Travel to Sakhalin Island
Number of days: 9 days
The price is WITHOUT accommodation!
Cost of the tour with accommodation in a hostel for 8 nights - 35100 rub / person
Minimum number of participants: 5 people
A smaller number of participants entails a recalculation of the cost.
If you have your own group, then the dates and prices of the trip can be discussed individually.
About the route:
In our journey, we will touch the Japanese period of the cities of Tayokhara (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), the location of the streets of which was designed by the Japanese, and many of the buildings built by them still serve the residents of the city.
We pass through the tunnels of the legendary narrow-gauge road connecting the cities of Tayohara and Maoka, the construction of which began during the Japanese rule in 1921. The total length of the road is 84 km. In tunnels and avalanche galleries, you can see the employees as backups, the old, upright rails. On some of them the years are visible: 1885, 1887, 1940. Japan ordered these rails in America. We will see three exceptional objects - the Witch and the Devil's Bridges and the loop tunnel, punched in a hill, whose length is 980 meters in the city of Kholmsk (Maoka).
And, of course, we will see real Japanese torii in the village of Vzmorye (Saragura).
Further, our journey through Sakhalin will take place through natural attractions - Tikhaya Bay, at the foot of the Zhdanko Range, the remnant "Frog". And also we will climb the Chekhov peak - one of the highest points in the south of the island, 1045 meters.
We hope that visiting only a small part of the beauties and the Japanese heritage of southern Sakhalin will encourage you to continue your acquaintance with an unforgettable island - fish. Sakhalin will leave in memory the pictures of mountains, the sea, the Sakhalin forest, the famous giant mugs and the charge of positive emotions.
Description of the tour in Sakhalin:
Day 1
Meeting of participants at the airport. Accommodation at the hostel.
Upon arrival of the last participant, we gather and leave for the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk.
We will visit the beautiful lake Variable and the largest lake in Sakhalin - Tunaicha.
We will prepare a Sakhalin dinner with fish soup, crabs and sea delicacies.
Return to the city. 
Day 2. Remnant Frog. Ayhor Falls.
Today we will visit the structural-denudation remnant “Frog”, considered almost the most mysterious place of the island. According to legend, among the ancient Ainu, this place was revered as a temple of Wisdom. Yes, and modern psychics unanimously say that the outlier is not just a beautiful rock, but “its essence manifests itself through three levels: heavenly, terrestrial and underground, as well as the life cycle of the frog itself: it is born in water, jumps on the ground and burrows on winter deep in silt. " In 1983, the Frog Rock was recognized as a state nature monument of regional importance. After lunch, we will visit Aikhor Falls located near the outlier on the Komissarovka River, the water of which is considered healing.
After a walk, we return to the city. Dinner, like breakfast, independent.
The total mileage of the day is 10-12 km, with a climb to the southern slope of Gorbunov Mountain at 200 meters 
Day 3. Mud volcano
Early in the morning we leave to the village of Novoderevenskoye. Today we will walk through the most beautiful places of the Mitsul Range, along the old Japanese tunnels of an abandoned railway and visit a mud volcano. The depth of the volcano crater is about 5 km. Mud is considered healing.
We have lunch on the volcano and return to the city.
Dinner is independent.
In a day we will pass 17 km 
Day 4. Tikhaya Bay
In the morning we leave for Tikhaya Bay.
On the way we stop in the village of Vzmorye to explore Japanese torii. Usually they were installed in front of the temple. Also in the village there is a Japanese school pavilion (Hohenden). Such pavilions were installed near schools, they kept portraits of the emperor and empress, and a rescript with parting words to schoolchildren. In Japan itself, such pavilions no longer remain.
In the village you can buy, if desired, crabs.
Tikhaya Bay - at one time the favorite bay of Sakhalin artists. The beauty of this corner of the island is impressive, powerful rock formations, clear water of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk, bizarre sculptures created by the sea and the wind, encouraged people to take up paints and canvas.
