Port Baikal
Port Baikal settlement is situated at the source of the Angara river, opposite Listvyanka settlement. Now the population of this urban village is not more than 500 people, though it used to have 1,500 residents. After the construction of Irkutsk hydroelectric power station in 1956 a part of Trans-Siberian railway from Irkutsk till Port Baikal was flooded and now it’s a terminal station of Circum-Baikal Railway.
Most people left this village since then, but still Port Baikal has some operating enterprises. The fifth part of the population works at the port, water taken from the depth of 400 meters (1,315 ft) is bottled here in a local factory. There are also a few little hotels, a café, a school and a kindergarten. Local people spend most of their free time fishing.
Tourists usually come to Port Baikal during one day trip along Circum-Baikal Railroad, the most beautiful section of the railroad going along the shore of the lake. The only way to get on the other bank of the river from Port Baikal to Listvyanka is taking a ferry. Thus, the village is somewhat isolated, though, located in a very picturesque place and might be more actively used as a center of tourism.
Most people left this village since then, but still Port Baikal has some operating enterprises. The fifth part of the population works at the port, water taken from the depth of 400 meters (1,315 ft) is bottled here in a local factory. There are also a few little hotels, a café, a school and a kindergarten. Local people spend most of their free time fishing.
Tourists usually come to Port Baikal during one day trip along Circum-Baikal Railroad, the most beautiful section of the railroad going along the shore of the lake. The only way to get on the other bank of the river from Port Baikal to Listvyanka is taking a ferry. Thus, the village is somewhat isolated, though, located in a very picturesque place and might be more actively used as a center of tourism.