Cholpon-Ata

The main town along the north side of Lake Issyk-Kul, Cholpon-Ata is a popular destination for local tourists looking to spend a few days relaxing by the water. This is the closest the land-locked country of Kyrgyzstan comes to a beach destination, and there are a number of large resorts, with plentiful facilities and sandy lakeside beaches. On the hillside to the north of the resort area is the fascinating open-air Petroglyph Museum, which is well worth a stop if traveling through this area en route to Karakol or Bishkek.