Holidays with children in Zatoka: is it worth going? Where to relax in Zatoka with children - tips from the Khutorok recreation center Where is the best place to relax with children in Zatoka

Zatoka is an ideal village for a family holiday without the noise, dust and dirt of a large city. This is an ecologically clean area where your child is not in any danger. Therefore, a holiday in Zatoka with children is ideal, there is a lot of entertainment, wide, clean beaches and a flat seabed without much depth. A correctly selected base will give perfect harmony and endless joy from a well-spent vacation on the Black Sea coast.

Which base to choose for a holiday with children in Zatoka

In almost any case, it offers affordable prices. The area is attractive because along with peace and tranquility you get comfortable conditions, excellent food at an affordable price. Therefore, most families want to relax in Zatoka with children.
Reviews identified the best options as:

  1. the Khutorok base with an unobtrusive interior and a huge swimming pool in the courtyard;
  2. the Dacha base with comfortable houses and equipped children's playgrounds;
  3. Villa "Santorini" with a special children's menu (rooms offer views of the sea or the beautiful landscapes of Zatoka);
  4. base "Casa Blanca" with cozy houses (panoramic windows) and an equipped beach area.

These establishments can make golden summer days fun, and the safety of children will allow adults, instead of constantly chasing children, to also enjoy the sun and sea air. Water activities are freely available - from banana boats with catamarans to diving and windsurfing. There is water parachuting, water skiing, scooters, and boat rides.

Other advantages of holidays in Zatoka with children

An interesting feature of the village is its location between a fresh estuary and a salty sea. The mixing of two air flows has a healing effect on the child’s body, hardens it, and increases the body’s protective functions. Outdoor games are excellent for physical development, fill with pleasant emotions, and this is a wonderful way to find mutual understanding in the family and strengthen family ties.
When planning a vacation with children in Zatoka, do not forget to check the food rules - there may be a charge. If you want to cook for your family yourself, you can choose cottages with a separate kitchen; such options are cheaper in price. The ideal choice would be a log or stone cottage with an equipped BBQ area. Such buildings are always cool during the hot season, and beautiful gazebos nearby will allow you to enjoy evening gatherings with dishes on the fire.

Holidays with children in Zatoka

One of the most inexpensive, but most famous resorts in the Odessa region, as if created by nature for a family holiday with children, is the village of Zatoka, located on the Karolino-Buga spit. There are many recreation centers, youth camps, boarding houses and private houses, the owners of which rent out housing to visiting tourists, so for several decades in a row Zatoka has been a leader in all lists of inexpensive Black Sea resorts. By the way, many recreation centers and boarding houses are located right on the coast, so the walk from them to the beach is no more than 5-10 minutes.
In this area, the Black Sea is especially well heated by the sun, so the water temperature rather resembles fresh milk, and the 20-100 meter beaches with clean golden sand without shells and pebbles look like one large sandbox. The flat bottom of the sea creates a huge natural paddling pool where children who cannot swim can frolic, older children are attracted by numerous water attractions and, well, young people have chosen more “adult” entertainment for themselves - water skiing and jet skiing, hang gliding and parachuting, sea fishing. There are free playgrounds on the coast where kids will love to play while parents go into the water for a dip. By the way, most hotels and private boarding houses are also equipped with small modular playgrounds for children. The only negative is that the beaches in Zatoka are always crowded - holidays in Zatoka with children are very popular, so you can find solitude only on the outskirts of the spit that goes to Sergeevka and you can only get to them by car.
You can eat in numerous cafes and summer restaurants or cook yourself; fortunately, there are three markets in Zatoka. But local residents are well aware that parents use the holidays not only to improve the health of their children, but also to “feed” them with vitamins as much as possible, which is why prices for fruits and berries are quite high. Well, besides this, the markets sell souvenirs traditional for seaside resorts, various accessories and equipment for a beach holiday - masks, goggles, fins, sun loungers, umbrellas. Their quality leaves much to be desired, so you shouldn’t throw money away, especially since Zatoka is the least suitable for diving.
Young people will certainly appreciate the vibrant nightlife of Zatoka - when married couples are already settling down to rest, so as not to oversleep the morning trip to the sea, nightclubs and discos with open-air dance floors open their doors. Life here is in full swing, but, naturally, they cannot be called centers of club life - Zatoka is focused on family, not youth, recreation, so it is better to go to Kazantip for the “thrill” sensations.
For those who do not like a leisurely beach holiday and prefer an active pastime, educational excursions around the area are organized almost daily from Zatoka. Thus, you can go to Odessa, to the vineyards in Shabo, to the city on the water of Vilkovo, to the famous Black Sea catacombs, to the Akkerman fortress with a visit to the city itself (now it is called Belgorod-Dnestrovsky).
Now a few words about prices. We have already said more than once that Zatoka is one of the inexpensive Black Sea resorts; in any case, a vacation in Odessa will cost an order of magnitude more. The cheapest housing can be found in the private sector - a day is estimated at 40-50 UAH. per person. Further down the price scale are recreation centers such as “houses” and youth campsites, where the cost of living varies from 60 to 80 UAH. per day. All houses are equipped with a refrigerator and stove, so the family can cook for themselves, saving a lot on visiting cafes and restaurants.

