Location: Naberezhnaya Sea Embankment Area
Tel. 8622 623 648
Open: 10am- 5pm summer
Entrance Fee: Adult R600, children R300
The Mayak Water Park in Sochi was one of the city's oldest water entertainment complexes, opening in July 2000. However, according to several reliable sources, including Yandex.Maps, TripAdvisor, and Kidpassage, it was demolished in 2021 as part of the embankment reconstruction and is no longer operational. Some travel websites still list it as open, but this is likely outdated, as there are no recent reviews after 2020, and a social media search revealed no mention of visits in 2024–2025. Below, I will describe in detail what the water park was like based on historical descriptions and visitor reviews.
The Mayak Water Park was located in the center of Sochi at 3/7
Primorskaya Street, opposite the Festivalny Concert Hall and next to the
Marine Station. It is an open-air complex with an area of
approximately 22,000 square meters, directly on the Black Sea coast,
with private access to the Mayak Municipal Beach. Its location allowed
visitors to combine water attractions with swimming in the sea. It was
easily accessible by public transportation: minibuses No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 11, 12, 19, 23, 83, 95, and 98 stopped nearby, and the nearest train
station was Sochi Station.
The water park was open seasonally,
from May-June through October, daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, depending
on the weather. It was marketed as a family complex suitable for
children aged 1 year and up, but with an emphasis on younger
children—there were few rides for adults.
The complex included several freshwater pools (up to 1 meter deep),
water slides, and children's areas. Main attractions:
Water
slides: A total of 5 slides up to 50 meters long and up to 11 meters
high. These include:
"Free Fall"—a straight, steep slide for extreme
sports enthusiasts.
"Kamikaze"—a high-speed slide.
"Twister"—an
enclosed tube with a dark effect and twists.
"Pigtails"—two blue
parallel tubes for sliding.
Sled or mat slide (Aqua-Shuttle)—the only
one for children with additional staff assistance, requiring them to
pull a sled uphill.
Children's area: A dedicated water park with
shallow pools (knee-deep), a playground shaped like the "Scarlet Sails"
pirate ship, mini-slides, fountains, and a barrel that filled with water
every 25 seconds, dousing anyone standing under it. It was ideal for
children aged 3-7, with safety features, but the water in the children's
pool was not heated, which sometimes caused complaints.
Additional
entertainment: Inflatable slippery football (additional fee), catamaran
and jet ski rentals, banana boat rides, and parasailing on the beach.
There was also a "Poseidon" slide (200 rubles for 20 minutes, 300 rubles
for 40 minutes).
The water park was geared more toward
children—adults often missed the extreme slides—but its compact size
made it convenient: all the rides were close together, and parents could
watch their children from their lounge chairs.
Amenities: Free sun loungers and umbrellas (although sometimes there
weren't enough, and they were hard plastic ones without mattresses),
changing rooms, cloakroom, showers with warm water, and lockers. Access
to the beach allowed for alternating between the pools and the sea, but
the beach was municipal, sometimes with jellyfish or trash.
Food: Two
indoor cafes with a separate entrance for wet guests (ice cream - 80
rubles, cotton candy - 100 rubles, cooling cocktail - 300 rubles,
average lunch bill - 1,000 rubles per person). Prices were higher than
street prices, so many recommended eating on the promenade.
Ticket
prices (historical, as of 2020): Adult - 1,200 rubles, children (3-6
years) - 600 rubles, children under 3 - free. During the low season
(June, September-October), prices could be lower (1000/500 rubles).
Overall TripAdvisor rating: 3.5 out of 5 based on 71 reviews (up to 2020). Pros: Convenient location, access to the sea, friendly staff (especially on children's rides), safety. Cons: Few slides for adults, cold water in the children's pool, crowded, uncomfortable lounge chairs, occasionally rude staff, and lack of first aid (e.g., bandages at the first aid station). Many noted that the water park is suitable for a short visit (2-3 hours) rather than a full day.