason why the lake is salty and soda is that the lava gushing out from the subhan and nemrut volcanic mountains about 100,000 years ago, blocking the front of the lake and becoming a closed lake. Before becoming a lake, the van lake is thought to be a part of the Karasu or Tigris river. It is known that the van lake basin and the plain of Muş province were a single basin before volcano lavas. The age of the salt in the lake was measured to be about 60,000 years. Van lake is fed by Karasu, Bendimahi, Deliçay, Zilan, Sapur and Engil rivers, apart from underground waters. The depth of the lake varies between 170 meters and 450 meters. the heights of the volcanic and other mountains surrounding the Lake van Basin range from 1600 meters to 4000 meters. Pir Rashit, Isabey, Erk, Sudis, Baset, Ispiriz, Hibarit , Mengene,Artos, Vavirar, Kevushshahap, Sarı, Hosabeshir, Pili ,Kars ,Nemrut , Suphan , Aladaglar and Tendurek mountains surrounded the Lake Van Basin. The most important ports of van lake are Erciş Bay, Van, Gevaş and Tatvan bays. There are 4 islands in the van lake. Akdamar Island, Çarpanak Island, Bird(Lim) Island and Adır Island.. One of the most important features that make van lake unique is the pearl mullet, which has only lived in the van lake and has been a source of income for the local people since ancient times. The pearl mullet (Chalcalburnus tarichi), a species from the Cyprinidae family, lives. Pearl mullet is a migratory species. Although he lives in the lake, he migrates to the rivers that drain the lake to reproduce and returns to the lake after breeding. Festivals are held every year in the Van Lake basin during the migration and breeding times of the fish. Van, Erciş, Tatvan, Ahlat, Adilcevaz and Gevaş settlements are located in the van lake basin. The first inhabitants of the lake van basin were the hurries. Later, after the urarti, the meds, persians, the Armenian principalities, the great Alexander, the Romans, the parts, the sasanis, the Umayyads, the abbasians, the Seljuks, the Mongols and the Ottoman. Ship transportation has been used in the Van lake since ancient times. Some ruins of the ancient port can still be seen on the west side of the van castle. Besides the port of van, Tatvan, Erciş, Gevaş and Ahlat ports are the most important trade and transportation ports of the lake. Since ancient times, the height of the mountains around the van lake basin, geographical conditions, security reasons have led people to ship shipping. In the records of the 10th century, we know that ships were popular during the period of some Armenian principalities that ruled here.again, it is known that Ahlat shipbuilders went as far as the Black Sea for shipbuilding.it is mentioned in some sources that during the Ottoman Empire, 3 ships were built by Mimar sinan to pass through the army in the 16th century. the first records of the region are recorded in expeditions and plundering events in the region during the Assyrian period(BC 13 century). the most important historical artifacts of the Lake van Basin are artifacts made during the time of the Urartians,Armenian principalities,Seljuks and ottomans. the Church of the Holy Cross(Akdamar),Van Castle and Ahlat cemetery located on akdamar island are the main historical monuments. nemrut crater lake at an altitude of about 2400 meters, located in the basin of Lake van, is one of the natural beauties of the basin. around the lake and in the surrounding settlements ,many historical monuments dating from the Armenian principalities period,dating from the Urartu, Seljuk and Ottoman periods are very visited today.
Written 7 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Guven D
117 contributions
Nov 2019
Its the largest lake in Turkey and its not so far from the city Van, when you have time have tour on the lake and visit the Akdamar Church on the Akdamar island.
Written 12 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Songul K
London, UK55 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
A place you have to see. I hope one day will return again! Maybe this time in summer. The view of van in winter was just astonishing!
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Javad H
Tehran, Iran5 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
Around the Van city there are few lakes.biggest one is near the city and has an iskilasy. Van iskilasy. Silent place with restaurants.
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey guys,
Do you have any information regarding schedules? The website would be great as well. thanks!! :)
Glenda M
Vienna, Austria16 contributions
Which schedules? I presume you mean boats to the island. They actually leave every day. Go to the site Turkeytravelplanner and go to East Turkey Van Akdamar.
Michael A
Istanbul, Türkiye97 contributions
How frequent are the ferries from Van to Tatvan please?
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