SAKHALIN

Sakhalin is the largest island in Russia, its eastern edge. This is the island of majestic capes, unique natural monuments, fantastic sunrises, and vast sea horizons. There is still the heritage of the Japanese period of Karafuto. The island is the home for kind and warm-hearted people hardened by severe winds.

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Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

2 hours

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the administrative center of Sakhalin Oblast, was called Toyohara during the period of Karafuto. The city still has buildings from the Japanese period that have preserved the spirit of history. For example, the buildings of the Regional Museum of Local History (formerly the Karafuto Governorate Museum) and the Regional Museum of Art (formerly the branch of Takushoku Bank in Toyohara).
Currently, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is an actively developing city with a large number of public gardens. Its architectural look reflects the histories of three periods - Japanese, Soviet and Russian.

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Rock Frog

3 hours

3km

150m

The legend has it that the place where the village of Vestochka and the Lyagushka (Frog in Russian) farewell rock are now located used to be a temple of wisdom of the ancient Ainu people. They came here to communicate with heavenly spirits and to be alone with nature. This place still attracts modern magicians and ufologists like a magnet. Mysterious and inexplicable phenomena are said to occur here. The huge eight-meter-high block resembles a frog sitting in thought and evokes involuntary reverence. It is more than 70 million years old. Today we offer you a walk along the arranged ecological trail, with an ascent to the Lygushka farewell rock.

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Cape Velikan and Cape Ptichiy

9 hours

5km

Cape Velikan (‘Giant’ in Russian) and Cape Ptichiy (‘Bird’s’ in Russian) are known not only for their unusual names. Nature has created a whole original ensemble out of two majestic capes. The efforts of strong winds and sea waves generated numerous stone sculptures, unique in appearance. Unusual traceried arches and pillars became the home of bird colonies. A huge stone block resembling a Russian warrior hero’s profile from afar crowns the composition. Fantastic photos of Sakhalin nature are guaranteed!

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Tikhaya Bay

9 hours

4km

Ivan Kruzenshtern, the famous Russian navigator, gave the name Tikhaya to the bay (Quiet Bay) for a definite reason. The bay is located in the east of Sakhalin, and from the west it is protected by Zhdanko Ridge. It is truly a paradise place sheltered from waves and winds. Only fussy seagulls, as masters of the bay, sometimes break the silence and peace of the bay.

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Kuznetsov Cape and Mys (Cape) Vindis

12 hours

Kuznetsov Cape is a natural monument. It owes its name to Captain Dmitry Kuznetsov who commanded the detachment of ships that in 1857 guarded the Russian borders in the Far East. The cape is located on the southwestern coast of Krilion Island. This is a plateau-like surface with steep banks.

Perhaps, this is one of the most beautiful capes in Sakhalin conquering everyone with its mighty image. And on the way to Kuznetsov Cape you will halt at the fancy Vindis Cape, the history of which is connected with the Ainu, the former aborigines of Sakhalin.

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Maguntan (Pugachevsky Mud Volcano)

7 hours

3km

Maguntan (Pugachevsky Mud Volcano) is a unique natural anomaly. Huge circles of volcanic activity cause confusion and many questions by their absolutely regular geometry.

Walking through the mud volcano will give you lots of unforgettable feelings. Sakhalin endemic plants grow in the area of the volcano.

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Cape Evstafiya and Blue Lakes

12 hours

Enjoy a wonderful trip through the south of Sakhalin to Cape Evstafiya. You will travel from the west to the east coast of the Tonino-Aniv Peninsula.

The first halt along the way is a place that in the past was associated with the landing of the first Japanese assault party on Sakhalin Island in 1905, and today it is the location of the world’s largest LNG plant. Behind Novikovo settlement, a few kilometers away, there are industry-related lakes that are stunningly blue in color. In Soviet times, these were coal open-cut. The high content of sulfites gives the water of the lakes a turquoise color.

And finally, Cape Evstafiya itself. Have you ever stood on the very edge, the tip of an island? Not yet? So, you should definitely take this trip!

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Aniva Lighthouse

8-10 hours

Feel like real sailors on a fascinating trip to Aniva lighthouse. The lighthouse at the faraway Aniva Cape is the most inapproachable on Sakhalin seaside.
1939 is the year when a gigantic 31-meter-high concrete tower appeared at Aniva Cape. Japanese architect and engineer Miura Shinobu had created a unique project of the construction that was built in extreme conditions.

