Siberia is not known for its nightlife, but Russia hopes to change all that by building its own "City of Sin" in the snow. According to Gadling, the development will be called "Siberian Coin," and it will be located near Siberia's border with China and Kazakhstan, in the frozen wastes of the Altai Republic. If this sounds like an unlikely place for a "wretched hive of scum and villany," well, it is. But Russia banned gambling in most of the country years ago, opting instead to create "gambling zones" in underdeveloped regions of the country. Currently, Siberian Coin is still a dream and a 9-acre chunk of barren, frozen wasteland - but a four man team is installing an electric grid as we speak. According to Businessweek, the Russian government expects casinos and hotels to brighten up t

Read More >>

Siberia's mighty Kaa-Khem river is one of the few great untouched rivers left on the planet. From its source in the mountains of the Sayan, it descends on its course at an average rate of 17.4 feet per mile. That makes for swift currents and exciting class 3 and 4 whitewater. If you're a rafting enthusiast, this could well be the trip of a lifetime, but because the region is so remote, very few outsiders ever experience it. This year might be your best shot -- Echo River Trips is celebrating its 40th anniversary by offering a chance to run the Kaa-Khem with Vladimir Gavrilov, one of their most respected river guides. The 15-day trip includes rafting plus opportunities to hike in the surrounding taiga forests and to try to catch some of the monstrous fish that live in the river. Since t

Read More >>

Some cities are best seen through the eyes of a local. Moscow is one of those places, and while visiting major tourist attractions like the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral are still must-do's, you should also definitely make time to go beyond the guidebook. The following activities will help you get a feel for the real Moscow. Eat Authentic Local Cuisine Matador's Jenna Makowski notes that Moscow is full of tourist-trap restaurants filled with staff wearing generic "folk" costumes, but says that "The experience doesn’t represent local eating patterns." Instead, she recommends eating at the popular Russian cafeterias called stolovayas. Of course, you should also make time to enjoy some typical Russian street food. Mobile Food News recommends blinchiki, ice cream an

Read More >>

Winter is here, and most people are thinking about migrating south. But if you're one of those intrepid (some might say crazy) souls who welcomes the cold weather, I have just the destination for you: Yakutsk, the coldest city in the world. Located in Siberia, Yakutsk grew from an icy patch of permafrost into the relatively thriving city that it is today based on two things: the quantities of precious metals and jewels hidden deep under the permafrost and Russia's habit of sending political prisoners to labor in Siberia. So, how cold is cold? According to the Independent, "in local parlance, temperatures in the minus 40Cs are described as "cold but not very cold." Average "highs" in January are in this range. Why would you visit Yakutsk, anyway? Well, first of all for the bragging

Read More >>