Take a walk to the foot of the Zhdanko ridge. The handsome Zhdanko attracts a look and beckons to rise to its peaks. The famous Sphinx stone, a view of the mountain ranges viewed from the peak of Smely, may be discovered by the artist in each of us.
We are returning to the city. Dinner, like breakfast, independent. 
Day 5. Sea trip to Aniva lighthouse.
Breakfast is independent.
After breakfast, we leave for the village of Novikovo.
Aniva Lighthouse is considered one of the most beautiful tourist spots on Sakhalin.
The lighthouse was installed in 1939 on the small rock of Sivuchya near the inaccessible rocky cape Aniva.
At the shore, participants help prepare the boat. They wear storm suits and life jackets. They board a boat and embark on a journey along the coast of Aniva Bay.
For three hours we will walk along the eastern coast of the Tonino-Aniva Peninsula.
Visit Cape Marble and Cape Mica. We land on the lighthouse and explore it. You can leave a record in the log of the lighthouse.
At 15:00 we go back.
In Novikovo, participants help to disassemble a boat and load it into a car.
We are returning to the city. Dinner is independent. 
Day 6. Trekking to Chekhov Peak.
Breakfast is independent.
Today we visit Mount Chekhov Peak, height 1046m. The path runs through the forest, and it seems - he does not see the end and edge. But suddenly the forest is replaced sharply by bushes, and here it becomes easier, the peak is already visible. There is very little left to the cherished goal. A winding path through a beautiful alpine garden leads to a pointed peak crowned by a stone structure - all that remains of the Japanese temple. This is the peak. The panorama, opening from the top, involuntarily causes admiration for the beauty and grandeur of Sakhalin nature. The path of the toren was by the Japanese during the Karafuto period, the mountain was sacred to them because every Japanese considered it a must.
From the top of the Peak, you can see the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk, which is located on the eastern side of the Susunai Range, on the wonderful Lakes Variable, Tunaycha and Vavaisk. Tunaicha is the largest and deepest lake on the island. Its length is 29 km, and the average depth is 12 m. Photo, lunch, rest.
Return to the city. Dinner is independent.
Daily mileage will be 20 km, with a climb of 1046m 
Day 7. Hike to the Devil's Bridge.
Breakfast is independent. Departure to the city of Kholmsk in the morning.
Today, the path lies along the old abandoned railway of the Karafuto period. Through tunnels, destroyed bridges (Devil, Witch). According to even today's experts, a unique engineering solution was made when designing the Devil's Bridge. It consisted in the fact that the line of the railway line was made in the form of a loop. The train, passing through two tunnels, made a sharp turn, drove almost to the top of the hill, and then its path passed along the Chertovy Bridge at an altitude of about 38 meters. At one time, this bridge was known throughout Japan due to the unusual construction of the facility. Lunch near the Witch Bridge.
Return to the city in the evening. Dinner is independent.
We walk 15 kilometers 
Day 8. Drive to Cape Giant.
Cape Giant - one of the most impressive places on the coast of Sakhalin Island. Natural monument of regional importance. It is located on the east coast of the Tonino-Aniva Peninsula.
Along the coast from Cape Ptichy to Cape Velikan there are many grottoes, arches and stone pillars.
In the morning we leave towards the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. Further, our road runs along the coast of the Puzin Peninsula and, not reaching Cape Svobodny, goes into the forest. On a forest road, our car will overcome the passes with a magnificent view of Lake Tunaicha and Vavaisk Lakes. Having left on the coast, we will begin a short walking trip. Cape Bird is amazingly beautiful in any weather and will not leave anyone indifferent. At low tide, we’ll go through the sea clip and go into the next bay, at the end of which is our Cape Giant. In case of high tide, the path to Cape Giant will pass through the forest. On the way, we can meet traces of wild animals, as well as the inhabitants of the forest themselves - squirrels, chipmunks, foxes. 
