Why We Chose Yeysk Over Anapa This Year

Hello everyone!

After last year's oil spill in Anapa, I wasn't exactly eager to head back to the beach there. So, I decided to try the Azov Sea instead, thinking it would be a safer bet.

Initially, I thought about skipping the beach altogether, but then I booked our accommodation in Yeysk on Avito in April. There are plenty of options to choose from, and the main thing is to pick a good location. Prices vary, but they're not exactly cheaper than what you'd find on the Black Sea. You can find budget-friendly options with shared facilities or more comfortable rooms with a private bathroom, kitchen, and even camping spots right on the beach.

I chose the Kamennaya area, but I think it's better to stay near the aquapark. We ended up staying near the dolphinarium, which has a more rocky beach. For me, a rocky beach isn't a problem, but we were with two families, including a little kid, so we walked a bit further to the beach near the aquapark. It took us around 8 minutes to get to a decent beach near the Ferris wheel.

We arrived by train and walked from the railway station to Kamennaya.

I wanted to explore the city, so I checked the map and it's only a 30-minute walk. We didn't bring much stuff, each of us had a backpack. The kids were carrying their own gear. (My sister's family came separately in their car, but they didn't join us on this trip) The city is small, provincial, and cozy. There are tons of hibiscus plants everywhere - you can't take a step without seeing them in the residential areas. Walking around the city was super interesting, and we had a pressing matter to attend to - we stopped by the MTS store to top up my account and switch to a new SIM card. That's when we stumbled upon a beautiful and charming street.

We strolled through two parks - one was a small one, Nikolsky, and the other was a bigger one, Gorky, with a beautiful church in the middle. Along the way, we grabbed some water and ice cream at a five-and-dime store, sat down to rest in the park, and then kept going. After settling in, we headed to the local market to stock up on groceries. It took us about 20 minutes to get there, which was in the direction of Poddubnoy Park. We went there, but we weren't too impressed with the route - it went through a private neighborhood and there wasn't much shade. The streets were lined with fences and it was hard to find any relief from the sun. We decided that it's better to go to the market in the evening or early morning.

Then we headed straight to the beach. We were there in early July, after the 6th. The water was incredibly warm.

The nearest beach to us, Kamennaya, turned out to be really long, with plenty of space for everyone.

The shoreline was rocky, with lots of shells. And also some really beautiful stones, big and small.

The depth was acceptable, starting off shallow and then gradually increasing. I'm not a fan of venturing into such depth where my feet don't touch the bottom, I can swim, but not very well, and I get tired quickly. For me, it's all about the shallows, where the water's up to my waist or just a bit deeper. Despite the chilly and rainy June, the sea surprisingly warmed up by the 6th of July. I spent my childhood being taken to the Azov Sea for vacations in Berdiansk and in the settlement of Sedovo. But since 2003, I haven't been to the Azov Sea. In 2003, we went to a small settlement near Melitopol, not far from Berdiansk. That's where it's the Azov Sea, not the Taganrog Bay.

But in Eysk, it's either the Taganrog Bay on one side or the lagoon on the other. And honestly, there's not much difference between the two. The lagoon looks like a sea, no matter what you call it. The water's salty, and the color's a brownish hue from all the sand. And then there's all the sand in our clothes - swimsuits, swim trunks, tunics (we swam in tunics made of muslin, which was a mistake, as they turned a beige color from the sand and won't come clean again).

Beaches we visited 1) - Caminka :

The sunsets here are absolutely stunning, and the sea is way more turbulent and stormy.

2) Central Beach :

The sea was super calm, no waves at all, even when the storm was raging at Caminka.

3) Kids' Beach at Liman :This one was a real hit with the kids - the sandy beach is super nice, no waves at all, and it's really sheltered from the wind. There are even swings and catamarans right on the beach, plus a foot wash and a cafe called 'Kristina' that's super close by, so it's really convenient for a snack.

But if you venture further out, past the buoys, the seafloor is just awful - all slimy and gross.

I've got something to compare it to, I've been vacationing in Crimea for years, and I've spent a lot of time in Yalta and the bay of Lazurny with crystal-clear water.

