Location:

East of Cape Kazantip from the village. Zolotoe to the village. Resort and Chokrak lakes.

One of the most interesting places in all of Crimea, which offers unique opportunities for a secluded, relaxing holiday alone with untouched nature, is the Regional Landscape Park “General Beaches” or, as it is also called, “Coast of 1000 Bays”. Here tourists will find an amazing holiday that only such people can give Amazing places, not yet touched by civilization.

Landscape park "General's Beaches" extends 30 kilometers along the coast Sea of ​​Azov east of Cape Kazantip from the village. Zolotoe to the village. Resort and Chokrak lakes. The coastline throughout the entire park is often indented with rock and stone cliffs and placers, forming picturesque bays with sandy beaches - that’s why this place bears the second name “Coast of 1000 Bays”. As for the first one - “General Beaches”, it is connected with the history of this region. In 1947-1972, in the Karalar steppe, the northern edge of which is the Coast of 1000 Bays, there was a military training ground, so ordinary people were prohibited from entering this territory, and only the highest military ranks rested on the picturesque beaches - hence the name “General’s”. Fortunately, today the situation has changed, and to experience this fabulous place Anyone can.


A holiday on the “General Beaches” is a unique, incomparable holiday alone with pristine nature. This place is considered one of the “wildest” in Crimea; even during the holiday season it is not crowded, so for those who appreciate this opportunity and want to improve their health, gain strength, and recharge their batteries, it will be an excellent option. After admiring the bays, you can break camping in the one you like most, and enjoy a pleasant holiday - swim in the Azov Sea, the waters of which are especially clean and warm here, sunbathe on beaches with “golden” sands, and admire the impressive landscapes. Over the millennia, a unique landscape has formed here: rock masses in some places form beautiful arched vaults, turning into shallow grottoes, the sun, water and wind have sculpted bizarre figures from stones - anywhere on the Coast of 1000 Bays one can see fantastic pictures created by nature.

There is also in this place historical monuments. Not far from Cape Zyuk closer to the village. Resort ruins ancient city: the foundations of buildings and defensive walls, a sanctuary with a sacrificial table and altars, a necropolis with the remains of slabs and a pit have been preserved here. Here and there you can find fragments of ancient pottery and other artifacts several thousand years old - settlements in these places existed from the 4th to the 3rd centuries BC. Wander through the remains of such ancient city will be interesting not only for those who are interested in history - thanks to the unique energy of this place, the walk will give unforgettable experience to everyone who visits here.


Regional landscape park "General's Beaches" is an amazing combination of rocky, sea and steppe landscapes. While relaxing here, you can see rare plants and animals listed in the Red Book. Being a wild place, the Coast of 1000 Bays surprises with frequent encounters with local inhabitants, including snakes. There is no need to be afraid - the “locals” are still even more afraid and try to quickly escape from such encounters, besides, in 99% of cases these are harmless snakes, not only feared, but also not worth offending, since they are an endangered species. Only in the steppe itself, far from the beaches, can you find the steppe viper - to prevent this from happening, you should not go into tall grass. For tourists who comply with this rule, holidays in Crimea, namely in the General Beaches park - a famous landmark of Crimea, become absolutely safe and bring only positive emotions.

Warm clear sea, warming gentle sun, picturesque rocky landscapes and fragrant air filled with the aromas of steppe herbs rustling in the wind with refreshing sea notes - such a vacation away from civilization will charge you with energy for the whole year ahead.

How to get there:

Using your own or hired transport, you need to travel 58 km east in the direction of the village. Resort through the village. Ostanino, Novotradnoye and Zolotoye. You can also go through the village. Ostanino, Leninskoye and after Gornostaevka turn left and through the village. Bagerovo go to the “General Beaches” coast. This route is slightly longer than the first (its length is 69 km), but this disadvantage is offset by better road surface.

General’s beaches can easily be called the pearl of the Azov Sea. They are located in close proximity to Kerch and are popular not only among local residents, but also among tourists who come to relax on the Crimean peninsula in search of protected places. Once they have visited these places, they no longer look for something better. Very often you can hear how this resort area is called Russian Thailand or the coast of 1000 bays.

Photos from users



More details about the area

The coastline of the beaches is part of the Karalar Nature Reserve. It miraculously preserves samples of fescue-feather grass steppes. They have no analogues in Europe. Tourists are attracted to these places by their pristine beauty. They are great for relaxation, which is popularly called “wild”.


Clean sea ​​air, saturated with the aroma of steppe grasses, silence and the absence of signs of civilization - these are all the things that attract people from different parts of the planet here every year with the onset of summer. In some of the local bays you can find springs clean water. As a rule, they dry out by July, so you need to go on vacation to these beaches with a large supply of drink and firewood for making a fire, on which you will have to cook your own food.