Day 9
Departure of participants to the airport. If time permits, then visit the fish market and souvenir shops.
Schedule of the route: Depending on the weather conditions, physical and psychological preparation of the participants, the conditions and speed of the group, as well as in cases of force majeure, the instructor can make changes to the schedule. It’s rare, but still possible, that there will be no favorable weather in the ascent area throughout our trek. In this case, only the instructor makes the decision to climb the whole group. 
- alone or as part of a tourist group - a trip for those who become bored in the warmth and comfort of home. Home-stayers have nothing to do here, since high humidity in the summer and strong winter blizzards, lack of comfort and tiresome trips can ruin the whole impression of the local beauties.
How to get to Sakhalin
Ticket price for strongly "bites." If you correctly track the websites of airlines, then you can buy a ticket - for only twelve thousand. But in the holiday season, hoping for such a miracle is not worth it. Here, the average price of a flight will be fifty thousand.
The second option is a train ride, but it takes a very long time. The arrival point is the city of Vanino, then by ferry.
The nuances of the ferry: what you need to know?
Since many tourists get to the island by ferry, it is important to know how to organize the move.
- You need to book both seats for passengers and a parking space for a car at least one month before your expected arrival time. If this is not done, then the flight may be in vain. Sakhalin will remain a dream.
- From time to time, you need to call the Daltransservice organization and clarify information about the changes that have occurred, since there is no exact schedule for the ferry service.
- Before arriving at the ferry, you must definitely call Vanino ticket office and confirm your arrival. Otherwise, the reserved place can simply be given to other travelers. Prepayment is not accepted.
- During the trip, a free lunch is offered (only once). There is an opportunity to take a shower (for a fee).
- Upon arrival in Vanino, you must definitely issue a pass.
- All that is required during the crossing must be taken with you. Go down into the hold to the car will not allow.
- Upon entering the ferry, passengers are inspected and all alcohol is taken.
- The most comfortable cabins (but also more expensive) are located on the upper deck.
- In the summer, the duration of the ferry crossing is twelve to fourteen hours. In winter, travel time is sixteen hours or more.
What to do on Sakhalin?
Sakhalin especially attracts avid anglers. Taking into account the local climatic conditions, for this purpose you need to go to the island in August-September. If you buy tickets for this period in advance - for about six months, then you can save a lot.
Organized tours from agencies will be very expensive, so it makes sense to organize everything on their own. Even a ready-made ticket “includes” only the services of a guide. Everything else - the camp, food, fishing equipment, the cost of the trip - at your own expense.
Summer is a great time to hike up Mount Wajda or take a stroll along the Zhdanko mountain range. Local diving will also be interesting. The summer months in Sakhalin are the time of sea kayaking.
Sakhalin winter is skiing and, of course, fishing.
Describes how to plan a trip to Sakhalin and what to look around.
Cape Giant
What to look for when planning?
Flight
Moscow - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The flight time is 8 hours.
Regular flights from Moscow are operated by Aeroflot and Russia. The cost of tickets in September is 24–26 thousand rubles round-trip, in summer, in season, prices become two to three times higher.
Weather forecast
September is a good month to visit the island. It is better not to focus on the forecast on the Internet. The weather here is very changeable: it can be cloudy in the morning, then the sun comes out from behind the clouds, in one part of the island it is gray and it rains, in the other it is sunny.
I was very lucky, I found an Indian summer on the island, in the last days of my trip it was warm in summer. Only in one day they promised a storm with an increase in wind up to 35–40 meters per second, but nothing happened - it rained all day, several trees fell.
clothing
Standard set - sneakers, trekking boots, a Uniqlo down jacket, The North Face windbreaker and a swimsuit! I flew in my jeans - it was warm.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Any journey through Sakhalin begins from here.
It was founded in 1882 as a settlement of convict Vladimirovka. From 1905 to 1945, it was part of Japan under the name Toyohara. In 1946 it was renamed Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
What to do in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk?
