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The gateway to Kazakhstan's largest oil field, Atyrau (Атырау), formerly Guryev, 18.6 miles (30km) up the Ural River from the Caspian Sea, straddles the Europe/Asia boundary. Oil money is evident in the proliferation of expensive hotels and upmarket restaurants; nowhere in the country is the disparity between the haves and have-nots greater, and crime levels are above average. For most travelers, Atyrau is just a travel hub, though a couple of good museums are worth a day's stopover, and history buffs can make a half-day trip to the remains of the medieval settlement of Saraychik.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Atyrau.
Archaeological Site
One of the most important Golden Horde settlements, the medieval town of Saraychik lay along the caravan route to the Golden Horde capital of Sarai, on the Volga River. Its remains lie some 54km north of Aktau, 4km off the road to Uralsk; a taxi there and back, with waiting time, should cost around 8000T to 10,000T. The excavated site itself is of little interest to non-archaeologists, but the museum displays jewellery, ceramics and other finds from it.
Museum
This regional museum is better than many, with well-laid-out displays on local fauna and prehistory, a particularly interesting section on Sarmat tribesmen, and rich archaeological finds from the Araltobe burial mound in the region, including bejewelled armour and weaponry of a prominent Sarmat chieftain. There are also ceramics from the medieval settlement of Saraychik, some stunning photos of the arid Atyrau regions and its rock formations, artefacts tracing the founding of the city, and a particularly good ethnography section.
Gallery
From petroglyphs and standing stones representing prehistoric regional art to contemporary works by up-and-coming artists, this excellent museum is well worth your time. Highlights include lithographs, artworks inspired by the Saraychik archaeological site and vivid portraits painted by local son Shaimardan Sariev, who tried in vain to set up a national school of painting in Almaty during the Khrushchev 'thaw' of the 1960s.