Holidays in Kaspiysk - beaches, what to see, how to get there, where to stay

Vacation in Kaspiysk and why come here?

Kaspiysk is a city on the shore of the Caspian Sea, located 14 kilometers from the capital of the Republic of Dagestan – Makhachkala (Kaspijsk on the map). Because of its close proximity, it is sometimes perceived as a suburb or a satellite city, and this impression is not without reason: the two cities have practically merged into a single agglomeration, shared fixed-route taxis run between them. Nevertheless, Kaspiysk is an independent city, which as a resort is significantly different from Makhachkala.

Unlike the ancient Derbent, the tourist capital of Dagestan, Kaspiysk is a young modern city whose history, although short, is closely connected with the sea. One of the key ports of the republic and an important naval base of the Caspian Flotilla is located here, which gives the city special strategic importance.

Most tourists visit Kaspiysk in transit, stopping here for a few hours on their way to Derbent or the mountainous regions of Dagestan. The main points of such visits are a walk along the embankment and rest on local beaches, which are considered one of the best in the vicinity of Makhachkala. However, you can come here for a few days of rest, because this is a beach resort, however, with its own characteristics. The beaches here are sandy, with a gentle entrance to the water, and the infrastructure is gradually developing. In recent years, cafes and recreation areas have appeared, which makes the city more attractive for tourists.

In addition, Kaspiysk is a good starting point for sightseeing trips around Dagestan. From here it is easy to reach the Sarykum dune, Sulak canyon, Glavryba, Chirkeysky reservoir, Gunib, Khunzakh, etc. And if you want a more eventful program, then the capital of the republic with museums, restaurants and shopping is just a 15–minute drive away.

However, Kaspiysk has its drawbacks. The beach infrastructure is still lagging behind the level of resorts in the Krasnodar Territory, and at the height of the season (July-August) the coastline may be crowded. Housing prices are rising noticeably at this time, although in general they remain lower than in more popular tourist destinations. But our opinion is that as an independent resort for a long vacation, it still falls far short of the level of other beach resorts in Russia, such as Sochi, Gelendzhik, Anapa and others.

What are the beaches in Kaspiysk

The beaches in Kaspiysk are mostly sandy, with some rocky areas. The shallow depth near the shore makes them suitable for holidays with children. All beaches are municipal and free of charge, including the popular "The lagoon" and "August" - only a parking fee (150 USD) is charged here, while the pedestrian entrance remains free.

But to be honest, we would not personally go here for the beaches. The Caspian Sea can hardly be called clean and pleasant, the water here is almost always muddy. But that's only half the trouble. The problem is that the local Rospotrebnadzor annually issues a warning banning bathing in coastal waters according to sanitary standards due to runoff, but this does not stop anyone. Moreover, someone claims that it is cloudy because it is saturated with beneficial algae and iodine, and therefore it is good for health. But, in our opinion, this is a very dubious argument. And it's also bad that the water in the Caspian Sea warms up later than in the Black Sea, and therefore you can swim comfortably only starting in July.

If you still decide to come here, then you can relax on the beach in a swimsuit here. At least in the city there are no problems with this. Sometimes, of course, you can meet radical locals who like to educate and teach the "morality" of vacationers on the beaches, and we also met such. But it didn't go any further than intrusive conversations.

As for the arrangement of beaches, there is everything you need, albeit at a minimum. On the city beach there are sun loungers and umbrellas for rent (300 rubles for the whole day), changing cabins with showers, sports equipment, and even luggage storage. Water activities banana rental, hydrocycles, catamarans are also available. There are several cafes, and tourist fast food such as ice cream, hamburgers, coffee is sold on the embankment. We have not seen draft beer and other alcoholic beverages here, after all, this is Dagestan.

Let's tell you more about each of the beaches of Kaspiysk:

• City beach No. 1

  

  We liked city beach No. 1 the most, because there is a lot of space on the shore at once, and a good arrangement, and not very many vacationers. But about everything in order:

  City No.1 is located to the north or left of the main City (City No.1 on the map). It's long, almost 600 meters, and it's also very wide, so there's plenty of room here. On the shore there are deck chairs and umbrellas, changing cabins, storage rooms, water activities and sap surf rental, sports equipment. There is also a kite surfing school here, and this is not surprising, because winds often blow here and a comfortable and safe bottom.

  In general, everything is here, and if you want to get everything at once in one place on the beach in Kaspiysk, then you can safely go right here.

  

  

  

  

• City beach

  

  This part of the city beach is not marked in any way and has no name (as far as we know), but it is still very different in essence from beach No. 1. It's about a large and wide stretch of beach near the port, that's where it is on the map. You can tell about it briefly: everything seems to be there for recreation, but we didn't like it. It is very shallow here, the slope of the bottom is very weak. Well, in general, you can see everything for yourself in the photo.