Take a stroll through the best ski resort in the Far East - Mountain Air.According to secret data, the second Rosa Khutor will be made here, and it is being actively developed now. The ski complex, by the way, is used as a training base for our athletes. "Mountain Air" is located almost in the center of the city, you have to go through the whole Victory Avenue and find yourself at the foot of the mountain. Two lines of cable cars, the length of the tracks is 25 kilometers. The price of the lift is not in season - 300 rubles, you can see the rates.
Address: st. Mountain air, lit. V, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Website: ski-gv.ru
Ski complex "Mountain Air"
Visit the museum of local history of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Placed in a building made in the tradition of Japanese architecture. The whole history of Sakhalin in one museum: from the real life of people on Sakhalin at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries to historical documents and other artifacts. A military collection may also be of interest, in which the Russian cannon of 1867 and the Japanese cannon of the 1930s stand out especially.
Museum of Local Lore of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Watch the sunset. This is best done from a ski jump (Bolshevik Mountain, Altai Lane, the road to the hotel is on the right; the place is called the ski school for ski jumping). We walked through the forest, climbed over the fence and dived into the bushes under the cameras, climbed the springboard - and we had a view of the whole city.
Going down to the road, we found a couple more holes in the fence.
Cafes and restaurants
Particular attention should be paid to food - in addition to obvious seafood, Korean and Japanese cuisine is very popular here.
What to bring from Sakhalin?
Caviar, local seaweed marmalade, shells and stones instead of magnets.
You can buy caviar at the Success market (71 Sakhalinskaya Street), the prices are very different - 1,300–2,500 rubles per 500 grams, they don’t like to bargain here. It is better to buy through friends with a hand, about 2,500 rubles per kilogram. Do not put it off until the last day and take more. No matter how much you bring, there will be few!
Around Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Mount Frog and Ayhor Falls
Mount Frog got its name because its shape resembles a frog sitting on a hill. It is considered the energy center of Sakhalin.
It is best to get here by bus, having reached the Vestochka stop, and then take a walk along the Sakhalin Frog nature trail along the river.
The Far Eastern forest is very different from the Moscow Region or the Caucasus: it has a special smell, it smells of freshness and mint tea with lemon.
This place is surrounded by mystical stories. It is believed that the Frog fulfills desires. There is a belief that every stone, hill, stream, place has its own perfume. Information signs telling about this place are placed along the trail, and pyramids made of stones along the entire route.
Mount Frog
Mount Frog
On the rock, magnificent panoramas of Aniva Bay, Lake Tunaicha and Variable open. Here you need to make a wish. “Live every day as if you are climbing a mountain, and a glimpse of the summit would serve as a reminder of your goal!” - the phrase on the plate will help.
Better to go on weekdays, on weekends a lot of people.
If you have time, you can continue the route and walk to the eight-meter Ayhor Falls, which is located northeast of the Frog on a tributary of the Komissarovka River. One of the ecological trails "News" leads to the waterfall. The path to the waterfall is simple, all crossings are equipped with suspension and wooden bridges. On the Komissarovka street there are also several rapids, one of the most notable is called “Two Sisters”.
Forest at Ayhor Falls
Ayhor Falls
EAST. Tikhaya Bay, crabs and sunset on the sea
I saw this place in the instagram feed and immediately fell in love with it. The first place we went turned out to be this very bay.
On the way to Tikhaya we stopped in the village of Vzmorye, there is a market along the road. Grandmothers have two huge Kamchatka crabs will cost 3,000-3,500 rubles.
Publication by Laura Mango | Travel 🌏 (@lora_mango) Sep 28 2017 at 12:32 pm PDT
We approached Tikhaya at sunset, walked along the sea and climbed the peak of Smely. The whole climb took 30 minutes, and we had an amazing view of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk on one side and the sun setting on the hills on the other.
