Zaliznyy port iron port holidays



Visiting my friend Kevin, an American living in Odessa, which wanted a beach break from the city, we decided to go for a few days from Odessa to Iron Port (literal translation), or Zaliznyy Port, or even Zaliznyi Port, pronouncing its original name.

This small city of 1500 inhabitants is a beach resort city with cheap prices, with a lot of entertainment both on its main beach, sunny beach, and in the city.

For vacation at sea cheap with a great rest on the black sea ukraine, or also children's holiday at sea in Ukraine, it is a good choice.

iron port on wikipedia (in Russian)
Odessa to iron port (Zaliznyi Port) via Mikoaliv on Google maps

Day 1 How to get to the iron port

Kherson, Ukraine: Find local activities

Leaving from Odessa, the Odessa iron port trip takes about 5h by car, with 300km trip. We booked a blablacar, a car ride share, first one from Odessa to Mikolaiv, which is pretty to find. Leaving at 8am, we were mostly sleeping the whole trip and didn’t talk much.

Car sharing website (look in Russian or Ukrainian to find the trips in Ukraine)

Arriving in Mikolaiv, we had to take a public transport to get from where we got dropped, on the west of the city, to the next pickup location, at the autobus station, which costs 5UAH, or about 15 cents of USD or EUR.

The second one, from Mikolaiv to iron port, was a bit more tricky, with less people going to the small city and willing to share their ride – another option from there is one of the many bus to the iron port. Our driver had a very comfortable car, and was very friendly. He told us that he is regularly driving to Zaliznyy port for business, where he installs street food appliances.

Getting to the iron port, our driver drops us in a small street, very close to the waterfront. Getting closer by car is difficult. As we have no plan and nothing booked, we look in the streets around for hotels with swimming pool in the iron port, and see the hotel 27 pearls iron port, where we go to the reception and ask for the price.

27 pearls iron port hotel review

As the price is the same as booking.com, and they offer no discount, we decide to book online, as we get that way some insurances in case something happens. For iron port 27 pearls prices of 1800UAH (65USD or 55EUR) a night, pretty expensive for the area, we decide to book only one night – in any case, the hotel is full for the weekend. After a quick tour of the hotel, we decide to go out.

27 pearls iron port prices and booking

Arriving at the bazaar, which was nearby our hotel, we were surprised to see watermelons everywhere – and huge ones ! After buying a beach towel, negotiated down from 200UAH to 1500UAH (5.50USD or 4.50EUR), we started something much more fun, which we didn’t know we would find there : free home made wine tasting !

There are literally home made wine booths every 10 meters, all of them having a different wine selection, and all of them offering tasting. After having tried several of them, we finally find one were the seller is extremely friendly, and decide to buy a few litres from him, a muscat and a flavored wine, for about 80UAH per litre (2.5EUR or 3USD).

Keeping wandering around, and having a look at the properties, as we will need a new place for the next day, we come back to finally see the sea. And wow ! What a surprise, it looks so great.

After founding a free corner of one of the beaches of the iron port, we lay down our towel, and start drinking the wine we bought earlier. Going for a swim, we discover something we didn’t know about, there are a lot of jellyfish in the iron port. Lot of them are dead washed ashore, but it is impossible to avoid them in the sea, as there are so many ! Later, we will read about it and see that it is actually an unfortunate infestation which affects whole black sea.

Shipping problems : alien invaders on WWF

The sun slowly getting down, we head back to our hotel 27 pearls of the iron port, where the fresh and clean pool awaits us for a refreshing dip under 32°C.

After a good shower, we decide to have our first meal of the day ! At dusk, nearly all iron port restaurants offer a barbecue. We decide to settle for one which has a beach front terrace. And we are not disappointed ! Food was amazing.

Restaurant Arina review

After dinner, we wander in the streets, until night time, where we visit a few clubs, starting with Istanbul club, and then Jamaica club. Party until dawn !

Jamica iron port club review

Day 2 Thursday leisure in the iron port

After a wild night, we barely wake up on time for hotel check out, and quickly shower and pack up. Hey, the day before we didn’t find an accomodation for the upcoming days, so here is our plan ! Leaving our  luggage   at the reception, we go out, and look for places to stay. The iron port hotels all advertise on the main gate if they have space available, ЕСТь МЕСТА, and if they are full and have no space, НЕТ МЕСТА.

Pretty easy ! Looking for boarding houses iron port, we finally find a nice one, Itaka, where the reception is very friendly, and rooms looks decent. We book one with 3 beds for the two of us until Sunday – we still have no idea yet about when we’ll leave the city, it costs us 500UAH per night for two persons (18USD or 15EUR).

Review of Itaka boarding houses in the iron port

Having secured our stuff in the room, we can now go back to the beach, and have a long walk all along the sunny beach.

Feeling hot and tired, we stop for a shisha at one of the beach club, when we see a place with comfortable seats under the shades. Smelling a few of them, we stop our choice on the American Cake.

At dusk, we leave the shisha place, and keep walking around, stopping for cocktails here and there, and making new friends. The drink station bar has great ones, and we have great conversations with Victoria, the barmaid.

Drink station bar review

After a few drinks, it is time to head home for the night.

