Everything You Need To Know About Ussuri Bay

A colourful alcove sparkles under the summer sun just a stone’s throw away from Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East. Even in winter, Ussuri Bay’s brightly flecked shoreline glistens under the frosty light. At first, the colour-spattered beach appears to be one of nature’s anomalies. However, on closer inspection, it’s actually just garbage.

Jutting out on the Muravyov-Amursky peninsula on Russia’s Pacific coastline, Ussuri Bay used to be a dumping ground for a local porcelain factory’s waste and unwanted glass in Soviet times, according to The Siberian Times. As the story goes, truckloads of empty vodka, beer and wine bottles, broken jars and miscellaneous glass fragments were discarded in the bay and left to fester. Nature, however, had a better idea for the waste.

Years of erosion and the tide’s ebb and flow have polished, smoothed and buffed the pollution into vibrant jewel-like pebbles. Naturally, the beach is made up of black volcanic sand. However, the environment has been gentle on the rubbish and now it appears as if the multi-coloured pebbles have always existed there.

Only a 30-minute drive from Vladivostok and nestled among imposing craggy coastline, Ussuri Bay is a stunning sight all year round. The rainbow of pebbles shines against the sand in summer, while in winter, the snow reflects the kaleidoscope of colours.

Now known locally as Glass Bay, there is an admission fee to enter the beach. But for those who want to see this jewel-studded shoreline, they better be quick because it won’t be around for much longer. Coming full circle, the glass pebbles are vanishing.

Droves of tourists have been making their way to the beach for decades, and some of them have pocketed pieces of the bay as keepsakes. But it’s not just thieving souvenir hunters that are causing the gleaming spectacle to disappear: Mother Nature is still doing her thing.

It is predicted that within two decades erosion will have polished the glass into oblivion. Already there is a visible difference in glass size now to twenty years ago. Academics predict that the 10 centimetres or so of coloured glass won’t survive another 20 more years. This means Ussuri Bay will return back to being a simple but breathtaking sandy beach, just as nature always intended.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeCcy6phSpY/?tagged=ussuribay

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.