Holidays in Ochamchira - how to get there, what to see, where to stay

General information about holidays in Ochamchira

Ochamchira (Ochamchira) is a city in the south of Abkhazia on the Black Sea coast. This is the southernmost and farthest resort from the border with the Russian Federation, 170 kilometers from the Psou checkpoint to it, 55 kilometers from Sukhum, and less than 40 kilometers from the border with Georgia (Ochamchira on the map of Abkhazia).

This is a beach resort, but so far it is little known and very rarely visited by tourists. Although the city is located on the shore and there are long beaches and good environmental protection, it is difficult to call it a developed urban resort today. The fact is that Ochamchira suffered greatly during the Georgian-Abkhaz war, and has not yet fully recovered. The tourist infrastructure is very poorly developed here, and there is nothing except a dozen private guest houses and apartments. Entertainment and attractions are absent, excursions are not sold. In the city you can find a couple of cafes, shops, a market, pharmacies, a bank, and other urban infrastructure of a small town.

But this does not mean that it is absolutely not worth considering Ochamchira as a place to relax. We believe that just on the contrary, for a certain category of tourists, this city will be very much to their liking, and there are excellent prospects for the development of tourism. Us (site authors) I liked it here, and to be honest, in some ways it is even better than the popular Sukhum, Gagra, Pitsunda or New Athos. Perhaps this is subjective, but here are the pros and cons that we have identified in Ochamchira personally for ourselves.

In general, if the advantages that we have listed are more significant for you than the disadvantages, then you can safely choose Ochamchira for a beach holiday. But we note one thing in particular: it will not be easy to rest here without your own transport, although, of course, it is possible.

Beaches in Ochamchira

The beach in Ochamchira is located in the city limits, stretches for at least 4 kilometers. Mostly there are pebbles on the shore, but you can find several places with gray or almost black sand. The slope of the bottom is slow, it is convenient to relax with children, although shoes for swimming and walking on pebbles are very useful. To be honest, it's hard to call the beaches in Ochamchira beautiful. Basically, the coast is divided into sections by breakwaters and reinforced with concrete structures from the Soviet era. In places, all this is falling apart, fittings are sticking out. Including there are concrete blocks with reinforcement under water, so be careful with swimming in unknown areas. But to be completely honest, there are such beaches in all urban resorts of Abkhazia, so it is no better and no worse here than in other places.

There is no infrastructure and amenities here, we didn't even see changing cabins and deck chairs for rent at the beginning of the season. Only occasionally do peddlers of corn, beer, churchkhela and other beach fast food appear on the beach. At the same time, there are no stationary outlets selling food and drinks on the embankment. So, when going here on vacation, take mattresses or bedding, a beach area, a large towel to cover up for changing clothes, and something for entertainment, such as a ball or badminton. From the entertainment on the beaches in high season, there is a rental of sap-surfing boards and jet skis, sometimes even banana riding, but you shouldn't count on these entertainments, as they may not be.

Infrastructure in Ochamchira

As we mentioned above, both the urban and tourist infrastructure are very poorly developed here, after all, this is a very small town, its population is only about five thousand people. There are several small grocery and household goods stores in the city, cellular communication salons, a market, a police department, and a district hospital. There is no shopping here, so if you need to buy something other than groceries, you will have to go to Sukhum. Even souvenirs or Abkhazian products such as local wine, chacha, churchkhela are a problem to buy here.

In Ochamchira there is a branch of the local Sberbank (this is not a Russian bank) and an ATM. Bank cards are almost never accepted anywhere, so be sure to take cash with you. Sometimes you can pay by bank transfer online, but not everywhere.

As for the tourist infrastructure, so far everything is very bad here. We did not find any sale of excursions, tourist transfers, or even any amenities on the beach here. The choice of accommodation options here is quite meager: basically, these are either private guest houses or apartments, or hotels with service and architecture "in the best Soviet traditions."

Where to eat in Ochamchira

Unfortunately, it will be a little difficult with meals on vacation in Ochamchira. There are only a few cafes in the whole town, the fingers of one hand are enough to count them. But what's good is that several cafes have opened their doors only recently, they have new furniture and friendly staff. We advise you to pay attention to the "Breeze" on the embankment; in the cafe "Claudia" near the administration building there are low prices for everyday meals.

