What to do in the magical land of Cappadocia?

DETAILED ITINERARY FOR 3 DAYS AND 2 NIGHTS

Day 1: Istanbul - Cappadocia (1-hour flight; if traveling by local bus, take a night bus to save time) - Visit the underground city.

Day 2: Cappadocia (hot air ballooning, exploring Ucisar Fortress, Goreme village, mushroom-shaped rock park)

Day 3: Cappadocia (continue hot air balloon hunting and depart at noon)

INTERESTING PLACES IN CAPPADOCIA

1. UCHISAR FORTRESS

Rising like a giant termite mound, Uchisar Fortress, located in Uchisar Village, is notable for its stunning sunset views and breathtaking vistas of the adjacent rock gorge. Being close to Uchisar, it's just a 15-minute walk away, and there are also many attractive restaurants, cafes, and rooftop bars nearby worth visiting.

2. The Mushroom Village

Nestled in the Monk's Valley, these natural rock formations sprout like "mushrooms." Their mushroom-like shapes make them one of Cappadocia's most recognizable landmarks. You might find their shapes a bit unusual, but that's just your imagination.

3. DERINKUYU UNDERGROUND CITY

This place, with traces of ancient inhabitants, gave Cơ the experience of going underground, similar to the Cu Chi Tunnels, but even more impressive. It features a church, food storage areas, and natural ventilation shafts, so there's no feeling of claustrophobia. Those with claustrophobia should avoid it. The entrance fee is 30 TL.

4. GOREME VILLAGE

One of the most vibrant and bustling villages in Cappadocia. Here you'll see many jagged rock formations jutting up into the sky, created by volcanic activity; the entire village is a giant little museum. Here you can find many shops and cafes to relax and unwind.

5. CERAMICS WORKSHOP & CARPET WEAVING WORKSHOP

Although she's not a fan of buying traditional items, Cơ enjoys watching artisans create their works.

5 Photo Angles That Make You Look Great & Photography Tips

1. ROOFTOP WITH HOT AIR BALLOONS TAKING FLIGHT

It's a fact that 99% (I'm exaggerating!) of people who see Cappadocia do so through rooftop photos with hot air balloons. So I'm determined not to leave until I've photographed one. Here are a few tips for capturing hot air balloon shots:

A. WHERE ARE THE BEST PLACES TO GO BALLOON HUNTING?

- The best places to admire and photograph the scenery are the rooftops of hotels in Goreme village, such as Sultan Cave Suites and Mithra Hotel. However, these two places will turn you away as the area is reserved for their guests. So how can you take photos?

- Taskonak Hotel is an alternative option because the owner is quite easygoing; you should ask permission properly before entering to take photos and avoid speaking too loudly.

- You can try the hotels around, as they all have similar views in Goreme, but each rooftop has a different setup.

B. APPROPRIATE CLOTHING

- Plain Clothes: Choose colors like sand, white, yellow, light blue, orange, and red. Avoid colors like black and dark shades of cool colors, as these will make you blend in.

- Patterned Clothing: It's best to wear clothing with small patterns; large patterns might make you feel dizzy in the hot air balloon.

C. IMPORTANT NOTES

- Hot air balloons aren't always available; they won't fly on rainy or windy days. It's best to check the weather forecast beforehand. The best time is April to October because it's not too windy then. You might be lucky enough to see a hot air balloon on the first day, only for it to suddenly rain the next day and none fly at all.

- The hot air balloons will take off before sunrise. You can check the sunrise time on the app. Once the group of passengers starts heading to the takeoff point, you can be on your way to the rooftops 15 minutes later.

You'll have about 1 hour and 30 minutes before all the hot air balloons land. So make the most of it.

2. SUNSET AT UCHISAR

As mentioned above, Uchisar offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the rocky valley. The sunsets here are equally spectacular. When taking photos here, you just need to keep a few things in mind:

- Get close to Uchisar Fortress; from there you'll get a view across the rocky valley.

- If you want to photograph the fort, you should cross right past it and turn around to look back, because the sunset will obscure one side, resulting in underexposed photos.

3. A BEAUTIFUL CARPET SHOP IN GOREME

On the penultimate day, Goreme impressed Cơ even more because this carpet shop is a place not mentioned in any tours; you have to find it yourself. The shop is called GALERI IKMAN; you can Google the location yourself.

This place is more straightforward; you pay 50 TL per person for 10 minutes of shooting time. They even offer drone services for 500 TL per session to assist with your shoots. However, when Cơ's group was shooting, the owner enthusiastically jumped in to help, and we ended up getting a whole hour of shooting time.

Try to take photos from different angles and make use of the props available here. Keep your clothes simple because the store already has so many patterns that they won't look good in photos. Also, avoid bright colors.

4. HOT AIR BALLOON TAKEOFF AND LANDING SITES

Hot air balloons are beautiful when they take off, but they're even more impressive when they land. You can complete your morning photo-hunting trip by hiring a taxi to take you to the balloon landing sites; it's definitely a different experience because you get to see the balloons up close.

There were countless landing strips, but Cơ landed in the middle of the road connecting the villages of Ucisar and Goreme, which was quite convenient.

5. The Mushroom Village

With its impressive rock formations, the mushroom village provides a perfect natural backdrop. Climb the rocky outcrop on the left to get a panoramic view of this geological village.

You can wear whatever brightly colored clothes you like here. Plus, you can take a photo with a camel right at the entrance for 15 TL.

WHERE SHOULD I STAY IN CAPPADOCIA?

We chose the Kaya Ucisar Cave Hotel, located on the outskirts of Ucisar, making it quite convenient to get there to watch the sunset. However, a major drawback is that the hot air balloons are quite far out of sight once they're airborne, and you'll need to take a taxi for about 20 minutes.

If you're on a tight budget, you can still stay at a Cave Hotel dorm called Cave Garden Hotel in Goreme for a cheap €10/night. It's located high up in the mountains and doesn't have a rooftop, but you can climb up to the nearby panoramic view to watch hot air balloons heading towards the Red Valley, which is also beautiful. (This information was contributed by Hang Nguyen)

A more popular option is staying in Goreme village. However, it's quite expensive because the hot air balloon views are the best there. Prices range from 1,500,000 to 10,000,000 VND per night. Very cheap hotels won't have rooftops.

TRAVEL TO CAPPADOCIA

1. AIR TRANSPORT

Turkish Airlines operates daily flights, a quick one-hour journey from Istanbul to Cappadocia, a charming small airport. This is the fastest way to reach the rocky valley. Prices range from 280 TL to 350 TL (approximately 1,100,000 - 1,500,000 VND), comparable to a flight from Saigon to Nha Trang. Booking 2-3 months in advance can even bring the price down to under 800,000 VND. Note: There are two airports near Cappadocia: Kayseri (ASR) and Nevsehir (NAV). Kayseri is an hour away, while Nevsehir is only about 20-30 minutes. You should choose the airport that best suits your needs, as prices can vary.

2. BUS

This is the cheapest way to get to Cappadocia; for just 90 TL, you can sleep through the journey. However, the trip will take over 10 hours, so you'll be exhausted by the time you arrive. Several companies sell these tickets, such as Metro Turizm and Nevşehir Seyahat; you can search online to buy them.

Ly Thanh Co