The Way Thing Czar — Russian Travel Guide

In the summer of 2019, our family of five (mom, dad, and three kids aged 6, 8, 10) spent a month traveling and living in Siberia, Russia. Here are our impressions and travel tips.

General Impressions of Siberia

Perhaps most striking was the wilderness, most of which we saw from our train windows. Before experiencing this beauty for ourselves, we thought of Siberia as desolate, but it isn’t—at least not in the summer. It is vast, but it is filled with the forests of fairy tales. Each section was more beautiful than the last, and each change was striking. It wasn’t what we thought it was, and it probably isn’t what you think it is either. Go see it for yourself if you get a chance.

People smile less. It’s a cultural expectation and had been commented on by our readers here on this blog. My favorite comment was, “To smile without cause shows a lack of common sense.” That all said, the restrained smiles don’t indicate a less friendly people in any way. With few exceptions, we found people who were welcoming, easy to engage with, and eager to make a connection. 

All of the cities we visited were far from spotless but relatively well developed. It is sometimes hard to put a finger on a feeling of polish in a city, but they didn’t quite have it. We never felt unsafe, which is more important, of course. But we sometimes felt that certain streets were a little too dirty to enjoy walking down. There was also a lot of contrast. We would visit a very polished European-style cafe and then board a train from the Soviet era.

Cities

Vladivostok

We started our tour in Vladivostok, and in the future, we could take it or leave it. Here people were the least friendly of anywhere that we went—it was here that we first observed the dearth of smiles. The aquarium is incredible, and very possibly the lair of some 1970’s James Bond villain (we can’t prove or substantiate that claim). The downtown area is pleasant and walkable, and the city’s best feature is the boardwalk along the bay with food vendors, a miniature amusement park, and (while we were there) ponies costumed as unicorns and available for rides.

If you go, stay in the heart of the pedestrian areas closest to the boardwalk and don’t venture beyond unless by taxi; the roads are not welcoming to people. Short trips across the bridge and to the lighthouse are a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening.

Khabarovsk

If you choose to travel to Siberia—and we recommend that you do—go to Khabarovsk. This was by far our favorite stop in Russia, and we very much hope to go back again someday. We’ve never been to a more welcoming city, and we’ve never made so many friends in one week.

When there, stay downtown near the river, enjoy the restaurants, the magnificent collection of parks, and the people. We recommend the newly opened, talk of the town, themed restaurants owned by a theater family—great food, reasonable prices, and a whole lot of quirky ambiance.

Ulan Ude

Our stay in Ulan Ude was far too short. The people were friendly, and the city was lively. The downtown pedestrian area was not as consolidated as in some places, but the city was comfortable for strolling as far as you would like in any direction. We wandered a few kilometers both north and south and found various parks, churches, and a river—all pleasant. The famous Buddhist temple on the hill is definitely worth a visit. The ethnographic museum outside of town was less charming, mainly because of the poorly kept animals in the small zoo there.

Kultuk

We picked this small town by Lake Baikal in the hopes that we could ride an old train, the Circum Baikal, along the shore. The train schedule did not allow for this option, and it turns out that it is easier to do this from Irkutsk, anyway. Don’t go here.

Irkutsk

A great place if you are a fan of old churches with shiny golden tops, river views, fresh food markets, statues, and coffee. Irkutsk was a short visit for us and hampered by our poor choice of hotels but overall, we liked and would recommend it. Irkutsk is about forty-five minutes from Lake Baikal and is a great launching point to explore that wonder.

Important Stuff

Food and Drink

The food was varied and enjoyable. There are several ethnic influences in Russia, and there are plenty of restaurants representing all of them. Gastronomically, we loved Russia! The restaurants do carry a high price tag, however. For very cheap and basic food, try visiting a cafeteria-style eatery populated by the locals.

If you don’t already drink a variety of espresso drinks, you should consider starting. There is a cafe on every corner, and they are a great place to take a break from the day and have a snack—with or without coffee.

Produce was fresh and readily available from the farm stands on the street. Also, the grocery stores were well stocked and varied in their selections.

The water from the tap is not considered safe to drink, but hot water pots are omnipresent. You can also bring and use a camping filter, which we recommend. When at restaurants, order a pot of tea or fruit infusion, you can ask for unlimited hot water refills. We heard it once before we arrived and also found it to be true, “Vodka is not the national drink of Russia, tea is.”

Getting Around Town

Everywhere we visited had a concentrated downtown area allowing you to visit most of the exciting places with very little intra-city transportation. Uber and Lyft haven’t made it to Siberia yet, but the “Maxim” app works just as well. We never successfully connected it to our foreign credit card, but we were able to pay with cash without any trouble; the fares are very reasonable and specified in advance.

Some cities were more pedestrian-friendly than others, specifically Khabarovsk. Ulan Ude and Irkutsk were also quite good.

Contactless credit card transactions are king, used by every establishment we went into and some street vendors. Make sure that you have a ‘tap’ enabled card and/or get an app for your phone. Super convenient.

Every city has a Lenin Square, collect them all.

The Trans-Siberian Railway

Riding the train was perhaps the highlight of our time in Russia. It never occurred to us in advance that this would be the case, and we looked a little askance at the accommodations (and the restroom) when we boarded our first segment. But we now know that slow train travel is one of the great gifts of life. A day or two spent looking out the window, chatting with strangers, reading, and playing cards is a day truly lived and enjoyed.

We didn’t do any segments longer than two nights, and I don’t think I would recommend doing so. Getting out after two days to see where you had arrived was a nice break. The single night segments were fine, but you hardly feel that you’ve settled in after just one day.

There are no bathing facilities. Get over it.

Some trains have dining cars, but they don’t really have any food. You just point at things on the menu, and the nice lady shakes her head again and again. It is like negotiating, only you always lose and you find yourself eating a cucumber and mayonnaise salad at eleven o’clock at night. Lesson: bring your own food.

Every train boasts an unlimited supply of hot water 24/7. We don’t know why, but they do. In fact, it is the only source of potable water on the train. So, bring a supply of water and/or drink hot water only and/or get hot water and let it cool. Also, since there is hot water (and no other means of cooking), cup-of-noodle and other things that cook in boiling water are the going fare.

All of that said, at the longer stops you can sometimes run out to a supermarket or to buy babushka-food. That is to say, if you get lucky, some kindly babushkas (grandmothers) will walk by the train and sell you food. Mostly various kinds of meat wrapped in various shapes of fried bread. Very tasty and a nice break from cup-o-noodle. Be warned, however; they aren’t at every stop, and if your survival depends on finding them, you could go hungry.

Wrap-Up

We had a great time in Siberia and think it belongs on everyone’s’ bucket list. Tour around, ride the train, and meet the people. Please let us know about your experiences.

If you have already been, and want to add to this travel guide, please comment below.

If you would like more specific travel recommendations, including introductions, please contact us directly.