Bakota

Tour guides often refer to this place as Ukrainian Switzerland or Norway. And this is not surprising, because the natural sights of Ukraine are loved to be compared! But against the backdrop of landscapes of amazing beauty, rarely does anyone think about how a popular tourist location was created and not everyone knows the real history of this place.

Bakota in our time is a village that no longer exists. Its once habitable expanses, flowering gardens and fields were swallowed up by the water element. But, relatively recently, people still lived here, enjoying life and making plans for the future. But for the Soviet regime, everyone was evicted, the houses and farms of the people were flooded in order to expand the Novodnistrovsk hydroelectric power station. As a result, 16 thousand hectares of fertile land, more than 100 hectares of forest, and how many orchards and vineyards were destroyed, no one even counted. 28 disappeared villages, the history of generations - this is the price of tourist Bakota.

To launch the hydroelectric power plant in the planned volume, the resettlement process took 8 years, and the filling process took 6 years. That is, everything did not happen in one day. People bought and built new houses, part of the costs were compensated by the state. Still, it should be noted that the conditions for voluntarily forced resettlement were very wild: the state did not give 20% of compensation if the owner refused to destroy his house or cut trees in his own garden.

It is difficult to imagine what kind of suffering the people who lived in these valleys experienced. Indeed, even today, years later, it is extremely difficult to tell the story of the best place to eyewitnesses of that period without tears in their eyes. People often say "time heals" ...... But for those who were born here, whose childhood, youth and life were spent in these parts, memories bring only pain. Those events are like a wound that will never heal. This is for those who are looking for a way to organize unforgettable Travels in Ukraine in every possible way, considers Bakota as a popular tourist destination for outdoor recreation. But for local residents, these are bitter memories. Therefore, when a beautiful panorama of the backwater spreads before your eyes, remember this.

Bakota before relocation

There are two versions of the origin of the name "Bakota". From the Romanian version it is a piece of bread, but from the Old Russian version it is the desired one. The village is remembered by our contemporaries, and in the XIII century, it was a well-developed commercial and cultural place, which was the capital of the Dniester Lower reaches.

Due to its favorable location and the intersection of trade routes, Bakota was of strategic importance. Once a cozy village of fertile lands, vineyards and orchards was bordering. Life here proceeded as usual and according to its own rules. For example, when the border with Romania passed in the district, it was impossible to swim, fish, graze cows, wear bright clothes, sing and whistle in Dnistra. In a word, what is not a village is an outpost.

Bakota, our days

Most of us did not even suspect the existence of Bakota, and her breathtaking beauty, in the photos on social networks and travel blogs, many perceived what they saw as popular foreign resorts. But, it was so until recently. Today Bakota is one of the main directions for those wishing to organize a budget vacation in Ukraine.

An interesting tourist location is part of the National Natural Park "Podolskie Tovtry" and can easily replace the usual rest at sea. Since the climate here is very similar to the Crimean one. Therefore, if you love the sea, but there is no way to go there, Bakota will be a good alternative to your leisure time.

A huge advantage, which contributes to the development of tourism in the local region, is the proximity to the city of Kamenets-Podilsky, which is located only 50 kilometers away. It is also the most popular tourist destination and is included in many tourist routes in Ukraine. It doesn't matter if we are talking about Independent travel in Ukraine or planned excursions.

What to do in Bakota

Today, wild recreation is as relevant as it once was. People increasingly prefer to retire from the bustle of the city and noisy crowds of tourists. There are several reasons for the high interest in places for outdoor recreation. Naturally, the excitement among the population for the sights of our country can be attributed to the tourism development program "Tourist Ukraine". But as for me, people are madly tired of quarantine restrictions, and the best way to gain strength, to relax in body and soul is nature. And so that there are as few people around as possible.When considering the best family vacation ideas, Bakota is among the first options. Indeed, surrounded by magnificent nature and silence, you can have a great time, especially if you prefer green tourism or rest with a tent. Here you can organize a wonderful beach holiday, cook barbecue, go fishing, spend the night in a tent, ride a boat or a catamaran.

If you are from those who prefer to visit interesting tourist places of Ukraine, then the rocky monastery will interest you. The sacred place is visited by thousands of pilgrims all year round.

The caves, where anyone can go, carry a history of almost 4000 years. At one time, they served to worship nature: the sun, water, wind, etc. It should be noted that this place symbolizes the longest and still poorly studied history of religion. In addition to ruins and caves, a human foot was found here, carved in stone, which symbolizes the pre-Christian path. There are stone statues, altars, idols from 1750 to 2000 BC. In this place, without exaggeration, there is a layer of history, a layer of spirituality.

On the walls of the rocky monastery there are icons of different religions, because the memorial of national importance fulfills the only function - not to divide people by the sign of religion, respectively, everyone can visit it. Apparently, this uniqueness, this spirituality of the caves attracts many people.

Accommodation in Bakota

If you are planning an independent trip to Bakota, then keep in mind that there are no usual hotels here. The most you can count on is renting a trailer. Since Bakota is a tent edge.
But housing with comfortable living conditions can be rented in the city of Kamenets-Podolsky.

How to get to Bakota?

Naturally, the most convenient way to get to Bakota is by car, but you can also use public transport.
If you consider the latter option, you need to take a minibus in the city of Kamenets-Podolsky to Staraya Ushytsya. The local area is already accustomed to tourists, so the driver will tell you where it is best to get off. When you get off the minibus, you will have to walk another 3 kilometers along a dirt road to the resting place. There are camping sites with tables and benches, toilets and trash cans.

Автор ⁞ Гребович Н.И ⁞ 02.03.2021