If you rent an apartment or a guest house with a kitchen, you can cook by yourself. But the products in local stores seemed to us higher than in other cities of Abkhazia, apparently the remoteness affects. But there is a market at 64 Leontius Labahua Street, it's cheaper there and you can bargain.

Hotels and accommodation in Ochamchira, where to stay

There are no full-fledged hotels with services and services in Ochamchira. The main accommodation options here are rooms or separate apartments, there are several private guest houses and hotels with basic service and simple furnishings. Despite the abandonment of everything around, the guest houses are kept in approximate condition, so you can safely stay in them. A stop in an apartment (apartment or room) can also not be ruled out, as they are cheaper. You can book accommodation through the following sites:

• 🛌 Search for accommodation and hotels in Ochamchira on Otello from 2Gis
• 🛌 Search for accommodation and hotels in Ochamchira on Yandex.travel
• 🛌 Search for accommodation in Ochamchira on Sutochno.ru (we recommend it, the bonus system works)

Weather and tourist seasons in Ochamchira, when to go

The tourist season in Ochamchira runs from May to October, and the best time to visit is from July to August. In May, the air warms up and you can sunbathe, but the sea is still cool for swimming. In October, especially in the second half, the opposite is true: the sea still retains heat, but the air is already cool.

Current weather in Ochamchira and forecast

* - прогноз указан по местному времени. Данные получены с https://openweathermap.org. Если отображаются устаревшие даты, обновите страницу с помощью F5+Ctrl.

How to get to Ochamchira

The easiest way to visit Ochamchira and Abkhazia in general is to buy a ready-made tour. In addition, it can be even cheaper than an independent trip, since tour operators buy blocks of seats on airplanes and hotel rooms at a big discount in advance. You can find and book tours to Abkhazia, including those with installment payment, using the following proven online search and booking services:

• ✈ Tours to Abkhazia on Level.Travel
• ✈ Tours to Abkhazia on Travelata.ru (🎁 here are the promo codes for a discount when buying)
• ✈ Tours to Abkhazia on Onlinetours.ru
• ✈ Tours to Abkhazia to Fly.ru

However, keep in mind that now inexpensive tours to Abkhazia are often sold without a transfer included, i.e. you will still have to get from the airport yourself, so you may not be able to do without further instructions.

Ochamchira is the farthest resort from the border, located in the south of the Republic, 170 kilometers from the Psou checkpoint (Ochamchira on the map of Abkhazia). Here's how to get here on your own:

• By plane, train, bus

  The airport in Abkhazia does not work, although there are talks about its launch by the end of 2024. In the meantime, you can fly here only through Adler Airport (Sochi).

  You can check prices and select flight options to Sochi airport using the search form from Aviasales:

  The best prices for tickets from Moscow to Sochi:

  ЦЕНА	ПЕРЕСАДКИ	АВИАКОМПАНИЯ	ДАТА ВЫЛЕТА	ДАТА ВОЗВРАЩЕНИЯ
  Купить от 8493 ₽	1 пересадка		03.06.2026	04.06.2026
  Купить от 20982 ₽	1 пересадка		08.07.2026	14.07.2026
  Купить от 19085 ₽	1 пересадка		27.08.2026	07.09.2026
  Купить от 15109 ₽	Без пересадок		27.09.2026	14.10.2026
  Купить от 12164 ₽	Без пересадок		11.10.2026	21.10.2026
  Купить от 14476 ₽	Без пересадок		26.11.2026	10.12.2026

  The best prices for tickets from Russian cities to Sochi:

  ЦЕНА	МАРШРУТ	ПЕРЕСАДКИ
  Купить от 7504 ₽	Москва ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	1
  Купить от 15179 ₽	Санкт-Петербург ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	1
  Купить от 10710 ₽	Екатеринбург ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	Прямой
  Купить от 9981 ₽	Уфа ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	Прямой
  Купить от 5859 ₽	Казань ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	Прямой
  Купить от 15094 ₽	Новосибирск ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	Прямой
  Купить от 6538 ₽	Самара ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	Прямой
  Купить от 10176 ₽	Челябинск ⇄ Сочи (Адлер)	Прямой

  Upon arrival from the airport to Ochamchira, you can only get directly by taxi, which will cost about 7000 rubles. Moreover, it is not a fact that you will be able to find a taxi driver on the spot who is ready to go here, so it is better to take care of ordering a taxi or transfer in advance. You can book the transfer in advance on the sites kiwitaxi.ru or intui.travel, then the driver He will meet you at the airport and take you to your destination. Or try to order a car, for example, through the local taxi app A-taxi.

