Ochamchira is a resort city by the sea - Abkhazia, and a few words about modern Abkhazia. Ochamchira in Abkhazia * - beach holidays at sea How to get from Sukhum to Ochamchira

The city of Ochamchira, located on the Black Sea coast in Abkhazia, belongs to the region of the same name. The city and its environs at the mouth of the Halidzga River are famous for their picturesque natural landscapes, healing mineral springs. There are also tobacco and tea plantations, without which the agricultural culture of the region is not without. Currently, Ochamchira has become a popular resort and a worthy competitor to many tourist centers of the country - Gagram, Pitsunda and New Athos. The pleasant climate, fresh air and the Black Sea coast, as well as a number of ancient monuments attract tourists from neighboring countries.

A Brief History of Ochamchira

The first settlements on the territory of modern Ochamchira appeared many years before our era. In the Middle Ages, the Ochamchira Territory suffered significant losses, and trade relations deteriorated markedly. Later the city was completely empty, and in its place were impenetrable boxwood jungle. In 1926, it became the center of the Ochamchir district in Abkhazia. Ochamchira has become a major seaport and one of the main agricultural centers in the region.

In the 70-80 years of the last century, Ochamchira aroused increased interest among tourists, and in the summer many guests from all over the Soviet Union gathered at local camp sites. But the collapse of the USSR and the military conflict with Georgia negatively affected the condition of the city, and tourists stopped coming here. But recently, the resort has been actively restoring the hotel complex and improving infrastructure. Inexpensive vacations and the emergence of new hotels began to attract more travelers to Ochamchira who want to visit an ancient city with an interesting history.

We get to Ochamchira

Ochamchira is located 200 km from Sochi and 55 km from Sukhumi. It is conveniently accessible by train and car. ? It is possible by bus or car. A train from Moscow follows to Sukhumi. From Sukhumi you can get to Ochamchira by bus. Suburban buses do not have direct flights to the resort, but they stop in some localities nearby.

You can also get to Adler by train or plane, and then take a minibus or taxi and go to the Psou border. After crossing the border, visitors get to the area where you need to choose a suitable bus. The Psou border is also accessible by car. After inspecting the car and passport control, it will be possible to leave for the territory of Abkhazia.

Rates for travelers in Ochamchire

In Ochamchire there is no rich choice of housing, because this resort is far from the border and few tourists come here. They rent housing in the private sector, there are comfortable private hotels and guest houses. The cost of rental housing is considered one of the lowest on the coast. If you could not choose a hotel or guest house on the Internet in advance, then you can decide on accommodation upon arrival. The resort has no significant influx of vacationers, so there will be no problems finding housing. You can stay at the "Boxwood 555" hotel, in the guest house "At Khadzhimba", on the recreation center "Arash", in the boarding house "Eucalyptus Grove".

As for shopping, in Ochamchire there is no rich variety of souvenirs and goods, but most of them are quite inexpensive. In local stores and shops you can buy inexpensive products, handicrafts, magnets.

Ochamchira establishments serve national cuisine. At the café and eateries, you can enjoy seafood, lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. In Abkhazia, it is customary to add spices and hot seasonings to meat and vegetable dishes. Spicy seasoning is especially popular here - adjika, various varieties of cheeses, for example, suluguni and products from it. Not without mamalyga, dairy products. Mostly in Abkhazia they drink cow's milk and fermented milk drink yogurt. In almost all cafes in Ochamchira you can eat tasty and satisfying for a small amount.

Local attractions are not yet so familiar to guests from neighboring countries. One of the interesting places in the vicinity of Ochamchira is located in the village of Otap and is a beautiful stalactite cave of Abraskil, and a river flows along its bottom. In its beauty, it is not inferior to the New Athos cave. Near the entrance to the dungeon, one of the watch towers of the Great Abkhaz wall and a waterfall is visible. A cascade of waterfalls several tens of meters high on the Shakuran River also looks spectacular. It’s quite nice to swim in the river, because the water here is quite warm.

In addition to natural attractions, it is worth noting the Mokva Cathedral, 15 km from the city. This pearl of the ancient architecture of Abkhazia was built in the 10th century during the heyday of the Abkhaz kingdom. Due to the rich history of the region, the cathedral often had to be restored.

In the village of Ilor, located 5 km from Ochamchira, a white stone temple of Ilor was built. The temple was erected in the 8th century, and it includes one hall and a semicircle of the altar. Ilorsky temple stands out for its original decoration and thoughtful architecture. In addition, this temple is one of the seven main shrines of Abkhazia.

