Barentsburg is the Russian settlement in Svalbard, there is no road connection with Longyearbyan. The boat trip is a couple of hours, from the multicultural Western base to the Russian settlement. We saw a lot of grey fulmars, which are close to a seagull, and they like to fly alongside the boat- fantastically easy to take pictures of. Past a couple of glaciers, as the island is literally covered in them, many little auks, gulls, and a humpback whale.
Barentsburg was hilariously stereotypical Russian. Everything good and shiny is “under refurbishment”, people live in two big communes, there is a fully equipped embassy with consul and vice consul and administrators, and the restaurant is fairly obviously only there for tourists, along with the hotel. The main road was constructed of pre-cast concrete, and then half way down the road it just ends and is a dirt lane. The communist propaganda was very uplifting though
A great trip, got to be done, but make sure you dress in layers !