True travelers always want to discover something new. Even those who prefer a passive holiday by the sea are interested in excursions. In order to see the unique landscapes, improve your he alth and just relax, it is not necessary to travel far. Sometimes the most interesting is located where we do not even expect. And a vacation on the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan can be proof of this.
What makes Kazakhstan attractive
Kazakhstan is an unexplored land for many tourists, in which there are resorts for any kind of recreation. The vast territory has high mountains with glaciers, many lakes and a beach strip of the Caspian Sea. Traveling through different regions of the country, you can find deserts, steppes and forests, there are more than a dozen nature reserves that are radically different from each other. Centuries-old historypreserved in ancient buildings and traditions, while buildings built in different centuries coexist in cities. Thanks to such a variety of Kazakhstan, there are resorts for relaxation and treatment at any time of the year.
Add the fact that residents of the CIS countries do not require a visa, and you can safely include this multifaceted country in the list of priorities for visiting and detailed study.
Caspian resorts of Kazakhstan
The southwest of the country is washed by the waters of the largest closed lake, which is also called the sea because of its size and geological features. Coastal cities were not originally aimed at beach holidays, they began to think about such a direction only in the new millennium. At the same time, projects of seaside resorts began to appear and be implemented. The coast near the city of Aktau is developing most actively: the Kendirli cottage village has recently been built, and there is talk of creating a large Aktau City complex.
Construction in the country is going very fast, new cities appear in 5-10 years in places where there was not even a hint of human habitation before. Hotels and resorts are being built even faster: they are built in a year, a maximum of two. The main problem of new tourist destinations is the complexity of transportation. Sometimes the distance to the nearest settlements is 200-300 km, there are few roads, they are not in the best condition. Most often, tourists arrive in the nearest major city by plane or train, then they reach their destination by bus, car or water transport.
Exceptcoast of Aktau, recreation on the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan is possible in Atyrau, Fort Shevchenko, Ganyushkino and Kuryk. There are actually no full-fledged beach resorts here, there are separate hotels and sanatoriums located on the Caspian coast.
The best beaches in Aktau
The beach season on the Kazakh coast of the Caspian Sea lasts from May to September. There is rarely strong heat here, the average temperature in the hottest months is +26…+30 degrees, the water in the sea warms up to +24…+26 degrees.
Aktau is the only major city on the Caspian coast of Kazakhstan. Smaller resorts are more likely to be called villages.
There are few good sandy beaches in the city, most of the coast is rocky. The best sandy beaches are Manila, Nur Plaza and Dostar. All of them are located at hotels, but, except for residents, other vacationers are allowed to enter. Entrance to them is free, but you will have to pay for parking and amenities on the beach. One parking space will cost 300-1000 tenge (1-3 dollars), the cost of sun loungers and umbrellas ranges from 500-1500 tenge (1.5-5 dollars). The territory is equipped with changing rooms, showers, left-luggage offices and other amenities, on some beaches they are free, on others - everything is for an extra charge if you are not a hotel guest. Additional services are provided: rental of barbecues, tents, tables, food and drinks at the bar (alcohol is prohibited on the beach, as well as smoking).
The most popular hotels and complexes on the coast of Aktau
Travelers can stay at these places:
- Sanatorium "Shagala" (in translation - "Seagull"). Rest on the sea can be combined with he alth improvement, carried out in the form of balneological procedures. For treatment, water from healing springs used in baths and showers, as well as inhalations, thermal procedures, massages are used. The resort is built within the city, so guests can enjoy the social nightlife.
- Complex "Stigl" (Stigl) - a large sports, he alth and entertainment center, built near the Warm Beach. There are several separate hotels of different levels on the territory: the best rooms are in bungalows by the sea, the most economical ones are in the Teremki hotel. The complex has many amenities and entertainment.
- Hotel "Dostar" on the Soldier's Beach Aktau is small but cozy. The presence of superior rooms attracts VIP guests and delegations, and large families are comfortably accommodated in three-room apartments. The presence of additional services makes the rest as comfortable as possible.