The cost of living in private boarding houses and mini-hotels is slightly higher - from 100 to 159 UAH. per day. For this money, guests are given rooms with a basic set of necessary amenities, so they can take a normal shower and go to the toilet. For those who have money, more expensive hotels and inns open their doors, the cost of living in which starts at 300 UAH. per day.
Finding suitable accommodation in Zatoka is not difficult - most establishments advertise themselves via the Internet, so on travel websites you can book a room or rent a house (apartment) in advance. The private sector advertises its services right in Zatoka, so after 5 minutes of stay you can find inexpensive and fairly comfortable housing just by walking on the street of the village.

Zatoka is a resort in the south of the Odessa region, located on the Budak Spit, washed by the Black Sea on one side and the Dniester Estuary on the other. The distance from Odessa to the village is about 60 km. You can get to the center of Zatoka by car, by minibus 565, which runs from the railway. station (this summer the last one departed around 21-30, the time is worth checking), the travel time is a little less than an hour and a half, if there are no traffic jams :) There are also trains to Zatoka (the stop is called Bugaz, not to be confused with the Karolino-Bugaz stop), but it goes it takes longer than a minibus - almost two hours, because it winds a lot. This is not the most convenient transport, because... There are only six trains a day, the last one leaves Odessa at 17-50. The resort has a post office, a telegraph office, and in the center there are several points of sale of mobile operator cards. There is also a cinema, films in Russian and Ukrainian.

Keep in mind that this is the very central part of the braid. There are also bases to the south and north, but they are less comfortable there. The estuary is indicated at the top of the map, and the sea at the bottom. The south is on the left, which is more swampy and has the most mosquitoes. The most expensive base is also located there (No. 2 - Solnechnaya). What a paradox! :)

Resort layout. The central market and bus station are located in the area of ​​point 37, but here are the dirtiest and most run-down bases.

Click to enlarge

The Zatoka resort was created during the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, little has changed here since then. Wooden houses without amenities and air conditioning are still common. There are many offers for renting out rooms in the private sector, especially in the center of the village. In the southern part of the village, more and more recreation centers appear every year, and active construction is underway. It is extremely difficult to book places in advance here - private owners raise prices for rooms weekly, there is almost always demand, so it is not profitable for them to hold rooms and it is not profitable for guests who come for two or three weeks. Again a paradox! In our case, it turned out that during the initial agreement one price was agreed upon, but we had to move in at another. Many come without a reservation - despite the demand, places can be found for different opportunities, you can’t stay on the street.

