All countries bordering the Caspian Sea offer various options for viewing this natural marvel; from luxury tourist resorts, crumbling limestone cliffs and long sandy beaches. We’ve listed a few of our top picks for those keen on visiting the Caspian Sea.
Turkmenistan
A visit to the waterside city of Turkmenbashi is an adventure in itself, named after the country’s former leader and self-styled mentor.
It may already be a bizarre holiday destination with its gaudy marbled capital and strict visa regulations. Still, Turkmenistan does offer a visit to the Caspian Sea unparalleled by any of its neighbours. The port city of Turkmenbashi provides excellent views across the lake; sit in one of its bars, coffee shops or restaurants and watch the stunning sunset.
For those keen on visiting the Caspian Sea for a little longer, why not take a 30-minute drive outside the city past the large oil refinery to the surreal holiday resort that is Awaza?
Awaza is a strip of hotels and entertainment facilities that stretch along a muddy beach. Built primarily to service the internal tourism sector, the resort lays almost empty most of the year, giving it an apocalyptic deserted ghost town kind of feel.
For those with a greater sense of adventure, why not jump aboard one of the ferries that ply the Caspian? Travel from Turkmenistan’s port city of Turkmenbashi to the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.
Azerbaijan
With one foot in Asia and one in Europe, Azerbaijan has the Caspian’s only capital on its shores.
At 28-metres below sea level, Baku is the lowest lying national capital in the world, so a visit to this exciting city next to the world’s largest lake already ticks a few boxes.
Baku’s history stretches back as far as the stone age, but it owes its newfound wealth to the oil of the Caspian. A visitor to Baku wouldn’t be disappointed as it’s a place where ancient evolves into the gleamingly modern. Wander 11th Century city walls and towers, wash in 12th Century hamams, explore 14th Century fortresses and check out 17th Century Zoroastrian fire temples.
Iran
If you thought that the fringes of the Caspian sea were all deserts, flashy cities and polluted oil fields, then think again and maybe visit Iran.
There are no deserts here as the 740km of Iranian coastline boasts mountains, lush green forests, and a surprisingly tropical feel. The three Iranian provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan border this watery giant, but Rasht would be a top pick for us.
Rasht offers a plethora of choices from Caspian views and sandy beaches to its white colonial architectural style, colourful mosques, tree-filled parks and fascinating museums. If that were not enough, head out of the city to take a drive along some of the leafy mountain roads to catch better views out over the water.
Kazakhstan
One of the more famed cities on the Caspian, Aktau has a lot more going on than one would think. A remote desert city built in stereotypical desert surroundings one might associate with the Caspian region.
Aktau was founded in 1958 in an area that was so remote only the military lived there and exiles from Imperial Russia. 1958 saw the discovery of uranium, and Aktau suddenly went through a metamorphosis from town to city in a short space of time, powered by its own nuclear power station. It is also the power station that runs the desalination plant keeping the population hydrated with drinkable water from the Caspian Sea.
Still a draw for many visiting the Caspian Sea, visitors are greeted by a mix of old Soviet-built residences and some pretty swanky international hotel resorts. All of this is set in a city that cant be supported by its new power station; the regular power cuts do not detract from the rocky beauty of the Caspian Sea environment.
For those seeking a surreal twist to their holiday, Aktau would be it; a Soviet planned city with the usual smattering of victory statues and monuments punctuated by extravagant shopping centres, malls and hotels all set against a Caspian dotted with beaches and rocky outcrops.
Russia
With warm sandy summer beaches, the Russian section of the Caspian Sea is lined with fancy hotel resorts, deck chairs, and bright parasols; you could be on any beach in the world. Our suggestion would be a jaunt across the Caspian waters to Chechen Island. We don’t recommend Chechen Island because there is anything particularly remarkable unless you’re into ornithology, but because of its location.
Chechen Island is located on the Western shore of the Caspian at the northern tip of the Agrakhan Peninsula. This island belongs to the Republic of Dagestan, a federal subject of the Russian Federation. Another reason for visiting the shores of the Caspian sea in Russia is that it is the best location to catch a sighting of the feared Caspian Sea Monster.