Getting There
We knew there were overnight buses from Goreme to Denizli, the largest centre near Pamukkale and local shuttle buses (Dolmus) between Denizli and Pamukkale. So our first day in Goreme we went to the bus station to buy tickets for a few days ahead and discovered that buses went to Pamukkale direct, and there were 4 bus companies. We decided to start by finding prices - first company, 70 Lira for the bus. 2nd company, 70 Lira and when we enquired about the price for the comfier "Suit" class (2+1 seating) they were advertising, they said just normal class on the bus to Pamukkale (2+2). All seemed disinterested. Someone came up to us from Company #3 (Suha Buses), and asked where we wanted to go. He explained his buses all had the 2+1 comfier seating, complimentary tea & coffee plus seat-back TV's and he could do us a deal for 60 Lira. Sold.
So the journey itself - the seats were wide and comfy which would be ideal for 10hrs on an overnight bus, and there were indeed screens in the seat backs. There was even Wifi, although seemingly no functional internet on the end of it and the USB charging ports didn't work on our seats but we had our charging bricks. We did get water and were offered tea/coffee but did not partake in that. Sasha doesn't travel well on vehicular transport but was prepared, and her travel pill zonked her out pretty quick. I had more trouble sleeping than I had hoped, even with an eyemask, earplugs and our new neckpillows (which worked well). Things of note during the journey were the 3 comfort stops, we hopped off during the first two; and an Asian lady being moved into the spare seat in front of Sasha, as she had been seated next to a gentleman she didnt know which is a no-no in Turkish culture unless you are together or married.
I must have gotten some sleep as Sasha woke me up with about 15mins to arrival - and arrival consisted of hopping off the bus on the side of the highway and hopping onto a minivan with our luggage which took us the extra 15-20mins distance to Pamukkale. It took us to the Pamukkale travel office where they offered tours, onward bus journeys, luggage storage or a place to wait for your Hotel to collect you.
The one and only thing we wanted to do here was visit, explore, and swim in the Terrace Thermal Pools. Having changed in a nearby restaurant bathroom into our togs under our clothes (both of us had to wait ages for someone to vacate the only toilet) we headed to the Terraces, which is considered a "museum" and there is an entrance fee. We were at the entrance in time for the gate opening at 8am - the ticket seller guy was not, and we had another 10min wait before he showed up and started selling tickets. But then we were in.
Completely something we didn't know about nor come for, but atop the silica hill was the remains of an ancient Roman bath town called Hierapolis. In the course of our wandering we managed to see all the remains bar the ampitheatre.
Breakfast was our Muesli and eaten at the tourism office, lunch was had at a place called the Ottoman Cafe - it was off the main street, was not one of our cheaper meals nor one of our best but was ok. We had something called Lahmacun which seemed like a pizza with cooked mincemeat on top, and what I mow suspect was a Pide also although it wasnt called that on the menu. What I mostly remember is the tired decor, rugs everwhere and on the terrace where we were seated a flood of people (all either Turkish or some Muslim-ethnicity) arrived after us all at once, re-arranged all the tables and then 10 minutes later half of them got up and left!
Summing Up
It was great to see and explore the silica terraces and paddle in some of the pools for a bit (including one that had tadpoles in it!) but it was quite a disappointment that we couldn't "hot pools" it there. Just as well we were not spending the night there, and were moving on elsewhere! The one other thing that seemed of interest in Pamukkale was the Paragliding which was only 35 Euros (more with a video taken of you) but 35 Euros can get you a lot in a country like Turkey and its not something we were looking for - Hot Air Ballooning was enough for now!
Pamukkale you were nice, I'm glad to have been but we've done all of what we wanted to do so I doubt very much I will visit you again!