Outdated, but still an amusement park

It doesn’t matter when it comes to food in Zatoka. Especially for picky people. Those. There are many cafes and restaurants, but the quality of food, cleanliness of equipment and service often leave much to be desired. I think this happens due to the fact that work at the resort is seasonal, many cooks, waiters, singers... come to relax and work at the same time. We had breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner at the Boatswain bistro on the territory of our recreation center. In essence, this is an ordinary dining room. The prices were two times lower than in the cafe, the assortment was good. And the dishes are always clean.

The sand on the beach in Zatoka is not cleaned or combed, except in the area of ​​the Ruta complex. During the day, sellers of sweet corn and cotton wool, baklava, fish, mussels, etc. constantly ply past vacationers. Garbage cans are located mostly near the walking path that runs along the beach. By evening, the trash cans are overflowing, and the beach looks dirty and unkempt.

There are several local travel agencies in Zatoka that offer a variety of excursions to Odessa, to the catacombs in Nerubayskoye, to Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, to Shabo... We compared prices, it turned out that many of the offers are not bad, and if you are not inclined to explore on your own, then you can use it. However, we went everywhere ourselves, and I can’t say anything about the quality of services. The proposed 7 km "excursion" is a trip to a large market, located 7 km from Odessa and reminiscent of the former Cherkizovsky.

Where you can go on your own (I advise you to definitely buy city maps, this can be done almost anywhere that sells periodicals):

* to Odessa, minibuses from Zatoka go one after another in the morning. Terminal in Odessa - railway railway station. From there you can walk to the center along beautiful streets such as Ekaterininskaya, Pushkinskaya, Rishelievskaya... In general, choose any route you are interested in :)
* in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. In the center of this city is the beautiful ancient Akkerman fortress. This year, on weekends, once every two weeks, a historical fencing tournament was held in the fortress. Usually, within a few days, all the poles in Zatoka are covered with advertising leaflets. You can get to the city by bus 6, which stops near the market, then walk along Izmailskaya Street for 10-15 minutes. Or on a passing bus from Odessa, which stops at the railway station. station, it takes longer to walk from here, you can take a taxi, it costs 20 hryvnia. Be sure to check what time the last bus leaves for Zatoka, usually this is also no later than 19:00.
* in Shabo to the center of wine culture, i.e. to the winery (http://shabo.ua/, tel.: +380 48 7000 210). Excursions are organized for individual visitors, but the time must be confirmed by phone in advance. You can also get there by bus 6; the village of Shabo is located halfway to Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. Warn the driver that you need to get off in this locality; you need to walk about 10 minutes from the stop. You can safely take your children with you - there is an interesting museum on the territory.

In Zatoka there are small grocery stores and supermarkets, general stores - where you can find everything from food to toilet paper and repellents, basins, clothespins and washing powder, as well as small supermarkets. If you have a car at your disposal, then it makes sense to buy groceries at Tavria V, a supermarket reminiscent of Auchan, located in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, the prices there are much lower than at the resort. In the center of the resort and closer to the south there are vegetable and clothing markets.

A large number of souvenirs are sold along the “promenade” in Zatoka. These include shells, magnets, etc. It felt like most of them had lingered on the shelves since our childhood :))

Bases along the beach.

Trembita (No. 7 on the diagram). There is a fountain inside, a good playground, ostriches in a pen, but almost a “passage yard”

We rented a room at the Admiral recreation center (formerly Polytechnic, No. 22 on the diagram), a one-room suite with a double and a single bed, a small refrigerator, TV and air conditioning for 450 hryvnia per day per room. The room had a shower combined with a toilet. There were boilers downstairs in the basement, there was always hot water, but no pressure :(, there was always only cold water in the sink. Linen was changed every five days, each person was given only one towel. For cleaning you need to call the maid, and a broom and dustpan There is a toilet, so it’s easier to do everything yourself. There are parking spaces on the base.

