The Caspian Sea here is wide, calm, and remarkably blue — a surprise to travellers who have crossed the Central Asian desert to reach it. The coast near Turkmenbashi offers beaches that are largely untouched by tourism; you can walk the shoreline without encountering another soul. When the heat of the day subsides, the mountains behind the city cast long shadows over the port and the water turns orange in the evening light.
Swimming in the Caspian is possible but less common than you might expect — the water quality varies, and locals tend not to swim near the port. The beaches a few kilometres along the coast in either direction are cleaner. The sea is landlocked and has no tides.