Kholmsk (Russian: Холмск, khohlmsk; Japanese: 真岡, mah-oh-kah) is a port town in Sakhalin Oblast facing the Tartar Strait, with a population of some 35,000 people. An utterly drab city, the only reason to visit here is the ferry connection to the mainland.
There is a small beach northwest of the ferry terminal. If you made it this far, the Soviet house blocks probably aren't that much of a novelty anymore.
- The Municipal Natural Science Museum, ul. Morskaya 14, +7 42433 5-0290. Daily 10:00–17:00. The museum contains various collections of marine animals collected during the Russian explorations and later research of the Okhotsk, Bering and Japan Seas. There is supposedly a quite unique collection of rare mollusks and several rock and mineral samples from Sakhalin and the Russian Far East, which includes a rare exhibit of petrified wood from Shikotan. The collection is topped off with stuffed fish and birds and a collection of seashells. If nothing else, it's a place to kill time waiting for the ferry. Foreigners.
- Marine Biology Museum, Sovetskaya str. 23, +7 42433 2-2514.
The Municipal Natural Science Museum, ul. Morskaya 14, +7 42433 5-0290. Daily 10:00–17:00. The museum contains various collections of marine animals collected during the Russian explorations and later research of the Okhotsk, Bering and Japan Seas. There is supposedly a quite unique collection of rare mollusks and several rock and mineral samples from Sakhalin and the Russian Far East, which includes a rare exhibit of petrified wood from Shikotan. The collection is topped off with stuffed fish and birds and a collection of seashells. If nothing else, it's a place to kill time waiting for the ferry. Foreigners.
Marine Biology Museum, Sovetskaya str. 23, +7 42433 2-2514.
There are a few uninspiring – but as authentic as they come – restaurants and cafes along Sovetskaya Street, the main drag.
- Kushiro restaurant, 46 Sovetskaya st., +7 42433 66540.
- Mermaid Cafe, 39 Sovetskaya st., +7 42433 66470.
- Restaurant Kholmsk, 60 Sovetskaya st., +7 42433 50830.
Kushiro restaurant, 46 Sovetskaya st., +7 42433 66540.
Mermaid Cafe, 39 Sovetskaya st., +7 42433 66470.
Restaurant Kholmsk, 60 Sovetskaya st., +7 42433 50830.
There do not seem to be expats living in Kholmsk, and tourists in this area are few and far between. If you really need a drink, jump into a local pub, and enjoy the startled look on everyone's faces as you place your order.
The unpopulated areas of Sakhalin have some stunning scenery. However, independent travel in these regions are only for the truly adventurous; an alternative is paying shameless amounts of rubles for one of the fairly frequent organized tours provided by travel agencies in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
- Moneron – Go diving or bird watching on the tranquil island of Moneron off Sakhalin's south-western coast. Access is by chartered boat, from the small village from Nevelsk some 50 km south of Kholmsk.