In Turkey, not far from Antalya, there is one small island that has three names at once: the Island of Unfaithful Wives, Mouse Island and Turtle Island. And every name has an explanation...
Turtle Island is a tourist attraction in Turkey, which attracts the attention of tourists coming to the country not only with a beautiful legend, but also with beautiful landscapes and the opportunity to go diving.
Island of unfaithful wives
All covered with greenery, absolutely all, there is an island of bad luck in the ocean ...
These lines from the song known to us can also be attributed to the Island of unfaithful wives. Why? Yes, because in ancient times it really became an island to which married women who cheated on their husbands were exiled. And for them it became an island of bad luck.
In my opinion, for Turkish men it was a very convenient way to get rid of an annoying wife. He took her to the island - and that's it. They were well aware that women were unlikely to be able to get back. Although the husbands justified their actions by the fact that the faithful wives would not suffer and would be able to get from the island to the shore.
Even in this I see a contradiction. Since men admitted the possibility that a woman could return and thereby prove her innocence, it means that they were not at all sure that their wife was cheating.
There are other circumstances that indicate the impossibility of returning the exiled wife. Firstly, Turkish women of that time did not know how to swim. It was good if a young unmarried girl went against tradition and, loving the water, nevertheless learned to swim, but this was extremely rare. Therefore, the percentage of women who returned was extremely low.
Secondly, Turkish men, before sending their second half to the Island of unfaithful wives, put on them all the gold in the house, with which the wife had to return back if she was innocent. It is clear that the gold was pulling the woman to the bottom, greatly reducing her chances of returning. It seems that for the sake of such an occasion, men were ready to first buy their wife a lot of jewelry, and only then “convict” her of treason.
Why was such complexity necessary? The fact is that divorces were forbidden in Turkey at that time, and men from time to time wanted a new wife. So they sent the “old” to the Island of unfaithful wives and, in case of her non-return, were considered divorced bachelors. Very comfortably!
turtle island
This name is given to the island because of its resemblance to a huge turtle, sticking its head, paws and tail out of its shell.
mouse island
In ancient times, a beautiful island attracted the attention of sailors from ships passing by. They wanted to moor to the green island, ran into pitfalls and reefs and sank their ships. As you know, rats and mice are the first to leave a sinking ship, and these cases were no exception. The mice swam towards the island, and the sailors, seeing this, swam after the rodents. I must say that there really were a lot of rodents on Mouse Island.
Now the Island of Cheating Wives attracts many tourists with its dense and very diverse greenery, mountainous landscape, excellent beaches and diving opportunities.
The plants on the island are very juicy and green, among them there are a lot of flowering plants that cover this island with their aroma. And fans of deep "walks" with scuba gear will not be indifferent to the beautiful underwater world, hidden under the thickness of transparent water.
And Beldibi, a miniature island, rapidly overgrown with greenery and completely covered with hills and hills, comfortably hid. This uninhabited piece of land has no official name.
However, it is known to tourists under three names: “Mouse Island”, “Turtle Island” and “Island of Unfaithful Wives”. You can learn more about this wonderful place from the article below.
In contact with
To visit Turkey without visiting this place is just blasphemy! After all, this is one of the most famous local attractions.
Most tourists and diving enthusiasts try to include this island in their "research" program. And this is not surprising! Despite its small proportions, the Mouse Island of Turkey is directly surrounded by legends and traditions of antiquity.
According to one of the versions, the first name is “Mouse” (in Turkish it sounds like “Sychan”)- the island was obtained as follows. Once, a ship was wrecked near its shores.
In the ensuing turmoil, the crew members noticed a curious detail - all the mice that lived on board the ship headed in a crowd to swim towards this place. The sailors followed suit, and thus managed to survive by reaching land. And someone sees the profile of a mouse in the outlines of the earth.
The island owes its second name - "Turtle" - to the abundance of these representatives of amphibians living there. And in its form, it is somewhat reminiscent of a turtle shell. Funny turtles are almost the main attraction.
The most interesting legend originates from the time of the Ottoman Empire. Once, a certain sultan suspected one of his wives of adultery. He gave her the order to put on all the gold jewelry she had and in such "armor" to sail to the island. If the wife manages to swim, she will receive marital forgiveness.
In those days, Turkish women did not know how to swim, and, most likely, the poor thing was swallowed up under the weight of gold by the abyss of water. Hence it was customary to call it the "Island of unfaithful wives."
And there is another version. It is said that husbands who suspected their spouses of infidelity forced the latter to swim to the Turtle Island of Dalyan. The one of the wives who sailed safe and sound was declared innocently convicted of adultery. Hence, they began to call it the "Island of unfaithful wives."
Contact Information
Official address: Turtle Island, Turkey, Antalya, D400 road, Antalya Kemer Yolu, Turkey.
Geographic coordinates: 36°48’8″N ; 30°35’22″E.
How to get to Mouse Island?
