Malyn "Kalyuzha": A unique quarry with an underwater museum 100 km from Kyiv

About a hundred kilometres from Kyiv, on the outskirts of the town of Malyn in Zhytomyr Oblast, lies a small lake with crystal-clear water. Locals simply call it "Kalyuzha" (The Puddle). The name sounds almost dismissive, but it is right here that Ukraine's only freshwater underwater museum operates, military divers train, and wounded soldiers experience for the first time since amputation that their bodies can move again without pain. And it is also here that a protracted legal battle has been ongoing for over ten years between the community, which considers this place its pearl, and a company that wants to resume granite quarrying here.

This article is not just about a pretty selfie against the backdrop of granite walls. It is a complete picture of the place: how to get there, what makes it unique, what to watch out for, and why the fate of "Kalyuzha" is still undecided.

Why you should visit

The Malyn "Kalyuzha" is a rare example in Ukraine of how an abandoned industrial site turned into a genuine tourist location without a single investor or developer. The granite quarry, which was worked back in Soviet times, was flooded by groundwater, and at a depth of up to 15 metres, enthusiast divers set up a museum: an anchor, a replica of a military motorcycle, a transformer substation, and a model of an underwater mine. This is the country's only freshwater underwater museum, and both experienced divers and beginners with an instructor can dive there.

But "Kalyuzha" is not just about diving. The banks are suitable for swimming and sunbathing, the water in winter and spring is exceptionally clear, and the granite walls reflecting in the water truly resemble a miniature canyon. Locals jokingly call the reservoir the "Malyn Maldives", and given how much cleaner this water looks compared to the Irsha River or the city reservoir, there is a good deal of truth in this joke.

At the same time, this place has character and drama: for years, the community has been defending "Kalyuzha" from a company that wants to resume crushed stone production here. It is worth visiting while this story has not yet reached a final decision, and while the reservoir exists in the form that the community has shaped over the years rather than a business plan.

History: from quarry to lake

The plot known today as "Kalyuzha" is officially designated as the Horodyshche section of the Malyn granite deposit, the fourth quarry in this area. Mining began here in the 1970s and closed in 1995. There were several reasons: complex mining and geological conditions, the cramped territory between the Irsha River and the railway, production costs exceeding market prices, and the negative impact on nearby residential areas of Malyn. Some local authors also mention an increased background radiation level among the reasons—the Malyn region is partly located in the zone contaminated by the Chornobyl disaster—but this is not the main version for the closure.

After extraction stopped, the pit was gradually filled by groundwater — this happened already in the 1990s. Thus, a lake about 15 meters deep appeared, which divers jokingly nicknamed the "puddle": by their standards of a real quarry, this body of water looked too shallow (for comparison, neighboring quarries in the village of Hranytne have a depth of over 100 meters).

In August 2011, activists of the DiveTeam diving organization (in some sources — Dive Time) founded an underwater museum here, placing the first exhibits on the bottom. The idea caught on: over the years, the museum was replenished by diving clubs from various cities of Ukraine, and today under water you can see an anchor, a wooden boat, a replica of a German military motorcycle, a transformer booth, a pumping station, and a model of an underwater mine.

A threat hung over the "Puddle" as early as 2015, when BM Granit-U LLC, which rented the territory of the former quarry, announced its intention to pump out the water and resume granite extraction and crushed stone production. Since then, the conflict has either subsided or flared up again — more on this in the section on ecology and legal struggle below.

Geography and natural characteristics

• Location: southeastern outskirts of Malyn, Malyn hromada of Korosten district; about 115 km to Kyiv by road and 104 km by rail.
• Body of water area: 19.3 hectares (according to the Malyn City Council).
• Maximum depth: about 15 meters. Mentions of 20 meters occur, but this is most likely a confusion with neighboring, much larger and deeper quarries in Hranytne.
• Water transparency: from 2 to 12 meters depending on the season — best visibility from January to June, by mid-summer the water noticeably becomes cloudy.
• Temperature: at depth, the water remains cold all year round — approximately 4–6 °C, while the surface in summer warms up enough for swimming. Therefore, in summer the banks are filled with vacationers, and divers dive in wetsuits all year round.
• Rock: the granite walls of the quarry are the very Polissian granites for which the Malyn region has long been famous.
• Fish: according to local fishermen, perch, roach, gudgeon, and goby are caught here.
• Landscape: typical Polissian scenery — pine and mixed forests around the quarry, the Irsha flows nearby.

Underwater museum: what is there and how to dive

The museum was founded in August 2011 by enthusiast divers. The idea was simple: to turn an abandoned quarry into something more than just a pit with water. Visiting the museum as such is free, because this is not a commercial project, but an initiative of the diving community.

