Ukraine’s only and world’s oldest mud resort, “Kuyalnik” is situated on the shores of Kuyalnik estuary (13 km from center of Odessa). Especially valuable sulfide-silt mud, brine and mineral water are the main medicinal factors of the resort. Kuyalnik mud is recognized to be a model since it contains a complex of biological substances, macro- and microelements, it is conducive to decreasing the inflammations, stimulates the protective and adaptive reactions, renews the functions of the damaged organs and systems. “Kuyalnik” mineral water is successfully used in healing gastrointestinal tract diseases.

Kuyalnikt is one of the oldest mud resorts in Ukraine, located 13 km from the center of Odessa at the base of the Zhevagova mountain on the right bank of the Kuyalnyk estuary. Kuyalnyk mud contains complex biologically-active matter, macro- and microelements, and assist in decreasing inflammatory processes, stimulate protective and adaptive reactions, as well as restore functions of damaged organs and systems of organs. Brine from the Kuyalnyk estuary, containing a lot of various dissolved minerals has special medical value. Kuyalnyk mineral water is used with success in internal application for treatment of patients with alimentary canal diseases. The area of the estuary is 56-60 km², length 28 km, width 3 km. Average depth about 3 m. The estuary is separated from the Black Sea by broad sandbar has 3 km wide. The salinity of the estuary rage from 50 to 160‰.

The mud health spa is located in the south-eastern coast of the estuary, the coasts of the waterbody have sandy beaches. The name of the estuary is originated from Old Turkic Kuyanlık - thick, dense.

Among the miracles of Odessa, there are some naturally created ones. Take the Kuyalnik "Liman" or "salt-lake", the only thing similar in the world can be found in Israel, for the mud of Kuyalnik can only be compared to the mud of the Dead Sea, and some differences make the Odessa product unique.

The Kuyalnik "Liman" (a natural salt-lake, separated from the sea by a natural sand and silt wall) is situated in the North-Western part of the coast, within 13 km of Odessa. It is 28 km long and 3 km wide with an average depth of 3 m. The lowest point of Ukraine is situated within the area of the Kuyalnik "Liman": 5 m below sea level.

After becoming separated from the sea in the 14th century, Kuyalnik ‘Liman' became a huge area of salty water under the hot Southern sun. It is the dense saline that gave the place its name (from the Turkish word "kuyanlyk" meaning "dense"). This fact was appreciated by Zaporozhye Cossacks, and later by "chumaks" (traveling merchants), and they started to extract the settled salt. It was of an extremely good quality, and practically all of it was exported to Western Europe. The salt works in Kuyalnik were continued up to 1931, when about one and a half million tons of salt were extracted over 70 years.

Today the main value of Kuyalnik, however, is not salt. The salt-lake is a unique, natural 'factory' that produces a priceless medicine: rich saline (salt brine with a salt concentration of 220-240 g/l) and sulphide silt mud. These products can help slow down inflammatory processes, strengthen immunity and heal injured organs and other systems of the body. "Kuyalnik" mineral water is helpful to cure digestive tract diseases. Unlike the waters of the Dead Sea, Kuyalnik is home to various living organisms.

The history of Kuyalnik as a resort dates back to 1834. At that time, thanks to the initiative of Doctor of Medicine E.S. Andreyevskiy, the first medical treatment facilities were founded here (after which the lake was called Andreyevskiy for a long time). In 1892, a new contemporary 'balneological' treatment center was constructed here, and it was among the biggest and most beautiful in Russia.

During the war of 1941-1945, the resort was destroyed, but later renovated and became a health center for the Soviet Union. Currently, the South-Eastern coast of the lake holds the Kuyalnik mud resort and a number of sanatoriums and spa institutions. Although the existing infrastructure and facilities are far behind that of the Dead Sea resorts, its recreational and medicinal effects are the same.

Kuyalnik is an important place in terms of its history too. In the area, archaeologists have found Scythian burial mounds and the ruins of a Greek settlement dating back to the 3rd or 4th centuries. Also, in the year 1300, this was the place of the battle between Genghis Khan's ancestors (Nogay, who was Khan of Golden Horde, and one-eyed Tokhta, commander of a 10-thousand-strong force) for the right to govern the Black Sea region.

Photographers obtain perfect shots of the "moonscape" views, and naturalists will be happy to observe the unique flora and fauna of this place. Along the coast there are also beaches that are popular with Odessites and tourists. The water temperature in summer reaches 28-30°С.

On April 15, 2009, the 200th anniversary of Erast Andriyevskiy, the outstanding doctor and researcher having founded “Kuyalnik” resort, was celebrated in Odessa. “Spa-Kuyalnik” recreation club was festively introduced. As it was announced by “Kuyalnik” resort Head Doctor Nikolay Tyshchuk, Kuyalnik estuary’s mud doesn’t yield to the Dead Sea one, even surpassing it. On top of that, Ukraine’s first reproductive function rehabilitation ward was introduced.

The Pirogov clinical sanatorium is located in Odessa region, in the northeast part of Odessa city. The territory of mud cure resort “Kuyalnik” is the most ancient in the world and features unique medicinal properties.

The Pirogov Clinical Sanatorium is a unique natural service complex where such medicinal factors are used as mineral water and therapeutic muds. In the sanatorium diseases of nervous system, consequences of diseases and spinal cord traumas, disease of organs of musculoskeletal system, urogenital system, skin diseases and consequents of burn disease and consequences of diseases, connected with the effect of factors of anthropogenic and radiative pollution are treated.

Such methods of treatment are used in this popular sanatorium as aerotherapy, heliotherapy, thalassotherapy, speleotherapy. Mud and heat therapy consist of mud compresses, mud rectal tampons, electrophoresis of mud solutions, etc. Balneotherapy includes brine baths, baths with medicative herbs. Other kinds of therapy are also used: massage, phytotherapy, aromatherapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, medicamental therapy, etc.