There are about 300 lakes on the territory of the Crimean peninsula. Each of them is unique in its own way and has its own history. We will tell you where the lakes in Crimea are, why they are popular and useful, and there will also be many photos of the lakes in Crimea.

Geographically they are divided into several groups:

• Evpatoria;
• Perekopskaya;
• Tarkhankutskaya;
• Lakes on yailas;
• Kerch;
• Chersonesos;
• Genicheskaya or Chongaro-Arabatskaya (despite the territorial affiliation with Crimea, they are not part of it).

Most of the Crimean lakes are shallow, salty reservoirs located along the sea coast. Small lakes with fresh water are located on the high plateaus in the Crimean Mountains and on the Tarkhankut Peninsula.

Lakes of Crimea on the map

Koyash pink lake in Crimea

One of the most visited places is Lake Koyash in Crimea, located in the Cimmerian steppe (Kerch Peninsula). The lake is separated from the Black Sea by a narrow strip of land (the Koyash bay-bar).

It owes its popularity to its unusual color. In the spring months, its water is pink, and closer to summer it becomes scarlet, so it is often called the red lake in Crimea. This is due to a special algae that colors the salt crystals and gives them a violet smell.

The shores of the pink-red lake are crystallized salt, and the bottom is an extinct mud volcano. Its depth does not exceed a meter, and its area is about 5 km2. In summer, with the arrival of intense heat, the amount of water in the lake decreases significantly, and the salt concentration reaches 35%. This is the saltiest lake in Crimea.

Koyash Lake in Crimea on the map:

Pink Lake in Crimea: how to get there?

The easiest way to the lake is by passenger bus towards the villages of Yakovenko and Maryevka. Then, having reached the end of the route, you need to walk several kilometers to the foot of Mount Opuk, where you will see the lake. If you are coming by car, take the Kerch-Feodosia highway. Teach that for 100 kilometers you will drive on a normal road, and then on old “broken” roads. When you pass the village of Borisovka, turn right, and after 10 km you will be at the lake. Admission is paid - 200 for adults, 100 rubles for children.

The healing lakes in Crimea are the deep-water Donuzlav, the iodine lake Sivash and the mud lake Moynakskoe.

Moinak Lake

There are several lakes on the territory of Evpatoria, but the most popular among them is Moinak (Mainak) lake. It is located on the western outskirts of the city and is easy to get to.

The water is rich in minerals, and the bottom is covered with healing silt. The healing silt mud of the lake-estuary resembles bluish clay. It covers the entire bottom with a thick layer. In some places its thickness reaches 80 cm.

The area of ​​Moinaki is no more than 2 km2. The average depth is approximately 45 cm, in the deepest places about a meter. Therefore, the water warms up quickly. In the summer months its temperature is above 30°. Because of this, strong evaporation occurs. But even in the hottest summer the lake does not dry out. It is replenished by precipitation, seepage of sea water and springs. If you are looking for a mud lake in Crimea, you won't find anything better.

Lake Castel

7 km from the city of Alushta, at the foot of Mount Paragilmen, at an altitude of more than 500 m above sea level, there is a freshwater lake called Kastel. Translated from ancient Greek, its name means “fortress.” In the Middle Ages, there was a watch fortress nearby, which has not survived to this day.

It is filled with underground springs, so its water is always cool and crystal clear. Many different medicinal herbs and rare, exotic plants grow around.

There are a lot of fish in the lake. It has become a favorite place for many fishermen. Carp, crucian carp and gobies are especially good at catching.

On the banks of the reservoir there are specially equipped places for tourists and fishing enthusiasts to relax. Kastel is one of the most popular mountain lakes in Crimea and is famous for hosting various competitions and tourist camps.

Lake Donuzlav in Crimea

The deepest lake on the Crimean peninsula is Lake Donuzlav. The depth in some places reaches 27 m. Its shores are high and very winding, forming many small bays.

The bottom is covered with a layer of silt 10 m thick. In terms of its chemical composition, it resembles the healing mud of Moinaki and is used in folk medicine and cosmetology. If you type “Crimea, lake, mud” into a search engine, know that you are looking for this particular lake.

The water at the mouth of the reservoir is as salty as in the sea. But moving upward, the lake becomes shallower, and the concentration of salt in it decreases due to the large number of underwater springs. Thanks to this feature, there are a lot of sea fish in the lower reaches (mackerel, red mullet, goby, flounder, mullet), and in the upper part of the lake there are freshwater fish (pike perch, carp, silver carp, bream and others). Some fish species are listed in the Red Book.

During the Soviet Union, the lake was a secret site. Until the beginning of the 90s. the base of the Black Sea Fleet was located here.

Lake Sasyk (Crimea)

Between the resort towns of Evpatoria and Saki there is the largest lake on the Crimean Peninsula - Sasyk (Sasyk-Sivash). The area of ​​the reservoir is 71 km.

