It belongs to the region of the same name, located at the mouth of the Galidzga River. These places are famous for their magnificent natural landscapes, healing mineral springs, as well as tea and tobacco plantations, which are an integral part of the agricultural culture of this region.
Peculiarities
Back in the 70-80s of the last century, Ochamchira enjoyed increased tourist attention, and local tourist centers in summer season could boast of an abundance of guests who came here from different parts of the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the USSR, as well as the military events that accompanied the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, the city suffered greatly and for a long time was practically not visited by tourists. However, now, local authorities are purposefully engaged in restoring the hotel complex and improving infrastructure in order to return Ochamchira to its former popularity and make it a worthy competitor to such a popular tourist centers Abkhazia, like , or . In addition to the mild climate, clean air and gentle waters of the Black Sea, the city has a number of interesting ancient buildings and monuments, and is also ready to offer a rich excursion program around the surrounding area, including visits to beautiful natural sites. The beaches of this area are currently uncrowded and therefore suitable for lovers of a calm and secluded holiday.
general information
The area of Ochamchira is small, but the population is about 6 thousand people, although these data are very conditional, given the active migration of local residents in recent decades. Time zone UTC+3 and UTC+4 in the summer. The time corresponds to Moscow in winter and is 1 hour ahead in winter.
A brief excursion into history
The first settlements on the site of present-day Ochamchira arose long before our era, and about 2.5 thousand years ago the ancient Greeks founded the policy of Guenos here. In the Middle Ages, most of the territory Black Sea coast found itself in the power of the Turks, during whose reign the Ochamchira region fell into decay, and the established trade relations of the city with Transcaucasia were seriously damaged. As a result, old Ochamchira essentially ceased to exist and over time turned into an impenetrable jungle of green boxwood. Subsequently, a new settlement that appeared in these places was named Oshimshir, and later Ochamchir. In 1926 it was given the status of a city, and then administrative center Ochamchira region of the Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The Soviet years were marked for this area by the construction of new canneries, tea and tobacco factories, the emergence of an industrial plant and a poultry farm, as well as the construction railway station. In addition, Ochamchira gained a reputation as a major sea trading port and agricultural center of the region. The ethnic conflict with pronounced political overtones that erupted between Abkhazia and Georgia after the collapse of the USSR significantly undermined the economy of the autonomous republic, and also caused mass migration and the extremely low standard of living that established after the end of the war. Only in recent years has the country outlined a way out of the crisis. Now, the city at the mouth of the Galidzga River is considered as a growing resort, which later, under certain circumstances, is quite capable of becoming the most popular tourist Mecca on the Black Sea coast.
Climate
The Mediterranean subtropical climate reigns on the territory of Ochamchira. Winter here is relatively warm, with an average air temperature within +2..+5 degrees. Summer is usually sunny, but moderately hot, when the thermometer reaches +23..+26 degrees. Precipitation is distributed more or less evenly, and swimming season begins in May-June, ending in September.
How to get there
Ochamchira is located 55 km from and 206 km from, but can only be reached by car. Suburban buses do not have a direct route to the resort, but stop in a number of nearby settlements. It is located 182 km away, from which you can get there by taxi or minibus.
Transport
Infrastructure, like transport connection, including within the city limits, is not well developed, but in the future, this issue must be resolved.
Beaches
The total length of the resort's beaches is more than 10 km. They are mostly small pebbles mixed with sand. There are not many people and it is very easy to choose the best option for swimming and sunbathing. Equipped places with sun loungers and umbrellas can only be found in areas belonging to hotels and boarding houses, and even then not everywhere. Otherwise, the beaches are wild, but spacious and wide.