  If you can't afford a taxi, you can get there much cheaper, but with transfers. First, you need to get from the airport to the Psou checkpoint (you can take a Yandex taxi, Maxim or other applications, the cost is about 600 USD), or by city bus No. 558. Cross the border at the checkpoint on your own on foot, and then on the side of Abkhazia again take a taxi to Ochamchira or at the local bus station take a minibus to Gal (Gali) or Ochamchira. The cost is about 500 rubles, it takes 3-4 hours to drive. Minibuses do not go directly to Ochamchira to Gala, but you can get off at the turn and take a passing transport or taxi there.

  Minibuses to Ochamchira depart only a few times a day, and if it takes too long to wait before the next one departs, then take a minibus to Sukhum, they go more often. Cost about 400 rubles, drive 3 hours. In Sukhum, without changing the bus station, transfer to the bus to Ochamchira. This bus from Sukhum to Ochamchira runs from 11 to 18 o'clock approximately every hour, the cost is about 150 rubles. It arrives directly in the center of Ochamchira at a stop near the square (stop in Ochamchira on the map of Abkhazia).

  Although there is a railway and a railway station in Ochamchira, you can't get here by train. But in high season you can take the train to Sukhum from Moscow and St. Petersburg.

  Расписание электричек и поездов по ж/д вокзалу Сухума

  Рейс/направление	Приб.	Отпр.
  🚆 479А Санкт-Петербург — Сухум	09:55
  🚆 304М Москва — Сухум	10:43
  🚆 925Э Сириус (Имеретинский курорт) — Сухум	14:10
  🚆 929С Сириус (Имеретинский курорт) — Сухум	23:59
  🚆 930Ж Сухум — Сириус (Имеретинский курорт)		05:40
  🚆 304С Сухум — Москва		14:23
  🚆 926Й Сухум — Сириус (Имеретинский курорт)		16:20
  🚆 480С Сухум — Санкт-Петербург		19:40

  см. полное расписание >>>

  Trains arrive at the railway station in the center of Sukhum, and there is a bus station right there, from where you can immediately go to Ochamchira by bus.

  If there are no trains from your city to Sukhum, then you can go to the railway station in Adler, and from there to the Psou checkpoint and then get there, as we wrote above, with a transfer by taxi or a local minibus.

  

• By car

  It is most convenient to get here on your own by your own transport. In addition, you will have freedom of movement and you will be able to visit interesting tourist sites of this little-known part of Abkhazia by tourists, and indeed any places in Abkhazia, because excursions are not easy to find here. To enter Abkhazia by car, you do not need to issue any additional documents, crossing the border is simple, but after the trip you will have to buy a local CTP insurance policy, otherwise a fine is provided for its absence. Learn more about how to go to Abkhazia by car and what you need to know, we told here.

  An important point is refueling! There is a gas station in Ochamchira itself, but it is of very dubious quality. It is better to refuel at the entrance to the city at the Podorozhnik network gas station or on the way to Sukhum at the Rosneft gas station (this is not Russian Rosneft, but local). In general, gasoline in Abkhazia has trembled a lot over the past couple of years, so it's better to fill up to the maximum in Russia at Rosneft, Lukoil or Gazpromneft gas stations in the village of Sirius in front of the checkpoint.

  

Attractions in Ochamchira

There are no attractions and entertainment in Ochamchira, unless you consider dilapidated or abandoned objects of the Soviet era as such. Of the surviving ones, there is only a Memorial to the memory of the Second World War and a new Memorial to the memory of the Georgian-Abkhaz war. The amusement park in the city center is abandoned, the fountains on the outskirts of the city are not working. Even on foot from the city you can visit the Ilora temple of the 9th century (4 kilometers). All other attractions near Ochamchira will have to be visited independently by car or hire a taxi. It is impossible to buy group excursions on the spot, as it can be done in other more developed resorts of Abkhazia, in Ochamchira.

