Beyond Gagauzia, the south of Moldova unfolds around the Prut River and the Cahul district, a region shaped by wetlands, fishing traditions, and centuries-old rural life. Its centerpiece is the Lower Prut Nature Reserve, which protects the wetlands and riparian habitats around Lake Beleu and the Prut River. Created in 1991 to protect the flora and fauna of Beleu Lake and its surroundings, the reserve sits in the southwestern part of Moldova, along the lower course of the Prut River, between the villages of Slobozia Mare and Văleni, in Cahul district, about 200km from Chișinău.
Lake Beleu itself is a relict of the Danube, a freshwater lagoon formed by marine transgressions roughly 5-6 thousand years ago, giving the entire region a deep, almost prehistoric ecological identity. In 2018, this significance was formally recognized when the International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme added Lower Prut to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, making it the first biosphere reserve in Moldova.
At the heart of this landscape lies Văleni, a village of approximately 2,500 inhabitants, whose roots trace back to fishermen from the Carpathian mountains, and whose strategic position on old trade routes gave rise to local legends, including the coronation legend of Petru Rareș. In October 2023, Văleni made history: it was named one of the "Best Tourism Villages 2023" by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), among 260 applications from over 60 countries, the most prestigious award at the global level for rural tourism, and the first time the Republic of Moldova has been recognized as an esteemed tourist destination at this global competition. The village had already gained a degree of fame beforehand, since it was internationally known through the participation of a Văleni grandmother alongside the band "Zdob și Zdub" in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest.
The reserve is a museum of biodiversity, home to 196 bird species, including 45 under international protection, and is often called the “land of migratory birds,” an ideal destination for birdwatchers. Pelicans don’t nest here but come to Beleu and Manta lakes in search of fish, migrating from the Danube Delta.
A UNWTO-award-winning village offering agropensions, birdwatching towers, and community-driven eco-tourism experiences alongside the UNESCO-recognized HORA dance and local legends passed down for generations.
The Bread Museum, where visitors learn the history of festive bread and its symbolism in Moldova, and can taste freshly caught fish from the nearby lake.
Two family-run wineries anchor the wine scene of the Lower Prut micro-region: Domeniile Pană, a boutique winery in Slobozia Mare, run by winemaker Nicolae Minciună, drawing on winemaking experience gained in New Zealand, at the foot of the mountains and just 5km from the Pacific Ocean. And Vinăria din Vale, a family winery nestled within the Lower Prut Natural Reserve, near Lake Beleu, founded by Vladimir Davidescu and now run by his children. The estate spans over 1,000 hectares of vineyards and ages its premium wines in a cellar of more than 300 French oak barrels.
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Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2018, the first in Moldova.
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Over 14.7 thousand hectares total, spanning nine localities south of Cahul, including 824 hectares of forest
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The largest natural lake in Moldova, with a variable surface area between 5 and 11 km² depending on the Prut River’s water level.
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Home to 200 bird species, 40 mammal species, and over 300 plant species, many listed in Moldova’s Red Book of endangered species.
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Agriculture provides 90% of the inhabitants’ income.
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Around 2,500 inhabitants.
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Spring or early summer, especially for boat trips on Lake Beleu.
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