- Kenderli is one of the most popular and modern resorts in the country, located 210 km from Aktau. The sandy beach with a gentle entry and entertainment will suit both families and young people, there are appropriate rooms for everyone. The main accommodation is a bungalow, there are one- and two-storey ones, designed for a different number of people.
There are many other hotels, sanatoriums and recreation centers that offer resorts in Kazakhstan. Hotel prices start from 6-8thousand tenge (18-23 dollars) per day, the private sector can be found for 5,000 tenge (15 dollars). The cheapest are recreation centers, a room without amenities will cost from 3,500 tenge ($11-12).
Beach holidays on the lakes
The few resorts of Kazakhstan on the sea are just beginning to gain popularity, holidays on the lakes are in great demand. The rest of the country's water bodies are smaller than the Caspian, but some are also striking in their size. The most famous lakes of Kazakhstan: Alakol, Balkhash, Kapchagai, Tengiz, a complex of lakes in Borovoye, a small part of the Aral Sea coast is also accessible.
In addition to natural, there are artificial reservoirs that attract tourists. For example, the Bukhtarma reservoir, which is not inferior in size to most large lakes. In summer, its shores are flooded with vacationers, more and more holiday homes appear. The most popular reservoir area is Blue Bay.
These reservoirs and their infrastructure are not much inferior to the coastal cities of Kazakhstan. The resorts were overgrown with entertainment centers, water transport rentals, playgrounds, and even a water park was built in Kapchagai. The territory of the lakes is huge, not all shores are inhabited for a comfortable stay. This makes it possible to come with tents and enjoy the unity with nature as much as possible.
Healing waters of Kazakhstan
Beach holidays on the sea and lakes can be combined with he alth improvement. There are many springs on the territory of Kazakhstan, the composition of the water in which has healing properties. There are separate sanatoriums far from cities where treatment is the basisstay, there are complexes near the resorts.
Many tourists are attracted by the universal resort in Borovoye: lakes provide the opportunity to swim, springs and mud help to recover, and the national park can be explored for weeks.
Only 26 km from Alma-Ata is the mountain resort of Alma-Arasan. It has healing and hot springs, balneological procedures are carried out in the sanatorium. The area is often used for outdoor activities, trekking and cycling.
Saryagash, known for thermal springs, is located away from large cities. Its waters are called "soda", they are used to treat a wide range of diseases. Based on local mineral waters, table water is produced, which is bottled and distributed throughout the country.
Sights of Kazakhstan
There are so many natural and man-made places worth visiting that you can travel around the country for several weeks, marveling at the variety of views and sights. The Silk Road passed through modern Kazakhstan, which was confirmed in the form of buildings at the stops. The most interesting cities that have preserved the memory of passing caravans are Shymkent and Taraz.
If you arrived in Astana or Alma-Ata, do not rush to immediately go further. These cities are worthy of detailed study: they contain most of the government, religious and cultural buildings. Especially popular are the Nur-Astana mosque, the Holy Ascension Cathedral, the Presidential Center of Culture, the circus building, the Astana-Baiterek monument.
To those whowants to get closer to the stars, it is worth visiting Baikonur. This cosmodrome has now become a popular tourist destination offering tours of Gagarin's museums and memorials, the history of cosmonautics, and the ship's launch point.
Reserves and natural wonders
Most of the country is steppes and semi-deserts, however, they are the decoration of Kazakhstan. Resorts are located in inhabited areas, but there are many amazing "wild" areas in the neighborhood. Among them, the most often visited are the Charyn Canyon, the Saura and Karabulak gorges, the Ustyurt plateau and the colorful mountains of Aktau. Lake Kaindy is also worth a visit, during the formation of which some of the trees were under water.
The main reserves of Kazakhstan: the oldest in the country "Aksu-Dzhabagly", close to the southern capital "Alma-Ata", "Alakol" with a system of lakes, "Ustyurt" on the site of the Silk Road and "Kurgaldzhinsky" - a real bird's paradise.
To appreciate Kazakhstan, visit different corners of this diverse country. And although the service and roads often leave much to be desired, nature more than pays for all the nuances!