Lake Sivash (Crimea) is rich in brine reserves, which includes a whole complex of various salts. In the summer, this Saki lake in Crimea dries up, releasing beneficial iodine vapors into the air. Breathing such air is beneficial for human health.

Part of the reservoir (in the north) is freshwater. Salt and fresh water are separated by a dam. Every year the amount of salt water increases, while the width of the dividing dam decreases. If it breaks, fresh water will mix with salt water and all the useful resources of the lake will disappear.

Yusupovskoye Lake

Not far from the village of Sokolinoe there is a small reservoir of artificial origin - Yusupovskoye (Trout) Lake. It was named in honor of Prince Yusupov, by whose order it was built. The reservoir was intended for trout breeding. At the beginning of the 20th century, this valuable fish was delivered to the royal and princely tables. Today there are no fish in the lake. The reservoir has turned from a fishing spot into a tourist attraction.

The reservoir is replenished from a nearby cave, so its water is clear and cold even in summer (no more than +8°). Yusupov Lake forms a small waterfall - Silver Strings, which is popular among tourists. It is better to visit these attractions in May-June, since in the hot summer the lake often dries up.

Turquoise Lake (Crimea) in Skalistoe

18 km from the capital of Crimea there is another interesting lake. It does not have its own name, but local residents call it nothing more than Marmara or Martian Lake. Thanks to him, Crimea is becoming more and more popular among tourists. The water in the lake is an unusual turquoise color, but clean and transparent. Due to the large number of underground springs, the reservoir almost does not freeze in winter.

There used to be a limestone quarry here. In 1992, an underground spring opened, the quarry was flooded, and a lake formed in its place. Residents of Skalisty say that many attempts were made to save production, but the water was rising at high speed. Half of the working equipment remained submerged at the bottom of the reservoir.

The depth of the reservoir is 10-12 m, but some sources believe that it is much deeper.

The Crimean lakes Chokrak and Tobechikskoe are not only beautiful, but also healthy mud, which is a panacea for many diseases. After relaxing on these lakes, people return not only filled with positive emotions, but also healthier.

Lake Chokrak in Crimea

Chokrakskoye Lake in Crimea is popular not only in Russia, but throughout the world. For example, in Europe it is very famous for its healing mud. Not far from the village of Kurortnoye, just four kilometers away, is Lake Chokrak, which is also known from historical records and legends. So, according to legends, Alexander the Great himself took water procedures in this natural spring to improve his health. The Crimean khans used mud rich in various microelements for men's health before they went to the harem.

The area of ​​the lake is 8.5 square kilometers, and the maximum depth is 1.3 meters. Vacationers during the holiday season turn into pilgrims who come to the lake every year. The reserves of healing mud are so large that they will be enough to treat people for many, many years. The volume of mud is 4.5 million cubic meters.
The lake is fed by hydrogen sulfide springs rich in iodine, manganese, iron, bromine, strontium, titanium, boron, copper, barium, aluminum, and lithium.

The mud of the lake has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal properties, strengthens the nervous and endocrine systems, improves metabolism and the condition of tissues (especially connective tissue). Mud is used as a means of combating excess weight, as a panacea for diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, etc. The product is also of great importance in cosmetology: gels, masks, lotions, creams with mud improve the condition of the skin.
Chokrak Lake is picturesque, as it is surrounded by rocks on which oregano, immortelle, hawthorn, fireweed and many other useful plants grow.

Tobechik Lake

Lake Tobechik is located just twelve kilometers from Kerch. Once upon a time it was a bay of the Kerch Strait, but over time it was separated by a sand spit. Today Tobechikk is considered the largest salt lake in Crimea. The surface area of ​​the lake is 18 square kilometers: 9 kilometers long, 2 kilometers wide, and the greatest depth is 1.2 meters.

One of the lake's beaches is simply gorgeous and is the best in the area. Its width reaches 100 meters and its length is about a kilometer. And all this is shell sand.

Mud volcanoes located at the bottom of the lake saturate the bottom and water with useful substances contained in salt and mud. The beneficial properties of local mud have been known for a long time. There is information that mud clinics functioned here back in ancient times (this is confirmed by archaeological finds along the shore of the lake - the remains of buildings, inscriptions). In the 19th century, the mud of the lake was exported to Italy, where it was used as a cure for many diseases: gynecological, joint, skin, spinal cord, and preventive measures after severe injuries. Unfortunately, the last such mud clinic was closed at the beginning of the 20th century, for unknown reasons. And at the moment, the wealth of nature that gives health and beauty is enjoyed only by those tourists who know about the beneficial properties of Tobechik mud, which in its composition and effect is close to the healing mud of Lake Chokrak.

