Crimea is a unique corner of our world, rich, it seems, in every possible natural treasure. One of them is the lake-liman Sivash. Rapa, salt and healing muds of this natural healing center give people beauty, excellent health and get rid of many ailments. People come here for natural recovery of the body from all over the country and from abroad — it is this attraction of Ukraine made the rest on the Arabatska strelka so popular among tourists who want to spend their vacations with benefits for the body.
Lake Liman Sivash is a shallow bay of the Sea of Azov, separated from it by a narrow strip of land called Arabatska Strelka, stretching from north to east from the town of Genichesk to the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea. The mirror-like surface of Sivash, stretching for 115 kilometers from north to south and 160 kilometers from west to east, is the natural border between the Kherson region and the Crimean peninsula. The area of the lake is about 2560 square kilometers, which is really a lot, given that the maximum depth in the reservoir is 3m, and the prevailing depths are from 0.5 to 1m. This feature and became the reason for the appearance of the second not too euphonious name of Sivash — Rotten Sea. The fact is that because of the shallow depth of its waters are very warm in the summer, which leads to the appearance of rotten odor, explained by their chemical composition. However, the first impression is deceptive — it would seem such a repulsive feature, but it is in its essence lies all the value of this gift of nature to people.
Everything that is in Sivash has healing power — water (brine), mud and salt of this miracle lake can get rid of many diseases. Rapa contains a large number of valuable trace elements and minerals — magnesium, potassium, sodium, bromine, iodine, orthoboric acid, etc., as well as organic biologically active substances. Sivash rapa has a «highlight» — it is a microalgae Dunaliella salina, rare and very useful, because it produces large quantities of carotenoids and, in particular, beta-carotene. It is also called provitamin A and, unlike the vitamin itself, it is completely non-toxic even in high doses and is a powerful immune system stimulant and antioxidant, preventing even the development of cancer (skin, breast, bladder, colon, lung, cervix). Thanks to the microalgae Dunaliella salina Sivash today is not only a treasure trove of healing substances, but also a very picturesque corner of southern Ukraine: its waters have a pink color because of the same beta-carotene. Often people who see the lake with pink water for the first time can be caught in amazement — so impressive are the pictures: the pink surface of the lake under the blue sky seems to be a landscape from some fantastic world.
The mud and salt of Lake Sivash are of no less value in comparison with rapa. Due to the presence of a huge amount of useful substances in them, they have, as well as rapa, a terrific health-improving effect in various ailments, chronic diseases, and in their absence — just perfectly raise immunity. Many stories about miraculous healings are connected with this place, and those who, having heard about these miracles, come to Sivash to solve their health problems, are not disappointed — the natural healing center gives if not full recovery, then a significant improvement of health to everyone. Bathing, mud applications and baths with brine, salt and mud of the lake treat gynecological and urological diseases (including infertility), skin pathologies (psoriasis, acne, fungus, atopic dermatitis), diseases of the upper respiratory tract (maxillary sinusitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, sore throat), diseases of the musculoskeletal system (arthritis and polyarthritis, etc.), as well as many other ailments.), as well as many other ailments, the spectrum of which is extremely wide.
In order to improve their health with regular procedures using the invaluable natural resources of Sivash, tourists stay in nearby settlements, including on the Arabatskaya strelka. Especially popular among them are the town of Genichesk and Genicheskaya Gorka, the villages of Schastlivtsevo and Strelkovoe, where it is pleasant and interesting to rest thanks to the developed tourist infrastructure. Staying at such resorts at least one or two weeks once a year brings a huge benefit to the body of any person, which is not comparable to therapeutic procedures in beauty salons — the unique microclimate of the Azov Sea, the stunning beauty of nature and its priceless riches given to man, create real miracles.