Housings

The new one will open next summer. I liked it

The area is green

Most people associate summer holidays with the sea. But not everyone decides to travel long distances with a small child. But Ukraine is rich in beautiful places, and the climate is most suitable for children.

Therefore, we continue to talk about the most popular seaside resorts. And today we leave in Zatoka.

How to get there?

From Kyiv to Zatoka – 528 km. The closest big city to Zatoka is the famous Odessa. And to Odessa the route is wonderful. Therefore, the easiest way is to get to Zatoka. Before reaching Odessa 5 km, you need to turn right - towards Ovidiopol and Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. There is a long stretch of single-lane road here. If there is a convoy of trucks ahead, you will have to drag on for quite a long time. At the village of Karolino-Bugaz, keep right. Along the way you will encounter an unusual, so-called “bottleneck”. This is a section of the road along which houses are located in one row with access directly to the water: on one side is the Dniester Estuary, on the other is the Black Sea. Many houses are for rent. We move on - to the bridge and enter Zatoka.

You can also get to Zatoka by train Kyiv-Odessa + train Odessa-Zatoka (travel by train - about 20 UAH). Also from the railway station in Odessa, a minibus departs every 10 minutes to Zatoka and buses run (40 UAH/ticket)

Where to stay?

Initially, we didn’t like Zatoka. The village greeted us with cloudy weather, huge puddles and hidden holes on the roads. We did not find any systematic development with a central street or embankment. Just at the entrance to the town there is a small pedestrian alley with cafes and attractions for children, leading to the sea. Many Soviet-style recreation centers and private cottages. Wherever you stay, the sea is no more than 15 minutes away. Having decided to conduct “reconnaissance in force,” we went to the Central Beach. The beach is sandy, but the sea is quite deep even near the shore, the bottom is uneven, there are a lot of people. Since we were vacationing with children, we wanted a calmer environment and shallow sea near the shore.

Almost disappointed in our intended vacation spot, we decided to go to the neighboring village of Karolino-Bugaz and try to settle there. But, as it turned out, Zatoka is a village with a secret. Turning back towards the exit from Zatoka, before reaching the bridge, we saw a fork and, without entering the bridge, turned to the right. Here a completely different Zatoka opened up before us. Although the construction remained somewhat chaotic, the beach pleased with its spaciousness, and the sea was shallow with a gradual increase in depth. We chose to stop a private house with friendly hosts and were relieved to unload the car.

Prices for accommodation in Zatoka depend on conditions. The price for rooms without amenities starts from 70-100 UAH/person, with amenities in the room – from 150 UAH/person. For children, as a rule, accommodation is either free or with a 50% discount (depending on the age of the child and the pricing principles of different owners).

What else do you need to know

Food prices are high. There are no big stores. But if you walk along the village, behind the tourist centers, you can come to market, where fresh fish and vegetables/fruits are sold. There is also an entertainment area with shops and attractions where all vacationers stroll in the evenings. There is also a market near the Central Beach. You can look for housing in advance on the Internet, but it’s better to get your bearings on site to look at the conditions with your own eyes. You should also know that almost the entire Zatoka passes Railway, so it’s better to stay further from it – closer to the sea. We also recommend taking a supply of clean drinking water for the first time. Especially if you are traveling with children.

What to see in Zatoka

There are no special attractions in Zatoka itself. Children will love it drawbridge, which allows huge barges and all sorts of standard beach entertainment (slides, trampolines, “bananas”) to pass through.

There are several large restaurants that organize evening events for adults and children, inviting magicians or entertainers.

Central Beach has amusement park with all kinds of swings/carousels. Excursions are offered.

Not far from Zatoka (26 km) there is a beautiful town Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. The main attraction of the city is the ancient Akkerman Fortress with cannons and bastions. For a fee, on the territory of the fortress you can shoot crossbows or try on armor. There are also many souvenir shops located here, and at the entrance to the fortress there is a fair of handmade craftsmen. Near the fortress you can explore the excavations of the city of Tyre and grab a shard of an ancient amphora “as a souvenir”.

