Ola is a fishing town of a little over six thousand people on the northern shore of the Sea of Okhotsk, about twenty-eight kilometres east of Magadan. It sits where the Ola River runs into a lagoon, behind a long sandy spit, and the surrounding country is a mix of low hills, larch forest and wide marsh. The climate is hard, with cold, dry winters and cool, foggy summers, because the sea stays icy well into spring and chills the coast.
The road from Magadan is an easy and pleasant ride by Kolyma standards. The surface is generally good asphalt, with gentle bends and light traffic, and the views open over the coast and the hills as you leave the city. In summer the roadside is a mass of wildflowers, with fireweed and dwarf birch, and in autumn the larch turns a rich gold. Fog is the main hazard, rolling in from the sea and reducing visibility, and winter brings ice, snow and strong winds that can make riding impractical. June to September is the sensible season.
Ola has fuel, shops and cafes, though the range is modest, and Magadan, with some ninety-five thousand people, is the place for anything more serious. The main business here has always been fish, and in summer and autumn the salmon runs bring a flurry of activity to the river and the lagoon. Try the fish soup, smoked salmon or dried fish at a local stall, and if you are lucky, a spoonful of red caviar on bread, which is a Far Eastern habit and deserves your attention.
Nature is the great attraction. The lagoon and the coast are rich in birds, from gulls and terns to ducks and waders, and in spring and autumn they gather in large numbers. Brown bears wander along the shore in salmon season, so keep a distance and never leave food in your tent. The spit shelters a long, quiet beach where the water is cold and clear, and the sky often turns pale gold at dusk. It is a place to slow down, listen to the surf and breathe in salt air before the road takes you back to town.