Jermuk Resort Town
Jermuk (Arm: Ջերմուկ), Vayots Dzor Marz
Jermuk is a great place to spend as much time as you can spare to relax and get away from it all. There is one main north to south highway in Armenia, and Jermuk is easily found off of this main road. About 25 minutes off of the highway, it is a nice way to cut the drive from Yerevan to Tatev Monastery or Karabakh in half. It is a mountain village, and was a very large and popular Soviet resort. After a post-Soviet depression, the town has seen a large inflow of investment and has become very popular once again with visitors. The fresh air, the hot mineral bath treatments and the mountain trails are the big draw. A restored airport, skiing and casinos are all supposed to be on their way.
Jermuk resort town has a lot of parks, and forested areas. The resort town is reached by turning left at the end of the steel bridge at the end of the highway. Here you will find a few shops, some reflecting pools, ponds, and a row of urns (see picture) which have different temperatures of Jermuk pouring out from a tap. If you go down to the river from the town, you will find a waterfall, and near there is a cafe built under a natural land bridge. Across the river from that cafe, by the ride of the road is a small pool full of water from the hot springs.
Before reaching Jermuk resort area at the end of the road, you will pass a few villages and a large town named Jermuk which is separate. There is also a large lake above a dam, with recreational possibilities.
The village of G'ndevaz is perched on some cliffs at the bottom of which lays G'ndevank. I highly recommend you visit it either on the way up to, or down from Jermuk. It can be reached much easier by the dilapidated old canyon road, rather than the new highway.
Gallery
Jermuk Waterfall
Jermuk Canyon
Jermuk Pond
