The coast of the Caspian Sea in Dagestan is a wide strip from Makhachkala to Kaspiysk. In addition to beach holidays on the Caspian Sea, there are excursion and recreational holidays. You can study historical and architectural monuments that have preserved the culture of the Dagestan people, go to the mountains to fantastic plateaus, caves, incredible waterfalls, canyons, gorges, or visit balneological clinics.
Rest in Makhachkala
There are almost no equipped beaches. The most well-groomed ones belong to hotels and tourist centers. The covering is sandy, sometimes with small shell rock. Entry into the water is smooth.
Attractions
Barkhan Sarykum
A miracle of nature that appeared hundreds of thousands of years ago – an island of desert among the mountains. The 250-meter dune has four peaks that change their shape after each storm.
Juma mosque
The oldest mosque in Russia and one of the most beautiful. Two parallel rows of powerful columns, an arcade of domes, the color scheme of brick vaults, bright carpets on the floor, twilight and coolness that reign even on a hot summer day. All this emphasizes the monumental solemnity of the building.
Sulak Canyon
You’ll have to drive an hour and a half to get there, but most likely you’ll forget about it when you see how beautiful it is. It is often compared to Colorado, but it is deeper and more picturesque. A narrow turquoise river “cuts” the ridges – from the cliff hanging over the canyon it looks impressive.
Where to stay in Makhachkala
- Petrovsk Hotel: per night for two from 2,200 rubles.
- Metropol Hotel: per night for two from 3,506 rubles.
- Hotel Jacques: per night for two from 5,820 rubles.
Rest in Derbent
The city beach is not well maintained. It is not recommended to swim in the vicinity of Derbent – the entrance to the water is rocky and dangerous. Well-groomed shorelines with sand and a gentle entrance are only available on hotel premises.
Attractions
Samur Forest
The only liana forest in Russia, it comes right to the shore of the Caspian Sea. From mid-July to September you can see the blooming lotus here. The forest is shrinking quite quickly. If you go to Dagestan, be sure to visit it, this chance may be your last.
Aeolian City
The winds created a real city with halls, bridges, paths, towers and pillars resembling mushrooms. There are no people here, but there are a lot of foxes, hares, snakes and lizards. It’s easy to get lost in the stone city, so it’s best to go here with a local guide.
Naryn-kala fortress
This is a most interesting monument, an expressive evidence of the antiquity of Derbent. The fortress offers a wonderful view of the city and the Caspian Sea. Many parts of it have been preserved in their original form.
Kubachi
In a village not far from Derbent, a jewelry craft that originated many centuries ago has been preserved. The products of Kubachi craftsmen, richly decorated with silver, gilding, ivory, and deep engraving, are known throughout the world. Here you can look at ancient specimens and purchase modern ones.
Where to stay in Derbent
- Shakhristan Hotel: per night for two from 2,500 rubles.
- Golden Beach Resort Hotel: per night for two from 5,500 rubles.
How to get to the Caspian Sea
Air and railway stations are located in Makhachkala.
Flights from Moscow are operated by Pobeda, Smartavia, Red Wings, Utair, Rusline, NordStar, Aeroflot, Azimut, Nordwind Airlines. Travel time is 2.5 hours. Air ticket “Moscow – Makhachkala”: from 2,000 rubles.
You can travel from Moscow by train in 41 hours, choosing from reserved seat and compartment cars. Train ticket “Moscow – Makhachkala”: from 4,500 rubles one way.
From the northern and eastern regions of Russia, you can quickly get to the Caspian Sea by plane with one or two transfers. Travel time to Makhachkala depends on the length of stay at the connecting airport and varies from 7 to 28 hours.
From Novosibirsk you can fly with Pobeda, Aeroflot, Azimut and S7 companies. The price of a one-way plane ticket is from 4,000 rubles. Aeroflot or Azimut will take you from Arkhangelsk to Dagestan. The price of a one-way ticket is from 7,800 rubles. Aeroflot and S7 fly from Vladivostok – from 17,700 rubles one way.
*Prices are valid at the time of publication.
