Secret Heaven – Gizli cennet or secret haven in Inlice is a beautiful place to visit and hopefully with all the information we provide, it will make it a great experience for you.
Gizli Cennet is in the hillside development of Inlice. To access it the quickest way would be by car or a taxi. It is 9km from Gocek town centre so could be done on a bike or even walking if you are so inclined.
We have been visiting Secret haven for years and we love the place, we love the fact that it is still owned by locals, still doesn`t have flashy menus, in the middle of nature and yes it is a bit shabby.
Its rare that the name of a place truly sums up the experience of it. But it is certainly true of Gizli Cennet which means secret haven. That being said, it does come with a caveat that this is a truly rural experience. If health and safety are your primary concern then this is not for you. If the site of flying insects whilst you eat makes your tummy turn then this is not for you. If eating exquisite food in a magical setting and pulling beers out of a natural spring where they are kept ice cold is your thing then Gizli Cennet will take your breath away.
Gizli Cennet is somewhere to go and spend a hot afternoon in the shade of the forest and eat delicious food – notice I stop short of calling it a restaurant! It is essentially a family homestead that happens to be in the middle of a forest with a stream, man made pools of crystal clear icy water and Weasley family-esque rooms suspended in the trees. If you are planning to go for food it is worth calling in advance. If you want the ingredients to be bought for you then at least a days notice would be preferred, if you are to bring your own ingredients then calling on the day to let them will be ideal.
It is important to note that you must call ahead to request (as it is their home) that you can go for food. If you are not planning to eat, and only enjoy the surroundings, imagine you are entering someones back garden – permission and a donation would not go amiss. As well as confirming that you can go – calling ahead will also make food preparation a lot faster. The food is cooked in a traditional fire oven and can take up to an hour to become ready to cook on. Another reason I don’t call this a restaurant is they only provide basics like; tea, coffee and some soft drinks and I highly recommend that you check what food is available if you are planning to spend all day there by ringing the owner. If you dont speak turkish, you can always as a local to ring him and ask what is available? You can also bring food or drinks with you as long as you are happy to pay the fee for cooking and service.
Restaurant can provide basics like; tea, coffee and some soft drinks but I highly recommend that you check what food is available if you are planning to spend all day there by ringing the owner. If you dont speak turkish, you can always as a local to ring him and ask what is available? You can also bring food or drinks with you as long as you are happy to pay the fee for cooking and service.
“Food is available in Gizli cennet but must be ordered in advance so the food can be brought in or with notice on the day you take your own groceries.”
The cold water pools are fed with spring water coming from mountains so if you visit Secret Heaven early in the season, it will be freezing cold. It is a lovely and charming place but we feel that it is loosing it`s charm as time passes.
There are several things I can suggest to make this a better experience for you and the first one is that this is a very small family style run homestead with a very low/non existent budget. I will not recommend for you to plan a full day here but it is a lovely little place to see before it looses it charm completely. There is only one toilet in this restaurant and it is not in great condition and there might not be any toilet paper available so please go prepared.
The charm of Gizli Cennet is completely linked to how busy it is in my opinion and avoid when busy i.e. weekends, public holidays etc.
Suggested items of food which are suitable to take from butchers or supermarkets (Turkish/English);
Kofte /Meatballs
Kemikli Tavuk / Chicken on the bone / fillets
Biber / Peppers (sweet / hot), onions,
Patlican / Aubergine
Salata icin (salatalik, havuc, domates, misir) / Salad mix (cucumber, carrot, tomato, sweetcorn)
Bread It wouldn’t be a Turkish meal without it!
