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In 1717, Russian Prince Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky landed and established a secret fortified settlement on this location, where the dry bed of a former mouth of the Amu-Darya River once emptied into the Caspian Sea. His intent was to march an army up this dry riverbed and conquer the Khanate of Khiva. The expedition failed, and the Russians abandoned the settlement for over 150 years.

In 1869, the Russians made a second and latest attempt. They named their fort Krasnovodsk (Красноводск), which is the Russian version of the original name, Kyzyl-Su (Red Water). Krasnovodsk was Imperial Russia's base of operations against Khiva and Bukhara, and the nomadic Turkmen tribes. It fell to the Red Army in February, 1920.

In 1993 Krasnovodsk was renamed by president-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov, after his self-proclaimed title Türkmenbaşy ("Leader of all Turkmen"). Niyazov's successor Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow pledged to invest 1 billion dollars into the project slated to turn Türkmenbaşy into a major tourist resort "with dozens of hotels, spas, seaside restaurants and glimmering spaceship-like skyscrapers".

  • swimming at Awaza, (8 km north of the city).  edit

  • Museum of Regional History, Rylov köcesi. Tue to Sun 9am to 6pm. exhibits of the nomadic life of the Turkmen people US$ 0.10.  edit
  • Russian Orthodox Church.  edit
  • Japanese Memorial, (near the airport). Memorial for thousands of Japanese prisoners of war who constructed roads and buildings here during the Second World War  edit

By plane

Turkmenbashi is connected by Turkmenistan Airlines flights to Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan.

By train

Turkmenbashi is the western extent of the Trans-Caspian Railway. Turkmendemiryollari (Turkmenistan Zeleznice) runs trains from Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi. Train 606 leaves Ashgabat at 8.10 pm daily, arriving at Turkmenbashi next morning at 9.15 am. Train 24 leaves Ashgabat at 8.40 pm every second day, arriving at Turkmenbashi next morning at 6.55 am.

By car

From Khazakhstan

It is a two hours' drive from Zhanaozen to the Turkmenistan border and another 40 minutes drive from the border on a dirt road to the city of Karabogas (formerly Bekdash) (approx. US$ 50 per car). From Karabogas there is a good road to Turkmenbashi with fine views on the Caspian Sea. About 60 km south of Karabogas the road crosses a bridge over the channel connecting the Caspian Sea with the inland gulf.

within Turkmenistan

Turkmenbashi is about 560 km from Ashgabat.

By bus

By boat

There are boats across the Caspian Sea to Baku, Azerbaijan. The journey takes 12 to 18 hours and a seat costs about 50 US$. There are several boats daily, but there ist no fixed timetable. Consider that ships might be delayed and that your visa could expire in this time. Bring along you own food and water. See warnng on the Turkmenistan page!

The local bus station is at Balkan köcesi, about 500 meters west of the Museum of Regional History. Taxi drives within the town cost about 3000 M and 5000 M to Awaza (10 km north of Turkmenbashi).

  • Bagtygul Bazaar, Magtymguly sayoli. Buy caviar for US$ 22 per half kilo  edit

Budget

  • Deniz Patisserie Cafe, Azadi köcesi, ☎ 14254 or 25653. 8am to 10pm. Turkish cafe, about 1 km and a half from the Hotel Hazar US$ 1 to 2.  edit
  • Altyn Asir Kafe, Gahryman Atamurat Niyazov köcesi, ☎ 20752. 12am to 11 pm. Russian restaurant US$ 1 to 2.  edit
  • Altyn Balik Restaurant, Bahri-Hazar köcesi, ☎ 77405. 12am to 11 pm. US$ 1 to 2.  edit

Mid-range

Splurge