Website to offer 24/7 updates on Turkish beaches


You would like to swim in the Mediterranean coast of Turkey but you are not sure whether the waters are clean enough or hot enough or if there is any facility on the beach that would help you to spend quality time there. Well, the answer for all your questions on Turkey's beaches will be answered by "swimming waters tracking system," which has been launched online via "www.yuzme.saglik.gov.tr."

The General Directorate of Public Health tested the sea and lake waters of Turkey's 34 provinces where people can go to swim every 15 days for bacteria that might jeopardize public health and decided to publish the results of the tests online for public knowledge.

The program classifies the swimming waters of Turkey as "Excellent," "Good," "Bad" and "Very bad/Unswimable."

Apart from the water quality of the beaches, the system also informs users about the facilities of the beaches such as whether there are parking lots, showers, restaurants, water sport facilities or lifeguards.

Although most parts of Turkey receive sunshine throughout the year, the swimming season opens in different areas according to the geographic situation of the beaches. For instance the swimming season for the Black Sea and Marmara regions starts on June 15 and ends on September 15; it begins on June 1 and ends on September 15 in the Aegean region; and in the Mediterranean, swimming season starts on May 1 and ends on October 1.