Aktau’s development has a vital role in the master plan of the Leningrad Design Institute. The city lacks natural sources of drinking water, so the residents use purified seawater. Aktau is more like a waterless desert where locals are satisfied with the basic infrastructure for a decent living. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the twentieth century, Aktau turned out to be a hub of gas and oil fields.
The Kazakh word Aktau means White Mountain. The city is a comparatively young town and has almost nothing to do with old Kazakhstan. Although the Aktau lacks history, it is proud to be the capital city of the Mangestau Region of Kazakhstan. The region is home to beautiful natural attractions, such as Radon Hot Springs, Mudbaths, Fire Mountains, Oases Tamshali, and Saura.
Aktau came into existence as a uranium mining town and had the name, Shevchenko. The city renamed its identity Aktau after independence. The Soviets developed created a vital nuclear power plant and a desalinization plant. It let the desert turn out to be a livable city and the only port of the country.
Getting to Aktau
You can get to this beautiful Kazakhstani city in several ways. Most people prefer to travel to Aktau by air. The Aktau Airport is 23 km away from the city center. If traveling from within the country, you can choose between airlines like SCAT Airlines and Air Astana. Make sure to prearrange ground transport to get into the city from the airport to avoid a hassle. You can also get to Atkau via train, though the city does not have a separate railway station. Instead, the train will stop at Mangyshlak Station, which is 20km away from the town, and you will hire a bus or taxi to reach the city.
Accommodation
Aktau offers a collection of hotels. The Aktau Hotel, Renaissance Aktau, Grand Hotel Victory, Grand Nur Plaza, and Grand Palace are some notable names of the hotels to stay in Aktau.
Sightseeing in Aktau
Aktau has significantly enhanced beaches and embankments all around. Beach lovers can enjoy the clear sea with sandy beaches in summers starting from May to August. The average water temperature remains +18°C these months. Most tourists prefer hiring accommodations near the beaches and recreation centers of the city because the seawater remains cold the rest of the year.
Aktau is a place where you will observe nameless streets. Instead, they are visible through numbered micro-districts. The city has all the modern attractions like cinemas, music-drama, and puppet theatres. Tourists also love Altau’s nightlife filled with clubs and cafes.
Aktau hosts Open Fest every year. It is a three-day festival that takes place on beautiful beaches to attract visitors. The fest features excellent performances of some of the famous CIS artists and stalls of delicious foods.
There is a lighthouse located in the fourth micro-district of Aktau. Built on a residential building’s roof, the lighthouse has been working for the last 40 years now. The town boasts a plane on a pedestal from the Soviet era. Many shops are also around where you can buy all types of local and international products.
