Turkmenbashi & Avaza
The gateway to the Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan. The Avaza seaside resort and the old harbor town stand side by side, and it is the starting point for trips to the Yangykala red canyons and Gozli Ata.
Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) lies in Balkan Province in western Turkmenistan, on the east shore of the Caspian Sea. It is the country's largest port and oil-refining hub, and the starting point of the 19th-century Trans-Caspian Railway. The city is backed by reddish limestone plateaus. Its old district retains low-rise buildings and a railway church from the Tsarist era, while the new harbor, opened in 2018, is an international seaport. About 10 km southwest, on a sandy spit, lies the Avaza tourist zone, which the state is developing as a showcase destination. White hotels line the beach, and it is the preferred summer holiday spot for Turkmen people.
Visits fall into three parts: Avaza seaside resorts, where you stay in hotels and enjoy the beach and an artificial river; a half-day tour of the old town, including the local history museum, the Archangel Michael Cathedral, and the harbor; and off-road trips from here to the Yangykala Canyon, about 160 km northeast, and the sacred site of Gozli Ata. These trips usually take two days and one night, camping on the cliff tops, and are among the most celebrated natural landscapes in Turkmenistan. In winter, the Khazar Reserve in the bay offers views of large flocks of flamingos.
The best seasons are April–June and September–October. July and August often exceed 35°C, so they suit only seaside swimming. Winters are windy and cold.
Getting there: Daily domestic flights from Ashgabat take about 1 hour, and overnight trains also run. Ferries to Baku run irregularly. Turkmenistan's visa requirements are strict. Foreign visitors generally must obtain an invitation and itinerary through a licensed travel agency, and travel to desert areas such as Yangykala requires the agency's off-road vehicles and a guide. The local currency is the manat, mostly used in cash, and foreign currency must be exchanged through official channels. Be cautious when photographing government buildings, the port, and police or military personnel. Plan 2–3 days.
Top sights
- Awaza National Tourist Zone – A Caspian seaside resort built by the Turkmen government, with white high-rise hotels lined up along the beach. It is the country's largest…
- Yangykala Canyon – One of Turkmenistan's most spectacular natural landscapes. Canyons with red, pink and white striped walls stretch for tens of kilometres, a…
- Awaza Artificial River – A man-made canal running through the Awaza resort area, with pathways, bridges and parks along both banks. Boats or walks in the evening ar…
- Gozli Ata – A Sufi saint's tomb and ancient cemetery in a desert basin, still a place of pilgrimage for locals, with simple pilgrim guesthouses where y…
- Turkmenbashi Bay & Hazar Nature Reserve – A shallow Caspian Sea bay within Hazar Nature Reserve, where flocks of flamingos, swans and other wintering waterbirds gather in winter.
- Turkmenbashi Museum of Regional History – A regional history museum in the old town, showing the lives of nomadic peoples along the Caspian, geological fossils and the history of Kr…
- Church of Archangel Michael – A Tsarist-era railway church built around 1895 for Trans-Caspian Railway workers, the most distinctive historic building in the old town.
- Turkmenbashi International Seaport – A new Caspian port opened in 2018, whose passenger terminal resembles a ship. Ferries run to and from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Where to eat
- Soltan Kenar Seaside Restaurant – A Turkish and European restaurant by the sea at the Avaza resort, with a terrace facing the Caspian Sea, specializing i…
- Arabica Café – A café-restaurant on Magtymguly Avenue in central Turkmenbashi that also sells small goods, with a 4.7 rating on Yandex…