If you've already explored all the popular sea beaches and want to try something new, you can expand your beach holiday geography with freshwater resorts. We've previously told you about the best European lakes for summer holidays. Today we'll head to other countries and other continents.
LAKE TAUPO (New Zealand)
If you make it to New Zealand, know that there is Lake Taupo, on whose shores "The Lord of the Rings" was filmed. It is a very popular resort for a wide variety of travelers – from water sports enthusiasts to spa lovers. Rafting and hot springs, skydiving and peaceful contemplation of landscapes – everything is here. It's no wonder that Elizabeth II has visited Taupo multiple times.
LAKE PLACID (New York, USA)
New York is a great destination for sightseeing and shopping, but who wants to go to a metropolis in the summer? Perhaps opponents of urbanism can kill two birds with one stone, first admiring the Big Apple and then heading to Lake Placid, East Lake, and Mirror Lake. New York State residents often come here, wanting to relax for a few days without going far from home, but also without heading to the Hamptons with its traffic jams and noisy owners of luxury villas.
LAKE TAHOE (California, USA)
Lake Tahoe is located on the border of California and Nevada. It is one of the deepest freshwater lakes in the world. Here you have everything for a weary soul: the pine air of national parks; clear water; eco-hotels; a climate that is neither hot nor cool (in August the air is about 25 degrees). If you want to have fun, there are water sports, and in the evening you can go to the famous Caesars Tahoe casino.
LAKE ISSYK-KUL (Kyrgyzstan)
Soviet people gladly visited Issyk-Kul with its breathtaking views, excellent climate, and quality sanatoriums. But in recent decades, they have somehow forgotten about the existence of this worthy and not too expensive vacation option. Four hours flight to Bishkek from Moscow – and you are on the shore of one of the 25 largest lakes in the world. The length of Issyk-Kul from west to east is 182 kilometers, and from south to north – 58 kilometers. You can stay either in one of the Soviet relic holiday homes or in a modern hotel or apartment with all amenities.
LAKE BAIKAL (Russia)
Baikal – the deepest lake on the planet – is located on the border of Irkutsk Oblast and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches like a giant crescent for 620 kilometers from northeast to southwest. The width of Baikal ranges from 24 to 79 kilometers, easily creating the feeling of a boundless sea. The western shore (Irkutsk side) is more rocky and steep, while the eastern shore (Buryat side) is more gentle. Depending on which shore you want to go to, you need to fly to Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude.
The swimming season usually lasts from July to mid-August. At other times, you can go diving, windsurfing, or take boat rides. There is no shortage of hotels, many have excellent sandy beaches. Infrastructure is mainly limited to the place of stay: you will have to have breakfast and dinner at the hotel, there will be no usual promenades with cafes that a spoiled tourist is used to. But you can discover fishing and try the local delicacy – omul.
For active people who don't like to just lie around, there are jeep tours, horse tours, river rafting, trips on the Circum-Baikal Railway, and excursions – to Olkhon Island, Peschannaya Bay, the village of Listvyanka, the Old Believer village of Taltsy, and the Ivolginsky Datsan – the center of Russian Buddhism. Come take selfies on the shores of Chivyrkuisky Bay.
LAKE SEVAN (Armenia)
Sevan is the largest lake in the Caucasus. If you've always been drawn to mountain peaks and clean air but lacked a beach, this is the place for you. The lake is 54 kilometers from Yerevan. Its water is a beautiful azure color and very clear; in summer its temperature reaches 24 degrees. Among historical monuments, the most famous is the Sevanavank Monastery, located on a peninsula near the town of Sevan in the northwestern part of the coast. Gourmets will appreciate local dishes made from freshly caught fish.
Based on materials from Lenta.ru