'''Okha''' is a city, and important oilhub on the nothern tip of Sakhalin island in Far Eastern Russia. Ancestors of the 29.000 people living here named the town Okha, with wonderful portion of self irony, it means ''bad weather'' on a local dialect.

Get in

Although many maps show a rail line connecting Okha and Nogilki, it sees no traffic and the tracks are most likely rusting away. Transportation from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is either done by air or in a combination of train and and bus. Train #1 running once per day between Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Nogilki, often (but not always) have a 6 wheel drive bus (line 530) waiting to take passengers the last 250 kilometres up a muddy dirt road to Okha, it's supposed to depart at 10.30, leaving you 17 minutes to make your transfer.

'''Okha Airport''' ({{ICAO|UHSH}}) sees a SAT Airlines [http://www.uts-air.com/english/annai/] Antonov AN-24 propeller aircraft landing 3 times per week from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, when weather permits, SAT has also recently opened a route to Khabarovsk on Tuesdays and Thursdays from mid June to mid September.

Get around

For anywhere you are likely to go Okha, walking should be sufficient. Busses '''129''' (for ''Tungor'' south of Okha) and '''149''' runs to and from the airport about every hour between 7AM and 7PM. Bus '''180''' bound for the harbour of Moskal'vo, makes a stop in Nekrasovska (check see section below) 3 times per week (M,W,F & Sa at the time of writing) departing Okha at 6.20AM and arriving at 7.30AM.

  • <listing name="Corona Taxi" alt="" directions="" address="28 Karla Marksa st." phone="+7 (42437) 2616" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Can get you around, if your own two feet, which while it should be perfectly sufficient, doesn't seem all that attractive with the thermometer plunging below minus 30 degrees outside</listing>
  • See

  • Okha Museum of Regional Studies. Sovetskaya st.. 7 (42437) 37724. ttp://www.russianmuseums.info/M1100. reordered visits only. The towns feeble attempt at a museum with ethnographic and archaeological exhibitions related to the indigenous tribes of the area, and some photographs and "art" about the Russians explorations of this remote region.

  • '''Nekrasovska''' This small village, 28 kilometres Northwest of Okha, is home to largest remaining community of the indigenous Nivkhi tribe. Take a marshrutka if you can find one, or find a cab driver, which while no easy feat either, should be slightly easier.
  • Do

    If you're not here to board a helicopter or supply ship to one of the oil and gas platforms further north, you took a wrong turn somewhere! Unless this mishap have taken place in January or June where the indigenous tribes have their main annual festivals, retrace your steps, and return down south - or dodge your Arctic gear, sleeping bag, tent and rifle and go explore the wilderness.

    Buy

    Eat

  • Cafe Crystal. {_p___u _K___y_____p_|_|. 8 Dzerzhinsky st.. Look for a big sign next to what still may be, or may not be, another Hotel.

    Drink

  • Pivzavod Okha. 1 Karla Marksa st.. Is a local brewery, the beers are reported to be quite good.

    Sleep

  • Hotel Oilman. 0 Lenin St.. 7 (42437) 44110. It's not much, it's not fancy, but this apartment building, converted into a hotel, is the only option north of Nogilki - 250 kilometers south.

    Cope

  • <listing name="Sberbank" alt="" directions="" address="32 Sovetskaya st." phone="+7 (42437) 20228" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sbrf.ru/en/" hours="" price="">This branch of Russia's largest bank, is the only one in town</listing>
  • Contact

    Get out