Russia Regions: Far East of Russia

Russian Far East: A Journey to Russia's most Eastern region, on the edge of the Pacific

Russia's Far East borders China, North Korea and The Sea of Japan.

Yet, despite its closeness to Asia, The Far East is distinctly Russian. 

Locals in the Russian Far East will definitely make a point of saying: you are not in Siberia anymore. This is the Russian Far East. True.

The Fast East isn't like the rest of Russia. This is what makes this region even more attractive for domestic and foreign tourists from China, Japan, Australia and other neighboring countries. 

From east to west, the Far East spans across four time zones of mountains and taiga forest, over an area nearly as large as Australia.

Russia Regions: Destination On The Rise - Vladivostok

The Russian Far East extends north from the port city of Vladivostok all the way to the Bering Strait.
 

Less than seven million Russians actually live in the Far East, making it one of the most sparsely-populated places on earth.

In the last four years, the Far East has received new investment from Russia, most notably in the cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, to combat China’s growing influence in the region.

Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure, a taste of untouched Russia, or lesser known pages of its history, the Far East is a great place to start.

The Far East of Russia is home to many beautiful cities. Not only that. It is also a gateway to Asia and Alaska 

Vladivostok

A great place to kick off or finish a Trans-Siberian trip

Vladivostok, Russia's easternmost city on the Pacific, is relatively new to foreign tourists. The city, being the major Russian Naval base in Russia's Far East, was off limits to foreigners between 1930 through late 1990. 

The only exception during those years was made to Gerald Ford, the US President who met with the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev here, in Vladivostok, in 1974.

Things have turned around since then. 

Today Vladivostok is a modern vibrant city that draws attention of travelers from all over the world by its mind-boggling scenery, breathtaking views, military-historical monuments and unique spirit of resilience of local residents 

 

  

Russian Far East: A Journey to Russia's most Eastern region, on the edge of the Pacific

 

  

 

Russia's Far East borders China, North Korea and The Sea of Japan.

Yet, despite its closeness to Asia, The Far East is distinctly Russian. 

Locals in the Russian Far East will definitely make a point of saying: you are not in Siberia anymore. This is the Russian Far East. True.

The Fast East isn't like the rest of Russia. This is what makes this region even more attractive for domestic and foreign tourists from China, Japan, Australia and other neighboring countries. 

 

From east to west, the Far East spans across four time zones of mountains and taiga forest, over an area nearly as large as Australia.

 

 

Russia Regions: Destination On The Rise - Vladivostok

 

 

The Russian Far East extends north from the port city of Vladivostok all the way to the Bering Strait.
 

Less than seven million Russians actually live in the Far East, making it one of the most sparsely-populated places on earth.

In the last four years, the Far East has received new investment from Russia, most notably in the cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, to combat China’s growing influence in the region.

 

Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure, a taste of untouched Russia, or lesser known pages of its history, the Far East is a great place to start.

The Far East of Russia is home to many beautiful cities. Not only that. It is also a gateway to Asia and Alaska 

 

 

Vladivostok

A great place to kick off or finish a Trans-Siberian trip

Vladivostok, Russia's easternmost city on the Pacific, is relatively new to foreign tourists. The city, being the major Russian Naval base in Russia's Far East, was off limits to foreigners between 1930 through late 1990. 

The only exception during those years was made to Gerald Ford, the US President who met with the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev here, in Vladivostok, in 1974.

Things have turned around since then. 

Today Vladivostok is a modern vibrant city that draws attention of travelers from all over the world by its mind-boggling scenery, breathtaking views, military-historical monuments and unique spirit of resilience of local residents 

 

 

Overview

 

Welcome to Vladivostok

 

Once created as a defensive outpost against invasions, for many decades Vladivostok stood guard defending the Motherland on the Pacific coast of the Far East of Siberia.

 

It is the largest city of the Russian Far East with a population of 600 thousand people and a total area of over 600 sq km (230 sq miles). It is a major political, economic, scientific and cultural center in the region.

