Baku - Post Report Question and Answers
What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Go out of Azerbaijan if you want to travel. - Aug 2023
The locals are kind people, and the city is safe to walk around in. Going to the ski resorts in the mountains have been fun, but they're not the easiest places to get to, and services leave more to be desired. We have been able to plan some amazing vacations to other European countries. - Aug 2023
Observing the Persian New Year (Novruz), seeing some areas with natural beauty. - Jun 2023
Skiing every winter up in Shahdag and seeing my kids go from zero to speeding down the slopes. Hiking in isolated Xinaliq. Spending days hiking and drinking tea in Lahij. Visiting ancient palaces in Sheki. Getting lost in the mountains and waterfalls of Gabala. Taking an old Russian jeep through rivers to get to a hot spring outside Qakh. Doing a wine tour and sipping wine at Chabiant Winery. Hiking up to the lake and castle at Tallistan Forest. Seeing a 1000 year old castle at Qalaalti. Visiting the mud volcanoes. Hiking around Laza. Taking a road trip to Georgia. I'm probably forgetting things I recommend getting out of the city every May and October because they are the best months of the year to see other parts of Azerbaijan. - Jun 2021
We have really loved our two years here. We have liked our housing, house help is affordable, eating out is reasonably priced, so we felt like we could do and eat most things without feeling bad about spending too much money. The hardship pay is 20%, which makes saving money easy.
The Thai House offers 2 hour massages for less than $50, so we took advantage of that many times. One of our highlights in the city were watching a Formula 1 race and attending the Opening Ceremony for the Islamic Solidarity Games. During our time, we have had so much luck with all the great people at the embassy who were easy to work with, and we have become good friends with many of them. - Jul 2018
Skiing in Shahdag is awesome. It's only a 3-hour drive, lift tickets are fewer than 25 USD a day, and they offer inexpensive rentals and lessons. The resort hotels have all the amenities, ski lockers, and ski-in, ski-out locations. The mountains are beautiful and the slopes are well-groomed. Even if you don't ski, you MUST go for the weekend. You won't regret it! Beach/pool resorts on the Caspian are tons of fun in the summer. The closest one is at the south end of Baku, so it's a quick trip there. Others are within a 45-minute drive. Dalga Beach is a favorite for both kids and adults with its water slides. Tbilisi, Georgia is also great for weekend trips. The flight is only about an hour. Georgia feels a bit more like Europe, so it's a nice escape and Tbilisi has a lot of charm and of course fabulous Georgian food. - May 2018
I've really enjoyed the fitness community here. There are a lot of active people within the embassy that meet for runs and I have made friends. But, I think it really depends on your approach to this life. There are some who are absolutely miserable here. - Mar 2017
Visiting the mud volcanoes, seeing the European Games in 2015 - Jul 2015
We have really enjoyed the friends we've made here, and the relatively small size of the city. There are also some very pleasant public places in the city. - Jan 2013
The fantastic time I've had with the expat/embassy community! - Dec 2011
