Dive Destinations
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Turkmenistan
What to see in Turkmenistan? Ashgabat, the capital, largely rebuilt in white marble over the past two decades; the endless dune fields of the Karakum Desert, which covers more than 80% of the country; and Avaza, the state-built resort zone on the Caspian Sea near Türkmenbaşy, meant to be the country's answer to a beach destination.
Diving in Turkmenistan
Honesty matters here: Turkmenistan is not a diving destination, and there is no coral reef, tropical marine life or commercial dive operator scene to describe. The Caspian Sea is brackish and cold for much of the year, home to sturgeon and endemic Caspian seals rather than reef fauna, and the Avaza resort zone advertises general water sports, sailing and water skiing among them, with diving mentioned only in passing.
The situation has also gotten harder in recent years: the Caspian Sea's water level has been dropping steadily, driven in part by reduced river inflow upstream, and stretches of shoreline near Avaza that were swimmable a few years ago are now only knee-deep. Any diving that happens on this coast is opportunistic rather than organized, and there is no reason to expect a developed dive scene here for the foreseeable future.
Country
Turkmenistan is a landlocked Central Asian country bordered by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to the north, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the west - its only body of water, and not a true ocean but the world's largest inland sea. The population is just over 7 million, and Ashgabat is both the capital and largest city. Turkmen is the sole official language, and the currency is the Turkmen manat.
Over 80% of the country is covered by the Karakum ('black sand') Desert, making Turkmenistan one of the most arid and water-stressed countries in the world. Its only coastline runs along the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, around the port city of Türkmenbaşy and the purpose-built Avaza resort zone just west of it. The climate is continental and extreme: very hot, dry summers and cold winters, with minimal rainfall year-round.
Most biggest airports
Ashgabat International Airport (ASB) - the country's main international gateway, in the capital.
Türkmenbaşy International Airport (KRW) - the airport serving the Caspian Sea coast and the Avaza resort zone.