Besides the beach, the other attraction in Çıralı is Mount Chimaera and the Yanartaş, the “Flaming Rock,” a half-mile hike up into the surrounding mountains.

We started our hike after dinner, just as the sun was setting behind the mountain. There was an eerie feel to the place as we approached, with people huddled around campfires up the mountainside.

But as we got closer, we could see that there was no wood burning. The flames were coming straight out of the rock!

Apparently, there is a build up of methane gas under the rock and it is somehow ignited as it escapes, creating an eternal flame.

We had never seen anything like this and, for all we know, it is unique in the world.

We wished we had brought marshmallows or hot dogs!

The view back toward the Mediterranean was beautiful, too.