The road to the bay from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk by car takes about two hours. You need scissors to cut the crab.
Tikhaya Bay
SOUTH. Fishermen, surfers and stone faces
The further way is to Okhotsk. It is very easy to get to the village, you need to take bus number 174, which leaves at 08:30 and 10:30 from the bus station, the price is 64 rubles, in less than an hour you will be at sea. There are fishermen, and if you are lucky and there will be swells, surfers.
Having a picnic on the beach, sitting on the sand and taking a break from the hustle and bustle is an ideal place for meditation. It smells like real sea!20 minutes walk from the sea - the largest lake in Sakhalin - Tunaycha, with a sandy beach and a tourist base in the forest.
We walked along the road, it turned out that bears very often happen there. It's good that I found out about this after our walk. Locals said that if they met a bear (healthy and without cubs), then you just need to stand and do nothing, do nothing. I am glad that the item “see a bear and die” was not on my list. :)Island surfing
On the eastern side of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk (Pacific side), the spots (Bus Station, Lesnoye, Trudniy, Tikhaya Bay) work very well in spring and autumn - we can say that these are seasons for the east coast, here you can feel the energy of the ocean, sometimes big waves come in two three meters with a good period - 10-12 seconds.
In the west (the strait from the mainland), a cyclone forms in the Sea of \u200b\u200bJapan, passes through Vladivostok and meets our coast. The most popular spots are Yablochnoe (Kholmsk city) and Alibi (Nevelsk city). This coast works all year round, in the winter the ice does not rise on this side, and in the summer the water warms up, so you can surf in shorts for a couple of hours - this is very rare.
Posted by Chemodurov Yura (@yura_chemodurov) Aug 7, 2017 at 9:34 am PDT
The water in the seas is cool, and we mainly use wetsuits of 5-4-3 millimeters all season.
All spots get on their vehicles. The closest - Bus Station in Okhotsk - is a 30-minute drive from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and a regular bus goes there. Before the remaining spots, at least one and a half to two hours by car.
Having the experience of teaching snowboarding and skateboards to adults and children, we launched a new project - Islanders Surf School - and now we are happy to help people get to know the sea, the ocean, catch their first wave and help in the acquisition of their equipment. We see the return and a great desire to surf here - it is very nice.
We organize various lectures and parties on the topic of surfing, and in October we organized surfing competitions in two disciplines: longboard and shortboard. More information about the competitions can be found on the website Sakhalin.info.
We went surfing at the Lesnoye spot after the storm. The uniqueness of Sakhalin is that here the nature is completely wild. Before you open kilometers of sandy beaches and the endless sea - and there is not a soul.
Guys surfed, fished with their hands, and I collected shells. After the storm, tons of scallop, which local fishermen collected at night, washed ashore. But we were also lucky, we found on the coast two huge tentacles of octopus and scallops and in the evening we prepared a great dinner.
Cape Giant
After meditating at sea in Okhotsk, we went to Cape Giant.
How to get there: drive another 22 kilometers from Okhotsk along the seashore, driving seagulls to the former Svobodnaya outpost, turn into the forest to the south - the country road, and only a jeep will pass. After about 16 kilometers there is a sign - a stone with the inscription "Giant", the road is one, it is impossible to get lost, and it will lead to the sea.
Cape Giant
We went ashore: around cliffs, birds and stones with bizarre faces. Immediately on the shore you can see the crawling giant. I counted 13 people, one fish and a sheep.
There are stone arches in the water, around a seagull, a beach with small pebbles and shells. After a walk along the shore, you can climb one of the rocks up and walk along the trail - an unreal view opens up. The main thing is to remember the bears in time and not go through the forest to the car, it is better to go down the rocks back. In the evening there may be a tide, and some places will have to pass through the water.
This is a special place with its energy, it really impressed me.Everything was like in a dream: a cliff, slightly shaggy from stunted vegetation, turquoise water, changing shades from slightly blue to black, beautiful wave lines and an endless perspective into the distance, and bays and typical Sakhalin hills are visible on the sides. Nature as it is, in its original form, wild, untouched.