The steppe, which is commonly called the Pontic steppe, stretches for tens of kilometers around the General’s beaches. At first glance it seems deserted, but this is not at all the case. You can meet there not only harmless butterflies, dragonflies or lizards, but also snakes that are dangerous to humans - four-lined snakes. The steppe viper is also found there.

An unpleasant encounter can also take place with poisonous spiders - karakutas, tarantulas, salpugas and even scolopendra. Their favorite hiding places are rock crevices and large stones.

Interesting Facts:
The depth of the sea in the area of ​​the coastal line of the bays is shallow, the entrance to it is gentle. The shallow waters allow the water to warm up well in the sun, so the beach season here begins in May and ends in October.

Features of flora and fauna

There are freshwater springs in some areas of the beach. Unfortunately, at the end of summer they dry out, but in the spring they are filled with exceptionally clean and healthy water. Sea water, washing the shores, warms up quite quickly, so swimming in it is possible already in April.


Don't forget about the local fauna. There are snakes in the Sea of ​​Azov, and although they are not dangerous and certainly not deadly poisonous, meeting them will not bring much joy. But snakes on land can already cause problems with well-being, just like scolopendra and tarantula. Therefore, you should exercise minimal caution and watch your step so as not to inadvertently meet representatives of the Crimean exotica.

History of the General's Beaches

Before 1972 coastline between the legendary Cape Kazantip and the hero city of Kerch was under the control of the military. The beach area was part of the territory in which a special garrison was located in this area. At the garrison training ground there was equipment that ensured the safety of air tests nuclear weapons. It was impossible to enter the beaches without a special pass and the appropriate level of access.


Picturesque shores sandy coves were available only to local senior officers and generals. This is where the name “General’s” came from. Today they are considered the best wild beaches Crimean peninsula. Their territory was included in the Kalaralsky Nature Reserve in 1988.

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While walking around the bays, you can stumble upon the ruins of an unfinished nuclear power plant. Its construction was frozen during the Soviet era.

What are the General's beaches like today?

Convenient bays for relaxation are located 12 km from Kerch. Their length, according to various estimates, ranges from 26 to 30 km. This distance of the coastline led to the fact that various parts of the beach became part of 3 rural settlements. They were Bagerovo, Belinskoye and Chistopolye.


Each bay that is part of the coastline of the beaches has its own name. Not only tourists, but also fishermen love to visit these places. There is a fishing artel in Shirokaya Bay. Their nets in these places catch not only sprat and Azov goby, but also sawfish. You can catch the latter using a spinning rod. The role of bait on his hook is played by a sea worm, which local residents dig up in the Rotten Brook area.

The advantage of relaxing in the bay area is the sandy shore and flat seabed. The temperature of the Azov Sea is always 2-3 degrees higher than in the Black Sea.

Video review of General's beaches

How to get to the General's beaches on the map?

The bays can only be reached along a dirt road. There are very rough sections and steep descents, so the only right choice of transport is a car with all-wheel drive and high ground clearance.

Can't get to the beaches public transport! Since there are no communications or infrastructure in the north of the peninsula, the only way to get to the treasured beaches is by car, personal or shared.

You can also test yourself and walk to the coast. This can be done in three ways: from the outside Resort village, on the opposite side of the coast through the Golden Village, and also through Bagerovo. In this case, you need to pass what is left of the airfield and the runway, beyond which there is a road leading to your destination.

General's beaches on the map of Crimea


GPS Coordinates: N 45 28.283 E 36 12.767 Latitude/Longitude

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“Coast of 1000 Bays” or “General’s Beaches” near Kerch.
“Savages” will certainly like it in Kerch, because there are enough places where you can relax alone with only the sea and magnificent nature. One of these corners is the General Beaches.

The regional landscape park "General Beaches" east of Kazantip is also called the "Coast of 1000 Bays". Along the coast of the Azov Sea, along the northern edge of the Karalar steppe, almost 30 km from the village. Zolotoy to the village. The resort stretches wild and little-visited recreational area. The coastline is indented with steep ledges, rocky chaos and open bays with beaches, the water in which warms up well in summer. Here you can see shallow grottoes and arched vaults created over the centuries by the sun, wind and water.

General's beaches are located 35 kilometers from Kerch. Each bay has its own name: Lilac, Mulberry, Snake, Cow Beach, etc.
Beach sand with small shells. Even in the high season, there are few vacationers here, and the nature has remained virtually untouched. Some bays have fresh water sources.

A great place for children, because... the depth begins 20 meters from the water's edge. And even with strong wind and waves, you can go to the other side of the rock and find yourself in a zone of relative calm.
Quantity beach places so large that even during the tourist season you can easily find a completely empty beach.
The farther from settlements, the cleaner, more beautiful and comfortable these places seem.

