PINK lakes are commonly associated with far-flung destinations like Australia and Mexico. But there are a handful of pink lakes scattered across Europe, including one little-known spot in Turkey. Located near Aksaray, which is around a two-hour drive from Ankara (a popular destination with Brits) lies Lake Tuz (Salt Lake).
Also known as Tuz Gölü, the lake is a Turkish salt lake that's known for its ever-changing colours. The colour of the lake ranges from a vibrant turquoise in the summer months to a milky white in the winter, but the lake has also been known to turn pink at times. The different colours are because of changes in the algae, bacteria and temperatures.
Its pink hue is the result of the algae producing a reddish pigment called beta-carotene. This pigment is produced when the temperature rises, as it protects the algae from sunlight, with the salination levels also rising at the same time. The lake's pink tone typically lasts until the arrival of the rainy season, when Lake Tuz returns to its natural colour.
And it's not just the lake that's pink, because it's also home to flamboyance (flock) of flamingos too in addition to other bird species. The lake is rather shallow throughout the year, and it has also been known to dry up during the summer months, which means there's no pink water to be seen. This is because very few surface streams feed into the lake and low levels of rainfall.
Lake Tuz is also said to be one of the world's largest hypersaline lakes, whi.
