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HOPA
Hopa, an attractive town at the foot of a forested
mountain, is the last port before the Turkish-Georgian
border. The international boundary actually divides
the village of Sarp. 27 km northeast of the town of
Borcka on the way to Artvin there is the wonderful
alpine lake of Karagöl, with various pine trees, as
well as other flora and fauna. The road to Artvin
traverses the Cankurtaran mountain pass, where verdant
landscape changes to barren rocks. Hatira Valley
National Park, about 25 km in length, is 10 km from
Artvin, between the confluence of the Coruh River and
the Hatilla stream in the east, and Mt. Nathali (2,923
m) in the west. Canyons with sheer cliffs and vertical
drops can be seen though out the park. Both
Mediterranean and Black Sea flora flourish together in
the park along with bears, deer, wolves, foxes and
eagles. Special houses on top of wooden stilts are
home to the park bees who produce the famous regional
honey.
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