Not far from Ochamchira, in the vicinity of the village of Bedia, the Bedia Cathedral is located. The cross-domed layout of the cathedral is complemented by semicircular ledges of the altar. The decor of the temple is quite modest. The inner and outer walls are smoothly tiled, only one wall is decorated with a carved cross. So far, only fragments of the paintings that have decorated the walls of the cathedral have reached.

On the outskirts of the city is the ancient city of Guenos, where you can see the ruins of the Roman bath and other structures. Also, protective walls from cobblestone from the Middle Ages have been preserved here.

Tourist info

The bathing season in Ochamchire lasts from May to September. In summer, a comfortable climate reigns with a temperature of + 23 ... + 26 degrees. In winter, the average air temperature is + 2 ... + 5 degrees. Thanks to the Mediterranean subtropical climate, Ochamchira is convenient to visit at any time of the year.

The beach strip of the resort is more than 10 km long. The beaches in Ochamchire are small pebbles, but in some places there is sand. It is usually not crowded, so the local beaches are great for a quiet holiday. Sunbeds and umbrellas on the beaches are only in areas that belong to hotels. The beaches are most reminiscent of the wild, but at the same time they are quite spacious. Also near Ochamchira there are many sources of hot mineral water, which is used for medicinal purposes. Therefore, tourists often come to Ochamchira to improve their health.

Ochamchira is not yet one of the most popular resorts in Abkhazia, and also has drawbacks in tourism infrastructure, but the city has many advantages. Ochamchira is perfect for an inexpensive vacation away from a bustling city in the midst of beautiful nature. The atmosphere is friendly and the locals are hospitable and smiling.

I had no plans to go to Ochamchira, but a neighbor in Sukhum so praised this the resort that we decided to go on a day to see what's what. Honestly, I did not see a duller place, on the shore you can find a couple of decent-looking hotels and an endless empty beach with clear sea. The rest of the city resembles Chernobyl: abandoned houses that nature has already swallowed, empty streets and one cafe. In it, I was afraid of something to eat, I adhere to the rule: eat where there are many customers, so that at least the products do not lie down, but here is the void ...

By car

Ochamchira is an hour's drive from Sukhumi, the road is far from ideal, but there is one, and it’s real to drive. You can only rent a car in Abkhazia at your own risk, no insurance, Casco, and so on. I would advise driving only in my car.

In the city, in my opinion, it’s scary, I definitely do not recommend leaving valuables in the car.

By bus

Buses to Ochamchira travel every day and regularly, these are Gazelles, Ikarus, PAZs and other ancient and dead buses. Although not everything is so scary, with us they also ride.

You can find a bus near the train station:

There is even a schedule: 11:30, 13:40, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:20, 18:00, 18:20. As you can see, not everything is so bad. I don’t know when the last one is sent back to Sukhum - for a long time we did not sit in Ochamchire.

Where to buy tickets

You do not need to prepare in advance for the trip, just go to the bus and pay for the fare before boarding.

Price

The fare cost 70 rubles.

By train

It is impossible to get on the train, as evidence I show what the station in Ochamchira looks like:

By sea

What are you speaking about? :)

Conclusion

If you want, you can always get to Ochamchira, but is it necessary? Of course, rest there is much cheaper than in Gagra or Pitsunda, the sea is clean, there are no people. But the city is not a resort at all, it is more suitable for lovers of Stalker.

The Abkhazian city of Ochamchira is located on the Black Sea coast. The city is located five meters above sea level. The city is in a Mediterranean subtropical climate.

The ancient name of the city is Guenos. The city of Ochamchira was founded by the Greek colonists more than two and a half thousand years ago. Today this city is the center of the Ochamchira district.

The oldest city of Abkhazia

Ochamchira is the oldest settlement of Abkhazia. In the fourth century BC, the small Greek town of Guénos appeared on the site of a modern city. In the XIV century, Genoa merchants created the Ala-Gunda trading post, which allowed them to develop active trade with many Caucasian peoples. In the following centuries, during the reign of the Turks, the trading post suffered a decline. The surrounding area is overgrown with impenetrable boxwood forests. Then the city received its later Turkish name - Oshamshir, which later turned into Ochamchira (from the Turkish language the word "shamshir" is translated as boxwood grove).

