nCa News and Commentary
Ashgabat, 6 August 2016 (nCa) — In back-to-back, vibrant ceremonies Friday (5 August 2016), Turkmenistan opened a new yacht club and a cottage complex at the Awaza national tourist zone at the Caspian coast. President Berdymuhamedov led the events.
The same day a luxury housing block was handed to the occupants in Turkmenbashy city. Some of the owners of the spacious and fully furnished apartments were ethnic Azeri families.
These were not just the addition to the growing architectural wealth of Turkmenistan; they were solid statements about the unique charm and blooming congeniality of a country that is striding confidently on its chosen path of development.
The Ak Yelken cottage complex occupies an area of 4.48 hectares. There are 50 cottages with covered area of 163 square meters (designed for four families), and four twin cottages with each wing suited for two families. In all, the Ak Yeklen cottage complex can accommodate 700 tourists simultaneously. Situated right next to the Caspian beach, Ak Yelken offers all kinds of indoor and outdoor facilities for the comfort and entertainment of the tourists. The solar and wind energy system can provide round the clock electrical supply to the entire complex.
The Tolkun yacht club and cottage complex is design to depict a set of traditional Turkmen jewelry. Financed by the central bank of Turkmenistan on behalf of the economic, financial and banking sector of Turkmenistan, the yacht club has been built by the Turkish and Turkmen contractors. It occupies an area of 16.58 hectares and there are 25 multiple-configuration cottages with total capacity for 412 tourists.
In addition to a wide range of facilities and services, the yacht club a pier extending deep into Caspian and a fleet of 40 boats, imported from France, the UK, USA, Greece and Turkey.
The motor cruiser Antares, built by Beneteau of France, is 11.5 meters in length. It is equipped with a powerful engine, easy to navigate and very stable in varying weather conditions. It can carry 10-12 passengers.
The sports cruiser Gran Turismo 40 is for those who love style and speed but won’t compromise on comfort. It can go up to 38 knots (about 70 km per hour), which is really a dizzying speed when gliding on water.
The other boats in the pool include Glastron and Merkan 35 XL.
Also, there are sailing boats of varying size and rig, catamarans, surfboards, canoes, inflatable speed boats with outboard engine, and equipment for diving, snorkeling etc. windsurfing boards, scooters, jet skis are also available in a wide variety.
This is the second yacht club of Turkmenistan. The first, Yelken, was opened three years ago.
The luxury housing complex at Ruhiyet Street in Turkmenbashy city has 72 apartments in two- and four-bedroom configurations. The covered area is from 160 to 220 square meters.
It has been built by the Turkmenbashy refinery for its employees. The allottees include some ethnic Azeri families, where at least one family member is working for the refinery.
nCa Commentary by Tariq Saeedi
The yacht club and cottage complex at Awaza and the luxury housing complex in Turkmenbashy city serve different purposes but they are both rooted in the development model of Turkmenistan, a model that pays homage to family values and inclusivity.
First, a few words about the luxury housing complex in Turkmenbashy. It is part of the promise of the administration of Berdymuhamedov to provide quality accommodation to all the citizens. These kind of housing blocks, appearing fast in most of the major cities of Turkmenistan, are spacious, fully furnished and surrounded by tastefully landscaped areas. There are always shopping centres, healthcare centres, schools and kindergartens just at walking distance.
For such apartments, the employer pays 50% of the cost. The remaining 50% is paid by the owner through a long-term, very soft bank loan.
The allotment is on merit, without discrimination. For instance, several ethnic Azeri families got the apartments in the housing block opened Friday.
As reported on earlier occasions, in the newly built bungalow-type housing schemes in Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary provinces, the ethnic Uzbek, Kazakh, Russian, Tatar, Armenian, Tajik and Baloch families took possession of their new houses.
This inclusiveness is part of the nation-building concept of Turkmenistan. On one hand, it promotes inter-ethnic harmony and on the other hand, it strengthens the talent pool of the country by embracing diversity.
The development path of Turkmenistan is charted by its own aspirations and internal mix. It is the approach where the sum total is more than its component parts because of the multiplication effect achieved by the best utilization of the human and material resources.
The Tolkun yacht club and the Ak Yelken cottage complex are also part of the same strategy, defined by inclusiveness and family values.
Turkmenistan is systematically developing its tourist zone at the Caspian coast with focus to make it a family-friendly destination for all.
The construction of objects is not random – the entire plan was prepared well ahead of the start of the ground work.
Awaza is a place where you would not be worried what your kids could be exposed to. Every facility in Awaza is rooted in the solid family traditions of the people of this land.
The facilities that have been built so far in Awaza, offer a wide range of attractive options:
- Conference halls and auditoriums in several hotels and also located independently, can be used when doing business while vacationing
- Muds and water with medicinal properties, brought from different points in Turkmenistan, are available in several hotels, with qualified staff to help make the best use of these healing and rejuvenating natural materials
- Speed boating, leisurely cruise, wind boarding, surfing, sailing, diving, snorkeling, and just plain swimming in the sea (and also in indoor pools)
- Parks with attractions for all age groups
- Cuisine galore, including the mouth-watering delicacies from all regions of Turkmenistan
- Separate facilities for kids that mix entertainment with learning and health improvement
The government plans to restrict motorized vehicles in Awaza, partly replacing by horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. This would make Awaza one of the best sub-zones in the world as far as quality of air is concerned. Just staying for a couple of weeks in Awaza will be a health boosting experience.
Tourists need a change. Awaza offers that change.