According to experts in the field of tourism, Lake Tobechiksoke is promising in a recreational sense not only for the territory of Crimea, but throughout Europe.

The Crimean lakes Tobechik and Chokrak are a storehouse of health and huge potential for the development of a balneological resort.

Where can you go fishing?

Undoubtedly, such a cozy resort place as Crimea, with its huge amount of water resources, is an ideal place for fishing. You can do a lot of fishing here, and it’s very productive! There are paid parking lots for fishermen, equipped with the “joys” of civilizations, as well as many places for “wild” and free fishing for your own pleasure. We wrote in detail about where you can go fishing in Crimea on lakes and the sea.

Published: 10.09.2017 Category: Author's essay / Republic of Crimea

In fact, in prehistoric times Taurida and the North-Western Caucasus formed a single whole. In view of this, geologists, biologists and paleontologists are not surprised by the almost complete identity of the two landscapes. Historically, the South Coast is the tip of the Caucasus Mountains, and the northern two-thirds of the peninsula is a continuation of the Azov-Kuban lowland, where salt lakes predominate. Crimea did not exist as an isolated territory. The salt lakes scattered over tens of kilometers in Crimea are, as it were, a continuation of the “placers” of the Taman Peninsula and the north-west of the Anapa Okrug.

The salinity of this “Caucasian-Crimean” region is explained by a number of natural processes that started during the formation of karst basins - failures caused by the washing out of soft rocks and the subsequent formation of mud volcanoes. Over time, these huge pits have already become a place for groundwater to flow out. Wind and too much solar activity stimulated excessive evaporation. There was less liquid here and, accordingly, more mineral content. Such lakes are called mineral lakes. There is another subspecies of these reservoirs - estuary. It is in the Azov region and the Crimean Black Sea region that there are most of them. The fact is that storms and strong winds over the years separated the sea bays from the main water area with sand and shell shoals. Over time, the bays turned into closed bays - estuaries. Salt lakes in Crimea, for the most part, have exactly this genesis. And then the same story happened to them as with the karst water bowls. They also became mineral - salty (only the evaporated salt was not underground, but sea).

List of salt lakes of Crimea

There are 300 lakes in total on the Tauride Peninsula. The salt lakes of Crimea (both karst and estuary) have different levels of mineralization. The largest and most “salty” ones will become the subject of our review. The following list of salt lakes in Crimea includes 10 water bowls that have proven medicinal or tourist value.

Lake Sasyk-Sivash

This “health center” is undoubtedly the most famous among Russians and Ukrainians. After all, it is the shallowest (the greatest depth is 1.2 meters). This circumstance attracts thousands of families with small children. The area of ​​the object is 75.5 square kilometers (which makes it the largest Crimean lake). On the shore of the water recreation there is a salt extraction plant. The location of the water body is the space of the Saki district, adjacent to the urban district of Evpatoria. From Tatar the name of the salt marsh is translated as “stinking mud”. An interesting feature is the opportunity to go fishing here. After all, the reservoir is not so critically saline.

Saki Lake

Sasyk's neighbor lake is called Saki. It speaks volumes about the location of the reservoir (within the city of Saki and its suburbs, which is why there are the most sanatoriums here). The very word “Saki” is a memory of the ancient Indo-Iranian tribes, whose descendants were found here by the Horde (future Crimean Tatars). There are plenty of recreational facilities for children and adults, as well as beaches simply equipped with everything you need. Therefore, half of the lovers of Evpatoria go here - to the sanatoriums “Saki”, “Imeni Burdenko”, “Imeni Pirogov” and others. The water bowl has no drains and is the same in depth as Sasyk-Sivash (with which it is connected by a canal). Saki is crossed by several dams along which pedestrian and automobile routes are laid. The salinity level is average. Has an evaporator section (Bucket).

Moinak Lake

– the 2nd small “satellite” of Sasyk, the place where the first mud baths appeared in Russia (there is even a mud bath museum in the Moinaki area). After all, the reservoir is located right in the center of Evpatoria. Accordingly, there are no fewer sanatorium complexes here than on the shore of the Saki reservoir. Most of them were built on Kirov, Kievskaya, Pavlik Morozov streets. They combine balneology with sports activities and massages.

Salt Lake

This lake is worthy of your attention, as it differs from other estuary reservoirs in that the water in it constantly evaporates, increasing the percentage of salinity every year. Perhaps very soon Salt Lake will become the very first health-improving recreation center in Crimea. It lies not far from Evpatoria - between the sea and the village of Molochnoye (the western suburb of the large village of Zaozernoye). A railway line has been laid along the eastern shore. The fact is that in the old days salt was mined here. The size of the water bowl is small - at its largest diameter it is only 2 kilometers. It’s easy to find by smell... Visiting the reservoir is free. By the way, it’s faster to get here through Evpatoria, and then through Zaozernoye. Suburban buses run constantly to it .