Of course, the Black Sea is bluer and more transparent, and the water in Lazurny is an unreal turquoise color, but I ended up liking the Azov Sea more. I hate it when the water in the sea is cold. When I'm in Crimea or Anapa, I've gone up to five days without swimming if the water is cold. I love it when the sea is really warm, and in that sense, the Azov Sea was perfect for me. We didn't even get out of the water. The water wasn't too hot, but it wasn't freezing either. I'd almost forgotten how warm the Azov Sea was, it's been so long since I've been there. My sister even joked that I'd grown gills, I was in the water for so long in Eysk. And my husband, who's a big fan of the Black Sea coast and the Black Sea, was really impressed by how warm the Azov Sea was. It's even warm at sunset and at night.

Adults liked it more on the rocky part, the main thing is to buy some rubber booties for swimming if you're going to swim on the most rocky part.

I have to admit, I sliced my foot on rocks while wearing these flip-flops on the beach. But I didn't do it on the first day - it happened when I was jumping on the waves during a storm. I'm pretty sure I'm the one to blame. The water can be pretty rocky, like these stones after that, I wore my flip-flops all the time. Nobody else in our group wore them in the water, and they didn't get hurt either. If you walk towards the water park, the beach is all sand, no rocks. But the water's pretty shallow there, and there are tons of people on the beach. I didn't see many jellyfish, but when I did, they stung pretty badly. Since the water's not super clear because of the sand, it's hard to spot them. I kicked one with my shin, and my leg hurt for about 10 minutes. I put some aloe vera on it, and it really helped. I saw one huge jellyfish, it was pretty massive. One time I saw a snake in the water on the shore, swimming away from the coast into the depths. I was totally freaked out, then I asked the locals and they said it was probably just a water snake, harmless, but don't mess with it. After that, I was a bit nervous approaching clusters of large rocks on the beach, and bushes - you never know, maybe they live under the rocks or in the underbrush.

The waterfront in Yeysk is small but super cozy. There are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or a drink.

You can take a stroll along the waterfront or sit on a bench in the evening. The seaside amusement park is right there too, we rode the Ferris wheel at sunset and it was beautiful. There are plenty of other attractions, a dolphinarium, a crocodile house, and a really sad zoo. We didn't visit those places because I'm against exploiting animals for kids' entertainment. We did see a zoo near the temple in Gorky Park, it had some nice birds, but they were all cooped up in cages - it was heartbreaking. The only ones in a decent enclosure were the swans and ducks in a lake with a big open area.

I'll be honest, we don't really go to Eysk for the nightlife or shopping. We're there for the beach and the sea. The promenade is nice, but only when it's light out and you can take in the views of the water. Once it gets dark, it's a bit dull for me - all the cafes with loud music and karaoke stalls selling souvenirs just aren't my thing. Plus, it gets scorching hot during the day, but if you head into the park, you can find some nice shaded benches under the trees.

My favorite time to take a stroll along the promenade is either early in the morning, around 8 am, or in the evening at sunset.

The sea takes on this amazing color during sunset, and the sunsets themselves are just breathtaking - you can see them from the beach or the promenade.

So, to sum it up, here are my thoughts on Eysk:

the good stuff:

the sea is super warm, the water is great for kids, the town is cozy and small, the vacation is super relaxing and quiet, there are a few nice green parks, and the promenade is pretty.

the not-so-good stuff:

the internet and mobile signal are really bad - not just in our guesthouse, but all over the town. I even asked a taxi driver about it, and he said it's because of the nearby military airbase.

Connection was spotty, dropping in and out all the time. It was particularly bad at the central beach.

Another downside was those pesky jellyfish. I guess they're pretty common in the Azov Sea, though - friends of mine have seen them in Berdyansk, Taganrog, and Urzuf too.

I personally enjoyed my time in Yeysk, but it's not for everyone. It really depends on your preferences and what you're looking for in a vacation. For me, it's all about having a warm sea, regardless of the color. The only thing that matters is that the water's clean and free of silt, like in Anapa - ugh, I still remember how awful it smelled. And the jellyfish were just as bad. Plus, I've had my fair share of jellyfish in Crimea, and they're not exclusive to the Azov Sea. I'm glad we didn't go there this year, though - the sea was still pretty chilly in early July, and we couldn't change our vacation dates.

Thanks for reading my review, and I hope you have a great summer!