My place of power has some energy, mysticism, I just want to stand there and absorb this energy. There seagulls soar and smells of the sea. I want to bring my closest relatives there and share only the innermost. It is very comfortable, ideal for relaxation and recreation.
Our Sakhalin is very rich in places of power, it is worth starting to travel around the island, and one day you will feel your place. It will happen for sure, with no options, and then you will want to come back here, because Sakhalin is a unique island with its mysticism and energy, and if you have a relationship, it won’t let you go that easily. Checked!
This is for sure, verified by me. On the way to the airport:
“I think I forgot something!” - I said.
"A piece of your heart!" - answered Lena.Yes, I left a piece of my heart on this island. And I will definitely come back here! After all, there are still so many places where we have not visited: Aniva lighthouse, Three Sisters, Chekhov peak and Lake Busse.
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Zelenograd - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk by car.
Foreword
Because without a preface it will not be clear, “what the hell” we needed this adventure.
Did you go live on Sakhalin? There are big salaries ... - my husband told me, on one gloomy September evening (or on a sunny September morning, as he himself claims).
- And let's go! - I had a spleen, and I wanted some changes. In general, it does not matter when, it is important that on this phrase my calm and measured life in Zelenograd is over.
The husband just returned from a business trip to Japan, where he managed to swim in the Pacific Ocean, and on the whole he liked everything very much. Why didn’t I call to Japan, but to Sakhalin? This is almost the same, only in Russia. But samurai have nowhere to walk with dogs.
Plus, on Sakhalin, there are good earnings prospects for an automation engineer, for gas production. And the salaries there in the oil and gas industry are much higher than in Moscow, while spending time on the journey from work to home is 3-4 times lower than in the capital. Moscow - Zelenograd in the morning and evening for 3 hours in traffic jams ... Since we in Moscow were especially not holding anything, we decided to try moving.
At first you sent the resume, they will invite you somewhere or not, then we will talk, ”I tried to pass back and jump off the topic. 30 years, of course, not 60, but it’s already scary to break off like that and start all over 0. Moreover, I have made new friends, an interesting job - a hobby, I somehow got too sick to leave.
And so the three-month assault on Sakhalin companies began on the subject of work, me on the subject: “Look at what beautiful photographs, what interesting stories about the island!”. I remembered that on Sakhalin there are greyhounds and greyhounds, which I immediately spotted on the net and met. They began to persuade me in every way to move. Most importantly, the island also has horses and stables. “We’ll buy you a horse there if you want!” - in every possible way seduced the husband. And also the sea “fish, crab, crevedka”, mountains and a ski resort, hunting, and a lot of places where you can walk with dogs. Yes, and dogs are not too expensive to take by plane, it was thought at first glance.
But a deep study of the issue and communication with the airlines showed that we were a little mistaken. Our dogs are not heavy, but tall. Who does not know, these are 4 Russian canine greyhounds. The aristocrat is already 85 cm at the withers, does not fit into any of the cells offered for sale. And if a wooden box is made to order, then its weight and dimensions pass only in the category “cargo”, and not “dog with escort”. In general, the price tag was set at 90 thousand rubles for one Aristocrat, without the cost of a cage ... The option with an airplane disappeared, because the company-employer would not pay such expenses for our relocation.
- Let's go by car?
- This is 9 thousand km, two weeks of time - it is dangerous, difficult, difficult and just “dofiga”! We are arguing!
- But we'll see the whole country! Did you want a trip across the country somehow?
“I wanted to, but for a minimum of a month, after entering the cities and on the BRDM - 2, to Magadan.”
