In the middle of the last century, Abkhazia was considered an excellent place for relaxation, in which everything that the soul of the Soviet person desired was concentrated. Indeed, here you could plunge into the gentle sea waters, climb the mountains and see the lakes, famous around the world for their variable beauty, as well as touch the centuries-old history of this country, which is permeated by the numerous ruins of palaces and fortresses.
After the collapse of the USSR, all this splendor did not arouse interest among 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 comfortably. Travelers richer choose expensive hotels and pensions, and budget tourists are located in the private sector for very ridiculous prices.
You can have a wonderful rest in Abkhazia in almost every corner of the country. Everywhere vacationers will find historical 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
Anyone 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 - just eighteen kilometers from the city center. The closest settlement is the village of Babushary. By the way, this is precisely the name that Sukhum airport bore until 2010. Its runway can accept any civilian aircraft, but at the moment the passenger flow does not rise above zero. In the last century, up to five thousand passengers were received daily, but at the moment even half of the previous figure would be a miracle for the residents of Abkhazia.
After reconstruction, the runway has a length of almost four kilometers. This is significantly more than in Sochi. In addition, its quality meets all international standards. Russian builders made it as convenient and suitable for simultaneous landing and take-off of several aircraft.
The whole history of the country on the example of one airport
Babushar Airport 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 determined by economic benefits 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 a warring republic. The signing of the peace treaty did not return tourists to Abkhazia, therefore, Sukhum Airport was used only for domestic flights and communications with the CIS countries.
In the 2010s, the airport was named in honor of 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 territory of the airport. The project cost is estimated at several billion dollars. By mutual agreement with the Russian side, most of the expenses are borne by our country. Abkhazia should provide airport services and establish air links with the main world powers.
Abkhazia: Sukhum airport today
Dreams of establishing flights with Abkhazia are still 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, no progress is being made in resolving the conflict.
Sukhumi is an airport, the flight schedule of which, unfortunately, you will not find. It is also now impossible to determine the price of air travel 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, civilian 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 upsetting for Russian tourists who have to travel to Abkhazia in a difficult and quick way.
How to get to Sukhum from Russia?
The most common way to get to the beaches of Sukhumi is by rail between Russia and Abkhazia. Many tourists use this type of transport. From Moscow, such a trip will take a little more than a day, trains run quite often. In the holiday season, you can leave on any day of the week, in other months, communication is every other day.
Those who do not want to spend a day on the road to Sukhumi can take an air flight to Sochi. From there, tourists cross over the border 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 road to Abkhazia
All Sochi residents know that during the holiday season, communication on the route Sochi-Sukhum Airport is one of the most popular. Tourists must get to the Psou River, where customs control is located. Experienced travelers say that the border crossing with Abkhazia itself takes no more than fifteen to twenty minutes.
The control will not even require a passport, since the usual Russian is checked only on our part. Abkhaz customs officers rather quickly look through the document and let the Russians pass in a few seconds.
The road to Sukhumi: various options
For Russian tourists, a transfer to Sochi-Sukhum Airport would be the most desirable option of all possible. But, unfortunately, everything is not so simple. Traveling to the border with Abkhazia will not be so quick and comfortable. The easiest way to get to the Psou River is by shuttle bus, but its schedule is not indicated at the airport at any stand. In addition, in the off-season, tourists will not be able to use such a convenient service, since minibuses simply do not go.
Most visitors get from the airport to the train station by bus, taxi or train. Usually the road does not take more than ten minutes. At the station, tourists transfer to a minibus to the border, you will need to go about half an hour. On the Abkhaz side, right next to customs control, there is a bus station. From here, by minibus, you can quickly get to any city in the republic.
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 comfortable and fast movement. 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 to the homeland
It is impossible to see all the beauties of the capital of Abkhazia in a few days, although many are worried about the return road to the house. But most often, those who are not bothered by the question of how to get to Sochi Airport, Sukhum is not enough. Such travelers can travel from the capital to other resort cities and make up their minds about today's Abkhazia as a whole.
Traveling in the opposite direction does not present any special 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 go on schedule, the road can sometimes take several hours. Drivers tend to stop at every stop along the way and collect all passengers to earn more money for the 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 land. But, unfortunately, transplants and a long road turn Russians away from this trip. With its opening, Sukhum Airport could significantly facilitate the path to Abkhazia and still open it to tourists from all over the world.