Kuşcenneti National Park is located in the Marmara region of Balıkesir Province. Located on the route of birds migrating from Anatolia to Europe, Kuşcenneti National Park (kuşcenneti is the Turkish word for “bird sanctuary”) promises visitors a fascinating visual feast. Lake Manyas, one of the largest lakes in Türkiye, is home to 266 bird species, and is found within the borders of the national park. Lake Manyas is a wetland whose international importance has been recognized and established under the Ramsar Convention (in full, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat). The nature here is lush and peaceful, and guided bird tours are available. The national park is also historically important: Lydians and Persians ruled the area around Lake Manyas in the 8th century BC.

Lake Kuş (in Turkish Kuş Gölü, lit. “Bird Lake”) or Lake Manyas is located in the Bandırma District of Balıkesir. It is a large and shallow freshwater lake south of the Marmara Sea. It reaches a depth of four meters, but its average depth is three meters. Willow trees, reeds, and meadows abound along the lake's shores. Lake Manyas is an important site for breeding and wintering waterbirds and the Manyas Bird Sanctuary National Park has been established here. Its dense and diverse vegetation, especially its habitats, which house hundreds of birds, attract many visitors. More than 270 bird species have been recorded here including the great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), little egret (Egretta garzetta), night heron, and tern. The museum and observation tower located in the national park, from where you can enjoy birdwatching, are of great interest to visitors. A Tourism Festival is held every year in the first week of June to celebrate the region's importance as a tourist destination and to draw attention to environmental pollution. Events such as panels, exhibitions, theater plays, folk dances, performances, and festival runs are held at the festival.

The Temple of Hadrian (Hadrian Tapınağı), a theatre and aqueducts still captivate visitors

The Devil's Feast One of the best vantage points of Ayvalık. The hill, which is perched over the Çamlık Forestry Camp (Çamlık Orman Kampı), is an old lava cone, and the hilltop, which is flat, resembles the traditional, low, round dining tables of the region. Some believe that an imprint on the rock, now covered with an iron cage, is the footprint of the Devil. The Devil's Feast (Şeytan Sofrası) has a panoramic view over the Ayvalık archipelago, looking down onto sounds and coves covered with pine forests. To dine at a hilltop restaurant and enjoy a drink while watching the sunset is a privilege. Historical Monuments of Ayvalık It is impossible to imagine Ayvalık without its sanctuaries. Saatli Mosque (Saatli Cami) Çınarlı Mosque (Çınarlı Cami) Hamidiye Mosque (Hamidiye Cami), Hayrettin Paşa Mosque (Hayrettin Paşa Cami) Küçükköy Central Mosque (Küçükköy Merkez Cami) Taxiarchis Church (Taksiyaris Kilisesi), Ayazma Church (Ayazma Kilisesi), Hagios Triada (Hagia Triada Kilisesi) Church are just some of them…