Balykchy city (former Rybachie) is located on the eastern shore of Issyk-Kul Lake, at the intersection of Bishkek-Naryn and Bishkek-Karakol. It was founded as a post between Pishpek and Karakol. In 1871, there were only two clay-wall huts for travelers and an inspector's yurt. As time goes by, the village grew. In the mid 1980s, a retired soldier, M. Bachyn settled there and started fishing business. In 1907, there were already 100 families there and the village was renamed Bachino, and later – Rybachie ("fishing" in Russian). Rybachie has developed into a town in 1954 and in 1991 it was renamed Balykchy ("balyk" means "fish" in Kyrgyz). An ancient settlement has been found 3 km. from Balykchy along the southern shore. Now the population of the city is 42,000.
On a clear day one can see the mountains on both sides of the lake from here. The northern ones, separating Kyrgyzstan from Kazakhstan, are the Kungey ("Sunny") Ala-Too. The southern ones are the Terskey ("Shady") Ala-Too. Beyond them, sometimes visible from hundreds of kilometers away, are the glaciers of the Tien-Shan's central knot.
There is no good reason to stop in this town except to change buses between Karakol and Naryn, or to change from train to bus en route between Bishkek and Karakol.
Issyk-Kul
| Balykchy Cholpon Ata Karakol cattle market | Karakol Dungan Mosque Karakol Orthodox church |