For most visitors, of greatest interest is precisely what the bottom of the Malyn Underwater Museum hides. And for good reason — diving here is more like an excursion than ordinary swimming. In the transparent water of the granite quarry, the exhibits look completely different, creating an unusual atmosphere of a real underwater museum.

Among the most famous exhibits are a car, a motorcycle, a cannon, a mock-up of a naval mine, a model of a human skeleton, a sunken boat, a forged anchor, a transformer booth, a pumping station, a platform, and even a New Year tree, which divers traditionally set up underwater. Each of these objects has become part of a unique exposition, which has almost no analogues in Ukraine.

That is why Kaliuzha is interesting not only to professional divers. Here, you can not simply dive, but follow a real underwater route while viewing and photographing the exhibits, and discover an unusual world that attracts tourists and diving enthusiasts from various corners of Ukraine every year.

What can be seen underwater:

• a forged anchor;
• a wooden boat;
• a replica of a German military motorcycle;
• a transformer substation;
• a pump station;
• a mockup of an underwater mine (torpedo);
• a statue of Princess Olha;
• several cars;
• sculptural compositions donated by various dive clubs of Ukraine.

According to instructor Pavlo Bohdan (author of the Dive UA Film channel and one of the creators of the museum), as of 2025, there are about 30 exhibits at the bottom of the quarry — all of them installed by the divers themselves without any budget funding, solely thanks to the enthusiasm of the community.

Both certified divers on their own and beginners accompanied by an instructor can dive here. There is no permanent dive center directly at Kaliuzha: diving clubs, mostly from Kyiv, periodically organize trips here (for example, the Sea Urchin club has held group trips here). If you are planning a dive, write to one of the Kyiv dive clubs in advance and ask about the upcoming trip specifically to the Malyn quarry — this is the easiest way to find out the conditions and schedule.

Military personnel undergoing rehabilitation after injuries and amputations at the Malyn Kaliuzha

The Malyn Kaliuzha has not only been a well-known diving location for many years, but also a place where Ukrainian defenders are helped to recover after severe injuries. According to diving instructor and underwater museum curator Pavlo Bohdan, after the start of the full-scale war, rehabilitation dives were held here for military personnel who lost limbs or received severe trauma.

Photo provided by Pavlo Bohdan for the Malyn Media website

Being underwater creates a sensation of weightlessness that allows one to feel the freedom of movement again, gradually restoring physical skills and psychological state. For many soldiers, such dives have become an important part of returning to everyday life.

Pavlo Bohdan

Aside from rehabilitation, Kaliuzha has served as a training ground for many years. State Emergency Service divers, military personnel, National Guard fighters, border guards, and other units train and hone their skills here. Thanks to its clear water and underwater objects, the quarry has become one of the most convenient places in Ukraine for diver training.

That is why for many Ukrainians, Kaliuzha is much more than a tourist location. It is a place where those who defend Ukraine are trained, rescued, and helped to recover.

How to get here from Kyiv

By commuter train

Commuter trains run along the Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi — Malyn route (some continue to Zviahel with a stop in Malyn). The distance by rail is 104 km, and the travel time takes from 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes depending on the train. Commuter trains depart from Kyiv several times a day; check the current schedule on the Ukrzaliznytsia website before your trip.

By long-distance train

Long-distance trains (for example, in the Kyiv-Lutsk direction) also pass through Malyn — the travel time is often shorter than by commuter train.

By bus

Carriers offer tickets for comfortable buses, and the journey takes about 1 hour 35 minutes. This is the fastest regular public transport option.

Malyn — Kyiv bus schedule: booking and boarding

By BlaBlaCar carpooling

BlaBlaCar shared rides are also convenient for a day trip — the travel time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.

By car

Your landmark is the M-07 highway (Kyiv — Kovel, E373). After passing the village of Ukrainka, turn left at the first intersection towards Malyn. In the city, drive along Horodyschanska Street; immediately after the railway crossing, turn left onto the dirt road leading to the quarry. From the edge of the city to the body of water is roughly 10 minutes.

From Malyn station on foot or by taxi

If you arrived by train or commuter train, walk along Pokrovska Street to the intersection with Horodyschanska, then follow the same route as by car. On foot this takes about 30–40 minutes; it is faster to call a taxi or arrange with a local driver at the station.

By minibus: the nearest minibus runs along Myru Street in the direction of Horodysche — that is where you should board if you are heading to the quarry. Check with the driver whether the minibus passes Horodysche and where it is best to get off.