• Beach "Breeze"

  

  This is a small city beach in the very center, and as we know, it does not have a separate name, but it is located next to the Briz entertainment center, so as a landmark it is sometimes called this ("Lagoon" on the map). It is small, 200 meters, and in general, there is also everything you need on the shore. The entrance to the water here is very smooth, and there is even a place for children to bathe.

• Lagoon

  

  This is a public city beach, located in the northern part of the city, it is to the left of the shore from City No.1 ("Lagoon" on the map). You can easily get here from almost anywhere in the city, even on foot, or walk along the shore from the city, but for this you will have to cross the breakwater from a pile of stones. You can get here by car, then pay 150 rubles for travel and parking.

  The beach is not very long, only 200 meters, and almost not equipped, but for some reason it is very popular with holidaymakers. It seemed to us that this is generally the most crowded beach of Kaspiysk, but in general, you can see everything yourself in the photo. What is the reason for such popularity, it is not clear to us, because everything is the same in the neighboring city, only there are not so many vacationers.

  The lagoon is equipped in a simple way: there are changing cabins, and quite a few umbrellas and deck chairs. There is no embankment here, there are rubble of stones along the edges of the beach instead of breakwaters. In general, we didn't like it here, but come and try everything yourself and decide for yourself.

  

• Beaches "Science" and "August"

  

  Although these beaches are located within the city limits, they are a little away from the center ("Science" on the map and "August" on the map). They belong to recreation centers, but admission to them is free. Only for travel and parking you will have to pay 200 rubles if you are in your own car.

  The beaches are very small, with a length of 50 meters each. Well equipped: there are sun beds and umbrellas (a little more expensive than on the city beach), changing cabins, shower, toilet. There is even a beach bar with music on the "August" beach, and there is a cafe on the "Science". In general, these are not bad beaches, but they are located far from the center, which is why there is no point in going or going specifically to them, all the same is in the center. But if you stop for a rest in this part of the city, you can relax here in comfort.

Where to eat in Kaspiysk

It will not be difficult to find places in Kaspiysk where you can have a delicious meal. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants of all kinds of cuisine ranging from local to Japanese. There are coffee shops, pastry shops. Places on the embankment will be especially interesting, because there you will most likely spend most of your time on vacation. Here is a selection of establishments with the highest rating based on visitor reviews:

• "Muchari." A restaurant with authentic Dagestani cuisine. The menu includes chudu, kurze, dolma, lagman, khinkali and other dishes. Address: Makhachkala street, 60
• "Sherbet". It serves traditional Dagestani dishes, such as khinkal, botishal, mountain soup, curze with meat, as well as desserts, such as miracle with pumpkin. Address: M. Khalilova str., 12/3
• "Padishah." A restaurant with several halls decorated in different styles and a veranda with live music. Address: Amet Khan Sultan Street, 21/1
• "Moscow". The restaurant is located on the waterfront, it serves local cuisine, in particular shish kebab, salad with caramelized eggplant and miracle with greens. Address: M. Khalilova str., 12A/3.
• "Arbei." Here you can taste national cuisine and enjoy live music. There is alcohol on the menu. Address: Prospect Akulinicheva, 13
• "IL Patio". Pizza, sushi and rolls are prepared here, as well as other Italian dishes. Address: Prospect Akulinicheva, 4
• "Orion." A modern cafe with a huge selection of menus serving Italian pizza, rolls, sushi, European cuisine, as well as some Dagestani dishes. Address: Ordzhonikidze str., 11
• "Fuji." A restaurant with Oriental and pan-Asian cuisine. Address: Lenin street, 37.

If you want more, use with our selection on Yandex maps, you can easily find the "delicious establishments" closest to you there.

Hotels and accommodation in Kaspiysk, where to stay?

Dagestan in general, and Kaspiysk in particular, have gained a lot of popularity in recent years, which has led to a rapid increase in prices for hotel accommodation and rental housing. But, unfortunately, the quality has not improved at all. The simplest rooms for two in high season here cost from 3000 rubles, it is cheaper to find only "dead" apartments for rent. And since the demand for accommodation is high, we advise you to plan your vacation and book accommodation at least a few weeks in advance.

To search and book, we recommend using these reliable Russian systems:

• 🛌 Search for hotels in Kaspiysk on the Island!
• 🛌 Search for affordable housing in Kaspiysk on Sutochno.ru (👍 we recommend it, the bonus system works)
• 🛌 Search hotels and accommodation in Kaspiysk on Othello from 2Gis
• 🛌 Search for hotels in Kaspiysk on Yandex.travel

Weather and tourist seasons, when is the best time to go to Kaspiysk

If we talk about Dagestan as a whole, then you can come here at any time of the year, because by and large the rest here is sightseeing – it's getting to know the sights and natural beauties. But as for Kaspiysk, it is still an exclusively summer resort, you can and should only go here from June to September. Well, or if you really want to, you can come in the first half of October, but at this time it may already be cold for a beach holiday.

