Dim Cave and River

The Dim Çayı runs down from the Taurus east of Alanya, and the valley has become the standard escape from the coastal heat: the river comes out of the mountains genuinely cold, and along several kilometres of its bank restaurants have built wooden platforms and low seating directly over and beside the water, so people eat trout and mezes with their feet in the river. It is busy, cheerful and entirely local in character. Above the valley is Dim Mağarası, a show cave about four hundred metres long opened in the 1990s, with lit walkways past columns, curtains and a small pool at the far end, at a constant cool temperature and reached by a road that climbs to a car park with a wide view over the coast. The two are done together in an afternoon. Further up the same road is the Dimçay dam reservoir, and a rope bridge and adventure park have appeared in the valley.

What you actually see

• The river platforms - restaurant decks built over cold water.
• The show cave - four hundred metres of lit walkway.
• The valley road - the climb with views back to the coast.
• The reservoir - the dam lake further upstream.

When to go

April to October; the river valley is at its best in the hottest months, which is the point of it. Weekends bring Alanya out in numbers.

Honest expectations

The water is genuinely cold - numbing rather than refreshing for some. The cave is a straightforward show cave, not spectacular. A car is needed; the valley restaurants are spread over kilometres.

Nearby

Alanya and its castle are 15 km west; Sapadere Canyon is further into the mountains.