Discovering the Hidden Gem of Naroch Sanatorium

I'm still grinning from ear to ear after my recent trip to Belarus. The Naroch Sanatorium experience was truly unforgettable.

We headed to Naroch this time around, and I'd heard great things about the country's sanatoriums. To be honest, I don't know much about sanatoriums, but I did stay in one in China with my mom back in 2003. It's a bit fuzzy in my memory now, but I do recall it being a real treat.

For this trip, I opted for the Narotch Sanatorium (also known as Narochan Beach), which is located in the Narotch resort area, Mjadelski District, Minsk Region, within the Narochansky National Park. I chose a more affordable option, as I didn't want to break the bank for a holiday that's not by the sea. I was after the beautiful scenery and fresh air, not a fancy dining experience.

So, let me introduce you to Narotch Sanatorium. According to Government Decree #12, dated January 22, 2021, from February 2, 2021, the United Enterprise 'Narotch Sanatorium' became the successor to the merged Daughter Enterprise 'Narochan Beach Sanatorium'. The Narochan Beach buildings were incorporated into the enterprise as a result of the completed reorganization.

Getting to Narotch Sanatorium was a breeze. From Moscow, you can take a high-speed train called 'Lastochka' from the Belorussian Railway Station. It takes 7 hours, and the train is comfortable - each carriage has a toilet, a cooler with hot and cold water, and you can order food, tea, or coffee from the conductors. There's also Wi-Fi, and when you connect, you can watch free movies, listen to audiobooks, or music. Time flew by unnoticed. The train arrives in Minsk, and you exit the city, turn right, and after 400 meters, you'll find the bus station. You buy your tickets at the ticket office (not from the driver, by the way - in Belarus, there's a transportation inspection, and the bus may stop on the road to check passengers' tickets. We had that happen on our way back. I guess that's how they're trying to prevent drivers from keeping cash in their pockets). Get your tickets before the 'Belaya Rus' stop, as it's closer to the sanatorium. Buses run daily with a 1-2 hour interval, and the distance to the sanatorium is around 160 km, which takes about 2.5 hours. Here's where you need to get off. By the way, the neighboring sanatorium 'Belaya Rus' has a pool, which you can visit for a fee. And our grandmas used to run there for disco nights - it's a sanatorium owned by the MVD of Belarus, and I guess it's where a lot of free men come to relax :).

To get to the sanatorium, you'll need to head to the main building and make your way to the reception desk. It's on the first floor, just to the left of the stairs.

Check-in is at 2 PM on the first day of your stay, and you'll be given your first meal of the day. Check-out is by 12 PM on the last day of your stay, and you'll be given your last meal of the day. When you arrive, the administrator will give you meal vouchers, which you'll need to hand over to the administrator in the dining hall. They'll show you where to sit and give you a table number, which you'll need to remember so you can order food for the rest of your stay. The first few days, you'll be given a set menu, but after that, you can choose from the options on the menu. The dining hall is located in the main building, on the first floor, and it's a big room that can seat 200 people. It's clean, but we preferred to drink from our own cups rather than the ones they provided, as they often had leftover drinks in them.

We booked the Comfort Plus double room and were really happy with it. The room is located in the main building, on the 4th floor. The bed is super comfy, and the mattress is brand new and spotless. One thing to keep in mind is that the elevators in the sanatorium aren't working, so you'll have to lug your own luggage up and down the stairs. That's definitely a minus for the sanatorium.

The room comes with a TV, and there are plenty of channels to choose from, including a bunch of movie channels. If you ever get bored, you can always catch up on some TV. The bathroom has a toilet and a bidet, and a tropical shower. Now, let's talk about the downsides. On weekdays, from 7 to 11 am, there's no hot water in the rooms. It's because they're collecting water for the spa treatments (the pine and pearl baths). The room came with a great little basin, brand new. It's perfect for washing clothes, super convenient.

There's also a small fridge in the room and a table, two chairs with comfy seats, and a tea kettle.

There's also a cabinet with tableware: spoons, knives, forks, a glass, and a bottle opener.

The room also comes with two nightstands, with outlets above them, making it easy to charge your gadgets.