Donuzlav

Another “soluble mineral” of Western Crimea is the border of the Saki region and the protected Tarkhankut peninsula. – the deepest “half-open” bay of the peninsula. Herodotus in his writings called the lake the Hypokiris River. After all, it is shaped like a river. It is worth noting that only one fragment of Donuzlav, covered by a dam, is a salty bowl. The predominant area of ​​the bay is fresh water area. After all, it is a branch of a large river of the same name, the sources of which lie near the village of Zimino. The estuary is popular among visitors due to its navigable depth (27 meters), which provides opportunities for boat fishing.

Aigul Lake

It is already located in the north of Crimea - on the border of Krasnoperekopsky and Dzhankoy districts. Its area is 38 square kilometers. The depth in some places reaches 5 meters. The level of mineralization is low. The steppe lake has no medicinal value, but already belongs to the class of salt lakes. "Aigul" in Turkic means "single flower". The fact is that the decoration of a reservoir is called coastal vegetation (in this area it looks like a green oasis).

Eastern Sivash

The northernmost of the mineralized water bowls is the estuary of a complex-shaped reservoir (Sivasha, whose name translates as “mud”). Sivash turned the Crimean peninsula almost into an island, cutting it off from the “mainland” everywhere, leaving only the Perekop isthmus. Its eastern waters administratively belong to the Dzhankoy district and lie between the villages of Medvedevka and Chaikino. The Eastern Sivash Estuary is the “main salt shaker” of northern Taurida, since its mineralization is 20% (for the steppe part of the peninsula this is a record, although compared to Lake Aktash, Eastern Sivash is “lightly salted”). But, like all salt marshes, near the shore it has a pinkish tint. Another advantage of the estuary is its length (at its largest diameter it is identical to 23 kilometers, which puts it on a par with the extremely elongated Donuzlav).

Lake Red (Kyzyl-Yar)

The color of this small closed reservoir was determined by the Crimean Tatars, which is why its historical name is (“saturated with red”). The object is localized between Krasnoperekopsk and the artificial estuaries of the main water area of ​​Sivash (Krasnoperekopsk urban district). The local landscape is more reminiscent of the surface of Venus - with its crater hills emitting smoke. Kyzyl-Yar becomes red only at the moment of almost complete drying out. In other seasons it has a pleasant golden hue. This is a highly salty body of water, on the shore of which there is a private mini mud bath and bridges.

Chokrak Lake

This water body is better known for its proximity to the Karalarsky natural park, being its eastern end, as well as the advertised village of Kurortnoye (Leninsky district). The reserve consists of relict fescue-feather grass steppes, found nowhere else in the world, as well as bizarrely shaped coastal rocks. it is desalinated by many springs (from the Crimean Tatar “chokrak” is translated as “source”). Therefore, brine crust can be found only in one of its areas.

Koyashskoe (Pink)

In Crimea, the Pink Salt Lake is part of the Opuksky Nature Reserve, which lies between Lake Uzunlar and the village of Yakovenkovo ​​(Leninsky district).

In Crimea, in addition to the Black and Azov Seas, you can also see the pink “sea”. It is not as salty as in the West and North of the peninsula, but also not as “lightly salted” as most of the reservoirs of the Kerch Peninsula. Therefore, the color of the water here is “diluted” – pink, not red. Moreover, the level of “pinkishness” also changes depending on the season. The bowl is the crater of an extinct mud volcano.

Uzunlar Lake

Uzunlarskoe is a rather elongated reservoir from north to south (10 kilometers). Its name is translated from Crimean Tatar - “the narrowest”, because in some places its width is no more than a kilometer. Like Tobechik, it is separated from the sea only by an isthmus along which the road goes. Therefore, access here is very comfortable for those traveling from Kerch strictly to the south. In summer, the reservoir often dries up. In place of the water, brine appears. The bottom is covered with a rather thick layer of healing mud, for which the whole area comes.

Tobechik Lake

- an estuary reservoir on the shore of the Kerch Strait, located between the settlements of Chelyadinovo and Zavetnoye. This is an endorheic bowl of water that is as much as 9 kilometers long. Its average width is 2 kilometers, and its average depth is a meter. Being small and salty, it is recognized as a convenient health-improving recreation for both adults and children.

Aktashskoe

Aktash (“white stone”) is a corner of the spacious Cape Kazantip, famous for its abandoned nuclear power plant, beach discos and the biosphere reserve of the same name. This is the saltiest lake in Crimea (it is equal in mineral saturation to and, second only to them in size, because the salt level here is 40%). The nearest settlement to it is the center of the rural settlement of Shchelkino. In terms of infrastructure, this recreation is almost undeveloped. A road leads to it from Shchelkino.