Sakhalin is an island (suddenly, who does not know). Just do not get there under your own power. From the village of Vanino, in the Khabarovsk Territory, there is a ferry to the village of Kholmsk, on the island. The sailing time is from 14 hours ... Negotiations with the ferry encouraged:
- You are not the first with us, not the last with dogs. Dogs will be with you in the cabin, you can walk them on the deck. We often go to exhibitions like this from the island to the mainland.
So, it was decided to go by car. But which one? On Sakhalin, roads are bad. If you go somewhere, there are no roads at all. In winter, he sweeps snow to the waist, it is poorly cleaned, not like in Moscow. Need something all-wheel drive. Preferably Japanese and roomy, for 4 dogs of a very large breed. The choice fell on Toyota Sequoia, because it is a Japanese four-wheel drive SUV, the largest in Toyota. Anyway, it was my old dream. A short meeting with friends, car enthusiasts, and I wander for two weeks in Moscow and the region, in search of the car of my dreams, make diagnostics of the suspension for all cars for sale and learn to understand their sores. Here I would like to say a big thank you to my friends for their support and advice in such a new and difficult business for me! Without you, I could not have done it.
My car was already almost sold, the new one was practically selected, but at the last moment we decided not to change our 6-year-old comfortable road to a 14-year-old Japanese woman. It is decided - we go to ours! And on the island we already decide to change it or not.
And she was offended by me because I was going to sell it. First, antifreeze leaked out of it through the rotten pipes of the heater back circuit (hello to Moscow public utilities with their reagents on the roads). Then the turbine was covered. Then the second nozzle. Plus a small accident with the replacement of the front bumper and headlights, the replacement of all working fluids, brake pads. My machine is now golden! She demanded a lot of attention to herself before the road. But this attention worked out perfectly!
Housing for a family of two people and 4 dogs was also not easy to rent. After a month and a half, her husband found a suitable option and received consent to live animals.
We began to prepare for the move. Daniel - morally and financially supporting me at a distance, I - practically. It is very difficult to leave the apartment in which he lived for 15 years and filled it with trash. My mother helped me with this, who specially flew to visit from Kazakhstan. Without her, I probably would not have gathered. Well, a visit to Red Square and the Theater had to be included in the training program.
Hour X was coming. The husband took a vacation and came for us. Another 2.5 days were spent on freeing the apartment from trash and tolls on the road. The power pleased us with the fact that on the eve of our departure we ate a whole tube of metal Ointment Vishnevsky left unattended. X-rays showed that you can still go, due to the lack of large pieces.
A small digression. My husband and I consider ourselves seasoned car travelers. Once 5 or 6, Moscow - Ust-Kamenogorsk wound to their parents by car. This round trip is 8-9 thousand km (looking to go through Novosibirsk or not). Therefore, what is a long, very long road, we imagined. But is there life beyond Novosibirsk, is there life beyond Novosibirsk? ...
It is no secret that in the Far East - including Sakhalin - cars from Japan prevail: to meet, for example, in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (the administrative center of the Sakhalin region) a "European" or even less so the creation of the domestic automobile industry. This is not a whim: due to the humid sea climate, cars made for other regions here simply do not survive and crumble at an incredible speed. Japanese cars are an exception.
The climate of the Land of the Rising Sun is, for obvious reasons, close to Sakhalin. Local manufacturers treat machines with protective compounds that slow down the aging process. Therefore, the most common on the island are Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda. Finding any Ford or Chevrolet there, not to mention Citroёn or Renault, is absolutely unrealistic. Toyota is considered to be a favorite among locals, which, in general, is not surprising, because it serves, as a rule, longer than others. As for the most popular model, according to our observations, Sakhalin residents, who, by the way, do not differ in the majority of their high incomes, mostly prefer to become owners of certain generations of Toyota Corolla - one of the most inexpensive, economical and cheapest cars in operation his class. Those who are richer, however, also do not like to be original, moving to the Land Cruiser.
