Places to Visit

Avsa Island

The beautiful Avsa Island is known as Turkeli Island by locals and connected to Balikesir. It’s the only island beach in the Marmara Sea that you can swim all four sides. Its unique sand and neatly waters has been hosting guests for many years. As well as its beautiful sea Avsa’s night life comes forward too. In April with population increasing island becomes ready for tourism season. In May, spring’s beauty and calmness hosts guests who like tranquility. With closure of schools beaches get crowded and entertainment places becomes active in June. July and August are the most dynamic times of the island. Bars in shoreline are open until 2 a.m. and there are three open air discos which are open until 4 a.m. Shortly life goes on 24 hours in Avsa Island. In this crowded season there are calm and hidden bays for silence seekers.

Geography and Climate

Geography of Avsa Island

It’s a 100-250 meters height, flat looking island. It’s 3 hours from İstanbul, 2 hours from Tekirdag and Bursa, 1 hour away from Erdek. Island didn’t affected from 17 August 1999 Golcuk earthquake. Avsa Island and other islands was connected to mainland Kapidag and on the fourth geological time with sea levels rising islands seperated from mainland and each other. Because of that the depth between Avsa and Marmara Island is 35 meters, Avsa and other islands’ depth between Kapidag don’t exceed 16 meters. Especially the land connecting Avsa and Ekinlik Islands has a depth of 1-4 meters. It has been documented by the experts that island consists of granite stone.

Climate of Avsa Island

Avsa Island’s flora and climate are affected from mixed climate. It has characteristic of Mediterranean and Black Sea climate due to being in the middle of Marmara region. The coldest month, based on average temperature results, is “January”. North and North West winds are common as a result of high pressure area. The hottest month is “July” and rain season starts in December. Snow is very rarely observed in January and February.

Avsa Island’s History

The first known written information regarding Avşa is situated in the books of geographer Strabon and historian Plinius. Soil conditions were always poor and island never got its independence. The island had been empty all through the middle ages and interestingly there hasn’t been any systematic excavations. It was used as a place of exile for Christian clergy. There is evidence that before islands seperated from Kapidag, hunting was the way of living after seperation agriculture, fishing and livestock became popular. You can feel the history breezes in Ciftlik site with tile tombs and Saint Georgios Monastery (Aya Yorgi) that has been built in 1638. Monastery is famous for its library and handwritting documents. These are exhibited throughout season.

Places to Visit

Many villages become bays with ease of transportation and their unique beaches open for tourists to visit.

Bays on the island:

• Cınar Bay
• Kumburnu
• Degirmenardi (Akvaryum)
• Beyazsaray Bay
• Mavi Bay
• Yigitler Bay (Altinkum)
• Karadut Bay
• Tavsanli Bay
• Kumtur Bay
• 78 Bay

The most important agricultural deal is vinegrowing. Avsa is famous for its wines made from black grapes since Greek period.

Wine houses on the island:

· Bortacina Wine house

· Buyulubag Wine house

Activities

You can make all kinds of sea sports on the island. The most familiar of these is surfing. Yigitler Bay is convenient place owing to its sea depth and being windy without waves for surfers. In addition to this you can dive in the Marmara Sea and rent boats to visit professional diving areas. Along the shoreline you can have a walk or run in fresh air in company with lovely scenery. Also it’s possible to tour the island with rental bikes.

Sea sports that you can do on the island:

· Wind surfing

· Diving

· Jet-skiing

· Ringo

· Banana

· Canoeing

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29