Lake Alakol
A Brackish Lake Of Roughly 2,700 Square Km And One Of The Biggest In Kazakhstan, With Warm Sandy Beaches, A Windy Climate And Mineral Rich Water Sold As A Cure. The Alakol Sasykkol Lakes Are A Ramsar Wetland. The Standard Summer Lake Holiday Of Eastern Kazakhstan. · Koktuma, Jetisu
Lake Alakol is a large brackish lake of roughly 2,700 square km on the steppe of eastern Kazakhstan, near the Chinese border. It is the standard summer holiday lake for the region. The best-known shore is the south-east, with the resort settlements of Koktuma and Akshi, where long beaches of khaki-grey sand run into shallow, warm, salty water. Locals praise the mineral water and the dark mud, and sellers claim cures for skin, joints and nerves. Treat those claims cautiously, since they are folk belief more than proven medicine. Expect basic accommodation, wooden guest houses, simple cafes and plain beaches, not a polished resort. The lake is famous for wind, especially the strong Ebi gale that blows through the Dzungarian Gate, and in summer mosquitoes can be bad. It is a long trip from Almaty, often 8 to 10 hours by road, so allow several days. Birds, small islands and quiet evenings are the reward, if you take it for what it is.
Large salt lake on the border steppe in the east of the Jetisu region, with resort settlements at Koktuma and Akshi on the sandy south-east shore and a long drive from Taldykorgan or Ayagoz, Koktuma, Jetisu, Kazakhstan
The lake itself has no hours and the beaches are open ground at any time of day. The main season is roughly June to early September, when guest houses, cafes and small shops are open, mostly from morning until late evening. Outside the season many places close and services are thin. Boat trips and excursions run in daylight and depend on wind, which can stop them without notice. Confirm bookings and boat times with your host.