In this case, of course, we are talking about "right-handed" cars from Japan and, moreover, far from new ones. The problem is different: until recently, the Sakhalin fleet was actively replenished, but today customs clearance is simply not affordable for many. The duty on a Japanese car worth 500 thousand rubles can reach up to 450 thousand. So the “trickle”, regularly replenishing local roads with relatively fresh cars, simply dried up. Because of this, the situation in Sakhalin was not the most pleasant for the layman: prices in the secondary market are constantly growing, but the fleet is rapidly aging. As a result, the car owner, having skated a year or two on his car, sells it at 100-150 more than the face value. And there is no doubt that the next owner will do the same.
Pricing in this case is entirely dependent on new arrivals. A machine brought in from Japan is usually imported either as a client or for resale. In the second case, it lands on the Avto Sakhalin portal (www.auto.sakh.com) - an analogue of the Moscow Avto.ru with a price tag that is very inhuman by local standards. However, it is he who, in the end, becomes a kind of starting point for the rest of the sellers, who also raise the cost of their cars.
An excellent investment, a resident of any western region will say, but the locals are actually not laughing. This "investment" bubble will surely burst someday, especially since the risks are stronger each time, because the car, whatever one may say, is not eternal and someday it will finally come up. However, there is no way out of this situation yet. The logic is elementary: buying even a very used Japanese car is cheaper in any case than buying a car just brought from Japan. Even despite the fact that it is quite new and with low mileage.
However, the “run” in the case of Sakhalin is a relative thing. The length of roads on the island by the standards of the western regions is not so high. Of course, they connect all the settlements of the region with each other, but for the most part these are not asphalt roads, but rolled primers, that is, the concept of a “car in good condition” also looks rather arbitrary.
The fact is that there is a lot of water in the ground. That is, it is highly mobile. Seismic activity also makes its own adjustments. Therefore, asphalt on Sakhalin does not live long. The Japanese, by the way, repeatedly suggested asphalting almost the entire island with hills, however, local authorities preferred to resolve this issue on their own. Moreover, "on their own" in the Russian sense is a traditional patch repair, in which, like a black hole, all the money allocated for this business instantly flies out.
The island character of the Sakhalin region is reflected not only in car prices, but also in fuel prices. They are very tall here. The 92nd liter, for example, costs about 40 rubles. And despite the fact that both Sakhalin produces oil and gas. There is production, but there is nowhere to process it all. Yes, and this is dangerous - the region is seismically active ... In general, the fossils are sent to the mainland and get back gasoline and diesel fuel, but at completely different prices. By the way, in addition, they also strongly depend on the time of year: in winter, when tankers with fuel are simply not able to break through to the island.
In other words, owning a car on Sakhalin is quite expensive. But, no matter how strange it may sound, this fact does not prevent the local authorities from seriously discussing the introduction of paid parking in the center of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and other major cities of the island. And although the project is only being discussed, however, given the Russian realities, it may come to its realization in the very near future.
But still. If in Moscow or other Russian cities with a fairly developed transport infrastructure this is somehow justified, the situation in Sakhalin threatens with a transport collapse. There is public transport on the island, but it is mainly represented by buses and minibuses - both by the "Japanese" and domestic NefAZ (Neftekamsk Automobile Plant). Fare in major cities, incl. in the "capital" of the island -15 rubles.
An alternative is the ubiquitous minibuses. There are more of them, but it is unlikely that these two types of public transport will be able to cope with the increased passenger flow in the event of the introduction of a parking fee in the center.
In addition, there is another problem. Several years ago, minibuses were mainly driven by locals. However, capital trends penetrate here. Today, the vast majority of drivers are guest workers. However, if in the European part of the country employers still somehow, but filter out completely uncivilized “guests”, in this case the “face control” system is absent in principle. If in large cities there are not too many problems because of this, then in smaller settlements local residents talk about wild cases when public transport is completely paralyzed during prayers (daily Muslim prayers): drivers simply drop their buses and minibuses in the center of the road , and start to pray. And until they finish their rites, the movement is not restored.