Salt lakes of Crimea. Treatment potential

Mud and brine are the main riches that the salt lakes of Crimea possess. After all, these substances are recognized by Russian doctors as a means of prevention and healing.

The sulfide silt deposits of the listed salt marshes contain many marine microorganisms, which distinguishes them from the salt lakes of the arid temperate zone. The mud of the above mineralized pools contains much more iodine, sodium and processed marine organics associated with beta-carotene. In terms of their functionality, the substances in question are powerful hormones and biostimulants that restore a person’s immunity, as well as sexual activity. But the mud from Lake Chokrak serves cosmetic purposes, although its medical value has not yet been proven by scientific research. Chokrak sulfide colloids slowly remove wrinkles.

Salt lakes in Crimea, first of all, contain brine, which is valuable for our health. Its large layer contains Aktash, Sasyk-Sivash, Eastern Sivash, Saki, Moinak and Red lakes. Some benefits can be obtained from the salt of the Koyash salt marsh. All of them contain a mineral group associated with beta-carotene, iodine and other “sea pantry” (a large number of trace elements of the sodium group). Because estuaries were once part of the sea. Their “pharmacy” differs from the reserves of semi-desert salt marshes precisely in the marine component (the largest amount of iodine, sodium and hematochrome). Thanks to the last element, the Crimean salt marshes are red (or pink) not only near the coast, but even in the middle. A set of just such “medicines” is designed to increase the immunity of the genital and especially respiratory spheres.

Finally, Lake Aigul and Donuzlav have wide preventive capabilities - from combating possible bronchitis (asthma) to preventing diseases of the genitourinary organs. Local salt and mud heat up.

By exploring the salt lakes in Crimea, tourists can become patients in specialized sanatoriums or even self-medicate by taking brine baths, salt solutions orally, and mud vaginally and anally. However, most balneology specialists do not recommend self-medication. Dirt and salt accelerate blood circulation (increasing blood pressure) and irritate delicate areas of the skin. In view of this, we must not allow an overdose (overstaying) in the substances that the healing lakes give us. You can hurt yourself. Even a healthy person should not keep the applications on the skin for more than 15 minutes and bathe in brine for more than 20-30 minutes (depending on the level of blood pressure). And hydrogen sulfide gas can cause vomiting in pregnant women.

In addition, we should not forget about the cluster of people for whom treatment with sea silt deposits and brine saturated with iodine and sodium is generally contraindicated. These are pregnant women, people with hypersensitive or severely damaged skin, heart problems (heating, increased heart rate and breathing rate). People with impaired metabolism will suffer (iodine strongly shifts it to one side, you need to know whether such a shift in balance is beneficial for you). But the worst thing is that the acceleration of blood circulation and the speed of metabolic processes stimulate the further growth of any malignant tumors.

Infrastructure of the Crimean salt lakes

As you have seen, the western Black Sea resort of Russia has a different level of infrastructure in different areas. Each group of salt marshes has its own “face”.

For example, those salt lakes of Crimea that are located closer to Yevpatoria are surrounded by a large number of large dispensaries, mud baths and balneological (equipped for health procedures) sections of the coast. And one more circumstance. Sasyk-Sivash, Saki, Moinak, and Red lakes, as well as the largest Crimean estuary Donuzlav are located in the zone of the most intensive development and agricultural development. Accordingly, this adds strategic importance to them. There are more roads, gas stations, hotels, private sector, shops. The exception is Lake Koyashskoe. It takes half an hour to get there by car, crossing a “wild” field. There is no infrastructure on its banks, which does not detract from its popularity.

In second place are the reservoirs of the northern (Perekop-Prisivash) group - Eastern Sivash and Aigulskoye. There are no large health resorts here, but there are private mini-hospitals and equipped entrances to the bowls. The reason for the “wildness” of these places is the bare steppe, the small number of settlements, and the predominantly historical, rather than strategic, significance of the territory.

Those salt lakes in Crimea that are located in its extreme east (in the Leninsky district) are no longer intended for health tourism, but for ordinary recreational tourism, being fragments of protected natural areas. People come here not to smear themselves with dirt and salt. Chokrakskoye and Aktashskoye lakes are more interesting to tourists as water pearls of nature. In addition, these are salt marshes with less mineralization (the Sea of ​​Azov is not as salty as the Black Sea). But there is clean sand and “general” beaches. The only exception is Lake Koyashskoe. It contains more salt, and this is noticeable.

Prospects for the development of medical tourism in Crimea

Today there are already 470 health-improving institutions in Crimea. Many of them were “born” in the USSR, recovered from the economic decline and are “in service” again. At least 270 of these institutions are dedicated to balneology or offer courses in it.

On many salt marshes, previously absolutely “wild”, there are now bridges and benches.