And here are some attractions that can be visited from Ochamchira by car, indicating the opening hours, the cost of visiting and how to get to them:

• Mokva Temple

  

  Mokva Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a very old operating temple and architectural landmark. It was built in the 10th century A.D. by the Abkhazian king Leon III in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God. In the 17th century it was abandoned and looted by the Turks, all valuables were taken out of Abkhazia. Reconstruction of the temple began only in the middle of the 19th century, as a result of which the general shape of the temple was preserved, but all the ancient elements, paintings, mosaics, were removed. In Soviet times, the temple was again closed and looted. He returned to the church only in 2002, and today it is a functioning church. Read more about Mokva hra here.

  🕐 Working hours: during daytime.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the temple is located in the Ochamchira district in the village of Mokva (Mokvi) away from the popular resorts of Abkhazia, 60 kilometers from Sukhum (Mokwa Temple on the map). You can get here only by your own transport or with an excursion. It is convenient to visit the temple on the way to the caves of Abrskil and the head of Otapa.

• Gup waterfall

  

  The Gup waterfall is also called Aquarash and Ashtada, but we don't know exactly what its name is. Locals call it simply Gupsky. It is located in a narrow gorge on the Gup River, and has an unusual appearance: the water in it does not fall from a height, but flows down the rock in a powerful stream, and only at the very bottom breaks into free fall. At the base of the waterfall there is a fairly large swimming pool where you can swim. These places are also known for the fact that there are deposits of blue clay on the banks of the river right on the surface, which is used for cosmetic purposes. The only bad thing is that the waterfall is located far from popular tourist resorts, and it's quite a long way to get to it separately. Learn more about the Gup waterfall here.

  🕐 Working hours: around the clock.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the waterfall is located in Ochamchira district near the village of Gup on the Gup river (waterfall on the map). You can only get there by your own transport, and to find it, it's best to use the navigator and the help of local residents. You can drive up almost to the waterfall itself (the landmark is the old broken bridge over the Gup River), and then walk along the river about 500 meters. Not far from it, before reaching, there is a good site for a tent camp.

• New Gup Waterfall

  

  This is a new attraction that opened to tourists only in 2023 in addition to the old Gup waterfall near the village of Gup in Ochamchira district. If you have been to the old waterfall, you know that this is a completely wild and somewhat inaccessible place to visit. In contrast, the new waterfall is equipped with a path and bridges for tourist visits, and is conveniently located very close to the asphalt highway, which makes it very easily accessible to visit, if you, of course, manage to get here first. Learn more about the new Gup waterfall here.

  🕐 Working hours: during daytime.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: located in Ochamchira district near the village of Sue (waterfall on the map). You can get here only by your own transport or with individual excursions, group tours are not carried here yet. Almost to the waterfall there is a good asphalt road, there is a sign on the side of the road. Near the sign, you need to turn off the asphalt onto the primer, and literally after a hundred meters you will get to the entrance to the trail through a private farm. Further along the equipped trail to the waterfall will take only a few minutes.

• Abrskil Cave

  

  Abrskil Cave (Otap Cave) is one of two caves in the village of Otap, which is sometimes called simply Otap cave. This is a beautiful gallery-type cave with many stalactites and stalagmites, multi-colored lighting, adapted for visiting tourists. The length of the route is small, about 800 meters, runs right along a mountain river, sometimes knee-deep in water. Visitors are given rubber boots at the entrance.

  Abrskila cave is less suitable for tourists, and is much less visited because of its location than Novoafonskaya, which looks very refined and touristic compared to this one. Learn more about the Abrskil cave here.

  🕐 Working hours: 09:00-18:00, excursions start only when groups of several people are recruited, so you may have to wait for the arrival of other tourists.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: entrance fee and excursion 250 rubles.

  🚶 How to get there: the cave is located quite far from the resorts of Abkhazia, 70 kilometers from Sukhum near the village of Otap (Abrskil cave on the map). You can get there only by your own transport or with an excursion.

• Otapa Head Cave

  

  Otapa's Head Cave is another cave near the village of Otap along with the Abrskil cave. Unlike Abrskil, it is much younger, and therefore there are much fewer stalactites and stalagmites here, and their appearance is simpler. The cave has been open to tourists only since 2014, and work on its equipment is still ongoing. The equipped part is still small, it will take no more than 20 minutes to visit. A river also runs along the bottom of it, there are even waterfalls, but you can move here along equipped bridges, although in some places you have to crawl almost squatting, and part of the route even goes by boat. Boots are given at the entrance, but it's better to take extra warm socks with you. There are a lot of bats in the cave. Learn more about Otapa's Head Cave here.

