The White cliffs of Iturup – a unique natural monument of Iturup Island , Iturup is an island in the Kuril archipelago. The island is de facto part of Russia, but is claimed by Japan as part of the sub-prefecture of Nemuro, Hokkaidō.
Iturup is northeast of Hokkaidō, near the southern end of the Kuril island chain. With an area of 3,166.64 km² it is by far the largest Kuril island. Iturup is about 200 km long, with a width of 7 to 27 km.
White cliffs stretch for almost 5 kilometers along the coast of Prostor Bay. They run across the island and overlook the ocean side. The height of individual peaks reaches 185 meters (the highest point is Mount Konakova, 264 m).They are formed by a volcano and consist of pumice. Once, when the volcano erupted, these places were under water.
The sand of the coastal strip is mixed: white quartz and black titanium-magnetite. Probably, from their combination, its unusual dark gray color is formed.The island also has a large number of thermal and mineral springs, discovered during the Soviet era.Iturup is an amazing place and very interesting, and mainly because of the white rocks of the Okhotsk coast.
Access : Coordinates: 45.033333, 147.616667 / Air transportation is provided through Burevestnik Airport, owned by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Ship transport (passenger and cargo) is carried out through the ships “Igor Farkhutdinov” and “Polaris”. / How to get there: by car from Kurilsk to the village of Reidovo (15 km), further east along the field road along the sea coast, through the Black Rocks, along the seashore (15 km) by sea – by motor boat or boat from the Olya bay of the village of Reidovo to the east (16 km).
- Highlights :
- Iturup is the largest island in the Russian archipelago. The length from the southwest to the northeast is about 200 km, the width is from 7 to 27 km. The area of the island is about 6725 square kilometers.
- Also a very interesting phenomenon is titanomagnetite sand, the particles of which are magnetized to the magnet.
- A special charm to this place is given by emerald greenery, which has shaved the forming composition.The inaccessible islands of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands are lost far in the east of Russia. It is extremely difficult to get to them, but traveling there justifies all the difficulties, and the delight of meeting fantastic landscapes.
- Activities : sightseeing : Observation platforms, walking along the famous “White Rocks”/ photo opportunities / trekking / jeep tour in the direction: “Black and White rocks of Iturup”.
- Various travel agencies organize excursions in this remote area.
Go next : See the alien landscapes of frozen volcanic lava on the Yankito plateau / Visit the fumarole field at the foot of the Baransky volcano / The lighthouse on Cape Aniva, one of the most inaccessible places on the Sakhalin coast. / The Devil’s Rock in Kasatka Bay
