Okha
From Wikitravel
Okha (Russian: Оха́ Ah-khah) [1] is a city, and important oilhub on the nothern tip of Sakhalin island in Far Eastern Russia. Ancestors of the 29.000 people living here named the town Okha, with their usual pragmatism, it derived from an indigenous word for bad water, to which the town owes it's existence. Oil was discovered here in the late 19th century, and today it's the main center of the islands Oil industry along with the capital.
[edit] Get in
Although many maps show a rail line connecting Okha and Nogilki, it sees no traffic and the tracks are most likely rusting away. Transportation from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is either done by air or in a combination of train and and bus. Train #1 running once per day between Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Nogliki, often (but not always) have a 6 wheel drive bus (line 530) waiting to take passengers the last 250 kilometres up a muddy dirt road to Okha, it's supposed to depart at 10.30, leaving you 17 minutes to make your transfer.
Okha Airport (ICAO: UHSH) sees a SAT Airlines [2] Antonov AN-24 propeller aircraft landing 3 times per week from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, when weather permits, SAT has also recently opened a route to Khabarovsk on Tuesdays and Thursdays from mid June to mid September.
[edit] Get around
For anywhere you are likely to go Okha, walking should be sufficient. Busses 129 (for Tungor south of Okha) and 149 runs to and from the airport about every hour between 7AM and 7PM. Bus 180 bound for the harbour of Moskal'vo, makes a stop in Nekrasovska (check see section below) 3 times per week (M,W,F & Sa at the time of writing) departing Okha at 6.20AM and arriving at 7.30AM.
- Corona Taxi, 28 Karla Marksa st., ☎ +7 (42437) 2616. Can get you around, if your own two feet, which while it should be perfectly sufficient, doesn't seem all that attractive with the thermometer plunging below minus 30 degrees outside edit
[edit][add listing] See
Described by most passing business folks and oil people as utterly depressing, add the whole 'end of the road' situation, and your equation should end up along the lines of a town you would only visit while on business. If you insist, try to get here before the snow melts, it adds a certain charm to the place.
- Okha Museum of Regional Studies, 1 Sovetskaya st., ☎ +7 (42437) 37724, [3]. Preordered visits only. The towns feeble attempt at a museum with ethnographic and archaeological exhibitions related to the indigenous tribes of the area, and some photographs and "art" about the Russians explorations of this remote region. edit
- Nekrasovska This small village, 28 kilometres Northwest of Okha, is home to largest remaining community of the indigenous Nivkhi tribe. Take a marshrutka if you can find one, or find a cab driver, which while no easy feat either, should be slightly easier.
[edit][add listing] Do
If you're not here to board a helicopter or supply ship to one of the oil and gas platforms further north, you took a wrong turn somewhere! Unless this mishap have taken place in January or June where the indigenous tribes have their main annual festivals, retrace your steps, and return down south - or dodge your Arctic gear, sleeping bag, tent and rifle and go explore the wilderness.
[edit][add listing] Buy
- Khiton Store (ХИТОН), ul. Karla Marksa 22, ☎ +7 (42437) 2-5009. General store with everything from food and clothing to electrical appliances. edit
[edit][add listing] Eat
- Cafe Kristall (кафе Кристалл), ul. Komsomolskaya 25., ☎ +7 (42437) 2-7110. Look for a big "Кристалл" sign next to Hotel Canada. edit
- Galata (Галата), ul. Dzerzhinsky 3, ☎ +7 (42437) 2-4437. edit
[edit][add listing] Drink
- Pivzavod Okha (Пивзавод Оха), 41 Karla Marksa st.. Is a local brewery, the beers are reported to be quite good. edit
[edit][add listing] Sleep
- Hotel Canada (Канадская гостиница), Komsomolskaya st. 24A, ☎ +7 (42437) 20916 (okha70@yandex.ru). Singles 850 Rub, shared bedrooms 600 rub.. edit
- Hotel Oilman (гостиница Нефтяник), 40 Lenin St., ☎ +7 (42437) 44110. It's really not that fancy, but this old apartment building, converted into a Hotel is the towns best shot at an upmarket accommodation choice. edit
- Hotel Satellite (Гостиница Сателлит), ☎ +7 (42437) 23719 (okhahotel@sat.sakhalin.ru), [4]. Affiliated with SAT airlines, this hotel has singles, doubles and triples equipped with water heaters, showers, televisions and some have kitchenettes. Some rooms are rented out on a shared basis for as low as 750 rub, otherwise a night will set you back 2100-3400 rub.. edit
[edit] Cope
- Sberbank (Сбербанка), 32 Sovetskaya St, ☎ +7 (42437) 20228, [5]. This branch of Russia's largest bank, is the only one in town edit
[edit] Get out
You've reached the end of the road, convince someone in the oil business to hire you to go further north, or turn around and head south.
| This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow! |
