A Disappointing Experience in Djubga

Hello everyone!

I recently visited a tiny village in the Krasnodar region called Djubga, and I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical after reading all the negative reviews beforehand.

The constant noise from cars, trucks, and buses on the federal highway that runs through the village made it feel like I was living on a highway. The traffic was pretty hectic, and it was hard not to feel uncomfortable.

The first thing that struck me when I arrived was the massive overflowing trash bins, the dirt and debris on the roads, and the general lack of cleanliness. It was like the village was being neglected.

Getting There.

The 25-hour journey from Vladimir Oblast was a real challenge, and we got stuck in a massive traffic jam near Gorячий ключ on a Sunday. There were so many cars that it was hard to navigate the road, even with the air conditioning on.

Accommodation.

We were booked into a tourist company's accommodation, and I'm really glad we only stayed for 7 days. The place was a good 30-40 minutes' walk from the sea, and it was a real scorcher in the sun with all your luggage.

The accommodation was a bit of a trek from the sea, especially with all your bags. The return journey was even tougher.

The Sea.

The road to the sea was lined with shops selling clothes, souvenirs, and questionable-looking food. We passed by an aqua park on the way, but even in August, it was surprisingly empty.

The road to the sea wound its way through a rundown summer camp for kids. At least I could escape the constant din of traffic, but the city's neglect was still palpable everywhere.

There was just so much trash lying around, the streets weren't even swept, and there weren't even any benches to sit on and take a break.The amusement park, closer to the sea, was a mess, even though all the rides looked brand new - there wasn't even anyone to clean up the leaves.

I did enjoy the river that flows into the sea, though - the views were stunning. But in the evenings, the smell was pretty overwhelming.

We chose not to go to the central beach, where it was super crowded. A bit further out, there was a beach where we could sit comfortably without anyone bumping into us.

The beach itself was a mix of sand and pebbles, but the sand was pretty dirty, with trash and a ton of cigarette butts buried in it. It wasn't exactly the most welcoming place - there were no beach umbrellas, food vendors, or lifeguards in sight, and the toilets were hard to find.

There was only one tiny cafe that served beer and soda.As for standard beach activities, we had banana boats, pills, and sea cruises.

Getting into the water was pretty rocky, and the first few minutes were brutal on my feet. I'd highly recommend bringing some water shoes to make the experience more comfortable.

The sea itself was a letdown - it was more of a murky green color, kind of like the Azov Sea. We even spotted some jellyfish. The water was shallow and calm, making it perfect for kids to play in.

We visited in August, and the sea temperature was quite pleasant in the mornings, warming up by lunchtime, and even comfortable for an evening swim. The sea was calm and peaceful every day, with no storms in sight.

Weather

The weather in Djubga was a pleasant surprise in August - it was sunny and warm every day, but you could feel the approaching autumn.

On our last day, we got caught in a sudden downpour, and we ended up getting soaked to the bone. We tried to take shelter in our tent with some fruit, but the staff chased us away, saying it was only for customers.Evenings were cool, and the nights were chilly - it was definitely the end of August.

Food

Let's just say I was thoroughly unimpressed with the food options in Djubga. The fruits and veggies were all imported and tasted terrible, and we didn't find any decent restaurants or cafes. There was a Burger King in the city, some food stalls with grilled chicken and shawarma, and plenty of barbecue and bakery spots.

But everything was a disaster. We bought grilled meat for dinner, took it home, asked the vendor twice if it was heated - he said no. In the end, it was overcooked, rubbery fat that even the local dog wouldn't touch. We had some lavash for dinner. We bought grilled chicken for 600 rubles, with a smell. The shawarma consisted only of Korean carrots for 300 rubles. The pancakes are all fried in the same oil, everything is greasy, with a smell of rancidity - 150 rubles.Actually, the safest option was to eat on your own, around the bus station there was a Magnit, a bit further away there was a Perekrestok. That's where it was safest to stock up, we bought pasta, canned meat, pierogies. The prices were like in regular supermarkets. We had a kitchen for self-cooking, even though it was extremely dirty, at least we didn't get food poisoning.

We bought fish here - sig, hot-smoked - for 250 rubles, it was tasty.

Entertainment.

In Djubga, there was an aqua park, a dolphinarium, but I didn't see any special entertainment. The usual beach activities. In the evening on the promenade, it was noisy, extremely dirty, there were a lot of unsavory characters - it was impossible to find a quiet spot or sit in peace. Almost the entire promenade was lined with cafes or shops, there was nothing to see. You could create your own excursion if you want to.

Souvenirs.

All the usual stuff, like everywhere - magnets, keychains, trinkets. You could even buy a gift, like tea, honey, chocolates, nuts. They even had a small market where they sold wine, chacha, and they said it was all 'homemade'. We bought some forest nuts, churchkhela, and other little things as a gift.

My impression of the village of Djubga.

I wouldn't go back there again, it's way too noisy and dirty, and the prices are way over the top. The village needs some serious attention from the city administration.

There wasn't much to see or do, and I'd rather have a peaceful and quiet vacation. But here it felt like you were living on a highway. The village was really run down.

I wouldn't recommend it.Thanks for reading!!!!