What makes Kaliuzha unique

• The only freshwater underwater museum in Ukraine — as of 2026, it still holds a unique status among Ukrainian water bodies.
• Ranked among the best water bodies in Ukraine for diving (rybalka.club, July 2026) — out of 12 water bodies in the country suitable for diving, "Kaliuzha" is the only one with sculptures and artifacts on the bottom.
• Training ground for rescuers and military personnel — units of the State Emergency Service, the National Guard, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine have trained here.
• Rehabilitation site for wounded soldiers — instructor Pavlo Bohdan shared that diving here helps military personnel after amputations and injuries experience freedom of movement without pain for the first time in a long time.
• "Malyn Maldives" — an unofficial popular name given to the water body by tourists and locals due to the color and transparency of the water.
• Symbol of community resistance — a rare example in Ukraine where the residents of a district town have spent years defending their right to their own lake through courts and protest actions.

Diving: clubs and training

There is no permanent dive center right at "Kaliuzha" — this fundamentally distinguishes it, for example, from the underwater museum in Odesa, where divers await visitors right on the beach. Instead, dives and training sessions are organized by clubs, mostly from Kyiv:

• quarry trips are practiced by clubs like "Morskyi Yizhak";
• basic diving training (Open Water Diver courses under PADI, SSI, or SDI systems) and trial dives are offered by Kyiv dive schools — check the conditions and pricing directly with them.

Tip: if you want to actually dive into the underwater museum rather than just go for a swim, look for a group in Ukrainian divers' Facebook communities that regularly organize trips to Malyn — this is more practical than looking for a separate dive center at "Kaliuzha", which does not exist.

Relaxing on the shore

At the quarry shore you can:

• swim and sunbathe (the water is suitable for swimming, according to the description of the Malyn City Council);
• have a picnic;
• go fishing (see the section below);
• camp with a tent right on the shore — this practice is also described by the city council itself;
• walk along the granite slopes and take photos of the scenery.

There are no SUP board, kayak, or catamaran rentals on-site — this is unorganized, "wild" recreation. If you want to ride a SUP or kayak, bring your own equipment.

Fishing

According to local resident Vadym Matsypurenko, who fishes here every week, "Kaliuzha" is home to perch, roach, gudgeon, and goby. Locals use the water body as a regular fishing spot.

Swimming safety

It is worth remembering the typical risks of any flooded quarry:

• sharp depth drops right by the shore (typical for granite quarries — unlike sloping natural beaches);
• cold water at depth all year round, even when the surface is warm;
• absence of a rescue service and an equipped beach.

For children: supervise them constantly, do not allow them to swim far from the shore and jump in unfamiliar places, because the quarry bottom is uneven and the depth can change abruptly.

Best shots: photo and video

The most "Instagrammable" effect is created by the granite walls reflected in the clear water — especially in spring and early summer while the water is still clean. Available to the public are:

• video of underwater dives in the museum on YouTube (in particular, a recording of the dive on June 29, 2024 at a depth of about 15 m);
• materials about the museum on the official page of the Malyn City Council;
• short videos under the tag "Malyn Kaluzha Lake" on TikTok;
• Suspilne Zhytomyr TV reports on the legal struggle surrounding the quarry — they also give a good idea of the coastline and "beaches" arranged by the locals themselves.

What people say

The overall picture of reviews and comments in the media and social networks is quite unanimous.

Likes:

• transparency and purity of the water compared to the Irsha and the Malyn Reservoir (the "Malyn Sea"), which locals describe as muddy;
• the atmosphere of a "wild", untouched place with granite landscapes;
• the uniqueness of the underwater museum — even those who do not dive mention it as a highlight of the city;
• free access — the place is not commercialized.

Dislikes or concerns:

• legal uncertainty and fear that the place will be "taken away" for granite mining;
• garbage that accumulates in summer;
• lack of infrastructure — lifeguards, equipped beach, signposts;
• periodic conflicts with the security of the territory's tenant.

What is nearby

In Malyn itself:

• The Banknote Paper Factory of the National Bank (operating since 1996) is the only enterprise in Ukraine that produces the paper on which hryvnias are printed;
• Gamarnia tract — the former estate of Mykhailo Myklukha, brother of the traveler and ethnographer Mykola Myklukho-Maklai; at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the scientist's family lived here. Today, it is a forestry college with an old park and a small museum;
• Malyn Reservoir (the "Malyn Sea") on the Irsha — with a city beach, but, according to locals, much muddier than "Kaluzha";
• Gamarnia nature reserve — about 1,131 hectares of protected area, created by the decision of the regional executive committee in 1982;
• Myklukho-Maklai City Park of Culture and Recreation with a memorial to underground resistance fighters;
• the Orthodox cathedral on the central square and the former synagogue building, which now houses a fire station — an interesting touch to the city's history.

