Experience wellness in Turkey

Thus, first of all, one can definitely not be in Turkey without visiting at least one of its world-famous thermal baths. According to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Turkey -- due to its advantageous location atop a major geothermal belt -- has more than 1,300 of these natural baths and hot springs and thus, is among the world’s top seven countries for quality and quantity of thermal resources.

And although only a small percentage of this potential is actually used today, public and private investors are investing more and more to match the country’s health and wellness tourism resources to the rising demand. Currently, a good 190 thermal resorts can be found in 49 Turkish cities. All together they attract a rate of 500,000 “thermal tourists” a year. Moreover, the Thermal Tourism Cities Project (TTCP), launched by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism last year, aims to make Turkey the top destination in the world for thermal tourism by 2023.

Wanna give it a try? Well, from Afyon to Yozgat, the ministry’s Web site (www.tourismturkey.org) lists already more than 30 recommended destinations, where you can not only give your body and health a natural boost but also experience a very special part of Turkey’s history and culture.

Online travel guides like the Turkey Travel Planner (www.turkeytravelplanner.com) or the British forum Turkey Travels www.turkey-travels.co.uk include broad sections on Turkish spa and wellness tourism. So does the domestic-run online magazine Spa & Wellness (www.spawellnessturkey.com) and the (commercial) forum Spa and Health Services (www.shsturkey.com). Just have a look and get a picture of what is available.

Take a mud bath in Dalyan...

Most of Turkey’s historic thermal locations are in Aegean region, like the ancient city of Hieropolis, which was built upon the rich mineral waters of today’s Pamukkale. Dalyan, once the ancient Lydian city of Kaunos, still offers the visitor the great fun of taking a bath in the rich mineral mud of Lake Köyceğiz. Furthermore, Bursa, Canakkale or Yalova, all located in the Marmara region, have always been very famous for their hot springs. The small town of Termal, near Yalova, for instance, was popular for its pool already in Roman times, then rebuilt by the Ottoman sultans and later even favored by Kemal Atatürk. Not forgetting, as well, the hot spring bathing in the town of Ayder on the Black Sea coast.

And the best news: All of these baths are known to have healing properties and therapeutic effects. Indeed, the spring waters contain loads of mineral salts, such as calcium, sodium, sulfur, fluoride, magnesium and its warm temperatures -- which can range from 20 up to 110 degrees Celsius -- have been proven to naturally cure illnesses and ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis, skin problems, digestive disorders, circulatory and heart diseases, gynecological diseases, and liver and kidney diseases among many others.

...or swim with the doctor fish in Sivas

The so-called doctor fish, which can be found in Sivas, are very special. They swim right next to you and nibble at your skin when you take a bath in the thermal pool -- an effective treatment for skin problems, it is said.

Being a predetermined hot spot for traditional health and wellness practices, it is no surprise that along with the global rise of health and wellness trends, other approaches to healing and wellness have become popular. Natural healing techniques, which can be found in Turkey today, include an almost unimaginably wide range of practices many of which are as old as mankind and stem from all over the globe.

You have probably already stumbled across a flood of ads for private clinics in newspapers or on Web pages. Indeed, a sheer endless range of hotels, beauty centers or health clubs offer natural healing treatments and relaxation strategies, ranging from acupuncture and chiropractic to aromatherapy, ayurvedic massage, yoga and reiki. Gyms and sport centers offer additional solarium, skin and hair care, diet and fitness programs.

If interested, check the expat Web site MyMerhaba (www.mymerhaba.com), which provides an extensive database of health and beauty centers in its yellow pages. Search through its member forums, in particular, for comments, recommendations, prices and reviews.

Health, however, is surely a matter of trust, and it goes without saying that you don’t want your wellness to be in the hands of an unqualified therapist. Don’t forget: “Natural” does not necessarily mean “risk free.”

Experts disagree about the actual effectiveness of some alternative approaches to healing. And while some claim that they are the future of medicine, others attribute their popularity to the placebo effect and, moreover, warn about possible, incalculable side effects. Take into account also that, according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and their definitions of alternative medicine, only the practice of acupuncture is regulated in Turkey. Other approaches to natural healing are currently not legally recognized or further regulated by the Turkish Ministry of Health. Thus, you should always find out about international certification and carefully check what kind of education and training your physician has undergone.