The lighthouse is located on a 9-meter-high rock with the unusual name Sivuchya (‘Sea Lion’s’ in Russian). The lighthouse tower looks extremely inaccessible and perfectly fitting into the landscape, so you might think that this is a creation of nature itself. The sea here is mostly chopping, like the nature prevents everybody from reaching this place full of the mysteries of the past.

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Devil’s Bridge and Slepikovsky Lighthouse

14 hours

The city of Kholmsk today is a major port city on the west coast of Sakhalin Island. Within the Karafuto period (1905 - 1945), the city was called Maoka, the second largest port in the governorate. Near the city there are two special features of the area: Devil’s Bridge and Slepikovsky Lighthouse.

The Devil’s Bridge is called one of the wonders of Sakhalin Island, it amazes with its engineering solutions used in the construction of the facility. In the vicinity of the bridge the battles of the liberation campaign of the Second World War took place. The structure height is 40 meters.

Slepikovsky Lighthouse. The Japanese lighthouse, built in 1934, is an almost complete twin of the Japanese lighthouse at Cape Lamanon. It is located at the cape having the same name in honor of the commander of the Russian partisan detachment Bronislav Grotto-Slepikovsky, who operated on southern Sakhalin during the war of 1904-1905. The structure height is 27 meters.

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Zhdanko Ridge

14 hours

12km

650m

Zhdanko Ridge is truly amazing and breathtaking place. The ridge is kind of a platform, 13 km-long and 1.5-2 km-wide. The highest point is 682 meters to sea level. All peaks are sharp and clearly depicted, it looks very scenic, especially against the evening sky and declining sun.

Just imagine: you are walking along a narrow mountain peak not over 1 meter wide, with the incredible Sakhalin expanse of magnificent meadows and fields on one side and the mighty Sea of Okhotsk on the other. Guests describe their sensations as walking on the edge of the Earth.

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Peak of Chekhov

8 hours

25km

900m

A peak of Susunaysky Range located near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, is named after Anton Chekhov. In the past, when the south of Sakhalin was part of Japan, the peak was called Susuya. It was a sacred mountain, with a small temple built in honor of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun.

Today a lot of wonderful flowers and rare healing herbs grow at the foot of the mountain, it’s a home for many birds and insects’ spices, some of them are even included in the Red Book. Dwarf birch trees and Kuril bamboo, colorful ledum and luxuriant rhododendrons, blueberry bushes and scarlet mountain ash contrasted with majestic cedars present an unforgettable picture, especially in Autumn.

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Busse Lagoon

8 hours

2km

Busse is a lake-like lagoon. The lagoon got its name thanks to Major Nikolay Busse, a member of Amur Expedition of 1849-1855. Today this place is a real gastronomic paradise. Once visiting this place, you will be able to pick the unique Sakhalin oyster with your own hands that will amaze with its taste. The lake is rich in other marine delicacies such as whelk, sea urchin, scallop, surf clam.

We’ll teach you how to open an oyster properly and you will be able to taste it in a variety of cooking options.

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Fishing at sea

8-10 hours

Sakhalin Island looks like a fish not in vain. Our island has been famous for its sea treasures for ages. We invite you to go sea fishing to discover its treasures in a major way.

The coastal waters are very abundant in perch, cod, pollock, flounder, and greenling. When it says “abundant”, it means really abundant. After a while, you’ll get tired of pulling fish out of the water. And as the reward for your hard work you’ll get a cooked catch.
You’ll remember the flavor of freshly-caught fish for a long time.

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Sakhalin cuisine

Sakhalin Island, a hidden gem in the Russian Far East, offers stunning landscapes and a unique culinary experience. Its cuisine blends fresh seafood, wild herbs, and traditional flavors, capturing the region’s essence. At its heart is fresh seafood from the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy wild-caught salmon, a local star, served smoked, grilled, or in soups, alongside king crab. Deeply tied to nature, Sakhalin’s chefs craft refreshing salads with wild plants like crisp greens, fern shoots, and tangy sorrel, paired with fresh seafood. Every bite reflects the island’s rich resources and traditions. From fish soup to wild salads, you’ll taste the harmony of sea and land. Join us to explore Sakhalin’s flavors—a celebration of its soul.