In the second half of the 19th century, the deserted and devastated Ochamchira began to turn into a small urban-type settlement. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Ochamchira has become a trading port. Valuable timber and agricultural products were exported from this city to the Black Sea harbor and abroad. The appearance of the city changed significantly in the 20s of the XX century. Since that time, Ochamchira has become the administrative center of a large agricultural region. Seaside town is now surrounded by extensive tobacco and tea plantations, the processing of crops which are engaged in enterprises of the tobacco and tea industries.

More and more tourists began to visit Ochamchira in the 70-80 years of the XX century. For them, camp sites and recreation centers were built. Fans of antiquity will find what to see in this city. First of all, these are the remains of the ancient city of Guenos, which are located in the old Ochamchira area.

Ochamchira today

Not so long ago, in the vicinity of the city were discovered hot springs of mineral water that can be used for medicinal purposes. In the future, Ochamchira may become a balneological resort.

In the villages of the Ochamchira district there are architectural monuments of the X-XVII centuries. This region has long been famous as one of the main places of tea production.

If you will be in the Ochamchira district, be sure to visit the cave of Abrskil, which is located in the village of Chlow. The length of the galleries of this cave reaches two kilometers. By the beauty and presence of karst formations, this cave is not inferior to New Athos.

Abkhazia is a paradise with relict forests, high mountains, ancient history and warm sea. The southernmost seaside resort of Abkhazia is the ancient town of Ochamchira. Located on the northern “corner” of the Colchis Lowland, the landscape of Ochamchira resembles Batumi: on the one hand is the sea, on the other is mountains.

* Remember that under Georgian law, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are considered occupied territories. Accordingly, when visiting these territories from the Russian side, you are breaking the law.

History of the city of Ochamchira (Guenos)

About the city of Guenos, founded in the 4th century BC. on the Black Sea ancient Greek colonies it is known from the descriptions of geographers who signed their works in the name of Skilak of Cariandi. They were called "Pseudo Skilaky".

Archeological excavations carried out in the 80s of the last century outside the city of Ochamchira allowed to find a hillfort, pagan temples and burial grounds with the remains of bridled horses.

In the vicinity of the city there is a whole archaeological complex and historical monuments of the late centuries.

Ochamchira, like many cities of ancient Colchis, was the arena in which the Western empires clashed with the Eastern conquerors. After the stronger Turkic conquerors destroyed Byzantium, the ancient city of Güenos was renamed Oshimshir. Around the city, relic boxwood forests grew. The name of these biblical trees from Turkish sounds like “shamshir”. Boxwood is considered a biblical tree because its wood served as material for the Ark that Noah built.

Having visited the resort of Ochamchira, you can not only relax under the gentle sea breeze, but also refresh your knowledge of the history of ancient centuries.

At the end of the last century, the resort of Ochamchira was badly damaged. After the collapse of the USSR and the war, which was unleashed as a result of the separatist movement, the endemic Megrelian population, which made up more than half of the townspeople, left Ochamchiru. Georgians, Russians, Armenians and Greeks left the city. As a result, out of 20,000-odd townspeople, about 5,000 are left. In Ochamchire, you can find deserted dilapidated houses that are gradually "captured" by plants.

How to get to Ochamchir from Georgia

Since the “de jure” Ochamchire, like the whole of Abkhazia, is part of Georgia, the only legal way to enter the territory of Abkhazia is through the border crossing on the Inguri River. Border crossing procedure from Georgia:

• the border is open all the time;
• no stamp is placed on the border crossing because Georgia considers Abkhazia its territory;
• should also be returned through the Inguri checkpoint, since crossing the border through Psou is considered a violation of the borders, and the computer system will record this;
• you should have permission from the Abkhaz side to visit the republic, a passport;
• you can take pictures of everything except the military and the checkpoint.

On the Abkhaz side:

• The checkpoint is open from 8 am to 7 pm, after which passage is impossible;
• you can’t take pictures;
• present your passport and permission from the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry;
• according to internal Russian passports, entry is prohibited;
• minibuses where you can cheaply depart (for 600 rubles) are only in the morning, then you have to take a taxi, which is expensive and costs 2000 rubles and above.

Both at the Georgian and Abkhaz checkpoints, you can be asked questions about the purpose of the visit. This is not surprising, since Abkhazia is considered an occupied territory.

The territory of Abkhazia is not under the jurisdiction of Georgia, crossing the border, you take responsibility for your safety.

Turning to the company, you can avoid many troubles on the border, and on the territory of the Abkhaz autonomy.

Remember that under the legislation of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are considered occupied territories. Accordingly, when visiting these territories from the Russian side, you are breaking the law.

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