Nowadays, Crimean salt lakes are developing their infrastructure as health resorts. An enterprise for the extraction of important cosmetic and medical value - pink salt on Lake Sasyk-Sivash is being revived. It contains not only the minerals listed above, but also hematochrome extract, secreted by local algae and specific crustaceans. Hematochrome strengthens blood vessels and makes the skin more elastic, also returning its healthy tone. And the rest of the crystallized substance quickly treats sore throats and bronchitis.

Balneological clinics are being built on the territory of the Perekop group of lakes. By a recent decree of the Government of the Republic of Crimea, it was decided to help entrepreneurs creating a new balneological resort here, as well as a landscaped natural protected area. The number of roads (including railways) will contribute well to this process. A sufficient number of medical specialists are flocking to the north of Crimea.

In the village of Kurortnoye, tourists can really explore the largest deposits of blue clay. This substance thousands of years ago was volcanic ash, highly enriched with humus, hematochrome (from algae) and sea salt. This “value” helps restore the activity of our nerve fibers, sometimes being an important part of rehabilitation after cerebral palsy, neuralgitis, spinal cord injuries and lumbago. It also helps the skin a lot.

The salt lakes of Crimea have recently attracted an increasing number of tourists. After all, the peninsula now belongs to Russia, a busy crossing has been organized here, and even the largest bridge crossing in the country (Kerch) is being built. In addition, in this Mediterranean climate location, the pinkest salt lake was “born”. In Crimea, it is one of the main “business cards” and a place for frequent photo sessions.

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Koyash salt lake - Opuk nature reserve

Among the various attractions of Crimea, natural places are in great demand. Among such objects is the pink lake, which has another name - Koyashskoe. This place is considered beautiful at the time of sunset or dawn, when couples in love try to visit this place and make a wish. There is one that says: once having been here, couples in love will live together forever, without knowing any problems or hassles.

The lake is not too deep. Its maximum depth is one meter. Its length is 4 kilometers and its width is 2 kilometers. The small pink lake attracts many tourists who rejoice at the sight of such a unique area.

Where is the pink (Koyashskoe) lake located?

The location of the lake is convenient for visiting. It is located in the eastern part of the peninsula between Feodosia and Kerch, in the Opuksky Nature Reserve. This is where another name comes from – Opukskoye. In terms of its beauty, this is the most unique place in Crimea.

Reasons for the formation of the lake

There are several reasons for the formation of this natural reservoir. One of them may be a mud volcano, which consisted of algae. Denaliella Salina algae causes the water to turn pink. The lake has a pleasant aroma due to the violet scent emitted by the algae. If you look at the reservoir from afar, you might think that it is part of the sea. In fact, this was the case before. However, in recent years, due to the surf, a separate lake has formed, which acquires a pink color.

Properties of Koyashskoye Lake in Crimea

Pink Lake is considered a source of brine and mud, which has healing properties. At the bottom of the reservoir there is mud, which is taken for treatment in sanatoriums. It contains highly sulfide deposits, which have a positive effect on the body during the treatment of various diseases. Medical professionals claim that lake mud is useful for joint diseases, skin diseases or during heart treatment. Large reserves of lake mud make it possible to treat thousands of vacationers every year.

When is the best time to visit Koyash Lake

Koyashkoe Lake changes its color all year round. Because of this, tourists who want to see it may not adjust to the time of year or certain days of the month. However, you should know that the flowering of the reservoir and its pink coloring occurs in the summer, specifically in early June. It can be almost reddish in color. During this time period the lake really lives up to its name due to the maximum algae bloom.

Due to its shallow depth in the summer, the lake can dry out, forming small islands. If tourists want to enjoy the beauty of this object, then it is best to order a helicopter service and look at it from above. Sometimes couples in love order a hot air balloon and soar over the lake, enjoying its beauty.

In summer, when the water dries out, salt is formed. The lake area is covered with white fine salt, which is unsuitable for cooking, but is used to treat various diseases.

How to get to Koyash Lake

It is most convenient to go to Lake Koyashskoe from Kerch. In this case, you need to get to a settlement called Maryevka. It’s not difficult to get through Simferopol to the village of Lenino, and then focus on the village of Maryevka. From this village you need to walk about 6 km towards Mount Opuk. Next to this mountain there is a pink lake.

Cost of visiting the reservoir

You can visit the pink lake completely free of charge. To enter the territory of the Opuk Nature Reserve, you will need to pay a fee:

Adult ticket: 200 rub.
Child: 100 rub.

Walking through the protected area, you can enjoy clean fresh air and beautiful views. Also, the cost of such a trip will depend on the chosen route. When planning your route, you can additionally consider a hike to the Elken-Kaya rocks, which are located in the vicinity of Mount Opuk.

