Kelli: Fountains and Water Traditions in Kumlu District

Kelli Meydan Çeşmesi provides a tangible connection to Kelli’s water traditions. Kumlu District is also home to thermal springs with their own histories and distinctive water characteristics. For your trip, it is worth exploring the fountain in Kelli and the springs elsewhere in the district as separate regional points of interest.

The Fountain in Kelli

Kelli Meydan Çeşmesi is identified as a fountain in Hatay, Kumlu and Kelli. A sample taken on 17 February 2023 was deemed suitable. This assessment applies to the sample taken at that time. If you want to know the current water quality, check for up-to-date information before your visit.

Thermal Water and Its Names

The Hamamat thermal springs are located on the road between Kırıkhan and Reyhanlı in Kumlu District. The thermal water at Hamamat has a total mineralisation of 1,700 mg/l. The water at the Green Hamamat thermal springs is considered rich in magnesium and sulphur. According to the district administration, this thermal water has only one counterpart anywhere in the world, located in India.

According to the district administration’s account, the Green Hamamat thermal springs have been known since Roman times by the names Kudret Suyu, Kudret Hamamı and Gençlik İksiri Su. These names give the place a long cultural history, distinct from the specific water sample taken at the fountain in Kelli.

According to its description, Hotel Hamamat has two indoor thermal pools: one for women and one for mixed use. It also lists two outdoor summer pools, one for children and one for adults. If these facilities are important to your plans, check directly in advance whether a visit is possible.

Landscape and Regional History

In the border area of Kumlu District, the elevation drops from about 400 metres in the north to about 100 metres in the south, at the Amik Plain. This difference in elevation sketches the regional transition from the northern uplands to the plain in the south and provides a sense of the district’s landscape.

The area’s history can also be explored through tangible traces: in the Kırcaoğlu area, hieroglyphic inscriptions reveal place names and royal names connected to historical events in the region. For travellers interested in the history of Hatay, this offers a different perspective from the water traditions around Kelli and Kumlu.

Plan Routes and Overnight Stays

A municipal notice dated 3 May 2025 lists public transport routes serving a total of eleven neighbourhoods: H 24 (Gülova–Aktaş–Kumlu), H 25 (Hatay Hamamı–Yeniköy (Hamam)–Keli–Kırcıoğlu–Kumlu) and H 27 (Akpınar–Kaletepe–Muharrem–Akkuyu–Kumlu). Before travelling, check the current timetable and which connection suits your plans.

A municipal guide dated 8 July 2025 describes overnight accommodation options in Kumlu District as limited; for the neighbouring districts of Kırıkhan and Reyhanlı, it lists hotels and guesthouses. If you are looking for a holiday rental, focus your search on the places you want to centre your trip around, and check current availability.

Discover more destinations: Iskenderun, Altınözü, Harbiye, Karakese Belediyesi, Uzunaliç, Hatay, Samandağ, Ahmetbeyli Köyü.

Go to the main travel overview: Hatay.