All about Cape Aya in Crimea

Crimea is a wonderful land with picturesque landscapes and warm sea. There is endless space for any kind of recreation: mountains, hiking trails, beaches, historical excursions. There are many interesting places on the peninsula for both single tourists and married couples with children. One of these is the Cape Aya nature reserve.

The rocky ledge stretches along the sea for about 15 kilometers. Imagine a range of mountains and picturesque green valleys with relict pines - this is Aya. Here natural monuments are bordered by sheer cliffs, sinkholes and hard-to-reach beaches.

Cape Aya in Crimea is a reserved protected place; here you cannot touch plants and kindle fires in the wrong places. In addition, tourists spoiled by the All inclusive system will not find luxury hotels and services here.

The ridge of rocks on the peninsula has several high peaks: Kokiya-Kai, Juniper Cape, Kush-kai. The height of the mountains here fluctuates within 500 meters above sea level. The highest point is Kokiya-Kai (559 m). There are good tourist routes of varying difficulty, both for beginners and professionals.

On the map of the peninsula, you can see that the closest village to Cape Aya is Balaklava.

Cape Aya has a lot of attractions in addition to beautiful views and mountains, it is not for nothing that this place is called "the lost world". Here you can see a large number of flowers and plants listed in the Red Book.Tearing them, of course, is prohibited, as well as walking on them. A large number of rare animals and insects also live here. There are three types of sharks and dolphins, many crabs in the water area.

Hiking in the mountains will bring great aesthetic pleasure. You will definitely want to capture these places as a keepsake. They are beautiful in any weather, so it is worth carrying a camera with you.

In addition, many ancient buildings are located here: temples and monasteries. Attractions can also include Laspi Bay, where the site of a primitive man has been preserved since the Neolithic period. The bay itself and the grottoes are popular with holidaymakers.

This amazing place with untouched wildlife attracts more and more tourists from different countries and cities every year. If you do not want to spend your entire vacation here, then you can take an excursion to Balaklava and sail here by boat or small ship. Only it will turn out to be quite long, since it is impossible to see all the sights in 1 hour.

You can get to the reserve by car or bus from Sevastopol or Balaklava (about 8 km). But transport can only reach the turn to Aya, then you have to walk a short distance on foot. The entry of any vehicles into the territory of the cape is prohibited, as it is a protected area.

You can also get here by sea: from Balaklava to the cape, about a 30-minute walk on a small private skiff. Ships go here all the time, you can rent a yacht or boat, or find a free captain. In the summer, they are here around the clock.

There are several options for accommodation with an overnight stay.

• Tourists can relax here in a specially equipped tent camp, which has everything you need: campfire sites, garbage cans, the tents themselves and places for them, tables and benches, a field kitchen.
• You can spend the night by renting a room in one of the private houses in the villages close to the cape. They are within walking distance of the reserve, no more than 5 kilometers from the sea. There are quite inexpensive housing, there are shops and cafes.
• There are numerous recreation centers along the coastline, where you can also rent a room for one or more people. Housing prices are much higher here than in the private sector and villages.

As for excursions, you can visit some of the sights on your own, but it is better to use the services of guides and choose a group sightseeing tour, especially if you are resting in these places for the first time. It should be remembered that unknown routes at the headland can be dangerous due to sheer cliffs, landslides and seismic activity. That's why if you go to the mountains, then only with a guide.

You can visit the cape at any time of the year, but the most beautiful, of course, in the summer. In the warm season, the temperature here is comfortable: up to +29 during the day, up to +20 at night. It rarely rains and usually ends quickly. Cape weather can be changeable, but it is always well tolerated.

It is not recommended to go out to the open sea on boats or small vessels on your own, as a storm or storm may suddenly begin, which is not uncommon in these places.

The most famous and most inaccessible beach at Cape Aya is Lost World beach. It can be reached by sea, having agreed with the captain of a yacht, or on foot.On your own, you must first reach the Cembalo fortress, then go out onto a wide trodden path and walk along the coast to the very last beach. There you will need to go around a couple of rocks, and then you will find yourself in a small closed area. There is soft fine sand, millennial limestone stones and practically no people.

Beach "Fig" Is another interesting and more crowded place. The name was given to him by a rock nearby, shaped like an exotic fruit. Also here are the ancient ruins of the monastery almost on the top of Mount Ilyas-Kaya.

In addition to the Lost World beach, there are other places for swimming and relaxation on the cape. The water temperature is comfortable, you can sunbathe on large smooth boulders. Pebble beaches prevail here.

You will learn about the beauty of the Inzhir Bay from the video below.