The major tourist stream

Sergei ABAKSHIN

While there is Issyk-Kul there are Kazakhstani tourists in Kyrgyzstan. It's a part of mentality and lifestyle, specially for Almaty habitants — the biggest city of Kazakhstan. It's hard times everywhere so Kazakhstani are landing a hand to Kyrgyzstani by spending money there and gaining health (though there're chances you'll get saturated by alcohol and sex) and positive emotions.

For Kyrgyzstan's travel industry — Kazakhstan is strategic country. Among all international tourists in Kyrgyzia there were 62% of Kazakhstani people in 2008, and most of them visited Issyk-Kul with its scenic beauty of localities. Issyk-Kul is known as one of the biggest high-mountain lake. Lake Issyk-Kul has a length of 182 km, a width of up to 60 km, a depth — 702 m, and covers an area of 6,336 km². It's situated at 1609 m above sea level and floatable. The lake comes short of clarity only to Baikal lake.

Besides the traditional legendary dragon's tail, which are common for all the lakes lost in mountains, you'll find here even more: drowned cities and the lost gold. Researches show that in XI-XIV centuries water level in Issyk-Kul was lower than nowadays on 6-6.5 m. Archeologists know that over a dozen of ancient and medieval settlements under the water.

We won't play cunning with you if say that tourists from Kazakhstan is mostly engaged with crystal clear lake waters (famous for its sanative features — skin diseases, funguses, arthropathy), having a chance to drink vodka (without hangover next day thanks to good ecology) and sexual adventure. The Kyrgyzian cuisine is monotonous, but it has plenty of meat, fish and fruits, so you won't feel that dreary diet for one or two weeks (usual period of stay for Kazakhstani tourists at Issyk-Kul).

Everybody wants to travel safely, and Kyrgyzstani do their best. Some need Medical Aviation and the others want high quality vodka, part wants like well-intentioned locals etc.

The police of Issyk-Kul province transfers to medium security level for 56 days of the season (the timing never changes year to year). Locals are quite friendly to guests, so there's no bigger threat except of stealing of your cell phone or luggage. The main problem of self-security comes from another vacationer but brawler. You'll sooner fight with another Almaty's habitant than with a local.

Classical statement «in vino veritas», in vodka — the truth, in beer — power, in water — microbes isn't that proper for Kyrgystan. The Kyrgyzstani vine usually has good quality though you might not tell. If you're trying to buy vodka it's recommended to be very fastidious. If you choose beer beware of unknown brands, but if you like water — feel yourself freely to take any kind because it has high quality anywhere in province. The water can be spring one, mineral, melt-one, medicinal but every time it will be natural and healthy.

Issyk-Kul swarms all over the place with health resorts, and many of them proceed to year-round schedule. At the moment you can find over dozen of such resorts. Sunny days so frequent at the high-mountain lake (up to 300 days a year), so you will enjoy the chance to get chocolate suntan with golden shade (every resort zone has its color of suntan due to angle of inclination of sun beams and microclimate). There was no decline in upper tier market last year according to earning yield, as for mid-tier and low market travel industry saw the reduction of incomes in 10% comparing to 2007. It seems to be no weakening of luxury travel market this year, as it said by elite health resort owners: «Economical indexes are good.»
Natural resources in Kyrgystan are presented in low level therefore locals try to do their best in travel industry and improve skills in amidst the global crisis. And thanks to globalization cause it opens not only challenges but also set of opportunities as the market has many gaps worldwide.

If you travel to 53 km from Bishkek (capital of Kyrgyzstan) you see resting place named «Hawaii». There's no analogues in Kazakhstan. Local enthusiasts cleaned up swamp and it turned to be clear water. There are more than dozen picturesque float-boats. Any float-boat is shaped individually in European or Oriental style. Clients and food get to the boats by water. You can ride catamaran or powerboat, or swim in the lake and rest on the beach. If you are fond of fishing there is fish in the pond. The rent of big floating island is amazingly low to Almaty's habitants.

If you have capacity to take along large-size souvenirs we recommend you to buy rattan furniture made by locals from red or yellow willow. Rattan chair can bear up to 500 kg. Guaranty for such chairs is valid for 20 years but it can be useful for 50 years. Manufacturing the furniture is eco-friendly and convenient in any case. Logging of willow brunches is made in winter (until April, to be more precise), the trees have not been harmed this way and the crown grows again. In order to make it you'll need: a willow, some screws, a stapler, some nails, a hammer, a handsaw, glue, furniture varnish, and a machine to make ribbons. Bamboo furniture is more fragile than willow one but equally good looking. As for Chinese cane furniture, broadly available in Bishkek, it's even more breakable.

Opportunities to hunt are wide open. It's more than just fowling. You'll be offered to hunt with a war eagle and local breeds of hound accompanied by the experienced instructor. The price is really moderate. You can also bow yaks (mountain ox), and then take huge horns as a trophy (all legal technicality kyrgyzian side takes on its behalf).

Naturally, Kazakhstani people go to rest not only to Issyk-Kul. Almaty and Bishkek are located 250 km from each other, but they're agglomerated. Moreover, wealthy players are going to Bishkek once casinos have been prohibited in Almaty. The capital of Kyrgyzstan remains the leader of industry of sex entertainment in Central Asia by quality-price ratio.

In autumn, with the ending of touristic season, Bishkek and Issyk-Kul becoming empty, saying goodbye to noisy and quite wealthy crowd of Kazakhstani people. But now it's time of vivid nature and revitalization, moreover the main touristic stream from Kazakhstan is spinning up.