Izberbash is a small city of some 50,000 in Dagestan between Makhachkala and Derbent. Its importance is principally as an oil town on the Caspian.
Understand
Historically founded to support the local oil industry in the 1930s, the town is now a popular modern beach resort. The beach is what draws most visitors to the city. The main beach is at the end of Ushakova Street, with a length of 3 km and up to 200 m wide. The fine-grained beach sand and natural shells make it ideal for beach activities. Natural stone ridges are ideal breakwaters, so the water is generally very calm. The sea depth decreases gradually, the depth is only 1.5 m at 70 m from the coast line, and the water warms up to a comfortable 24°C in summer.
The beach facilities are well maintained, with cold and warm showers, changing cabins, and the beach is regularly groomed by a sifting machine. In the summer months, first aid posts are manned. There are 2 parking lots, one for personal vehicles and one for minibuses.
History
Before Izberbash was founded in the early 1930s, a record of a historic settlement dating back to the 17th century was recorded by Peter I in this travel journal of 1722. It was reportedly destroyed and rebuilt numerous times during the wars.
When oil was discovered in the 1920s, the Soviet government established a modern settlement to house workers in 1931. Only 4 years later the pilot holes were expanded to full scale oil wells, and by 1949 the settlement received official city status. Its population has been increasing since, and by 1957 the administrative centre of the Kayakent region was moved to Izberbash. From the turn of the millennium, the city has reoriented its economy towards tourism, and boasts a modern infrastructure, winning the 2005 award for most comfortable city in Russia in the category of cities up to 100,000 inhabitants.
Climate
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Get in
There are two marshrutkas daily from Makhachala and Derbent.
Get around
See
Do
- 1 Gora Pushkin Tau. 24/7. Mountain hike of 1-2 hours, rewarded with a magnificent view over the Caspian Sea. The top of the mountain is a popular starting point for paragliding, wind conditions permitting. There is also an abandoned military missile base with underground storage facilities that will be of interest to urban explorers. Free.
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Stay safe
- See also: Dagestan#Stay_safe
Izberbash is generally just as safe as other coastal cities in Dagestan such as Kakhashkala and Derbent. Some of the industrial areas around the refineries should be avoided at night, but the rest of the city is safe day and night. Tourist areas are also popular with pickpockets, which tend to target the beaches where swimmers are forced to leave their belongings unattended. When you go to the beach, it's best to leave identity documents in your hotel room or guest home and only take a copy with you.
Go next
- Makhachkala — the capital city
- Derbent — one of the oldest cities in the Russian Federation and the single most important historic city in the Caucasus.