Aktau means "white mountain" in Kazakh, but it is a very young city that has little to do with historical Kazakhstan. Despite its lack of history, Aktau is the capital of the Region of Mangistau. Mangistau translates roughly from Kazakh as "eternal mountains", although the region is home to the Karagiye Depression - one of the lowest points in the world at 130 meters below sea level. Aktau serves as an entry point into Central Asia by air from the Caucasus and İstanbul, and by an irregular ferry from Baku (Azerbaijan). Although Aktau offers some sandy beaches, low-key summer tourism and a temperate climate the area's main interest, other than transport connections, is the natural and human-made wonders of the surrounding region, Mangistau.

Airports in Aktau

1. Aktau Airport (SCO)

Aktau Airport is an airport in Kazakhstan which started operations in 1993 after the collapse of the Soviet Union and bears the name Shevchenko-Central. Very few international carriers fly to Aktau. SCAT airline is based in Aktau. Air Astana operates daily flights to Almaty and Nur-Sultan. AZAL (Azerbaijan Airlines) operates daily Trans-Caspian flights to Baku. There are also twice-weekly flights operated by SCAT to Moscow Domodedovo, and by AtlasGlobal to Istanbul Ataturk. Passengers from Manila will first need to take a flight to either Baku, Moscow (Russia) or Istanbul (Turkey) and then take another flight into Aktau.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Aktau?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travelers to find the cheapest flights to Aktau. All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights in your desired price range to get the best flight price to Aktau.

When is the Best Time to Fly to Aktau?

In Aktau, the summers are warm, arid, and mostly clear while the winters are long, very cold, dry, windy, and partly cloudy. Over the year, the temperature typically varies from -5°C to 32°C and is rarely below -12°C or above 38°C. Between May and September, the climate is excellent. The temperature rises to 27°C and it only rains about 13% of the time in September. The best climate for Aktau would undoubtedly be in October when the early evenings averages at about 17°C and there is hardly any rain. Travelers are advised to avoid visiting Aktau from December to February as temperatures averages around 8-10°C and a lot of rain is expected during these months.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Aktau?

1. Mangyshlak - Mangyshlak Peninsula is a peninsula on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan. The Mangistau region is located on its territory. One of the most interesting sights on the peninsula is the valley of stone balls called Torysh. There are several hypotheses of their origin. However, the exact cause is still not known. Mangyshlak is an unusual place in the south-west of Kazakhstan. The desert is between two seas where the northern route of the Great Silk Road passed. The main landmark was the city of Sherkala translated as “Lion Mountain”. It indeed resembles a lying lion, and from the other side looks like a Kazakh yurt.

2. Karagiye - Karagiye, located about 50km from Aktau, is a unique natural site in the south-west of Kazakhstan. Its name is translated from Kazakh as "a black hollow". And even though it is not black, but with dominating yellow and white, it is considered as one of the lowest points in the world – it reaches 132 meters below the sea level. They say there used to be a salt lake Batir in place of the hollow some time ago, but now there is only lifeless desert surrounded by massive steeps.

3. Aktau Beach (Caspian Sea) - Aktau Beach is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. A beach is an excellent place if you want to spend some time in the water during a summer visit to Kazakhstan. The beaches in Aktau are favorite summer spots as the waters are clean and great for swimming. The length of one of the beaches on the coast of Aktau is 45 kilometers. There are over 20 different recreational centers found on the beach. The city council organizes special bus routes from the city center to the beaches for the convenience of visitors and residents of the city.