{"id":10064,"date":"2018-03-14T22:35:54","date_gmt":"2018-03-14T18:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?p=10064\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T20:12:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T18:12:48","slug":"moynaq-aral-sea-uzbekistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/moynaq-aral-sea-uzbekistan\/","title":{"rendered":"A guide to Moynaq and the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"aral sea\" class=\"wp-image-10100\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>From white, sandy beaches to gorgeous mountain peaks, exotic cultures and blessings of hospitality, we all travel because we like to fill our brains with wanderlust and visit colorful places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like many other people, traveling is a key element which is highly correlated with my happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, as well as Iove having fun and enjoying our beautiful planet, I also travel to learn and, of course, to become wiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that, in order to understand our marvellous world a bit better, I believe that traveling should also occasionally include visiting sad places, such as a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/syrian-refugee-camp-iraq\/\">Syrian refugee camp in Iraq<\/a><\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/kibera-slums-visiting\/\">Kibera slums in Kenya<\/a><\/strong>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/visit-aleppo\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><strong>city of Aleppo<\/strong><\/a> or exploring the <strong>Aral Sea in Uzbekistan<\/strong>, a massive lake which used to be the fourth largest inland body of water but, today, is just a ship cemetery and the planet&#8217;s worst environmental disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moynaq, a city which used to be a thriving center for the fishing industry, is today a ghost town which has a harbor without sea and is the gateway to the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\">For more places to visit, read: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/uzbekistan-itinerary\/\">Backpacking in Uzbekistan &#8211; 1 to 3-week itinerary<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/moynaq-695x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/moynaq-695x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/moynaq-695x1024.jpg\" alt=\"moynaq\" class=\"wp-image-10088\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:488px;height:auto\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"in-this-moynaq-travel-guide-you-will-find\">In this Moynaq travel guide you will find:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group table-of-contents is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"table-of-contents__title\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"#1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The disaster<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"#2\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Republic of Karakalpakstan<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"#3\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What to see in Moynaq<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"#4\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Practical information<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"#5\">More Information<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group atc-info-box is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center m-0 has-black-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fe9900\">our recommended travel insurance for Uzbekistan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:20px\">With its Backpacker plan, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.com\/en-eu\/products\/iati-backpacker-eu\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=moynaq_travelguide_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-text-align-center wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.com\/en-eu\/products\/iati-backpacker-eu\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=moynaq_travelguide_en_text\" style=\"border-radius:11px;background-color:#fe9900\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">GET 5% DISCOUNT HERE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1\">The disaster &#8211; What happened to the Aral Sea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the 1960s, when <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/backpacking-kazakhstan-itinerary\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><strong>both Kazakhstan<\/strong><\/a> and Uzbekistan were still part of the Soviet Union, the Russians decided to divert&nbsp;Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the two major inflow rivers that fed the Aral Sea, to irrigate a desert land to produce cotton and become one of the top world&#8217;s cotton exporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, believe it or not, they actually achieved this ambitious objective and, by the end of the 1980s, Uzbekistan was the world&#8217;s largest cotton exporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Aral_Sea_chronology_lg-e1520887877181.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Aral_Sea_chronology_lg-e1520887877181.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Aral_Sea_chronology_lg-e1520887877181.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-10112\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The worst part of this is that, actually, the Soviet Union knew that this would eventually lead to a natural disaster but, for some reason, they didn&#8217;t give a damn f***.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, over the decades, they kept on diverting the water until the Aral Sea shrank almost completely, becoming an actual, dry and desolated desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sadly, the Aral Sea shrinking didn&#8217;t stop with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, as the governments continued with the irrigation process, especially Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why, today, the Aral Sea is 10% of what it used to be in the 1960s and its level of salinity is close to that of the Dead Sea in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/country\/jordan\/\">Jordan<\/a><\/strong>, making the life of marine life almost impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\">Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/fergana-valley-uzbekistan\/\"><strong>A guide to Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10084 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/the-aral-sea-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/the-aral-sea-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/the-aral-sea-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"the aral sea\" class=\"wp-image-10084\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">The Aral Sea<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Aral