Sernye Istochniki

Sernye Istochniki (literally "Sulfur Springs") is a natural spring with a distinct smell of hydrogen sulfide on the shore of the Tatar Strait, where the Shuya River meets the sea, 7 km southwest of the town of Kholmsk, in the Kholmsky municipal district of Sakhalin Oblast. A village of the same name stands next to the spring; it had about 20 residents as of 2021.

History

Before 1945 the site was a Japanese settlement called Akeushi (明牛): at the time southern Sakhalin, known as Karafuto, belonged to Japan, and the Tatar Strait coast was dotted with Japanese fishing villages. According to a local legend, a hospital for military pilots once stood near the spring during the Japanese period — there is no documentary evidence of this, but the story is still passed down among residents of the district. After 1945 southern Sakhalin came under Soviet administration, the Japanese population was relocated, and in 1947 the village received its current Russian name, Sernye Istochniki, after the mineral spring on its grounds.

What to see

The water smells distinctly of hydrogen sulfide, typical of sulfurous mineral springs found at several points along the Sakhalin coast. An iron staircase leads down the slope to the spring at the shore of the strait. Benches and tables for visitors have been set up nearby, and the place is popular with local residents, especially in summer, when families come for weekend outings.

A few kilometers along the coast there are several other villages and landmarks of the Kholmsky district — Priboy and Pravda — as well as a railway halt of the same name, Sernye Istochniki, on the Kholmsk–Chekhov line. These names help with orientation in the area, even though the path to the spring itself is a separate trail.

Getting there

From Kholmsk, you can drive to the point where the paved road ends and a footpath along the strait shore begins. From there it is about 569 meters on foot to the spring itself. The coastal road in this part of Sakhalin runs through sparsely populated terrain, so it is worth checking the condition of the route in advance, especially after rain.