Khachmaz

Khachmaz is a city that works better as a base than as a destination in its own right, and that has its own value. Those who pass through here are heading to Quba, the Lezgian villages of the foothills or the beaches of the Caspian Sea in Nabran, about 30 km to the east. The urban centre revolves around a main square with fountains, café terraces where black tea is served in pear-shaped glasses and a covered bazaar that smells of ripe fruit, fresh village cheese and bulk spices.

The surroundings of Khachmaz are a fertile plain where pomegranates, figs, hazelnuts and apples are grown. In autumn, between September and October, trucks loaded with dark red pomegranates move non-stop along the M1 highway towards Baku; improvised stalls appear on the roadsides where the kilo costs far less than in the capital. The sweet, slightly fermented smell permeates the market during those weeks.

For those travelling without a car, Khachmaz is the most practical marshrutka hub in the northern region: regular connections depart from here to Quba (about 40 minutes), Qusar and Nabran. Hotels are simple and prices noticeably lower than in the tourist destinations nearby, making the city a reasonable option for those who want to explore the Guba-Khachmaz region at a leisurely pace without overspending.

Khachmaz was for centuries a crossroads between Dagestan and the interior of Azerbaijan, inhabited by Lezgian and Azerbaijani populations who traded fruit, livestock and crafts. In the tsarist era it was integrated into the district of Quba, one of the most productive agricultural zones in the eastern Caucasus. Soviet collectivisation transformed the region into large fruit and grain cooperatives. After Azerbaijani independence in 1991, these lands were parcelled out again and the small family farming that now dominates the landscape of the Khachmaz plain returned.

• Khachmaz central bazaar A covered market with sections of seasonal fruit, spices, local dairy products and mountain honey brought from the foothills villages. Prices are among the lowest in the region; best to go in the morning when the stalls are best stocked.
• Nabran beaches About 30 km east of Khachmaz, this strip of fine sand on the shores of the Caspian Sea is the main coastal attraction in northern Azerbaijan. In summer it fills with families from Baku; outside the season there is more tranquillity and the water remains pleasant until October.
• Lezgian foothills villages 15–20 km west of Khachmaz the first villages appear with grey stone architecture, interior courtyards and traditions specific to Lezgian culture. Reachable by shared taxi from the central bazaar.
• Orchard road to Quba The route along the M1 between Khachmaz and Quba passes through pomegranate, apple and hazelnut orchards. During harvest season, between September and October, fruit stalls appear every few hundred metres and it is worth stopping.
• Baku–Derbent railway connection Khachmaz station is part of the historic line linking Baku with Derbent in Russian Dagestan; although timetables are sparse, the train journey offers different views of the coastal plain.

Photo gallery

Khachmaz is about 170 km north of Baku along the M1 highway. There are regular buses from Baku central station (about 2.5–3 hours, around 4–5 manat). The Baku–Derbent railway line also stops here, though with limited frequency. From Khachmaz, marshrutkas depart to Quba (40 min), Qusar (1 hour) and Nabran (30 min). By private car the road is in good condition year-round.

Spring (April–June) is comfortable, with temperatures of 20–26 degrees and the orchards in blossom around Khachmaz. Summer is hot and humid near the Caspian, with highs of 35–37 degrees in July and August; Nabran fills up with holidaymakers then. Autumn (September–October) is the best time: pomegranate harvest, pleasant temperatures and far less tourism. Winter is cold and rainy, with no special attractions.