We continue to share amazing routes created especially for you together with Russian Explorers photographers. Dmitry Kulikov (@oktagon) has prepared a guide to the Khabarovsk Territory! And so that you can use it as quickly as possible, in our telegram channel we are giving away a discount on tickets to the Khabarovsk Territory, as well as accommodation there.
Khabarovsk is not the first place that might come to mind when thinking about vacation. But this Far Eastern city, located on the Amur River near the Chinese border, can surprise with its oriental flavor, natural and cultural attractions. Today I want to share with you places, visiting which will help you get to know the city and its history better.
View at 5000
Upon arrival in Khabarovsk, most tourists are first interested in where they can see the places depicted on the five thousand dollar bill.
Amur cliff with a turret on the embankment and a monument to the first governor Muravyov-Amursky are the visiting cards of the city. These are also the objects on the front side of the banknote, which are located in the historical center of Khabarovsk.
To photograph the Amur Bridge – the landmark on the back of the banknote, you need to drive from the center to the north for about half an hour. Or buy a ticket for one of the pleasure boats that depart daily from the central embankment at intervals of up to an hour. By boat you can get to the bridge directly across the water and see it with your own eyes.
Amur petroglyphs
In the village of Sikachi-Alyan, 60 km north of Khabarovsk, there is a unique historical monument – petroglyphs of the Amur peoples, the ancestors of the modern Nanai. Just think: 15,000 years ago, the inhabitants of the Amur region began sending stone emoji to their descendants into the future, and dozens of generations receive them to this day. Today we know of more than 350 such graphic messages immortalized in basalt on the banks of the Amur. Looking at them, you can find out that mammoths lived in these places, they were hunted, and people moved along the Amur in large, long, multi-person boats.
In the same village, I recommend visiting the local history museum, as well as seeing reconstructions of houses of local residents from different eras and getting acquainted with their living culture.
Channel of the Amur
Flying up to Khabarovsk in the warm season, you will see an incredible sight – the Amur River spreads over tens of square kilometers with impressive channels through green water meadows. If you want to be among these patterns and ride along the channels, use the services of River Sport excursion bureaus, which organize water trips on SUPs and kayaks. Some routes start from the country complex “Riviera Khabarovsk” – a popular holiday destination among Khabarovsk residents. Here you can spend a few hours, have dinner, enjoy the sunset over the Ussuri River, and then return to the city or stay overnight.
Above the Amur clouds
For those who want to see the landscapes surrounding Khabarovsk better and in comfort, I recommend taking a hot air balloon flight in the morning or evening. Khabarovsk is the center of aeronautics in the Far East, and you can choose any type of balloon for flight: from a huge 12-seater for a fun group to a cozy gondola with a red heart-shaped shell, ideal for a romantic evening.
Unusual excursions
The creative group “Limonart”, in love with its city, organizes incredibly interesting excursions around Khabarovsk. Most of the participants are local residents who discover familiar places from completely surprising sides, and then share new ones with guests. If you want to be alone with the city and hear its fascinating history, go with the guys at 7 am on the excursion “Sleeping Muravyov-Amursky”.
Amur manga
From Japan to Khabarovsk there are only two hours in the sky. Therefore, the cultural influence of the land of the rising sun can be found here in all manifestations, even the most unusual. One of these is the comic manga “Nevelskoy: Fruits of the Imagination” from the creative group H4H. This is a retelling of the heroic events associated with the development of the Far East by Russia, in the language of modern art. On June 29, 1850, explorer Gennady Nevelskoy raised the Russian flag in the lower reaches of the Amur and founded the city of Nikolaevsk-on-Amur, annexing 36% of its current territory to Russia without firing a single shot.
Exhibitions dedicated to this manga are located on the third floor of the Khabarovsk airport, as well as in the Artservatory center for contemporary art.
Bowhead whales
In addition to the cultural influence of the land of the rising sun, Khabarovsk has become very popular in recent years among tourists who are fans of marine mammals.
This is where tours to the Shantar Islands begin – a place that, according to marine biologists and specialists in the field of marine tourism, is among the top 5 whale watching spots in the world. This is where you can see killer whales and swim on a paddleboard next to polar whales.
Chinese cuisine
Before the pandemic, there were more than 30 Chinese restaurants in Khabarovsk. The situation is obligatory – even from the observation deck on Komsomolskaya Square on clear days neighboring China is clearly visible, and the journey along the Amur to the border city of Fuyuan takes only about two hours.
People in Khabarovsk have always loved Chinese cuisine and knew a lot about it. Now there are not many restaurants left, but one of the oldest chains, Vilki-Palki, is holding up well and delights the taste buds of guests to this day.
Central Market
Previously, at the Central Market, you could often spot Korean tourists walking along the food aisles and stopping in surprise in front of the huge Korean food shopping area. They were amazed not only by the abundance of national salads, but also by dozens of sellers of their own nationality in the very center of the Russian city. This can be explained simply – Khabarovsk is home to a very large Korean diaspora, thanks to which their spicy cuisine has become very popular among Russians.
Going home, tourists buy not only Korean salads, but also gifts from all over the Far East: local pink salmon caviar, smoked fish and king crab from Kamchatka, Sakhalin scallops and seaside shrimp.
To bring my route to life, you don’t need a guide, and if you want, you can even do without renting a car. A weekend is enough to visit all the places: it will be very eventful. I am sure that this route around Khabarovsk will give you a pleasant experience, and the hospitality of the residents will be remembered for a long time. Thank you for your attention!
The joint summer season of OneTwoTrip and Russian Explorers is over, but we will continue to share with you ideas for weekend trips. After all, a weekend in a new place is wonderful at any time of the year.