By visiting such an object, you can not only enjoy the beauty, but also take gorgeous photographs as a keepsake.

Address: Crimea, Leninsky district, Opuksky reserve

> Lake Koyashskoye is the saltiest lake in Crimea

This is the bottom of the most beautiful and fantastic places in Crimea.
Near the lake, the shores of which consist of crystallized salt with the smell of violets, the water has a color from soft pink in the spring to deep red at the peak of the summer heat, and on the mirror-like surface you can see incredible landscapes of frozen stone and salt icebergs...
It is located where, it would seem, there could be nothing beautiful at all - among the windswept, literally sprinkled with salt and scorched by the sun Cimmerian steppe.
A kind of bright pink spot that from above looks like it was stolen from the sea and repainted a different color.
In fact, this lake is something of a giant natural chemical laboratory for studying the survival of living beings and microorganisms in an aggressive environment. It’s hard to imagine, but the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano, and this pink water is a direct consequence of the vigorous activity of... microscopic green algae.
Yes, and this is the saltiest lake in Crimea.

2. It’s a rare time when around the lake there is not sun-bleached steppe, but lush, although not tender, greenery.
It is mid-April, a short period when the grasses have not yet died under the hot sun, various wildflowers and wild tulips are blooming.
Lake Koyashskoye is separated from the waters of the Black Sea by a narrow strip of land and really looks like it was stolen from the sea.
It was once part of the sea, but under the influence of the surf over the past two thousand years, a separate body of water less than a meter deep appeared, stretching 3.7 km in length and almost 2 km in width.

3. Three months have passed since the date of the previous photo, the steppe has acquired a completely different look, just as the color of the water in the lake has changed. it became much more intense.
Below you can see how much.

4. A strip of land separating the lake from the sea. It is called the Koyash bay-bar, its length is about 3 km, and its maximum width is 100 meters

5. In spring, the water in the lake is still quite far from pink, and the salinity has not yet gone off scale.
In April-May there are quite a lot of waterfowl here. Later, for many of them, the water will be too aggressive

6. True, this does not apply to various waders. Avocet can be found on the lake in spring, summer, and early autumn.

7. In spring, the shores of Lake Koyashskoe are not yet covered with a salt crust, and laughing gulls make their nests here.

8. Sunset over the pink lake...

9. ... and moonrise

10. But summer comes, and the drying heat comes (some scientists equate small areas in this part of the Kerch Peninsula not even with the steppe zone, but with semi-deserts).
The water in the lake becomes significantly less, it retreats from its usual shores, leaving salt in its place. Lots of salt.
It is the wind that gradually carries it across the surrounding steppes, making them practically dead and unsuitable for life or cultivation.

11. There was water here in the spring. It is in this place that photo No. 5 was taken. Now there is a salt desert, through which we carefully wander towards the water.
Why neat?
The fact is that the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano. In fact, underneath the salt there is a very thick layer of dirt. Viscous and sometimes unsteady.

12. Salt of Koyash Lake

13. The peak color of the lake occurs during the hottest months of summer.
It is during this period that there is least water, the salinity of the lake increases significantly - up to 35% (for comparison, the salinity of the Black Sea is 1.8%), which leads to a peak in the development of green algae. which gives such an incredible color to the water.
Her name is Dunaliella Salina.
It produces beta-carotene, which colors the waters of the lake, as well as its salt crystals, in a soft pink, and in some places almost red, hue. Interestingly, in addition to color, the algae also gives the local salt a characteristic smell of violets.

14. The water receding in the heat gives the shores an absolutely fantastic look.

15. There is so much salt here and it crystallizes so quickly that many stones simply turn into salt icebergs

16. If water could completely cover these boulders, they would be completely covered in salt

17. You can even see how the water receded, slowly revealing the stone

This place is located in the dry and inconspicuous steppes of Cimmeria and every year attracts those who know about it and its features.
Behind are one hundred kilometers of asphalt road leading from Feodosia to Kerch, thirty kilometers of broken old roads, several dying and half-destroyed villages, 20 minutes along a dusty dirt road, and...
... and in front of you is a fantasy. In the literal sense of the word. The bright pink lake looks so incredible among the dry, salt-soaked steppe.

I really love watching the reaction of people who came here for the first time - it’s difficult for people to contain their emotions and delight)

2. At different times of the day the lake has a different color of water. To see the whole gamut, you need to be here shortly before dawn.
As the sun is about to emerge from the low slopes of Mount Opuk, the water begins to slowly change color from deep pink to orange-red.

3. Shades of pink. Or shades of red. Nature is an incredible artist.

4. Floating stones. Mars on Earth.

5. The second reason why I highly recommend visiting here before dawn is the ideal surface of the water.
When the sun rises, there is a 99% chance that there will be at least a little breeze.
And even a slight wind is enough to cause ripples to appear on the water. But with ripples the effect is completely different.

