St. Toma is also known as the Snake Island. It is one of the five islands situated close to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. St. Toma is part of Ropotamo preserve.

In the 30s of the 20th century, tsar Boris III planted several cacti on the island. He brought the species from the Bratislava botanical garden. Today, cacti cover more than half of the island’s territory. This development makes the island unique.

The cacti produce beautiful flowers in June. They give fruits in August and September.

Unfortunately, the island is not accessible. Apart from being closed for visit, the island is the living place of many snake species.

Arkoutino region is part of Ropotamo preserve. One of Bulgaria’s most beautiful beaches carries the same name and is located in the same area.

Big sand dunes are typical for the region. The rare sand lily grows there.

Until recently, the beach was wild and a favorite spot for tent lovers and nudists. The beach gave them wonderful opportunities for sunbathing and swimming. Tourists who got tired of the noisy Sozopol beaches visited Arkoutino.

Several years ago, construction in Arkoutino began. The spot is not as calm as it used to be in the past. A major vacation complex is situated nearby.

The firth of Alepou is a protected area on the coast of the Black Sea. It is situated seven km south of Sozopol, near the preserve of Ropotamo.

Alepou is a swamp region that features two small lakes. The area is separated from the sea by sandy dunes that have also been included in the protected area.

Despite its preserve area status, Alepou is already seeing construction. Vacation complexes and hotels have appeared there. Sooner or later construction is going to harm the richness of Alepou’s nature.

Silkosia preserve is situated in Strandzha Mountain, between the villages of Bulgari and Kosti. Its territory includes part of the bank of Veleka River Silkosia is the oldest preserve in the country, named as such in 1931.

The altitude of the region is 250 m above the sea level.

Many plant and animal species inhabit the area. Some of them are rare, while others are untypical for the Bulgarian climatic conditions. Swamps form the lower level of the preserve.

An interesting phenomenon can be observed in Silkosia. Beech trees typically grow in colder areas at higher altitudes, while oaks occupy lower levels. In Silkosia, beech trees grow in the lower parts, while oak trees grow in the upper and colder territories.

Regions with higher humidity feature a number of unusual plant species. The only wild medlar trees in Europe can be seen there.

Silkosia is also rich in animal species. Several types of frogs, turtles, snakes and other reptiles live there.

The number of bird species nesting in the preserve is also big. The mammals living there include wild cats, wolves, boars and martens.