The most unusual beach in Russia, where black sand and gold lie underfoot

On this strange beach there are no palm trees and sun loungers, and only lovers of tempering procedures decide to go into the water. Numerous vacationers are attracted to the beach itself, or rather amazing sand, which has an original black color. This place on the Pacific coast is popular among surfers, and in summer there are many sunbathers on the beach, it's so nice to lie on a warm black sand. Welcome to Halaktyr Beach, which is located on the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula!

The Halaktyr beach, or, as it is also called, the Black beach, is located near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in the interfluve of the Halaktyrka and Nalychev rivers. The coast with unusual black sand stretches more than 30 kilometers. Sand acquired its unusual color thanks to the numerous volcanoes located in the area. As a result of the eruptions, the frozen lava was exposed to sea water, breaking up into millions of black grains of sand. There are similar black sand beaches in other places of our planet, where their origin is also associated with the activity of volcanoes. These are the beaches of New Zealand, Iceland and, of course, the black sands of the Hawaiian Islands.

Not every vacationer walking along the Khalaktyr beach guesses what treasures are hidden under his feet. The fact is that in the 20-meter thick sand of this unusual beach contains a lot of very valuable metals: vanadium, gold, iron, and especially a lot of titanium. But, due to economic inexpediency and the lack of suitable technologies, the extraction of these wealth has not yet begun. Most likely, this is for the best, because this unique beach serves as a resting place for citizens and tourists who come to enjoy a unique corner of nature.

Despite the fact that the water temperature on this Pacific beach does not have a comfortable swim, you can have a great time here. Black sand warms up so much in summer that it is impossible to walk barefoot on it. But swimming here is not worth it, not only because the water does not warm above +15 degrees, but also because of strong waves: the sea near this coast is rarely calm. But surf lovers will love this amazing place on the Pacific coast. If you are lucky enough to get to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, be sure to visit Khalaktyrsky beach, which gives unforgettable emotions.