  🕐 Working hours: 09:00-18:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: entrance fee and excursion 250 rubles.

  🚶 How to get there: the cave is located quite far from the resorts of Abkhazia, 70 kilometers from Sukhum near the village of Otap (Otapa's head cave on the map). You can get there only by your own transport or with an excursion. Before entering the caves from the outskirts of the village, you will have to follow the signs a little through the field.

• Fortress of San Tommaso

  

  The ancient fortress of San Tommaso is located near the village of Kyndig in the southern part of Abkhazia. This is a little-known tourist place, it is visited only by the most connoisseurs of history and lovers of sights, and group excursions are not carried here. Meanwhile, this attraction is very interesting. It was built during the period when the Genoese came to these lands, and this is the period from the 13th to the 15th century. For their settlement, they built this stronghold, which fell under the onslaught of the Turks in the second half of the 15th century. Since that moment, it has not been restored. Read more about the fortress of San Tommaso here.

  🕐 Working hours: around the clock.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the fortress is located on the outskirts of the village of Kyndig on the Black Sea coast, 36 kilometers from Sukhum (fortress on the map). You can get to it by private car, or get to the village by minibus in the direction of Ochamchira from the main market of Sukhum.

• Hot spring in the village of Kyndyg

  

  The hot spring in the village of Kyndig is the most famous therapeutic thermal springs of Abkhazia. Hot chloride, calcium-sodium water with a temperature of more than 100 degrees and a strong smell of hydrogen sulfide (the smell of rotten eggs) breaks out to the surface, and then is distributed through a system of pipes to the pools, gradually cooling down in them. Also, the water falls from a height of about 10 meters with several powerful jets, standing under which you can get a massage with healing water. In addition to hot water, therapeutic mud comes to the surface here, which can also be used in wellness treatments. It is believed that for recovery it is necessary to visit the springs at least 10 times.

  As for the arrangement of hot springs, everything is done here at the most basic level: no service, simple wooden benches, stone pools, gravel paths, wooden boxes for things. Read more about the Kyndig hot springs here.

  🕐 Working hours: from 06:00 to 20:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: 300 rubles (no time limit); use of a locker for storing things 50 rubles; parking 50 rubles.

  🚶 How to get there: The Kyndyg spring is located on the outskirts of the village of Kyndyg, 35 kilometers from Sukhum (hot spring on the map). From the village of Kyndig it can be reached on foot. It is best to get from Sukhum and other resorts by your own transport, but you can also travel by minibus, which depart from Sukhum from the departure point at the central Sukhum market, as well as from the bus station next to the Sukhum railway station.

• New Kyndig hot spring

  

  Not far from the village of Kyndig, right next to the main road, there is another complex of hot springs. This is a new place, although it is equipped in exactly the same way as the most famous spring on the outskirts of the village. Here, hot healing water from underground is distributed through a pipe system to the pools, gradually cooling down in them. There are several pools with different temperatures, you can choose the most pleasant one for yourself. Also, the water falls from a height of about 10 meters with several powerful jets, standing under which you can get a massage with healing water. In addition to hot water, therapeutic mud comes to the surface here, which can also be used in wellness treatments. It is believed that for recovery it is necessary to visit the springs at least 10 times, so some tourists specially stop in the village of Kyndig to have access to the springs. But do not forget that it is recommended to take medical procedures once a day, and no more than 20-30 minutes. Read more about the new Kyndig hot springs here.

  🕐 Working hours: from 06:00 to 21:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket price: adults - 300 rubles (no time limit); children - 200 rubles; up to 6 years - free of charge; use of a locker for storing things 50 rubles.

  🚶 How to get there: The Kyndyg spring is located near the village of Kyndyg near the main highway Abzhuiskoe highway, 35 kilometers from Sukhum (source on the map). It is best to get from Sukhum and other resorts by your own transport, but you can also travel by minibus, which depart from Sukhum from the departure point at the central Sukhumi market. If you arrive by private car, you will have to pay an additional 100 rubles for parking.