From 1947 to 1972 A military training ground for air support of the USSR Air Force was based on the territory of the Karalar steppe. The territory was closed to the public, but high military officials often rested in the picturesque bays, hence the name “General’s Beaches.”
The concept of "General's Beaches" appeared when there was no longer a military camp or generals there.

The coastal waters off the coast of the General's beaches are rich in fish. There is a fishing artel in Shirokaya Bay. Bizarre rocks and mysterious grottoes attract underwater hunting enthusiasts.
Every year, many tourists who come on vacation to Crimea prefer to spend a wonderful time on the shores of the picturesque bay. Recreation centers by the sea in Kurortny are especially attracted by the General’s beaches. The place is popular among camping enthusiasts. A dirt road leads along the coast of the General's beaches, which has a descent to each of them.
You can get to the General’s Beaches on your own by car from the villages of Kurortnoye and Zolotoye or from Bagerovo, through the former territory of the airfield.
If you choose to travel to these parts in a low-slung car, you should keep in mind that the road there is unpaved and this may cause some difficulties along the way. But local residents have already gotten used to their roads and easily drive along them in domestic cars.

In 1988, the Kalaral Nature Reserve was created in this area.
RLP "Karalarsky" is organized in order to preserve complexes and objects in their natural state that have special ecological, historical, aesthetic value, preserve biological and landscape diversity, as well as to ensure conditions organized holiday population.
Rare species of vegetation characteristic of feather grass-forb steppes have been preserved here. Diverse and animal world- from rodents to bats, birds such as the ogre, shelduck, black-headed gull, as well as bustard and little bustard, listed in the Red Book. The territory of Karalar is inhabited by the Crimean lizard or yellow-bellied lizard, the steppe viper, along seashore a water snake, which during its swims for gobies often frightens bathing holidaymakers. In the steppe there are a lot of interesting insects such as the praying mantis, cicada, and swallowtail. Arachnologists often find dangerous arachnids - salpuga, karakurt and tarantula. According to fishermen, the shallow coastal waters in General’s Bay are still rich in marine life, this is a spawning area for flounder, gobies, anchovy, feeding for sturgeon, mullet, pike perch, sawfish and other fish.

RLP "Karalarsky" is an environmental recreational organization. The territory and water area are intended for use for environmental, scientific, educational, cultural, and limited recreational purposes.
There are also historical monuments in this place. In the area of ​​the General's Bays, excavations of ancient settlements and necropolises are carried out annually.

Here you can treat not only with water, mud, air, but also with landscape therapy - there is a concept in balneology, the essence of which is the contemplation of beautiful areas.
Endless sandy beaches, warm sea, clean, ionized air will give you exceptionally bright and positive emotions about your holiday in Resort.

So far, our ecology of tourism is seriously “lame” and the consumer attitude towards the still wild nature is thriving.
Don't like litter at your outdoor vacation spot? Don’t give up on yourself and don’t give to others.

Good afternoon friends! And again we visited Crimea this summer. And again in different places and towns. BUT the review will be about wild beaches Crimea, the so-called "general's beaches or the coast of 1000 bays". It was this stunning place that left an indelible impression in the memory and soul, and the beauty of nature enchanted me. The beaches are still little visited, which is good because they are quite clean and deserted. Located north of the city of Kerch on the Sea of ​​Azov. First we move through the Karalar steppe along a broken asphalt road, then a more difficult path begins along the seashore. Between the villages of Kurortnoye and Zolotoye there are paradise beaches- choose whatever your heart desires, just need to drive carefully - there are stones and potholes everywhere. There are beaches that cannot be reached by car, only on foot. They resemble cozy coves. It’s good to sit alone in such places and think about the eternal :-)
An interesting place that I would like to mention - next to the sea there is pink lake Chokrak. It is separated from the sea by a thin strip of land. If you climb the hills, a wonderful view of the blue expanse of the Azov Sea and the pink lake opens up from above.
The beaches themselves are beautiful at any time of the day, both at sunset and during the day. These are untouched natural pearls Crimea. I really want it to stay this way. The shore is covered with snow-white shells and fine, flour-like sand. The places are magical. We stopped so that behind our camp there was a small rock that protected us from the wind and the steppe itself. The sea stretched ahead. We were lucky - all days it was calm, the bottom was visible right through, although the Azov sea is not a very transparent sea. As a result, the photographs turned out very colorful.
Seagulls were constantly watching us, and we were watching them. Crabs were constantly crawling on the rolling pins and stones of the beach. All day long we just swam, cooked, sunbathed, and dreamed. Of course, there is no firewood there, so we had a gas stove. A canopy provided protection from the sun. There is an incredible abundance of living creatures in these places. One day, a green grasshopper came to visit and, without hesitation, chewed drying so loudly that the grinding sound could be heard))) And then he climbed into a mug with the remains of tea and refreshed himself with it. And at the top, when we were walking along the steppe, everything around us was buzzing, as well as many huge spiders in the rocks. We also saw a viper peacefully curled up in the stones. But everyone went about their business, nothing terrible happened. We were careful. Conclusion: if you don't bother anyone, you won't be touched. In such places you feel complete harmony with nature, being part of it. Everything happens by itself. This is why you want to come back here again - for the stars at night, for the light breeze in the morning, for the chirping of birds, for the chirping of insects... For the sea and incredible sunsets. For the feeling of freedom. You just need to be grateful to such beauty, take care of it and appreciate it.
Thank you for your attention.

