The Sardala Cove in the Black Sea resort town of Kandıra has become a recent hot spot for visitors trying to escape the rush of Istanbul and Izmit in northern Turkey.

Located between Şile and Kandıra districts, the cove offers different activities such as swimming, diving, trekking, caving, canoe and bird watching.

Campers flock to the cove in the weekends as it offers a truly natural and quiet stopover since there is no construction, and the closest settlement is 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) away. It is also outside the coverage area of cellphone operators, so visitors don't have to deal with insistent calls and untimely emails on their vacation.

The rock and sea formation called the "paradise pool" is situated inside the forest east of the cove and accessible with a 1-kilometer (0.6-mile) walk. It is the gem of the cove and provides a comfortable and clean swim even during storms.

Local tales say that the secretive natural pool was also used as a hideout by Ipsiz Recep, a hero of Turkey's War of Liberation.