Day 3 Friday holiday on the Black Sea

Waking up with a big appetite, we decide to go to Favorite hotel ukraine restaurant on the roof, for lunch with an amazing view, and order some pasta with pesto sauce, which disappoint us a bit, as it is at the end not pesto at all. However, it tastes good, and the view on the iron port beach is exceptional.

Favorite restaurant review

Back to walk on the beach, we enjoy the picturesque view, and start thinking about getting an iron port massage or doing something more fun.

However, it is Friday, the 24th of Ukraine… which is their national day ! We realize that we forgot about it when walking next to a beach, where a gathering of people got our attention. Some ladies were handing over blue and yellow body paint, the national colors, for everybody to show its patriotism.

Keeping walking, and reaching the luna park, where the attractions are, we get on the ferris wheel to have a better view on the sunset.

Walking until the end of the beach in the iron port, we find a place we like, and settle down on the sand to watch the sunset. We then realize once again, how many jellyfish there are, making us think there is a wild beach in the iron port !

The sunset is simply amazing from there, we enjoy it very much. And then head back to our boarding house to take a shower, change, and go out for some drinks, first in the street, and then in the Jamaica club.

Day 4 Saturday rest on the sea in ukraine

The Saturday of our rest on the black sea ukraine is about beach, so we spend the afternoon there, starting by getting a nice cider, which costs about 40UAH (1.20EUR or 1.40USD), to take with us at the sea.

Walking from a beach to another, we again realize how good must be an iron port vacation with a child, as there are so many places for iron port holidays with children, with swimming pools, slides, and many more way to let them have fun.

We finally go back to the same beach club as of Friday, at the end of the beach, where we take another cider. It is a beach club from a nearby camping, and some group activities are organized, drinking games for adults. We follow it a bit, and then go back to rest on the beach.

The place is very friendly, and we end up meeting new friends with whom we play Frisbee under the setting sun, until we cannot see it any more.

Getting dark, it is time to get ready for the night, and have some dinner ! We go to Tanuka for an amazing barbecue, and this time we add fish to our mix of meat, vegetables and french fries. The whole meal with drinks costs for the two of us about 400UAH (14USD or 12EUR).

Tanuka review iron port restaurants

After that, we again go to party, direction Jamaica beach club, where a strip tease championship happens. It was a great night in the club, but the strip show disappointed us a bit – it was a show perfectly planned, but surely not a competition, as there was even no clear winner.

Day 5 Sunday rest on the seashore iron port

Out last day of vacation in the iron port ! At noon, the owner knocks on the door, it is time to leave ! We ask if we can stay one more day, which is agreed. Once ready, we do something that we forgot all this time there… have some breakfast ! We go to the bazaar, where we noticed few days earlier a great smell at a bakery. Trying some local pastries, they are as good as they smell – and so cheap ! Only 15UAH (0.50EUR or USD), and awesomely good. The iron port food prices amazes us.

On our way back from the bazaar to the beach, we decide to try another thing we saw earlier, the yellow watermelon iron port, which we never saw before with that color. Buying it, we seat on the beach, and talk with girls next to us with which we try to share our watermelon. They tell us it is nothing special, just yellow watermelon with less taste than normal ones. We try it, and it is true, nothing exciting.

We seat on the beach until night comes, having cider, going for some swims with the jellyfishes, and enjoy our time. Our rest on the sea in ukraine is slowly getting to an end… but not yet. A guy disguised in a huge panda costume arrives at dusk and plays with children, asking to pay to take pictures with him. Later on, on our way back home, we will meet him at the bar with his costume off.

At night, the full moon comes out, and shows an amazing spectacle on the beach.

Day 6 Monday way back home

That’s it, our vacation in the Kherson region are now ending ! Speaking about which… we have no idea how to get back home ! We check out early, at 8am, and go to the closest bus station, as there are many connections from Kherson to the iron port, for 125UAH (4.50USD or 4EUR). We take the first one, which leads us to Kherson.

On the way there, we find a car sharing online, with convenient timing. After finding him, we depart for Odessa, thus ending our Kherson region holidays in the iron port – or Zaliznyy Port, or Zaliznyi Port !

Our budget per person for 6 days 5 nights holiday in Zaliznyy port, including transportation from Odessa and back plus all expenses including accommodation was 8000, 285USD or 245EUR.

Frequently Asked Questions

What attractions and activities make Zaliznyy Port, or Iron Port, a unique holiday destination, and what type of environment can visitors expect?
Zaliznyy Port offers a combination of beautiful beaches, lively resorts, and various water sports, making it a unique seaside destination. The environment is typically vibrant in the summer with a mix of relaxation and entertainment options for visitors.

Michel Pinson
About the author - Michel Pinson
Michel Pinson is a Travel enthusiast and Content Creator. Merging passion for education and exploration, he iscommitted to sharing knowledge and inspiring others through captivating educational content. Bringing the world closer together by empowering individuals with global expertise and a sense of wanderlust.



Comments (2)

 2020-06-16 -  Людмила
Лучше чем в Одессе? Если да, то чес именно?
 2020-06-16 -  Michel
Это другое) Меньшие места, более дружелюбные, но все еще очень многолюдно. Ночью он останавливается раньше. Все рядом.

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