In the middle of the last century, Abkhazia was considered an excellent place for recreation, in which everything that the soul of a Soviet person could wish for was concentrated. Indeed, here one could plunge into the gentle sea waters, climb the mountains and see the lakes, famous all over the world for their changeable beauty, and also touch the centuries-old history of this country, which is permeated with numerous ruins of palaces and fortresses.
After the collapse of the USSR, all this splendor did not arouse the interest of travelers, and only recently tourism in Abkhazia began to develop rapidly.
Resort places of Abkhazia
The Republic of Abkhazia still cannot boast of first-class service comparable to the tourism industry in Europe and Asia, but you can relax here in comfort. Richer travelers choose expensive hotels and boarding houses, while budget tourists stay in the private sector for very ridiculous prices.
You can have a great rest in Abkhazia in almost every corner of the country. Everywhere vacationers will findhistorical monuments and wide beaches. Most often, our compatriots go to Pitsunda, Gagra, New Athos and, of course, to the capital of the former Soviet republic - the city of Sukhum.
Abkhazia: Sukhum Airport
Everyone who prefers air transport to land transport dreams of flying to Abkhazia. But tourists have little choice - only one airport is suitable for international flights.
It has a very convenient location - only eighteen kilometers from the city center. The nearest settlement is the village of Babushari. By the way, this was the name Sukhum Airport had until 2010. Its runway can take any civil aircraft, but at the moment the passenger flow does not rise above zero. In the last century, up to five thousand passengers were accepted daily, but at the moment even half of the previous figure would be a miracle for the inhabitants of Abkhazia.
After reconstruction, the runway is almost four kilometers long. This is much more than in Sochi. In addition, its quality meets all international standards. Russian builders have made it as convenient and suitable as possible for the simultaneous landing and takeoff of several aircraft.
The whole history of the country on the example of one airport
Babushara air terminal was built in the second half of the last century. During this period, the number of tourists wishing to get to Abkhazia overwhelmed the airports of Sochi and other nearby resorts. Therefore, the construction of the complex was dueeconomic benefit and practical necessity.
The military conflict between Abkhazia and Georgia in 1993 stopped the flow of tourists to this country and significantly damaged the terminal building itself. The military used civilian ships to transport refugees and weapons to the warring republic. The signing of the peace treaty did not return tourists to Abkhazia, so Sukhum Airport was used only for domestic flights and communications with the CIS countries.
In the 2010s, the airport was named after the first president of Abkhazia, V. G. Ardzinba, a year later, together with Russian companies, the authorities of the republic began a large-scale reconstruction of the entire airport. The cost of the project is estimated at several billion dollars. By mutual agreement with the Russian side, most of the expenses are covered by our country. Abkhazia must provide airport services and establish air links with major world powers.
Abkhazia: Sukhum Airport today
Dreams of establishing air communication with Abkhazia still remain unrealizable. Unfortunately, the world community does not want to take the side of the republic in the dispute for independence from Georgia. The airport never received international status, and all civilian flights are banned. The duration of the dispute between the republics has already exceeded ten years. At the moment, there is no progress in resolving the conflict.
Sukhum is an airport where, unfortunately, you will not find a flight schedule. It is also impossible to determineairfare from Russia to Abkhazia. At the end of 2016, the situation has not changed - the sky over the country is still closed. The terminal building itself looks abandoned, the terminals are not functioning.
For more than ten years, civil aircraft have not visited Sukhum - an airport where flights of all airlines have been canceled. The exception is the special liners of the first government officials and public organizations, such as the UN. This uncertainty is very frustrating for Russian tourists, who have to get to Abkhazia not in the easiest and fastest way.
How to get to Sukhum from Russia?
The most common way to be on the beaches of Sukhumi is the railway connection between Russia and Abkhazia. Many tourists use this mode of transport. From Moscow, such a trip will take a little more than a day, trains run quite often. During the holiday season, you can leave on any day of the week, in other months the message is carried out every other day.
Those who do not want to spend a day on the road to Sukhumi can take an air flight to Sochi. Already from there, across the border, tourists are sent to Abkhazia. It is worth noting that Russians do not need a visa to visit the country. This greatly simplifies the already long journey.
Sochi - the beginning of the journey to Abkhazia
All Sochi residents know that during the holiday season, the Sochi-Sukhum airport route is one of the most popular. Tourists must get to the Psou River, where customs control is located. Seasoned Travelersthey say that crossing the border with Abkhazia itself takes no more than fifteen or twenty minutes.
You won't even need a passport at the checkpoint, as the usual Russian one is checked only from our side. Abkhazian customs officers scan the document rather quickly and let the Russians through in a few seconds.
Road to Sukhumi: various options
For Russian tourists, the Sochi-Sukhum airport transfer would be the most desirable option of all. But, unfortunately, everything is not so simple. Traveling to the border with Abkhazia will not be so fast and comfortable. The easiest way to get to the Psou River is by taxi, but its schedule is not indicated at the airport on any stand. In addition, in the off-season, tourists will not be able to use such a convenient service, as minibuses simply do not run.
Most visitors get from the airport to the railway station by bus, taxi or train. Usually the journey does not take more than ten minutes. At the station, tourists transfer to a minibus to the border, it will take about half an hour to go. On the Abkhaz side, right next to the customs control, there is a bus station. From here you can quickly get to any city of the republic by taxi.
Many tourists prefer to travel to Abkhazia in their own car, but this is far from the best and easiest option. Roads on the territory of the republic have not been repaired for a long time, so you should not dream of a comfortable and fastmovement. The newest road in the country is the Psou-Sukhum direction, but in the capital itself the situation with the road surface is more than deplorable.
The way back home
It is impossible to see all the beauties of the capital of Abkhazia in a few days, although many are worried about the way back home. But most often for those who are not worried about the question of how to get to Sochi airport, Sukhum is not enough. Such travelers can go from the capital to other resort towns and form their own opinion about today's Abkhazia as a whole.
Traveling in the opposite direction does not present any particular difficulties for vacationers, but experienced tourists are advised to calculate the time with a large margin. Despite the fact that minibuses to the border with Russia run on schedule, the journey can sometimes take several hours. Drivers tend to stop at every stop along the way and collect all the passengers in order to earn more money per flight. It is this fact and the quality of the Abkhazian roads that significantly increase the travel time to the Psou River.
Many Russian tourists dream of visiting Abkhazia and seeing with their own eyes all the beauties of this wonderful region. But, unfortunately, transfers and a long road turn Russians away from this journey. With its opening, Sukhum Airport could greatly facilitate the journey to Abkhazia and still open it for tourists from all over the world.
