Sakhalin amazes immediately and forever. Finding yourself on the largest island of Russia, you involuntarily feel like a discoverer of unknown distant lands. What is not here - green mountain capes, picturesque bays, lakes, waterfalls, architectural monuments of bygone times.
Lighthouse on Cape Aniva
The abandoned lighthouse is located on a hard-to-reach rocky cape at the extreme southeastern end of the island. The lighthouse was built in 1939 by the Japanese and operated until 2006. The brutal reinforced concrete structure is in perfect harmony with the harsh charm of the surrounding landscape and is now a favorite place for photo shoots. The lighthouse can only be reached by water.
Cape Slepikovsky
The cape on the southwestern coast of the island is recognized as a natural monument. The only relict grove of Korean cedar on Sakhalin grows here, and rare species of animals live here, such as the mandarin duck and the tree frog. By the way, there is also a lighthouse here - a 27-meter-high tower was built by the Japanese in 1934.
Capes Velikan and Ptichiy
The coast of Tonino-Aniva Bay in the southeast of Sakhalin is famous for its amazing natural features formed by the wind and sea waves. From one cape to another along the coast stretch cliffs in the form of bizarre arches, grottoes, caves, cone-shaped rocks-kekurs. Seabirds nest here, and during the salmon spawning season, you can observe a large accumulation of pink salmon.
Frog Rock
A remnant of huge stones, resembling a frog in outline, is located in the spurs of the Susunaisky Range just 17 km from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. From the village of Vestochka to the natural monument there is a well-maintained path with wooden decks, bridges, signs for tourists. From the top of the cliff, a beautiful panoramic view of Aniva Bay opens up.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Mud Volcano
There are three mud volcanoes on Sakhalin, the most famous of which is located 25 km from the regional center. The geological monument is a mud field about 200 m in diameter, on which griffins are formed - a kind of mini-volcanoes. Griffins throw out mud fountains 20-40 cm high, and during volcanic activity the height of emissions can reach several tens of meters.
Lake Busse
In the strict sense, the reservoir is not a lake, but a lagoon separated from Aniva Bay in the Sea of Okhotsk by a narrow strip of land. The water in Busse is salty, and the ecosystem here is represented mainly by marine inhabitants: oysters, sea urchins, trepangs, scallops, mussels, marine fish species - smelt, herring, navaga. The opportunity to taste fresh seafood attracts gourmets here, local travel agencies organize gastronomic tours to Lake Busse.
Devil's Bridge
The bridge, located near the city of Kholmsk, was built by the Japanese in 1928. The train passed through two tunnels, climbed to the top of the hill and crossed the bridge at a height of 41 meters, from where a magnificent view of the surrounding area opens up. In 1994, traffic on the stretch was closed. Today, the Devil's Bridge is an interesting industrial tourism site, which is very popular among fans of atmospheric "abandoned" places.
Iraida Waterfall
One of the largest waterfalls on the island (height 61 m) is located near the city of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky. In winter, the waterfall freezes, turning into an icefall, and "the highest icicle in Sakhalin" becomes the main attraction for brave extreme ice climbers.