Lake Balkhash, located in the east of Kazakhstan, is the largest body of water in the republic, extending 600 miles into a crescent. Balkhash is the only lake on the planet with different composition of water: its western part is freshwater and the eastern part is salty. Due to the narrow strait and the Sarysyk peninsula, the lake waters do not mix.
The salt waters of Balkhash and its mineralized hydrogen sulfide mud are healing and have a beneficial effect on human health.
