Not far from Kochkor, in a small village of Kyrgyzstan stands a Sanatorium named "Chon-Tuz". A site to visit for its eerie Soviet atmosphere… and yet, it is a genuine sanctuary cherished by local residents and Soviet travelers suffering from chronic illnesses.

History of the Sanatorium

Chon-Tuz became a treatment center for lung diseases and asthma during the Soviet era. Since then, numerous facilities have been set up underground in a salt mine to welcome visitors seeking treatment for allergies, asthma, and other ailments. Indeed, the air in the mine contains salt particles and radon, a radioactive gas that—in reasonable doses—was reputed for its healing properties.

Discovering and Staying at the Sanatorium

The Sanatorium remains active today and welcomes visitors from around the world regardless of their health status. It primarily treats those suffering from acute chronic bronchitis, asthma, allergic dermatitis, and neurasthenia. Here, forget about pharmaceutical treatments and benefit instead from a more natural approach, where the air is far more sterile and free of pollutants, allowing the body to rejuvenate. Care techniques are naturally overseen by physicians and nurses. According to observations, nearly 97% of asthma cases and approximately 67 to 78% of infection-dependent cases have been cured at the sanatorium.

The facility is equipped with two brick chalets accommodating 48 guests with large bathrooms, as well as 31 suites featuring television and VCRs. You will even find a billiards room for residents.

Western travelers will find in this crumbling underground sanatorium a particularly distinctive atmosphere—at once unsettling, melancholic, and utterly fascinating. Everything is corroded; salt deposits have begun to encrust the pipes. You shiver in the galleries where temperatures barely exceed 10°C. The earthen floor is dusty and worn.

Contraindications

Persons suffering from tuberculosis, oncological diseases, rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or kidney problems should not stay at the sanatorium.

If you come to seek treatment (though we doubt it!), you must bring a chest X-ray, a blood test, and above all, warm clothing for winter.

You must not bring any chemical products (deodorants, colognes, or any cosmetics), as this could contaminate the air of the caves.