Playing with the Sea: Vladivostok’s Top Five Places off the Beaten Track

The ‘Turn to the east’ announced earlier by the head of state, Vladimir Putin, is bearing fruit for the far east not only in socioeconomic terms, but also in tourism. Where as many travellers used to be put off by the long journey and jetlag, now they come here no matter what. At the height of the season, it’s almost impossible to find plane tickets without layovers. So what makes people come to the capital of the far east besides cable-stayed bridges, wild rocky beaches, crimson sunsets on the seashore, and affordable seafood? Let’s take a look.

Salty air and old notes

Every new city attracts one to its centre. Not just one, but two at once: the historical and the modern. Vladivostok is no exception. Here, walking along the central street, you can both get to know the new buildings, and feel the spirit of the old city just by turning down a lane.

At the same time, you can combine healthy walks along winding streets leading up and down with pleasant amusements — Vladivostok’s centre is literally studded with bars, restaurants, and authentic cafés.

The most popular place among tourists for gastronomic experiences and simply barhopping is part of the city’s longest street, Svetlanskaya, which runs parallel to Fokina ulitsa, or, as it is also called, Arbat. Here each door to an establishment is a separate portal to another world. If you open one of them, you will find yourself in a steampunk-style bar. Glance into another, and your feet will start beating out the rhythm to the sounds of a saxophone in the Syncopa jazz bar. Behind the third one are timeless cocktail classics in the Moonshine bar.

However, a truly seaside drinking establishment, with an atmosphere imbued with the spirit of the port city, is the Contraband jazz bar (19, ulitsa Admiralа Fokina), or, as locals affectionately call it, Contra. Its sign, in the form of a bony fish, is an integral and recognizable part of the city centre. This bar was the first place where both local musicians and artists from all over the world gathered in a homely and relaxed atmosphere. Every visitor is greeted here by a ginger cat and the sweet smell of tattered old sheet music. The drinks menu includes both classic cocktails and original signature drinks, such as ‘Misha’s Joy’, based on tequila with coconut notes and a gummy bear. Not all visitors to Vladivostok can get in here, because Contraband is a space for locals. For ‘our people’. But if a guest is brought to this jazz bar by knowing the right person, they will definitely like it.

Las Vegas with a seaside flavour

Everyone who decides to spend an evening at the Tigre de Cristal casino, located at the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Resort, can feel like a hero of the famous film The Hangover.

At the entrance there is strict face control. You can pass into the world of excitement and fun only by observing a certain dress code: smart dresses for ladies, dinner jackets for men. There are more than 50 gaming tables with popular gambling games, as well as more than 250 slot machines, or as they are also called, ‘one-armed bandits’.

In the casino the music is loud, beautiful girls dance, and you can hear the sound of coins dropping, as well as the hum of guests from China, Korea, other countries of the Asia-Pacific Region, and even central Asia, who do not mind travelling to Vladivostok to satisfy their excitement.

In general, Tigre de Cristal is a completely different world, very similar in atmosphere to Las Vegas or Macau. Except that it has a seaside flavour: the gambling zone is located on Muravyinaya Bay, which crowns the large Ussuriysky Bay. So after a night at the casino you can meet the new dawn on the shore.

Playing ball with the waves

The sea in the Far Eastern capital brings together a very wide variety of people. At the water’s edge on one bay you can indulge in fun and revelry, while on another, you can go jogging. Virtually every other Primorye resident leads a healthy lifestyle: there are plenty of opportunities for this in the region. Oleg Kozhemyako, the Governor of the region, sets a good example: regular exercise, walks, cold exposure training, and staying in excellent physical shape.

Another reason for regular sports in Vladivostok is the beautiful city landscapes with a piece of the sea in them. So the favourite place for young people to do sports together is the football field of the Nevelskoy Maritime State University located on Cooper Cape, on the shores of Amur Bay. And if this arena is not officially the most beautiful in Russia, for the residents and guests of the Far Eastern capital, it certainly is. It looks like an ordinary stadium: a green field, athletic tracks, and goalposts. But no, it is not ordinary, because it is surrounded on three sides by the sea. The arena, owned by the local university where sailors study, is on an artificial embankment. With such an unusual sports facility, the university fosters a love of salt water, wind, and sport.

Everyone can try passing a ball to the beluga whales, which, incidentally, like to swim near the stadium in Fyodorov Bay: the gates to the arena are not only open to students, but also the general public, including tourists. Yoga and stretch classes are also held here and with the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks, makes relaxation guaranteed.

No need to worry about the waves

Cape Akhlestyshev on Russky Island awaits lovers of freedom, an active lifestyle, and strong emotions. Swell Surf Camp, where they not only teach you how to ride a wave, but also give you a chance to live in cosy cabins on the picturesque shore just 20 minutes’ drive from the centre of Vladivostok, has already been up and running here for several years.

A few years ago there was just one tent and a few surfboards here. Surfer and businessman Daniil Filinov taught surfing and had a burning desire to develop his passion in the Far East. Over time, he succeeded. In the season, which lasts from May to October, the Swell camp becomes a magnet which attracts travellers, surfers, and those who simply appreciate a holiday by the sea. In the daytime one can learn, and in the evening there are campfires where businesspeople and ordinary students alike can meet and make friends.

Better than scarlet sails

In Alexander Grin’s story, Scarlet Sails, the heroine, Assol, waits for a yacht with red silk sails, whereas Vladivostok is always waiting for the three-masted training ships Nadezhda and Pallada to return from their latest voyage. The picture of sailing ships appearing on the horizon remains in the memory forever. These tall ships, which are the unofficial symbol of Vladivostok and used for training future sailors, are either at sea or under maintenance most of the year. But sometimes they are moored in their native port and can receive visitors. To get a tour of both the Pallada and Nadezhda is very difficult even for locals, but it is still worth trying your luck. And it is a pleasant reason, aside from attending the Eastern Economic Forum, to visit Vladivostok.