Where to go for May Holidays: 8 best Ideas for the South of Ukraine

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• Kherson Grand Canyon
• Camping on Byriuchyi Island
• Askaniia-Nova
• Dzharylhach Island
• Kinburn Spit
• Beauty of the Dnipro floodplains (Plavni)
• Oleshky Sands
• Arabat Spit

Many prefer to spend their May holidays in Ukraine outdoors. We bring to your attention a unique selection of the best locations in the South of the country that you can visit in May. Below is an overview of the eight best locations to visit and affordable leisure options there.

Kherson Grand Canyon - the embodiment of steppe excellence

Stanislav Grand Canyon is an amazing place in the coastal part of the Dnipro-Bug Estuary where the steppe landscapes are complemented by the sea. Here, steep cliffs rise above clear waters and provide stunning panoramas. The sunsets are especially beautiful in this romantic place, and the air is literally saturated with sea breeze and the aroma of steppe plants.

A visit to this area is a memorable event. In the life of every romantic, this trip is a must.

Camping on Byriuchyi Island

Thinking about where to go in May in Ukraine, many people dream about relaxing away from civilization. A unique coast in the village of Kyrylivka on a spit in the Sea of Azov called “Byriuchyi Island” will help to forget about the hustle and bustle of the city for a short while. This territory belongs to Azov-Syvash National Park and is partially protected.

The local natural landscapes consist of endless sandy beaches with gorgeous seashells. The steppe grasses have patches of wildflowers and leafy trees.

This island is known for its wildlife, including deer, foxes, does, raccoon dogs and other wild animals.

Outdoorsy tourists will definitely find activities to their liking here, for example:

• safari;
• wildlife photography;
• hiking at mineral water springs that originate from a freshwater underground lake;
• fishing;
• swimming in the sea (if the water temperature in spring allows);
• organized tours and thematic excursions.

What to see in the famous Askaniia-Nova reserve

If you have not been to the most famous reserve in our country, then you have found the answer to the question of where to go for a May vacation in Ukraine. Interest in the reserve’s zoo and dendrological park increases every year. The vast territory, most of which is still untouched, allows you to fully relax from the hustle and bustle of the city. There are benches and beautiful fountains throughout the reserve.

More than 500 species of plants and more than 3,000 animals live in the reserve. It is also interesting that many animals imported from other continents from different climatic zones are well-adapted to life in the reserve.

The world of wildlife is incredibly beautiful and more impressive than an ordinary city zoo. Here you can see buffaloes, deer, wild horses, mouflons and donkeys, camels, bison, and antelopes in their natural habitat. Sixty kinds of birds live in the ornithological park, including swans, ducks, flamingos, peacocks, cranes, steppe eagles, vultures, parrots. Rodents, weasels, wolves, foxes, ferrets, and ermines also live in the steppe.

Isolated beaches and wild animals on Dzharylhach Island

The azure waters of the Black Sea and white sandy beaches of the island attract tourists during the warm season. But there is even more to see and do:

• kilometres of beaches with a “smooth” entry into the sea in an untouched conservation area;
• you can watch dolphins directly from the shore;
• the infrastructure is completely absent - there are no hotels, no roads, no shops, no pharmacies;
• you can watch wild animals in their natural habitat on land, most often there are horses, does, deer and bison;
• many birds fly in the sky;
• water activities available. For example, you can take a kayaking lesson at a local campsite.

Kinburn Spit - one of the most picturesque places of Kherson region

Rest and relaxation in Ukraine during the May holidays on the Kinburn Spit is an opportunity to enjoy diverse picturesque nature. Salt and freshwater lakes attract are very popular. The territory of the reserve harmoniously combines all the beauty of the sea, coniferous forest, and steppe. There is a beautiful field with wild orchids and pink lakes.

There are also reservoirs with deposits of healing clay. In addition, you can visit the following on the spit:

• the remains of the Turkish fortress Kinburn;
• a sunken barge pulled ashore;
• the monument to the Count Alexander Suvorov;
• the Cossack cross in memory of the first Black Sea Cossack ataman;
• Volyzhyn forest which is notable for exuberance of vegetation, a variety of grasses and 300-year-old oaks;
• Komendantskiy tract;
• Tip of the spit, along the coast of which the waters of the Dnipro-Bug Estuary and the Black Sea join.

Tourists come here to look at these natural wonders and take thousands of amazing photos. In some periods of the year (usually in May) pink flamingos come to the lakes. In addition, there are flocks of white pelicans, swans, herons, and ducks.

Discover the beauty of the Dnipro floodplains (Plavni)

In this part of the article we will showcase how water sports enthusiasts can spend May vacation in Ukraine. In the lower reaches of the Dnipro in southern Ukraine, recreation on the picturesque floodplains of the mighty river is popular. In such a place, time seems to stop - it becomes possible to take a deep breath and fully relax. Pheasants, herons, ducks, turtles, muskrats, nutria, beavers, wild boars and other species of birds and animals live in the Dnipro floodplains.

There are many organized canoe and kayaking tours that provide opportunities to enjoy the local natural landscape which includes a dense network of small rivers, hundreds of lakes, estuaries, and straits. Rides on paddle boards, boats, paddle boats, and yachts are no less popular.

In addition to river rafting, fishing is also popular here. A large number of different fish species congregate in this duct network.

Active rest in the steppe desert of Oleshky Sands

The national park which is one of the four deserts in Europe has an area of more than 200 thousand acres. Walking through the entire sandy territory may be tiring. Therefore, it is recommended to site-see on an ATV. Riding over the high dunes is thrilling and exhilarating!

Inbetween the huge sand boulders, there is vegetation, lakes and coniferous trees. In addition, the massif is surrounded by a peripheral ring of pine trees. The ecosystem includes various species of animals, including hares, wolves, foxes, pheasants, wild boars, and many lizards.

Spring is an ideal time to visit the steppe desert. In the summer, the sand can reach 77 degrees Celsius. Rains are very rare here, most often bypassing the sandy area.

An organized tour to Oleshky Sands will feature stories about the history of the formation of this place and its features. The tour schedule also includes free time to explore and a delicious lunch.

Arabat Spit - magnet for tourists in the warm season

The resort villages of Henicheska Hirka, Shchaslyvtseve and Strilkove are located in the recreation area between the Sea of Azov and Syvash Bay on Arabat Spit. It’s a four hour drive from Kherson. This resort coast is one of the most distant but it contains exactly the sites you would want to visit during your May vacation in Ukraine provided the weather is warm. The territory has the following features:

• wide beaches;
• very shallow sea;
• unique composition of air (high content of iodine and bromine ions) which is reportedly beneficial for the respiratory tract and the body as a whole;
• there are three thermal springs (water temperature is 40-70 degrees above zero Celsius);
• sources of reportedly healing mud (Syvash lakes have a natural silt ball with biogenic stimulants, boron, iodine, bromine and other useful substances);
• lake with high salt content (Syvash is a supplier of medical brine and salt).

Arabat Spit is a location where you can spend a few days or even weeks. The infrastructure is well developed here and you can spend your days swimming in the sea and relaxing on the pristine beaches.