Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan

Western shore of the sea belongs to Europe; eastern shore belongs to Asia. The Caspian Sea isn’t even a sea, in fact, it’s a lake. The largest body of water with no outflows in the world serves as western boarder of Turkmenistan that stretches for 1200 km. 

The largest lagoon is Kara-Bogaz-Gol. The lagoon looks more like a lake that’s separated from the sea with a ridge, but the ridge has a narrow opening from where Caspian waters flow. This lagoon is located in north-western part of the country. The name is translated as “black strait lake”.  Natural factors created another name for Kara-Bogaz-Gol. Every year 13-15 millions of tons of salt get into the lagoon. Due to high volatility, the lagoon constantly changes its area. The shores are full of mirabilite crystals that are formed after water evaporation. Mirabilite is widely used in chemical industry and pharmacy, that’s why the lagoon is called “the sea of white gold”. 

The largest port city in Turkmenistan is Turkmenbashi. It was named after the first president Turkmenbashi Saparmurat Niyazov. The city isn’t centered around tourism; economical foundation of Turkmenbashi is oil-refining industry. There aren’t many sightseeing destinations, but you can enjoy picturesque landscapes of the Caspian Sea and try a variety of mouthwatering dishes from fish. Turkmenbashi has the only resort in the country – Avaza. It’s the most popular vacation destination in the country, not because there’s no other option, and, definitely, not because the majority of public servants aren’t allowed to leave the country. All jokes aside, Avaza is beautiful and you’ll find everything you need to the most out of your trip. Be aware that it’s mesmerizing, but deserted at the same time. The government invests enormous amounts of money in Avaza; the plan was to make this resort competitive to the ones in Dubai, the Maldives, and Antalya. Come and see with your own eyes if the plan succeeded.