Baku, April 5, AZERTAC Khizi – famous Azerbaijani district with swirling pink mountains is quite simply an extraordinary sight where one can admire unusually enticing landscapes within easy reach of the capital Baku. The corridor between the mountains and the sea is a birdwatching site of global significance and you can climb from here to the top of Beshbarmag Mountain to witness stunning views and intriguing spiritual rituals. Interesting facts about Khizi: - Established in 2006, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and Rehabilitation Clinic in the Altiaghaj National Park is the first of its kind in the South Caucasus. - The landscapes of Khizi are an astonishing mix of pristine forests, 2,000-metre high mountains, Caspian Sea shoreline and semi-desert plains. Enjoy unforgettable experience of kitesurfing If you are into water sports and you’re no stranger to kitesurfing, it is worth visiting the resort in the village of Shorabad, near Baku. This is Azerbaijan's first kitesurfing centre where you'll truly be able to appreciate the strength of Baku's infamous winds. The centre offers lessons and courses, plus kites and boards to buy or rent together with all the necessary accessories. And even if you don’t want to surf, the contemporary beach club and restaurant, which serves up delicious international dishes, make this a prime place to relax beside the Caspian. Hiking in the Candy Cane Mountains One of Azerbaijan’s most beautiful stretches of road leads for about 40km from the Guba-Baku highway west towards the mountain village of Altiaghaj. Roughly mid-way between the two one passes through a dramatic valley flanked by rolling shale mountains whose astonishing red, orange, pink and chalk-coloured swirls led British travel writer Mark Elliott (author of the very popular 'Azerbaijan' guidebook) to dub them the Candy Cane Mountains, a name that’s stuck with travellers ever since. The astonishing colours are said to be due to groundwater that’s altered the oxidation state of iron compounds within the rock. If taking an organised hike here, which can be booked through tour companies in Baku and is preferably undertaken in autumn or spring, glance down beneath your feet: you may discover tiny fossils and perhaps even a squid-like belemnite from the cretaceous period.