In Belgorod-Dnestrovsky there are supermarkets where it is more convenient and economical to buy groceries before returning to Zatoka.

It is also convenient to go on an excursion to Odessa from Zatoka (64 km). The city is beautiful, and there are attractions at every turn.

Also among the entertainment options in Zatoka they offer evening boat trips with a disco, an excursion to Shabo village(Wine Culture Center), fishing in the open sea, a trip to the source of St. John of Sochava.

We had good impressions from our holiday in Zatoka. But, probably, this always happens if you travel with loved ones, each of whom is tuned only to positive emotions.

Share your impressions and findings - let's choose the best for our children!

Zatoka is a small resort town not far from Odessa. Getting there with the whole family, even with small children, is not difficult. From the central railway station there are trains in that direction approximately every 1.5 hours. You can also take a bus or minibus. Everything is available, there is enough transport, even an excess. So, private owners can negotiate. Why is Zatoka good? And what makes it good is its inexpensive family vacation.

The sea is simply wonderful and safe for children. When swimming in the sea, in order to get to the depths, be it a child or an adult, you need to walk at least 100 meters. It is the safety of children's recreation, their swimming, that attracts a lot of married couples with children to Zatoka. But there are also disadvantages. Very dirty beaches. They try to clean them somehow, but it turns out rather poorly. And daily walkers on the beach with corn, shrimp, hot dogs, always selling something, do not contribute to cleanliness. There are visible and invisible plastic bags for their food on the beach. Not to mention shrimp peels and dried fish bones. And the vacationers themselves are not particularly clean, burying everything they haven’t eaten in the sand. There is a minimum of children's entertainment on the beach. A boat with a banana, a scooter for older people and a ball. This is a “cool” thing. The two of my kids climbed into the ball, fastened the ball and “go” jumping on the waves. The delight is indescribable. There are also water slides. Prices for all entertainment are very, very reasonable. In comparison with other resorts, it is 3 times lower. Water slides are an excellent place for children's entertainment.

They provide a descent for both small children and adults. The only negative is that the water on the slides is very cold and in the pool it is cold. The children are cold.

I repeat, the village of Zatoka is very small, but it has absorbed a lot of boarding houses and health centers. There is somewhere to stay. Even more. I would like to recommend the Aquamarine boarding house.

Last year we were simply pleased with the reasonable prices and their relationship with the service. We chose this boarding house, and we booked rooms, frankly speaking, in advance. Very nice place. Closed, guarded area. There are no strangers on the territory. Magnificent, spacious rooms. In the courtyard of the boarding house there is a children's playground and, most importantly, its own swimming pool with a mini slide for children. Very cozy. A little away from the pool there is a place for full-fledged “adult” relaxation. Cozy gazebos, nearby barbecues, a mini bar - the entire minimum set for a complete evening relaxation. The boarding house has its own dining room, the food is quite tasty and varied. Food for children is “digestible”. But this “happiness” comes at an additional cost. Since Zatoka is a more family-friendly, children's resort, you will not find a huge number of discos, night bars and restaurants there. No, of course, they are also present in Zatoka, but in smaller quantities. There's nowhere to go for a walk. From the boarding house, 300 meters, there is the so-called “embankment”. A narrow, sometimes poorly paved street, on both sides of which there are shops, stalls with souvenirs, and mini bars. In the middle of the street, next to the children's cinema, there is a delicious summer pizzeria "Mama Mia". Prices for pizza are lower than in Odessa, and in terms of “delicacy” the pizza is probably superior to more than half of the elite, similar establishments in Odessa. The chef prepares the pizza in front of you, over an open, “live” fire, in a specially equipped stone oven. Simply delicious. We were regular customers there.

In general, a decent holiday, the children liked it, and this is the main thing.

 

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