This heavenly oasis is located between Antalya and Beldibi. Mouse Island can be reached by yacht or catamaran.
Sailing near the coast, you can see the island in all its amazing beauty, combined with a bizarre mountain landscape and juicy bright green trees.
The yacht usually makes a stop in order to give tourists the opportunity to enjoy the rest on the beach, visit the bay of Chaltydzhak, and swim near the island. Near Dalyan, Turtle Island, many yachts are constantly moored, because from those who want to visit this unusual place no break.
Due to Turkey's subtropical climate, vegetable and animal world quite diverse. Due to the bizarre topography of the mountainous area, the overall magnificent impression is further enhanced. Mostly coniferous trees grow on these rocks, but there are also fruit-bearing ones.
During their flowering, they spread a truly intoxicating aroma around. The underwater world of the coast is also famous for its diversity and outlandish beauty.
It is no coincidence that this quiet and mysterious place was chosen by lovers of underwater exploration - divers.
Before the trip, future tourists need to learn some simple ones so as not to be in an ambiguous position and incur the wrath of hot Turks.
- during the visit, observe the inviolability of the ecological system. Do not pollute it, do not destroy vegetation and wildlife. For such offenses, the Turkish authorities provide severe penalties. Spitting is also punished.
Visit the historic town to feel how diverse this amazing country is. And of course, be sure to visit the famous.
Excursions in Dalyan
Many tour operators provide the opportunity to take a sightseeing trip to Mouse Island. Here is a list of some of them:
- Coral Travel. A catamaran sailing from the port of Antalya will allow you to take an interesting walk to the Mouse Island and admire the beauties that have opened up;
- Travel company "Delight". Departure on the yacht "Antalian" from the port of Celebi;
- Travel company "Unitravel"
For a fairly reasonable price, you can fully enjoy all the delights that the Turtle Island in Turkey generously offers: take a catamaran or yacht along the coast, swim in the cleanest fresh Mediterranean water, watch cute amphibian turtles (which are found in abundance here), remember the mysterious old legends.
Yes, you never know what else! Despite its small size, it can more than redeem this with a rich variety of flora and fauna, fertile silence and tranquility, and compete even with well-known resorts. Also, if you decide to make purchases, you may find it useful information about, want entertainment, at your service, and many more interesting things (,). Make your choice and go on vacation!
"If your wife cheated on you, then rejoice,
that she betrayed you, not the Fatherland."
A.P. Chekhov.
Tell me, are there miracles in the world?
Well, of course, they can not be counted!
There is an island for those who are very in love.
I will reveal to you the secret of the past.
That island has only three names,
And it is located where Antalya is.
History takes us back in time
It is the most uninhabited of all the islands.
This island was a gift of nature,
Admittedly, he was also in trouble.
Once, the pirates sailed there,
And they saw a fabulous island.
Looked safe from a distance
But the pirate frigate was broken by a wave.
From the ship to the cliff, falling down,
Mice and many rats rushed.
"Mouse" is its first name,
The second, - "Turtle", as the legend says,
The name is given lightly and with a flurry:
It looks like a big turtle.
For a long time in Antalya, the Sultan lived alone,
He went out to the openwork gazebo to rest.
I took a fruit apple from a vase,
He threw it into the pool with his wives.
Which of the wives caught that apple,
The maid took her out of the pool.
In the bath, washed with fragrant water,
She wore fancy clothes.
The Sultan was waiting for her at night,
Putting gold jewelry on her
But, one day, he noticed that his wife was young,
She sailed away from the apple, not wanting to take it.
The Sultan was immediately seized with doubt,
And then he got suspicious.
He decided to follow her himself,
To accuse of treason not in vain.
Walked through the palace, inspired by the decision,
Heard the cries of a woman in love.
Opening the doors (Oh, what a misfortune!),
He saw a dance of unbridled passion.
His wife, excited from the spell,
Lobzal very passionately young Janissaries.
The beauty of the hair did not cover the shamelessness,
She had no fear and no tears.
And it was useless to deny here,
In captivity, she silently decided to surrender to the Sultan.
The Sultan was angry, he restrained himself.
Janissary, like a dog, escorted out.
"I'm sorry, Sultan, I know it's a sin!
I beg you, execute me in front of everyone!"
"Where is your mind, if you dare so?"
"Love him," she said boldly.
A black cloud creeps into the gray sky
What will happen to his beloved lover does not know.
Suffering in ignorance, there is no longer strength,
And the Sultan took his wife to the island.
She sat gloomily in the boat,
Outwardly beautiful, but only pale.
Here is the island. We arrived safely,
They climbed a high rock together.
"If my life has no continuation,
I don't need your jewelry now.
I won’t carry with me to heavenly hell,
I'll take the Janissary's love there."
"Ask for forgiveness then from Allah",
And threw her off a cliff without fear.
Splash. Silence. Not a rustle around.
Only the cold water formed a circle.