Sea disaster has brought real misery to the region. The fishing industry disappeared, the land became arid and the air polluted. Aralsk, on the Kazakh side, and Muynaq, on the Uzbek side, used to be two very important centers for the fishing industry and the economy of their country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, both are hopeless towns with huge rates of bitterness and unemployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I actually visited both parts but, in this guide, I will tell you how to visit the Aral Sea <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/uzbekistan-travel-guide\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><strong>in Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10082 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/uzbekistan-aral-sea-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/uzbekistan-aral-sea-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/uzbekistan-aral-sea-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"uzbekistan aral sea\" class=\"wp-image-10082\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">Abandoned ships<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2\">The Aral Sea in Uzbekistan and the Republic of Karakalpakstan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Aral Sea in Uzbekistan is within the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karakalpakstan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan<\/strong><\/a>, the poorest and most desolate region in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Karakalpakstan used to be a fertile region but, after the destruction of the Aral Sea, most of the surrounding land became extremely arid and a large part of the population started to suffer from pulmonary disease, as the air carries loads of salt particles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the Uzbek Government has abandoned Karakalpakstan to its own fate, so it has never invested any money in developing the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has resulted in a huge increase in poverty and more unemployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The situation can&#8217;t be more dramatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the way, the people from Karakalpakstan are mostly Kazakhs and Karakalpaks, an ethnic group very similar to Kazakhs, who also speak a similar language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only one-third of the population are actual Uzbeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\">Read: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/traveling-to-kyrgyzstan\/\">75 Tips for traveling to Kyrgyzstan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10098 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DSC_1738-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DSC_1738-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DSC_1738-1024x684.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-10098\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">A local man from Karakalpakstan<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3\">What to actually see in Moynaq<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowhere else is the Aral Sea crisis felt more dramatically than in Moynaq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From being a wealthy town, today, Moynaq is a semi-ghost town&nbsp;that has the saddest bazaar I have ever <strong><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-central-asia\/\">seen in Central Asia<\/a><\/strong>, consisting of a couple of stalls with just rotten fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The streets are practically empty and there are several buildings in ruins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Muynaq has the famous harbor without sea, which is now 150 kilometers from the actual seashore. I know, it&#8217;s insane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10106 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-ships-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-ships-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-ships-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"aral sea ships\" class=\"wp-image-10106\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>The Aral Sea in Moynaq at sunset<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>From the harbor, all you can see until the horizon is miles of sand and dry bushes where skinny cows struggle to find some tasty grass to put into their mouths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sand is full of seashells and, during the day, the sun is as hard as in any desert in the <strong><a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/best-places-visit-middle-east\/\">Middle East<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s very hard to believe that, just a couple of decades ago, there was an actual sea here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10110 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-central-asia-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-central-asia-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-central-asia-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"aral sea central asia\" class=\"wp-image-10110\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">seashells in the middle of the desert<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Right next to the harbor, there is a ship graveyard that consists of ten or twelve boats, approximately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can enter the boats and even climb them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We actually camped on the shade of one of the biggest ships and even drank a bottle of wine on the top of it. It was quite an experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides the boats, you should also visit all the buildings that were related to the fishing industry. There a few fish-canning factories, as well as other buildings for other certain purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everything is abandoned and in complete ruins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10094 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DSC_1758-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DSC_1758-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/DSC_1758-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"karakalpakstan\" class=\"wp-image-10094\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">an abandoned factory<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10108 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-disaster-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-disaster-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-disaster-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"aral sea disaster\" class=\"wp-image-10108\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">hanging out on a boat<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4\">Practical information for visiting the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-is-the-aral-sea-and-moynaq\">Where is the Aral Sea and Moynaq<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=1zqtcpGTzCsy6vovpT67ZbaKosldMbLdy&#038;ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-get-to-moynaq-from-nukus-by-public-transport\">How to get to Moynaq from Nukus by public transport<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">From Nukus, the main city in Karakalpakstan, there are daily buses leaving at 8:50am to Moynaq. It&#8217;s a 3-hour journey and it only costs 20,000UZS (1.80USD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Most likely, in Nukus, you will be staying at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/uz\/jipek-joli-inn.html?aid=1232728&amp;label=monayq_travelguide_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">Jipek Joli Inn<\/a><\/strong>, which is the best option in the city. A taxi to the station only costs 5,000UZS (60\u00a2). Here&#8217;s the bus station location, by the way: 42.449906, 59.565252.