Pavlodar
Pavlodar is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan. It is the capital of the Pavlodar Province and has a population of 354,000 (2014).
Get in
From Almaty by train either through Astana or through Semei. Through Astana, trains run everyday and through Semipalatinsk every other day.
From Astana either by evening train or several buses a day.
From Omsk (Russia) by bus.
Flights on Air Astana are available from Astana and Almaty and on S7 from Moscow.
Long-distance and regional buses are available from most surrounding cities.
Get around
Within the city, there are many options for getting around. A fairly simple yet complete bus and marshrutka system exists as does a tram system. Taxis can be taken most places in the city for 350 tenge (2012). Outer regions of the city usually run about 400-450 tenge.
To learn more about the bus system, download an electronic interactive map of the city. Click on the little "A" circles, which are the bus stops, to see what buses go there.
Many things are in walking distance as well if you're looking for a little exercise.
See
Pavlodar is a fairly quiet and uneventful former Soviet city. The main attractions to see here are the Mosque, the Orthodox Church, and the World War II memorial park and statue.
Near the river is a nice trail to walk along that will take you south to the old River Station, which operates summer boat rides for a couple hundred tenge.
There are a number of old theaters, including the old Chekhov theater, and concert halls. There are also a few museums of interest.
- ๐ Mashkhur Jusup Mosque (Mechet' Imeni Mashkhur Zhusupa). Most probably Pavlodar's defining landmark, this striking mosque has minarets surrounding a sky blue dome that is supposed to resemble the top of a yurt. It is named in honor of a respected Kazakh poet and historian.
- ๐ Historical and Regional Studies Museum of Pavlodar Province, Lenin St 147, โ +7 7182 61 81 36. M-F 09:00-18:00, Sa Su 10:00-18:00. Place to learn everything you wanted to know about the Pavlodar region, its Soviet industrial background, natural history, etc.
- ๐ Pavlodar Regional Art Museum, Sultanmakhmut Toraygyrov St 44/1, โ +7 7182 53 58 11. daily 10:00-18:00. Art and even some models of prehistoric animals.
- ๐ Museum of Military Glory, โ +7 7182 62 13 94. Here you can walk around looking at relics of military prowess.
- ๐ Memorial House Museum D.p. Bagayeva, Lenin St 200. A house museum where a photographer who showcased Kazakhstan lived.
- ๐ Pavlodar Blagoveshchensky Cathedral, 5, Sultanmakhmut Toraygyrov St. An orthodox cathedral built in the 1990s that has 54 icons.
Do
- ๐ The Embankment and Waterfront Beach (Naberezhnaya and Plyazh Na Naberezhnoy), Lenin St. daily ~08:00-18:00. This is one of Pavlodar's main diversions, an embankment and observation deck overlooking the turbid, languid Irtysh River, and, when it's not a Siberian wonderland outside, a riverine beach for playing and relaxing.
- ะัััc-Cinema, Makhmet Qayyrbayev St 70 (next to Irtysh Hotel), โ +7 7182 30 90 90. Movie theater where you can hang out when it's too cold to go outside.
The night life is quite active in Pavlodar. There are several night clubs that play mostly techno and house music, though almost all have an 1980s or 90s night during the week. Most cost 1000 tenge to get in:
Buy
Like all cities, there are several major open and closed bazaars in the city. There are also several large shopping centers ("ะัััั", "ะขัะปะฟะฐั", and "ะฆัะผ") and several large grocery store chains (GROS, ะ ัะฑะธะบะพะผ, ะะผะฐะฝะฐั ะะฐั ั ).
- ๐ Batyr Moll, Kamzin St 67/1. daily 10ห00-22ห00. Shopping mall with food court, ice rink, bowling alley, and movies.
Eat
- ๐ River Pub (ะธะผะตะฝะธ ะะปะฐะดะธัะปะฐะฒะฐ ะะธะฝััะฐัะพัะฐ), 2, Academician Shapiq Shรถkin St 38/2, โ +7 7182 61 89 89. A happy-go-lucky dining and drinking establishment by the river.
- ๐ Eastern Cuisine (Vostochnaya Kukhnya), Mira Street 40, โ +7 7182 34 14 64. Here you can try some authentic Kazakh dishes like laghman (a noodle stew), baursak (fried dough pieces), and possibly even some beshbarmak (the national dish of Kazakhstan that means five fingers, generally boiled mutton or horse meat and noodles that you eat with your hands).
Drink
- ๐ Pablo Bar, Lenin St 160, โ +7 7182 61 81 12. daily 18ห00-late at night. A Mexican-themed bar with murals that also serves as a live music venue.
- ๐ Winter Cherry (Zimnyaya Vishnya), Lenin St 160/11, โ +7 7182 61 82 41. daily 08ห00-21ห00. You can come here for some coffee and a fried pastry called a winter cherry that is the namesake for their place, if you're feeling ambitious. They also serve breakfasts with omelettes and hot dog looking things, and lunch with salmon and soup for example.
Sleep
You may be better off staying in an apartment available for nightly occupancy, especially if you are trying to save money.
- ๐ Residence Hotel, Lermontov St 1, โ +7 7182 32 05 39. Clean with a pleasant restaurant and grounds. Breakfast included.
- ๐ Respect Hotel, Sultanmakhmut Toraygyrov St 79/1. Housed in a modern-looking city building along with a bar and restaurant. Complimentary breakfast. US$59.
- ๐ Irtysh Hotel, Ulitsa Akademika Bekturova 79, โ +7 7182 32 02 09. Big cement and glass building from which you may be able to see all the other cement bloc buildings. Indoor pool, gym, spa, restaurant/bar, and complimentary breakfast.
- ๐ Hotel Dvin, Ulitsa Puteyskaya 2, โ +7 702 334 3200. Modest country-looking structure with a contrasting gaudy neon entrance. Indoor pool and sauna, cafe and, not to be outdone by the others, complimentary breakfast available. US$38.
- ๐ Light House Pavlodar Hostel, Kairbaeva 104 sq 56, โ +7 705 916 1701. Budget place to stay that puts you within walking distance of Mashkhur Jusup Mosque. Dorm beds looking out on a snowy lot in winter.