The General beaches in Kerch are also called the “Coast of a Thousand Bays”. This is a vast territory, which is cut by dozens of small coves and bays; it has preserved the pristine beauty of nature and purity. These are not places for mass recreation. General’s beaches are favored by tourists who love privacy and a relaxing holiday away from the hustle and bustle. The bays on the beaches are closed, different in size, but characterized by amazing beauty and picturesque views.

This secluded corner of tranquility is located on the shores of the Azov Sea, not far from the village of Kurortnoye, right in the middle between capes Zyuk and Kazantip. The line of beaches starts from Lake Chokrak and stretches to the village of Zolotoe. The total distance is more than 30 kilometers.

The beauty of the beach

Getting to the General's beaches is not difficult. Between the villages of Zolotoe and Kurortnoye there is a fairly good dirt road, along which you can easily get to any bay you like. If you drive along the Feodosia-Kerch highway, you should turn onto Novonikolaevka.

From Kerch, you can get to the beaches directly from the railway station, the distance from the city to the village of Kurortnoye is 16 kilometers.

Route taxis run regularly. If you decide to get to the place by car, it is better to use an SUV.

Despite the extravagant name, on these wild Kerch beaches you will not meet military personnel, but lonely tourists dreaming of solitude.

In Soviet times, everything was just the opposite. From 1947 to 1972, the Coast of a Thousand Bays was considered a closed zone, in which picturesque place there was a military training ground with an airfield.

Only military personnel had access to these beaches, and the territory was strictly guarded. The stunningly beautiful coastline was considered a vacation spot for senior command personnel. Marshals and generals often sat for hours with a fishing rod on the shore of some quiet bay. About famous beaches among local population there was a rumor, and it was then that this place received its “solemn” name.

Territory

If we talk about the natural origin of the General’s beaches, then the territory on which they are located is unique. The Kalaral Nature Reserve was created in 1988, and later it acquired the status of a natural park.

Kalaralsky reserve

Environmentalists say this the only place in Crimea, where the so-called Pontic steppes have been preserved. Such fescue-feather grass areas now have no analogues in Europe, and nature is in a pristine state, precisely due to the fact that Soviet troops based in the area of ​​the reserve did not allow anyone access to this protected area. Scientists still find ancient mounds in the area every now and then.

In the video - what the General's beach in Kerch looks like:

Vacationers are attracted to the General beaches because this is one of the few places on Azov coast which has remained virtually untouched by civilization. Azure water, clean coastline, small caves with arched vaults, grottoes of various sizes - nature has created all this for thousands of years, and so far they have managed to preserve all this.

Each corner of the beach has its own name. There is Joy Bay and Wanderer Bay, Soldier's Beach and Badger Bay.

Badger Bay

Conditions for relaxation in this oasis of wildlife are ideal. Swimming season can be opened as early as May, the Sea of ​​Azov is warmer than the Black Sea, and the water in small bays warms up very quickly. Bizarre picturesque rocks create comfortable conditions for privacy.

If desired, tourists can put up a tent and not interfere with their neighbors throughout the entire vacation. The main condition, given the remoteness of the beach from populated areas, for a comfortable stay it is necessary to stock up on fresh water, food and fuel.

For vacationers

The underwater grottoes of the General Beaches are a mecca for lovers of spearfishing and diving. Photography lovers cannot part with their equipment for days. The photos come out amazing.

Underwater grottoes

The picturesque southern nature is complemented by the bizarre shapes of rocks, some of which, thanks to the art of wind, water and sun, resemble giant figures of fantastic animals.

Increasingly, Kerch secluded beaches are chosen for relaxation by couples with children. Little ones can safely splash in the shallow waters and play with the fancy shells that wash up on the shore.

Lovers active rest, bring boats with them and go on a mini-trip to the nearest bays. Fishermen usually boast about their rich catch; local waters are rich in mullet, pike perch, flounder and gobies. Locals With pleasure, they rent out skiffs or fishing gear and even conduct excursions around the surrounding area, showing ancient burial mounds.

Kayaking in the bay

The usual entertainment that can be found in abundance in popular resort areas is not present on the General’s beaches, but such an ideal outdoor recreation as here cannot be found anywhere else. Well, everyday inconveniences can be compensated for by bright emotions, colorful impressions and excellent well-being.