🇲🇳 Bayantal Air Base

It appears there is a misunderstanding regarding Bayantal Air Base (MN-60) in Bayantal, Mongolia. Based on recent information, Bayantal Air Base (MN-60) is an abandoned Soviet military air base and not an active airport with traveler facilities or services.

Travelers who visit the site do so as a destination for urban exploration and historical interest, rather than for air travel. Reviews and experiences describe the location as a relic of the Soviet era, with crumbling infrastructure being reclaimed by the desert.

Overall traveler sentiment towards the *site* is generally one of historical fascination and adventure, though there are reports of unwelcoming encounters with local nomadic families who now use parts of the former base.

What Travelers Love (about the abandoned site):

• Historical Significance: Visitors are fascinated by the opportunity to explore a former Soviet outpost, including old runways, aircraft hangars, bunkers, and abandoned apartment buildings.
• Unique Exploration: The site offers a unique urban exploration experience, with opportunities to see peeling wallpaper with multiple layers, Soviet newspapers, and even an old Mig-21 fighter jet that can be climbed.
• Remote Gobi Desert Setting: The location in the Gobi Desert provides a stark and dramatic backdrop for exploration, with wild herbs growing amidst the ruins.

Common Complaints (or challenges of visiting the abandoned site):

• Lack of Facilities: As an abandoned base, there are no modern terminal facilities, amenities, or cleanliness standards. The buildings are described as crumbling and filled with rubble and rubbish.
• Security and Welcome: Some visitors have reported being made to feel unwelcome by nomadic families who have set up gers (yurts) on the base and use the old bunkers for their livestock. There are no official security or customs/immigration services.
• Transportation and Accessibility: Reaching the site typically involves off-road driving, and the roads were described as rough as recently as 2020. There are no established transportation connections or designated parking for an active airport.
• Hazardous Conditions: Exploring the abandoned buildings can be dangerous, with collapsed floors and stairs noted by explorers.

In summary, Bayantal Air Base (MN-60) is not an operational airport and does not offer any services to air travelers. Instead, it serves as a destination for those interested in exploring historical abandoned military sites, offering a glimpse into the Soviet past amidst the Mongolian landscape. Travelers should be aware of the lack of amenities and potential for unwelcoming encounters with locals.