• 🌞 Summer

  If you go to Kaspiysk in the summer, you can have a great rest on the beaches, swim in the sea, and go on excursions. Already at the beginning of June, hot weather sets in, and in general you can sunbathe even in May. But the water for comfortable bathing warms up only in the second half of June. Well, the best time is July and August. And, of course, the prices for accommodation in Kaspiysk in these months are significantly higher than in the rest of the year, and oddly enough, much more expensive than in many other beach resorts in Russia.

• 🌧 Spring and Autumn

  In the spring, you can come to Kaspiysk only to sunbathe, take a walk and go on excursions, and it's too cold for a full-fledged beach holiday with swimming. In autumn, you can stay here until the end of September and the beginning of October, but what the weather will be like and whether the sea is warm, it depends a little on luck. The fact is that it often rains during these months.

• ❄ Winter

  In winter, there is no point in going to Kaspiysk at all. There is nothing to do at sea, there are no excursions to buy, the tourist infrastructure stops working.

Current weather in Kaspiysk and forecast

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How and how to get to Kaspiysk on your own?

Kaspiysk is located in the south of the Russian Federation on the shore of the Caspian Sea, 1,930 kilometers from Moscow and 14 kilometers from Makhachkala (Kaspijsk on the map of Dagestan). You can get here from other regions and cities of the Russian Federation in the following ways:

• By plane to Makhachkala airport, and from there to the city center by taxi or with transfers by public transport.
• By train from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tyumen and other cities along the route to the railway station in Makhachkala, and from there by taxi or minibus.
• By train from Makhachkala, Izberbash, Derbent to Tarki railway stop, and from there by taxi.
• By bus from the regions of the European part of the Russian Federation to the Northern bus station of Makhachkala or to the bus station Kaspyisk, and from there to the place of rest by taxi or public transport.
• By car one at a time from automobile routes through Volgograd, Elista, Rostov-on-Don, etc.

Details about each of the methods with prices and schedule tell here.

The best prices for tickets from Russian cities to Makhachkala:

Transport in Kaspiysk, how to get around the city?

The center of Kaspiysk is not very large, and at the same time it is well adapted for pedestrian movement: there are sidewalks, pedestrian crossings. In addition, a promenade stretches along almost the entire coastline. So if you come to Kaspiysk for a few days to relax on the beaches, you will be able to do without transport at all.

If you don't like walking, or you need to get to/from the airport, train station, Makhachkala, and so on, then you can travel by taxi or local minibus buses:

It is more convenient and cheaper to order a taxi in Kaspiysk through applications. Uber, YandexGo, local taxi Anzhi work here, a short-distance trip around the center will cost from 100 rubles, about 400 rubles to / from the airport, and you can get to the center of Makhachkala for 500 rubles.

Buses in Kaspiysk run not only in the city center, but also on them you can get to Makhachkala. There are not a lot of flights, but they cover the main streets. The train around the city costs 30 rubles, to Makhachkala – 70 rubles. To plan routes, you can use Yandex maps, everything is there.

Sights in Kaspiysk and what to see?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to call Kaspiysk an interesting city in terms of attractions even with a big stretch, because there is absolutely nothing to see here. Therefore, if you can't imagine a vacation without going to museums and walking around historical sites, then it's better to choose Derbent for recreation, because it can be safely called the tourist capital of Dagestan. For more information about Derbent and what to see there, read our separate guide.

But if you happen to be here on vacation, then for you we have compiled a selection of locations in Kaspiysk, where you can go and what to do in the city, you can view it here.

Fortunately, there are a lot of wonderful and interesting places all over Dagestan that can be visited as an independent day trip or with an excursion from Kaspiysk. At a minimum, these are the Sarykum dune, the Sulak Canyon, the Chirkey reservoir, the Gamsutl ghost village, ancient Derbent, the Goor and the troll language, the underground Saltinsky waterfall, and so on. But these are only the most "top" places, but in fact you can go as a day trip, you can go to almost any attraction in Dagestan. Open our map of Dagestan with points of interest, study and choose what is most interesting to you. However, just in case, we note once again that all the most interesting things in the Republic are located in mountainous areas, and it's best to go there for a few days.

Unfortunately, organized tourism is still poorly developed here, as is public transport. Therefore, it is best to go to Dagestan on vacation in your car. If this is not possible, you will have to buy group tours or individual tours by car with private guides. You can find excursions online on aggregator sites with reviews, or you can contact private guides in our chat tours of Dagestan here:

• 📷 Search for excursions in Kaspiysk on Sputnik8.com
• 📷 Search for excursions in Kaspiysk on Tripster.ru