A few kilometers away:

• Granitne village quarries — active and flooded granite quarries, one of which is considered one of the largest in Ukraine (depth over 100 m); mining here began back in 1928.

Where to eat in Malyn

There are no catering establishments right at the quarry, so you should have a snack in the city:

• Rancho cafe — Shevchenko St., with a banquet hall, suitable for a regular lunch;
• Astoria restaurant — Hrushevskoho St., cuisine ranging from Ukrainian to Japanese;
• Zamol Volodariv restaurant complex — Hrushevskoho St., on Soborna Square;
• Kvinta cafe — Hrushevskoho St., at a gas station and car wash;
• Aromat and Michelle cafes — several spots in the center (Hrushevskoho St., Soborna Square): coffee, pastries, ice cream for a quick snack before or after the quarry;
• Irsha restaurant — Krymskoho St., a classic old-style establishment.

Where to stay overnight

There are no campsites, guesthouses, or hotels directly on the shore of "Kaluzha", but there are more options than it seems:

• Hotel "Ukraina" in the "Zamok Volodariv" complex — a classic hotel in the city centre, Hrushevskoho Street;
• Hotel "Retro Malyn" — a departmental hotel at the Malyn Banknote Paper Factory; room availability should be arranged directly;
• Hostel in Malyn — locals mention it as a budget accommodation option in the city;
• A tent is the simplest option. In summer, you can spend the night under the open sky: pine glades surround the shores of the quarry, and the Irsha flows nearby, so you can choose a spot either by the quarry water or a bit aside, among the pines closer to the river. You will only need a tent and a sleeping bag;
• a wider selection of suburban housing — campsites, spa hotels, country estates in the forest — is available in the direction of Zhytomyr.

Interesting facts about the Malyn "Kalyuzha"

• It is the only freshwater underwater museum in Ukraine.
• The museum was founded in August 2011 by enthusiastic divers.
• The quarry was worked from the 1970s to 1995, and the pit filled with groundwater already in the 1990s.
• The maximum depth is about 15 metres, and the water surface area is 19.3 hectares.
• The name "Kalyuzha" (Puddle) is a joke by experienced divers: by their standards, this is a rather shallow body of water.
• Underwater visibility reaches 12 metres in spring and winter, while by mid-summer the water becomes noticeably turbid.
• The temperature at depth stays at 4–6 °C all year round.
• Among the exhibits are a replica of a German military motorcycle, a forged anchor, a wooden boat, and a statue of Princess Olha; a transformer booth and a pumping station also lie at the bottom.
• According to one of the museum's creators, there are about 30 exhibits at the bottom.
• Visiting the underwater museum is free of charge.
• Units of the State Emergency Service, the National Guard, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine trained here, and wounded soldiers, in particular after amputations, underwent rehabilitation here.
• The threat of resuming granite mining has been hanging over "Kalyuzha" since at least 2015.
• In 2021, residents of Malyn protested against mining for a whole month, and in 2023, about a hundred residents signed an appeal against the development of the quarry.
• In April 2025, the court of appeal revoked the company's granite mining permit, but later revised its own decision.
• In June 2025, gates and security were installed on the territory — residents tore down the gates.
• The nearest residential buildings are located only about 500 metres from the quarry.
• According to the environmental report, pumping out water could lower the level in local wells by 1.36 m.
• Malyn is the only city in Ukraine where banknote paper for the hryvnia is produced.
• Nearby are much larger and deeper granite quarries of the village of Granitne, where mining is still ongoing.

Local folklore

• One of local journalists played on an old Ukrainian saying in the headline of an article about the conflict surrounding the quarry, about how the truth can be trampled into a puddle — and it will still remain clean. This is not so much a legend as an apt play on words that has taken root in the local information space as a symbol of the confrontation between the community and business.
• Among divers, optical illusions at depth are recalled — shadows from algae and suspended particles that beginners sometimes perceive as silhouettes or "ghosts" at the bottom. This is rather diver folklore that adds atmosphere to the place.

Ecology and legal struggle: chronology

This is the most important section for understanding why the future of "Kalyuzha" is uncertain.

