Is the world’s coldest town tourist-friendly? Here’s what travellers should know
Whenever people daydream about an adventure holiday, they often picture themselves surrounded by desert, mountain or island settings. But there is yet another place which is worth a visit for quite an opposite reason: its freezing weather. Oymyakon in eastern Russia is known around the world as one
By Toi Lifestyle Desk
Whenever people daydream about an adventure holiday, they often picture themselves surrounded by desert, mountain or island settings.
But there is yet another place which is worth a visit for quite an opposite reason: its freezing weather.
Oymyakon in eastern Russia is known around the world as one of the coldest inhabited places, where temperatures in winter can fall to –50°C and sometimes even colder.
Even though the place seems unfriendly to anyone but the survival specialists, tourists still go there every year.
How welcoming is it for tourists? Here are some facts tourists need to know.Oymyakon is no longer an unknown spot on the map, as extreme tourism and photography frequently make it into their must-visit places.
Winter tourism to the area has developed and includes tours that usually include visits to the famous "Pole of Cold" monument, encounters with locals, and observation of their daily routine.
But do not expect it to be a place where you will just go to take some photos.It does not matter where you start your trip, but normally tourists start from Yakutsk and travel by car for several hours to reach the town, sometimes passing through snowy and frozen areas.
Travelling itself is one of the main draws of the destination, as it allows you to see the harshest environment that still has its inhabitants.Those who are waiting for luxurious resorts and tourism facilities will probably be disappointed.
Facilities there are simple and not many, which makes the attraction of Oymyakon unique because it allows seeing the way people live.In addition to being uncomfortable, this type of weather alters the way one leads their day-to-day routine.
For instance, the battery of cameras drains very fast, mobile devices can become unusable, and exposure of the skin to such weather may take place immediately.
Therefore, appropriate dressing is mandatory.Visitors often go to local houses, try the local cuisine and get to know how the locals cope with living in harsh weather conditions.
Listening to people talk about keeping cars operating constantly to avoid them from freezing is quite fascinating.The well-known extreme cold is mostly felt during the most extreme periods of winter.
Summer is much more comfortable compared to winter and vice versa; however, most visitors choose winter as the best time to experience everything that the "coldest town in the world" has to offer.Oymyakon is a tourist-friendly place only if one sets realistic expectations.
It provides an extraordinary travel experience instead of regular comfort.