Although travellers should avoid the Nagorno-Karabakh area and the border with Armenia, they can pursue various activities in other parts of the country. There are some good beaches in Baku, and visitors can also play chess at several outdoor chess-playing areas (where Gary Kasparov reputedly practised as a boy). The 70km-long (45 miles) Aspheron peninsula (northeast of Baku) has some of the country’s best beaches and offers good hiking and coastal walks.