Ondokuzmayıs: Nature and Culture in the District

The Ahşap Camii and Kent Ormanları are located in the town of Ondokuzmayıs. Other destinations are more closely associated with the wider district: the Kızılırmak Delta extends across the districts of Ondokuzmayıs, Bafra, and Alaçam; Nebiyan Dağı and the coast should be considered at district level. Yörükler and Kumcağız are other places in the district.

Town Attractions and Coast

The Ahşap Camii on Fatih Caddesi is built entirely of wood. Kent Ormanları, considered important natural areas, are also in the town center. This means the town is home to both a distinctive building and a named natural area.

The coastal landscape should be considered at district level: the Ondokuzmayıs coast on the Black Sea is 22.5 kilometers long in total; the 19 Mayıs Sahili stretch is 3.5 kilometers long. The coast of Kumcağız has beach and picnic areas and is among the district’s heavily used weekend picnic areas. Sarıgazel Kent Ormanı is also among the district’s heavily used weekend picnic areas. The Aqua Park is located on the coast of the Kumcağız neighborhood. Check seasonal opening times before planning a trip there.

Kızılırmak Delta and Birdlife

The Kızılırmak Delta extends across the districts of Ondokuzmayıs, Bafra, and Alaçam. The 56,000-hectare area supports the development of wildlife populations, and its natural features are largely preserved. It is considered the only wetland on Turkey’s Black Sea coast. A total of 358 bird species have been recorded in the Ramsar site, including cranes, purple gallinules, purple herons, spoonbills, and various species of ducks.

The Ramsar site includes 14 different habitat types. These include reed beds, brackish and freshwater lakes, wet meadows, agricultural land, broad-leaved riparian forests, dunes, salt marshes, and flowing waters. This variety of habitats gives the delta its distinctive character. In the area accessed via Yörükler, visitors can go birdwatching, take nature walks, and cycle.

Nebiyan and Other Landscapes

Nebiyan Dağı and its forests are in the 19 Mayıs district, about 20 kilometers south of the town center. Hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, and off-road vehicle trips are possible there year-round. The Nebiyan area was designated a tourism center under Cabinet Decision 2011/2295. The decision is dated September 26, 2011, and was published in the Official Gazette on October 23, 2011.

The Galeriç floodplain forests in the Yörükler area are made up of deciduous trees in the Kızılırmak Delta; in spring, the ground there is completely flooded. The Kızılırmak Delta Bird Sanctuary, the Subasar-Ormanları, and the Balık Gölleri are also within the boundaries of Yörükler. These names refer to places in the wider district, not exclusively to the town center of Ondokuzmayıs.

Culture and Regional Cuisine

Yörükler Hamamı is in Fevzi Çakmak Mahallesi in Yörükler. No building inscription has survived, so its date of construction remains uncertain. It has been attributed both to the Roman and Genoese periods and to an interpretation as an Ottoman structure from the 19th century, said to have been built by the Hamamcızadeler family. Parts of the building are in poor condition.

Regional dishes also offer a glimpse into the places in the district. Yörükler is known for Topalak, also called Topalan. Among the residents of Ondokuzmayıs who moved there from Alaçam, Keşkek and Patıl bread are considered well-known dishes. In the area around Nebiyan water, restaurants and facilities serve trout, Sac Tava, and tea from a samovar. If you plan to eat there, check in advance whether an establishment is open to visitors.

Getting to Ondokuzmayıs

Ondokuzmayıs is on the Samsun–Sinop state highway. According to official district information, vehicles to Ondokuzmayıs run daily and hourly from Samsun and Bafra. Check the current timetable before traveling. This will help you plan your journey and distinguish between destinations in the town and those elsewhere in the district.

Discover more destinations: Evci, Yenigün Köyü, Tekkeköy, Alaçam, Çarşamba, Ladik, Alan Köyü, Avut Köyü.

For the broader travel overview: Samsun.