In some places of Crimea you can see natural pictures of incredible beauty, reminding of paradise places. One of such pictures opens to the guests of the peninsula not far from Kerch — near Koyash salt lake, striking pink shade of water and snow-white shores. It is really worth to see this fabulous lagoon — the brightest and unforgettable impressions are guaranteed.
Koyash Lake is part of the Kerch group of salt lakes, in which it is not the largest, but one of the most unusual. This amazing body of water is located on the northwest side of Mount Opuk and is part of Opukskij Nature Reserve, being considered one of its wonders.
Perhaps, it is the fantastic beauty that was the reason why the lake got its name, which translates as «sunny, sunny area». Often Koyash Lake is called Elkon Lake or Opuk Lake, the second name is translated the same way, and the third name is given in honor of the highest mountain of the Kerch Peninsula standing nearby.
The size of Koyash Lake is small — it is about 3.7 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide. Interestingly, the maximum depth is not more than one meter. The amazing color of Koyash water is explained by the active life activity of Artemia — a small gill crustacean (10-20 mm) of red color, which is known to aquarists as food. So simple and logical is the reason for such an impressive phenomenon.
In addition to its beauty, Koyashskoe Lake is famous as a source of healing mud and brine with therapeutic properties. The lake mud covering the bottom is a high-sulfide silt deposit that helps to fight a wide range of various diseases, including cardiovascular, skin, ligament and joint diseases, and many others. The reserves of therapeutic mud at Koyash Lake are estimated at 1.7 million cubic meters.
The waters of the Black Sea are splashing just a few meters away from the pinkish calm surface of the lake — they are separated only by a small sandy embankment about 100 meters wide. It is easy to imagine what an amazing sight is presented to the eye. In all colors, a fantastic picture of this neighborhood opens from the slopes of Mount Opuk: in the green valley spreads a pink mirror of the lake, and very close to it — the boundless blue waters of the Black Sea. On a sunny and clear summer day, the play of colors is complemented by the blue sky with fluffy clouds — it may seem as if you are actually in paradise. This impression is reinforced by the shrubs with white flowers growing thickly on the sandy shores and filling the air with sweet aromas.
From Koyashskoye Lake you can see ghost ships — Elken-Kaya rocks, which resemble ships frozen among the waves four kilometers from the shore. Not far from the lake rises a small but picturesque mountain — Roadside Sopka. Here, wherever you look, you can see stunning natural panoramas everywhere!
If you are planning holiday in Kerch, Koyash Lake is definitely worth including in the list of interesting places. Having appreciated the striking beauty of this attraction of Crimea with their own eyes, many tourists remember that in nature there are places that are very difficult to describe in words — still the picture drawn by the imagination will be incomplete and not as vivid as in the flesh.