#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cappadocia-2-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cappadocia-3-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background:url(https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cappadocia-1-80×60.jpg) 0 0 no repeat; }
By Kathy Rose A Garcia, editor in chief
Imagine waking up in the morning excited to check off one of the top experiences on your travel list. But then you're haunted by this thought: “What if this is just another tourist trap?”
Like many others, my travel list always includes “a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia.”
After all, who hasn't seen countless TikTok videos of dozens of hot air balloons flying as the sun rises over the ethereal cliffs of Cappadocia? They're so picture-perfect that not a few people commented: “It looks like AI!”
So, when I got the chance to visit Türkiye in October, I wanted to see for myself if Cappadocia's hot air balloons would live up to the hype.
To get to Cappadocia, we first had to take a more than 12-hour flight from Manila to Istanbul, then an hour and a half flight from Istanbul to Kayseri. Kayseri is in east central Anatolia and is widely considered the gateway to the Cappadocia region.
Cappadocia is known for its unique rock formations, which were formed through volcanic activity and erosion over thousands, if not millions, of years.
Our first stop was Love Valley, perhaps because of its phallic shaped fairy chimneys. These fairy chimneys are tall pinnacles made of soft volcanic rock that was easily eroded by the natural elements over thousands of years.
Meanwhile, Pigeon Valley takes its name from the man-made pigeon houses that were carved into the volcanic rock. Red Valley is known for its rocks which turn deep red at sunset.
After watching countless TikTok and Instagram posts, I'm convinced that the best way to admire Cappadocia's landscapes is in a hot air balloon.
However, apprehensions crept in. Hot air balloons are safe, right? Correct?
I swallowed my fear and got on with it.
Since it was the beginning of October, our pick-up time from the hotel was 5:30 am. The guide told us that pick-up time depends on the season and can be as early as 4 am during summer.
Launch sites for hot air balloon rides are usually around the Goreme area. But there is no guarantee that hot air balloon rides will go ahead, as operators must wait for approval from the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority.
Another thing you need to know is that there are no toilets in the area so do your homework before going there.
After a short car journey, we arrived at the launch site at 6:30 am, with large balloons lying on the ground and still inflated. We watched how the crew inflated the balloons using a gas-powered fan. Gradually, the balloons come to life.
The temperature was around 10°C, we were glad we wore thick jackets.
Shortly thereafter, the guide called us to the balloon basket which was larger than we expected and could hold 28 people. Since there were different tour groups on the ride there was some confusion, so we struggled to make sure we were all in the same corner of the basket.
The basket slowly rose off the ground by turning on the burner to heat the air inside the balloon.
Everyone had their phones and cameras raised to capture the moment. The hot air balloon slowly climbed into the sky. It was so smooth that we didn't even realize we were already up.
The sky was clear, there was no wind. The sun peeked over the rugged mountain ranges, while rainbow-colored hot air balloons floated around us.
I tried very hard to be in the moment – to enjoy the view as the sun slowly rose and the white rocks and fairy chimneys were bathed in golden light. From above, Cappadocia looked like an alien planet, something from the outside dune Or Star Wars. I remember looking down and pinching myself because it really did feel like a dream.
Time flew by. I took dozens of photos and videos of sunrises, balloons, and surreal landscapes.
Soon our 60 minutes were up. The pilot descended and everyone crouched into landing position. Although it was a little bumpy, everyone was safe and sound when we landed.
Another thing TikTok and Instagram posts don't show you is how awkward it is to fall out of the basket. We basically had to be taken to shore by the crew members. Ah, the humiliation of it all!
Once on solid ground, the crew brought out a bottle of sparkling juice to celebrate the successful flight. Again, social media posts turn this into some kind of fancy experience, but sparkling juice is falling flat.
On the way back, I scrolled through dozens of photos on my phone. No one really understood the magic of floating over the ethereal landscape of Cappadocia. It was a reminder that some experiences live in memory richer than any phone or camera.