Syvash Lagoon

The Syvash is a maze of shallow, salty lagoons between Crimea and the mainland. Islands and peninsulas divide its waters, while the long Arabat Spit separates them from the Sea of Azov. In summer, evaporation leaves the lagoons highly saline and their muddy shores give off a strong smell. The waters and wetlands form a difficult barrier along Crimea's northern edge, broken by narrow routes that connect the peninsula with the steppe beyond.