6. Seagull's nest on Mars.

7. Dawn. The sun rises over the hills of Cimmeria.
That's it, the water won't be so pink until the next dawn. It will now become more and more orange in color.

8. Colors of dawn in Eastern Crimea.

9. Perfect silence.

10. No matter where you look, there is a beautiful shot. A photographer's paradise.

11. Stone icebergs.

12. The sun has risen... Remember the rich pink color from this angle in photo No. 2? Now much more delicate tones prevail here.


True, to see this lake in all its fantastic beauty, you need to choose the right time...
But more on that another time) As well as all the details about the lake itself.

The saltiest lake in Crimea

This is the bottom of the most beautiful and fantastic places in Crimea.
Near the lake, the shores of which consist of crystallized salt with the smell of violets, the water has a color from soft pink in the spring to deep red at the peak of the summer heat, and on the mirror-like surface you can see incredible landscapes of frozen stone and salt icebergs...

It is located where, it would seem, there could be nothing beautiful at all - among the windswept, literally sprinkled with salt and scorched by the sun Cimmerian steppe.
A kind of bright pink spot that from above looks like it was stolen from the sea and repainted a different color.
In fact, this lake is something of a giant natural chemical laboratory for studying the survival of living beings and microorganisms in an aggressive environment. It’s hard to imagine, but the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano, and this pink water is a direct consequence of the vigorous activity of... microscopic green algae.
Yes, and this is the saltiest lake in Crimea.

2. It’s a rare time when around the lake there is not sun-bleached steppe, but lush, although not tender, greenery.
It is mid-April, a short period when the grasses have not yet died under the hot sun, various wildflowers and wild tulips are blooming.

Lake Koyashskoye is separated from the waters of the Black Sea by a narrow strip of land and really looks like it was stolen from the sea.
It was once part of the sea, but under the influence of the surf over the past two thousand years, a separate body of water less than a meter deep appeared, stretching 3.7 km in length and almost 2 km in width.

3. Three months have passed since the date of the previous photo, the steppe has acquired a completely different look, just as the color of the water in the lake has changed. it became much more intense. Below you can see how much.

4. A strip of land separating the lake from the sea. It is called the Koyash bay-bar, its length is about 3 km, and its maximum width is 100 meters.

5. In spring, the water in the lake is still quite far from pink, and the salinity has not yet gone off scale.
In April-May there are quite a lot of waterfowl here. Later, for many of them, the water will be too aggressive.

6. True, this does not apply to various waders. Avocet can be found on the lake in spring, summer, and early autumn.

7. In spring, the shores of Lake Koyashskoe are not yet covered with a salt crust, and laughing gulls make their nests here.

8. Sunset over the pink lake...

9. ... and moonrise

10. But summer comes, and the drying heat comes (some scientists equate small areas in this part of the Kerch Peninsula not even with the steppe zone, but with semi-deserts).
The water in the lake becomes significantly less, it retreats from its usual shores, leaving salt in its place. Lots of salt.
It is the wind that gradually carries it across the surrounding steppes, making them practically dead and unsuitable for life or cultivation.

11. There was water here in the spring. It is in this place that photo No. 5 was taken. Now there is a salt desert, through which we carefully wander towards the water.
Why neat? The fact is that the bottom of the lake is an extinct mud volcano. In fact, underneath the salt there is a very thick layer of dirt. Viscous and sometimes unsteady.

12. Salt of Lake Koyash.

13. The peak color of the lake occurs during the hottest months of summer.
It is during this period that there is least water, the salinity of the lake increases significantly - up to 35% (for comparison, the salinity of the Black Sea is 1.8%), which leads to a peak in the development of green algae. which gives such an incredible color to the water.
Her name is Dunaliella Salina.

It produces beta-carotene, which colors the waters of the lake, as well as its salt crystals, in a soft pink, and in some places almost red, hue. Interestingly, in addition to color, the algae also gives the local salt a characteristic smell of violets.

14. The water receding in the heat gives the shores an absolutely fantastic look.

15. There is so much salt here and it crystallizes so quickly that many stones simply turn into salt icebergs.

16. If water could completely cover these boulders, they would be completely covered in salt.

17. You can even see how the water receded, slowly revealing the stone.

18. Iceberg.

19. Some salt crystals are simply huge. I found it the size of a fist. One crystal.

20. This was once a living plant.

21. Another large crystal.

22. Salt landscapes of Lake Koyash.

23. There is hardly any need to caption this photo, do you agree?)))


link

How to get there?

From the Kerch bus station by bus or by own vehicle along the territorial road "Kerch - Maryevka" 35 km to the village of Maryevka, then walk about 7 km..

But this is the territory of the reserve, organized excursion groups are allowed through