The Janissary was very far from the island,
To help his beloved, he sailed to the island.
I saw her splash down from a cliff
And in the white waves forever dissolved.
He threw an oar out of despair into the water,
The stormy current swept him away.
A wave rolled onto the Janissary boat
And swallowed it with him.
Hence the name (so often happens),
"The island of unfaithful wives" is also called.
Reviews
Hello!
Interesting story. And how many unusual things are on our planet Earth!
I read it and thought: “What if this woman in love didn’t drown?” I'm sure she survived. She swam out herself or someone (dolphins) helped. And she lived on that island among field poppies and singing birds.
I wonder if there is an "Island of Unfaithful Husbands"? Hardly. Because the world is more traveled by men; they open up new seas, oceans, islands. And, fantasizing, they come up with names. Not for the benefit and not for the glory of women. For some reason!
I hope everyone understands that I was joking. Except for one thing: that woman didn't drown.
Good luck!
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- a resort village in the Sudak region of Crimea. Novy Svet is located 7 km from Sudak. The nature of the New World is unique. The semicircle of mountains protects the New World from three sides. In the north, there are ledges of Mount Sokol, followed by Mount Perchem (“mane”), in the west, Mount Syndyk with a bizarre cape Karaul-Oba (Watch Mountain), in the south-west, the pointed Koba-Kaya.
Landscape Reserve “ New World” was created to preserve the unique groves of relict Sudak pine and the natural park of tree-like juniper. The Golitsyn trail leads through the entire reserve from the village to Cape Kapchik.
The village arose through the efforts of one of the founders of Russian winemaking, Prince Lev Sergeevich Golitsyn, at the end of the 19th century. The prince founded here, on his estate, 
factory for the production of champagne wines. Since the local nature favored winemaking, and the traditional technology of champagne production was maintained at the factory through the efforts of the prince, the wine came out of exceptional quality. At first, the village was called Paradise (paradise), but after Nicholas II visited the estate of Prince Golitsyn in 1912, Paradise was renamed Novyi Svet. Status of the town since 1978
In the New World, two palaces of Lev Golitsyn have been preserved, one of which now houses a museum, and the other is notable for its Moorish architecture (depicted on the coat of arms of the village). The factory of sparkling wines continues to operate.
The surroundings of the village have the status of a botanical reserve due to relic groves of juniper trees and Stankevich pine endemic to these places, as well as picturesque bays with grottoes.
The Golitsyn trail is one of the main attractions of the New World. The trail originates on the southwestern shore of Zelenaya Bay and passes amazing natural grottoes.
The Golitsyn Trail (Falcon Trail) is a mountain trail carved on the slope of Koba-Kaya, located southwest of the village of Novyi Svet (Crimea). It was built in 1912 for the arrival of Tsar Nicholas II on the orders of Prince Golitsyn Lev Sergeevich.
It is believed that it was after the tsar's visit to Paradise (the name of the village where the prince bought land to engage in winemaking) that the village got its current name - Novyi Svet: Nicholas II, walking along the path built by Golitsyn, was invited to the table, where he was treated to champagne produced in the village. After he said that he sees life in a new light. And the path along which he walked was called the Golitsyn path.
Currently, there are daily tours.
The legend "About the path of unfaithful wives." There is a legend about a nest of pirates who lived here during the time of the Taurians and ancient Greeks. The robbers went to sea to get their booty, and the wives were left to wait. After the fidelity of the latter was checked in a rather original way.
The woman had to carry on her head along steep paths to the market (clay pot) with water, without spilling and, moreover, without dropping the vessel. If this suddenly happened, the miserable one was thrown from the rock into the sea.
Therefore, the passage was called the Paths of unfaithful wives. It's good that this is only a legend, otherwise a whole cemetery would have formed here. And it’s good that the path was equipped with hanging handrails and a ladder.
The path of unfaithful wives leads to a through cave on Cape Kapchik. Many seriously consider it a lair of pirates - as if they hid in it and attacked the ships that passed nearby. This is not hard to believe. By the way, it was here, on Cape Kapchik, that the legendary Soviet action movie Pirates of the 20th Century was filmed.
Excursions: Champagne wine factory, Mount Eagle (Koba-Kaya), Mount Sokol, Chaliapin's Grotto, Blue Bay (another name is Rogue), Blue Bay, also known as Tsarskaya, Juniper Grove, Golitsyn trail (5470 m long).
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Films shot in the New World: Treasure Island (1982), Othello (1955), Pirates of the 20th Century (1979), Three Plus Two (1963), Sportloto 82 (1982).
How to get to the New World: There are several ways to get to the New World. The first way - from the station in Simferopol go direct taxis to the New World. Or you can get from Simferopol to Sudak, and a lot of fixed-route taxis go from Sudak to Novy Svet. The third way - from Feodosia from the bus station by taxi you can get to Sudak, and from there to the New World by local minibuses.
