Sakhalin Region - the only island region in Russia - has a lot of interesting things to offer tourists. Thanks to its favourable geographical location and good transport accessibility, Sakhalin grew and developed faster than neighbouring regions. Today it boasts not only historical and natural monuments and ethnographic heritage but also modern, world-class tourist infrastructure. The book 'Sakhalin: A Modern Guidebook' (available in Russian and English) presents travellers with unique possibilities for fishing and hunting, sea cruises, hiking, and gastronomy. The book offers detailed, insightful information about the ancient culture of the Ainu civilisation and the other indigenous peoples of the region, as well as about monuments dating to the development of the islands by Russian settlers, its Japanese heritage and Chekhov's travels, military memorials, numerous lakes, volcanoes, and diverse flora and fauna. The Kuril Islands are particularly noteworthy, with each of them being a point of interest in their own right. The region is home to 'Mountain Air', the largest alpine skiing complex in the Far Eastern Federal District. The world-class facility attracts tourists from all over the Asia-Pacific region. There are plenty of good hotels and restaurants, and transport accessibility is excellent. All of this strongly points to the future growth of Sakhalin's attractiveness as a tourist destination. Second edition (revised impression).