 

Vladivostok is among the ten most prospective cities of the world, as determined by the UNESCO.

The city of Vladivostok is now vibrant with an extraordinary mixture of culture and industry.

Vladivostok is the administrative, cultural and scientific center of Russia in the Far East situated along the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the beautiful bay of the Golden Horn (in Russian: Zolotoy Rog).

The local Golden Horn is named after the bay of the same name in Turkey's Istanbul because of the similarity in shape.

The strait separating the mainland from the island of Vladivostok, using the same analogy, was named 'Eastern Bosphorus'.   

The city is the home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the largest Russian port on the Pacific Ocean.

In 2012, Vladivostok hosted the 24th Summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC).

 

 

In preparation for the event, the infrastructure of the city was substantially renovated and improved.

Two giant cable-stayed bridges were constructed in Vladivostok, namely the Zolotoy Rog Bridge over the Golden Horn Bay in the center of the city, and the Russky Bridge from the mainland to Russky Island, where the summit took place.

 

Golden Horn Bridge is a landmark cable-stayed bridge across the Golden Horn Bay in Vladivostok, Russia. The Bridge was one of two bridges along with the Russky Island Bridge built in preparation for the 2012 APEC summit. 

 

The latter bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

 

Highlights & Sightseeing

 

 

City Highlights & Sightseeing:

 

Vladivostok was given the status of a fortress in 1889.

 

Not without reason Vladivostok has been considered to be one of the most powerful fortresses in the world. By 1916 the fortress included the system of various defensive constructions and developed infrastructure, which made possible to withstand a siege of superior naval and land enemy forces.

Vladivostok Fortress Museum:

   it displays models, photos, maps, drafts and schemes of fortifications, original items of military equipment and life dated from different historical epochs gave a unique opportunity to know about all the development periods of Vladivostok fortress


A panoramic City tour:
 
   introduces you to the views of the most noteworthy sights including Vladivostok Fortress, St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Intercession Church, the Catholic church and the Japanese Buddhist Temple. In the Korabelnaya Naberezhnaya (the Ship Embankment) visitors can visit the Soviet C-56 submarine now open to the public

 

Vladivostok Art Picture Gallery:

   houses more than 5,000 paintings of Russian artists (18th-20th cc.) and ancient Russian icons

 

 

The Botanical Gardens: 

The greenhouses of the Botanical Garden display rare plants from all of the continents. The representatives of the Far Eastern taiga species, from cedar and spruce to lianas and Amur marigold, grow there.

The six wildlife preserves (among them the most significant is the Cedar Fold, the Khanka Natural Preserve) provide an opportunity to experience the wildlife and nature.

 

 

There are even more options of what you can do when in Vladivostok. 

 

Spend a day with the inhabitants of the Primorsky Safari park (70 km outside of Vladivostok), where Amur tigers, bears, deer and other representatives of the Primorye fauna roam freely.

The stars of the park are Amur the Tiger and Timur the Goat, whose unexpected friendship shook the world a couple years back.

 

Take a stroll along the restored embankments, admire the view of the bridges which were built for the 2012 APEC Summit and pay a visit to Tokarevsky Lighthouse.

Enjoy a ride on the cable car, which is much treasured by the locals:  Be sure to prepare your camera in advance to catch the view on the Golden Horn Bay, as the ride is only 90 seconds long.

 

Make sure you visit the newly opened National Aquarium of Russia in Paris Bay on Russky Island.

Opened just a year ago (Sept 03, 2016) and being the third largest Oceanarium in the world, its main building is shaped like a colossal seashell beneath an oncoming wave and resembles the Sydney Opera House. 

 

You can spend an entire day here, watching walruses, white whales and dolphins perform their tricks, and while a tour guide talks about the evolution of species and the polar animals of the north, visitors stroll around a patch of evergreen tropical forest with live orchids and shake hands, or rather tentacles, with a giant plastic octopus.  

 

To get to know Far Eastern cuisine better, you should try the fern, the sea cucumber and the scallops at Port Café. 

 

 

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