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-come-back-from-moynaq-to-nukus-by-public-transport\">How to come back from Moynaq to Nukus by public transport<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To come back, there is a bus at 3pm so, if you really want to get a real feeling of the place, I suggest you stay overnight in Muynaq and come back on the next day (there is a 9am bus).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can also come back by local shared taxi. We first took a taxi to Kongrad for 10,000UZS (1.22USD) and a second one to Nukus for 15,000UZS (2USD). Price is per person, assuming you are 4 people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may also find direct shared taxis for 30,000UZS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-to-stay-in-moynaq\">Where to stay in Moynaq<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When we first arrived in town, a few ladies approached us asking if we were looking for a homestay, so this would be one good option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another option would be staying at the hostel located at the main street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, right next to the ship graveyard, there are a few yurts which cost 12USD per person per night, although you may bring the price down to 10USD. Alternatively, you can camp next to the boats, which is what we actually did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We made a fire, brought some drinks and had plenty of fun with another group of travelers. Please note that we went there in October and, at night, it was extremely cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-to-stay-in-nukus\">Where to stay in Nukus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Budget\/mid-range Hotel &#8211;<\/strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/uz\/jipek-joli-inn.en-gb.html?aid=1232728&amp;label=monayq_travelguide_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">Jipek Joli<\/a><\/strong><\/span> &#8211; Like I said, most likely you will be staying here, which is the only decent option in town but it&#8217;s pretty good. It is a funny hotel because it hosts fro backpackers to mid-range and even high-range travelers, as it has many kinds of rooms, as well as a pretty good restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/uz\/jipek-joli-inn.en-gb.html?aid=1232728&amp;label=monayq_travelguide_en\" style=\"border-radius:11px;background-color:#0c3b7c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter wp-image-10104 size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-shrinking-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-shrinking-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-shrinking-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"aral sea shrinking\" class=\"wp-image-10104\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"color: #808080; font-size: 10pt;\">camping next to the boats<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tours-to-the-aral-sea\">Tours to the Aral Sea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Some people prefer going on a tour, basically, because they can take you to the actual seashore, which is around 150 kilometers from Moynaq. If you have a GPS and a 4&#215;4, you could reach it by yourself, but bear in mind that you will have to drive for a very long time off-road and over the sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/uz\/jipek-joli-inn.en-gb.html?aid=1232728&amp;label=monayq_travelguide_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">Jipek Joli Inn<\/a><\/strong> offers 2-3 day tours, with an overnight stay at the seashore. A small group I met at the hotel said the trip was really worth it. Prices range from 500USD to 700USD for a Jeep, including accommodation (a tent) and meals. For further information, please refer to the hotel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5\">More information for visiting Aral Sea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#2b8f2b\">\ud83d\udce2 In my <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-resources\/\"><strong>Travel Resources Page<\/strong><\/a> you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t forget to check our <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/uzbekistan-travel-guide\/\">travel guide to Uzbekistan<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As well as all our Uzbekistan articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/fergana-valley-uzbekistan\/\">Travel Guide to Fergana Valley<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/places-to-visit-in-tashkent\/\">Tashkent Travel Guide<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/tajikistan-uzbekistan-border-crossing\/\">Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border crossing<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/uzbekistan-itinerary\/\">Uzbekistan Itinerary<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-uzbekistan-685x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-uzbekistan-685x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/aral-sea-uzbekistan-685x1024.jpg\" alt=\"aral sea uzbekistan\" class=\"wp-image-10102\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:500px;height:auto\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From white, sandy beaches to gorgeous mountain peaks, exotic cultures and blessings of hospitality, we all travel because we like to fill our brains with wanderlust and visit colorful places. Like many other people, traveling is a key element which is highly correlated with my happiness. However, as well as Iove having fun and enjoying [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[229,208],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uzbekistan","category-central-asia"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10064"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10064\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50420,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10064\/revisions\/50420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}