• 2007: BM Granit-U LLC receives a special permit for subsurface use for a period of 20 years.
• 2015: the company announces its intention to pump out the water and resume granite mining and crushed stone production, putting the underwater museum at risk.
• 2018–2019: the threat to the museum persists, and the topic regularly appears in local media.
• 2021: a month of protests by residents against the mining.
• 2023: collection of signatures, appeals to the mayor and deputies, and a rally on the central square of Malyn with the participation of about a hundred people.
• April 2025: the Seventh Administrative Court of Appeal completely revokes the company's special subsurface use permit.
• April–May 2025: the company files an application to review the decision based on newly discovered circumstances, citing a new environmental impact assessment report; the community sends a collective appeal to the President and other authorities.
• June 2025: the court of appeal overturns its own previous decision and upholds the company's permit; gates and security appear on the site; residents tear down the gates; soon after, there is a suspected arson of the company's machinery, which is being investigated by the police.
• July 2025: an extraordinary session of the city council regarding the future of "Kaliuzha", and public pressure continues.
• February 2026: the Supreme Court overturns the appellate decision due to procedural violations and returns the case for a new review.
• March 2026: the court of appeal gives the company five days to remedy deficiencies in the application.
• April 2026: the court of appeal sides with the company once again — the permit remains valid.
• June 2026: Derzhgeonadra (State Service of Geology and Mineral Resources) appeals this decision, and the Supreme Court opens cassation proceedings.
• July 2026: the case is pending at the Supreme Court; there is no final decision yet.

It is also worth mentioning the position of the Zhytomyr Oblast State Administration: in its response to the community's appeal in 2025, the administration confirmed that the company has all the necessary permit documents, and the executive committee of the Malyn City Council does not object to the company's intentions and is ready to facilitate the arrangement of a full-fledged recreation area with safe swimming spots if mining does begin.

The issue of garbage on the shore has also been raised in the local press: according to locals' observations, within two months of the swimming season, the area around the body of water manages to become covered with bottles and picnic debris. There is no organized cleaning system here.

Practical tips

• When to go: from January to June, the water is at its clearest for diving; for swimming, the summer months are the obvious choice, though the water remains cold at depth all year round.
• What to take: swimming shoes (the bottom and shores are granite and often sharp), a bag for your own rubbish, cash (small establishments in Malyn may not accept cards), enough water and food.
• Food and water: there are no kiosks or shops at the "Kalyuzha" itself. You should buy everything you need in advance in the town; a convenient landmark is the shop near the exit from Malyn in the area of Lyceum No. 6, the last point of "civilization" before the road to the quarry.
• Connectivity: there is stable coverage from Ukrainian mobile operators in Malyn.
• Parking: there is no designated parking area — cars are left along the verges of the dirt road leading to the body of water.
• Before the trip: given past unstable access (gates, security), check the latest news on Malyn Media or in local social media communities to see if the area is open to visitors.
• Respect for locals: this is not an attraction with tickets, but a place that the community has been defending on its own for years. Take your rubbish with you and behave as if it were someone's yard — because for the residents of Malyn, it is.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Malyn "Kalyuzha"? A flooded granite quarry on the outskirts of Malyn in Zhytomyr Oblast, known primarily for hosting Ukraine's only freshwater underwater museum.
• How many kilometres from Kyiv? About 115 km by road and 104 km by rail.
• How to get there without a car? By suburban electric train (2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes), long-distance train, bus (about 1.5 hours), or a BlaBlaCar rideshare.
• Is admission paid? No, this is an unofficial recreation spot with free access.
• Is it allowed to swim? Yes, locals and tourists regularly swim here, although there is no equipped beach with lifeguards, and the water at depth is cold all year round.
• What is the depth? About 15 metres at its deepest point.
• Why is the quarry called "Kalyuzha" (Puddle)? Experienced divers jokingly gave it this name because, compared to other quarries (for example, in neighbouring Granitne, with a depth of over 100 m), 15 metres seemed like an unserious depth to them.
• Can you dive in the museum without experience? Yes, beginners dive accompanied by a certified instructor.
• Is there a dive centre at the "Kalyuzha"? There is no permanent one — trips are organized by clubs from other cities, mostly from Kyiv.
• What fish live here? According to local fishermen — perch, roach, gudgeon, and goby.
• Can you pitch tents? Yes, this is a common practice among visitors.
• Is the "Kalyuzha" threatened by granite mining? Yes, BM Granit-U LLC has been trying to resume mining for years; as of mid-2026, the case is pending in the Supreme Court.
• When is the best time to go for diving? From January to June, while the water is at its clearest — up to 12 metres of visibility.
• What else to see in Malyn? Hamarnya tract with the Miklucho-Maklay estate, the Malyn Reservoir, and nearby, the quarries of the village of Granitne.