There's a massive closet for your belongings. A huge mirror

The room comes with pillows, although not as many as I'd have liked. There are also two additional blankets and two throws, just in case it gets chilly.

The curtains and drapes are clean

Our balcony was huge, and it even had a drying rack for our clothes. I was stoked to find that our building had a laundry room too - a washing machine and ironing board. The best part? Guests could use all of these facilities for free. The view from our balcony was simply stunning - we could see the forest in all its glory. The resort has multiple buildings, but it's easy to navigate thanks to the clear signage. The resort's grounds are beautifully maintained, with roses blooming everywhere. Everywhere we looked, it was spotless. They've got a little zoo area in the sanatorium. There's a small herd of deer. I'd definitely recommend not feeding them, like some people do, because there are trained staff who take care of them. Rabbits, peacocks, and pheasants are also there. The rabbits are super cute and pretty curious. I'm not a fan of these kinds of animal attractions, but that's just my opinion.

Moving on... Let's talk about the sanatorium's medical profile: Heart and circulatory system diseasesDiseases of the digestive organsDiseases of the respiratory organsDiseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissueWhen I booked the sanatorium through their official website, I got a nice little bonus - a few free procedures. It's the little things that count, right? Just make sure to bring your health insurance card and a doctor will be assigned to you upon arrival. They'll recommend some procedures based on your health profile. I got to try out the massage chair. The chairs are brand new, and the massage was super relaxing. This foot massager is a game-changer. The magnetic laser treatment is so relaxing. And the best part? It's all enclosed, so you can't be disturbed. The on-site mineral water fountain is a nice touch. Mineral water: Chloride-sulfate sodium with a medium mineralization (6.2-6.3 g/l) and neutral to weakly acidic reaction.

For internal use as a drink to combat illnesses:

chronic gastritis;colitis;functional gastrointestinal disorders;chronic pancreatitis;metabolic disorders;chronic urinary tract diseases;uncomplicated peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum;chronic liver and biliary tract diseasesOne thing that really stood out to me about this resort was the variety of activities they offer to keep guests entertained. They've got live concerts, games, and you can even buy tickets to various excursions. In the evenings, they've got dancing, and I've seen guests having a great time.

What really drew me to this resort was the stunning natural beauty and fresh air. And let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed. The scenery in Naroch is simply breathtaking. The forests are lush, and the bushes are literally overflowing with blueberries. I imagine it's a real treat during the season. Check it out for yourself:

It takes around 10 minutes to get to Naroc'h to see this stunning lake and the beautiful swans

There's a spring near the lake with delicious water. Since I can't drink tap water, we used to buy water from the store, and then started going to the spring for water.

There are a few shops in the village of Naroch, including 'Euroopt' and 'Kopeyka', where you can buy essential goods and there's a pharmacy.Finally, I want to show you the food we were given, and you can decide for yourself if it's suitable for you or not. We weren't starving, and there was enough food for all 5 of us.

They always give me chicory in the morning - you can have it with milk, a cappuccino, or tea. In the evening, they always give me a 200ml yogurt drink to take with me. I've had bananas, apples, pears, and oranges for a snack. I've had cookies twice, and Belarusian halva - it's delicious! They also give me four pieces of Belarusian sweets twice. In the morning and evening, I always get a bit of oil. I've had cottage cheese and baked goods quite often in the morning or evening. I really like this kind of food, so I enjoyed eating it. The burgers aren't that great, and I didn't have any porridge there. We ended up needing medical help there. The on-call nurse came to our room pretty quickly, gave me the right medication, and said that if I got worse, they'd take me to the hospital. Luckily, everything was fine after taking the right medication, and I felt a lot better the next day. I want to make it clear that it wasn't food poisoning, so people don't blame the restaurant. I also want to mention that you can always check your blood pressure at the nurse's station. To sum it up, I really enjoyed my stay in Naroch. I have my own scale for judging whether a place is good or not - I ask myself if I'd like to go back. If the answer is yes, then the place is great. So, I'd definitely like to go back to Naroch. I'm definitely recommending it to you all! Travel as much as you can - it's great for broadening your horizons and meeting new people. I really enjoy it, too!