Barnaul's Harmony of the Forest Beach: Review and Prices

When thermometers again approach 30-35°C (86-95°F), relaxing by the water becomes one of the most popular ways to escape the heat. A correspondent from NGS22.RU visited Barnaul«s Harmony of the Forest beach on one of the hottest days to find out how convenient it is to get there and what conditions are available for recreation.

The ecopark and beach Harmony of the Forest (formerly «Nature and Man») is located in the Lentochny Bor pine forest (a ribbon forest near Barnaul, Altai Krai), so getting there without a personal car is a bit tricky. Nevertheless, you can take a taxi. Our trip cost 300 rubles ($4 at current rates). We decided to go on a weekend, but to our surprise, there was almost no queue at the entrance, and the beach itself was not too crowded, so relaxing was comfortable.

After the rebranding, the beach area has become even more well-groomed, which catches the eye right from the entrance: a small fresh building for cashiers has appeared. Entrance tickets, however, have become more expensive: if last year the price was only 800 rubles ($9), this year on weekends you can get in for 900 rubles ($11), but there is a discount if you come on weekdays — 750 rubles ($9), and if you come after 18:00, the ticket costs only 600 rubles ($7), though the beach only operates until 20:00.

In addition, there are concessions: for children aged 5 to 12 accompanied by an adult, you can pay 700 rubles ($8). The same price applies for pensioners. Besides the tickets themselves, you can buy mosquito repellent for 150 rubles ($2) and life rings for 200-300 rubles ($2-$4) at the entrance.

We didn«t have to look long for free sun loungers. Right from the entrance we were greeted by changing rooms, a foot washing area, and SUP board rentals — 30 minutes for 400 rubles ($5) and 60 minutes for 600 rubles ($7). On the beach itself there are many loungers with umbrellas, numerous canopies providing shade, separate areas for smokers, gazebos for those who want to grill meat in a picturesque spot, and even an active recreation zone — a padel club.

If you«re spending the whole day here, a snack is unavoidable, so we decided to check out the local cafe and assess the cost and the food itself, although this is one of the beaches where you can bring your own food. The menu includes shashlik, snacks, french fries, nuggets, lemonades, smoothies, iced coffee, milkshakes, and even pasta. Pork shashlik on a skewer cost us 700 rubles ($8).

The order came quickly, the meat was juicy and tasty. But we liked the chicken shashlik for 480 rubles ($6) even more — it«s served with potatoes, salad, and sauce. For drinks, we got a milkshake for 300 rubles ($4), but we had to wait noticeably longer for it than for other dishes. French fries there cost only 150 rubles ($2), and a portion of six chicken nuggets costs 250 rubles ($3).

The water in the lake looks a bit murky, so the bottom is not visible, but swimming is comfortable. The shore is sandy with a gentle slope into the water, and there are many families with children on the beach. By the way, swimming across the lake is prohibited, and lifeguards actively monitor this because near the buoys, which are not far from the shore, the bottom is no longer felt. For the youngest, there is a separate shallow water area. Boats and SUP boards move along a separate corridor to avoid crossing paths with swimmers.

Overall, the place left a rather positive impression. What I liked most was that the beach is located in a pine forest — there is no feeling of a crowded city beach, so escaping the urban bustle gives a real sense of relaxation.

However, there are drawbacks: near the area there are railway tracks, so the noise from passing trains periodically disturbs the silence and scares children. In the evening, you should take care of the trip home in advance: taxi drivers are reluctant to go towards Lentochny Bor, so the arrival of a car can take up to 20 minutes, and the cost of the trip often reaches 500 rubles ($6) or more.

In Barnaul, more than 13 different beaches with pools or access to open water are operating. Among other things, the city also has a municipal, free beach where everyone can relax. For more on where else to go on hot days, read at the link. Earlier, NGS22.RU reported on where in Barnaul you can grill shashlik and how much it will cost to rent a gazebo. You can read about it here.

In addition, clubs where you can play the new trendy sport of padel have recently started opening in Barnaul. We wrote about this here.