The shattered beauty of Lake Baikal

Leaving behind many unsolved mysteries, on warm days, Lake Baikal becomes more captivating than ever with its cracks and melting ice.

Admire the crystal-clear lake.

Located in Eastern Siberia, Lake Baikal, formerly known as the Sacred Sea, is 20-25 million years old. It was formed from an ancient, crescent-shaped valley with a surface area of ​​approximately 31,722 km² and an average depth of 744m, reaching a maximum depth of 1,620m. The lake occupies one-fifth of the planet's freshwater surface and is home to over 1,700 species of plants and animals, two-thirds of which are rare and extremely rare. Examples include the unique Golomyanka fish with its transparent body, which gives birth to live young instead of eggs, and the Baikal Nerpa seal. Believed to have migrated here from the Arctic Ocean over 800,000 years ago, these small seals have become a symbol of the magnificent Baikal natural heritage.

Lake Baikal has been recognized as a World Heritage Site since 1996. The eastern shore of Lake Baikal is home to the Buryat tribe, who raise goats, camels, cattle, and sheep in a harsh environment with minimum winter temperatures dropping to -19°C (-2°F) and summer temperatures around 14°C. In winter, when temperatures reach -2°C, the entire surface of the lake freezes over, gradually thawing until June. However, at times, the ice surface of the lake is broken by waves, creating sounds like shattering glass and breaking ice. In winter and spring, Lake Baikal becomes a popular destination attracting thousands of tourists due to its magnificent beauty.

According to photographer Kristina Makeeva, who documented her experiences and images of the vibrant surface of Lake Baikal: Even though the ice can be up to 1.5 meters thick, you can still see through the clear water to observe fish, plants, and rocks at a depth of 40 meters.

The ice is so thick and solid that people can stand, walk, or drive on the lake's surface. In some places, the ice is so thick it can support a vehicle weighing up to 13,000 kg, and photographer Makeeva also recounts seeing some unfortunate incidents. In 2015, a group of explorers spent two weeks exploring the lake on Russian motorcycles dating back to World War II. As the weather warmed, the melting ice cracked, causing the expedition to have several accidents; however, fortunately, they survived to tell their stories.

Unsolved mysteries

According to legend, Lake Baikal possesses some kind of "supernatural magic," meaning that drinking its water can prolong human life. Therefore, many people are willing to immerse themselves in the water, even at sub-zero temperatures, in an attempt to achieve immortality.

Many experts have discovered that Lake Baikal glows, and they have been continuously studying this phenomenon.

Water samples taken at different depths of the lake showed that the luminescence intensity of the lake water decreased with depth, and the range of variation from the surface to the bottom reached 100 photons or more.

Furthermore, the discovery of several circles appearing on the lake's ice surface also caused a stir among scientists. They plunged into research, but unfortunately, they still haven't found a definitive explanation, so the "alien markings" theory continues to be attributed to them!

Tourists wishing to explore Lake Baika will take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Valdivostok, a journey spanning over 10,000 km, with a stop in Irkutsk – the capital of eastern Siberia. Here you'll find many ancient churches, historical buildings, and charming cafes.

After resting in Irkutsk, you'll embark on a journey to admire and conquer, exploring Lake Baikal with its many unsolved mysteries. And if you witness the beauty of the lake's ice cracking – you're incredibly lucky to have seen one of nature's most impressive displays!

Lam Tue