Attractions and entertainment
Local historical attractions are little known to guests from Russia and other post-Soviet countries. One of them is located in the village of Otap, near Ochamchira, representing the mysterious and amazingly beautiful stalactite cave of Abraskila, along the bottom of which the Achkytyzgo river flows. The magnificent cascade of waterfalls on the Shakuran River, whose height reaches several tens of meters, looks no less striking. At the bottom of this outstanding creation of nature there is a stalagmite, shaped like a human head. The water here is extremely warm, so swimming is a special pleasure. The infrastructure at the resort is still very poorly developed and, in fact, tourists have to entertain themselves, although with a few hotels, in some places there are rental points for water equipment. A walk around the city is interesting in its own way and can also bring a lot of impressions of a different nature.
Kitchen
As elsewhere in Abkhazia, in Ochamchira you can fully appreciate the diversity of southern cuisine. Local establishments offer seafood, all kinds of meat dishes, fresh fruits, vegetables, soft drinks and delicious wines.
Shopping
The choice of goods and souvenirs here is not so wide, but the prices are often pleasingly affordable.
Ochamchira is not yet one of the most popular and visited resorts, and also has a number of disadvantages associated with a limited degree of development tourism industry, but, nevertheless, has its own merits, pleasantly delighting the few guests who prefer the small seaside town, located at the mouth of the Galidzga River.
Ochamchira is a small seaside town in Abkhazia; its name translated from Turkish means “boxwood grove”. Ochamchira district was once famous for its agricultural lands - tea, tobacco and nut plantations. In the 70-80s there was a fairly developed range of tourist services. Today the area is quite provincial; many buildings have just begun to be restored after the hostilities of 1991-1992.
But despite the fact that the tourism infrastructure of Ochamchira and its suburbs is still far from developed, there are still certain advantages over other Abkhaz cities. Firstly, it is very quiet here - there are no noisy crowds of tourists or traffic excursion buses, discos and loud music, secondly, the natural beauty of the Ochamchira region and at the same time direct accommodation on the shore attract those who are looking for privacy by the sea and want closeness to nature, thirdly, the prices for accommodation here are even lower than in democratic Sukhum. Fourthly, the Ochamchira region is home to a lot of the most interesting sights of Eastern Abkhazia - Christian churches known far beyond the republic’s borders, ruins of ancient fortresses, incredible caves and waterfalls. Also throughout the area there are geysers and healing mud outcroppings. For tourists, these places are equipped with multi-level swimming pools and benches for massage with water jets based on the Charcot shower principle.
There are many interesting and “tasty” settlements in the Ochamchira region that can and should be visited. These are “honey” villages, where it is best to buy pure Abkhaz honey, including in honeycombs, “nut” villages, where you can buy hazelnuts, as well as mysterious, green and beautiful city Tkuarchal, located in a mountain basin.
To get to Ochamchira, it will be most convenient for you to first get to the capital of Abkhazia - the city of Sukhum. The distance from Sukhum to Ochamchira is 50-55 km.
You can fly to Adler and get to the Russian border with Abkhazia from the airport by public transport or by taxi. It is best, of course, to pre-order a transfer meeting - with this service you can immediately get to your accommodation in Ochamchira. The transfer is offered by the hotels where you are staying or by a specialized transport company in Abkhazia - this is very convenient way get directly to the hotel or guest house, especially for tourists arriving in groups, with large luggage, and for those traveling with children.
You can also arrive in Adler by train - they run from many Russian cities and use one of the methods described above to get from the railway station to the border.
In both cases, passengers cross the Russian border with Abkhazia on foot. Already on the territory of Abkhazia you can use the services public transport who goes to Sukhum or try to trust a private taxi driver, if he agrees to take you to Ochamchira, it’s quite expensive - prices start from 3,500 rubles. and higher.
You can cross the border while in transport, for this you need to buy tickets for direct trains to Sukhum from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Voronezh. In summer they run more often. Or, as an option, a trip by regular bus from Russia to Abkhazia. In this case, document checks are carried out in train carriages or buses - passengers at the border do not get out of this transport.
Unfortunately, there is no direct train to Ochamchira - trains from Russia to Abkhazia only go to the final station in Sukhum. Regular buses from Russian cities, crossing the border also follow only to the capital of Abkhazia.
However, the railway station and bus station in Sukhum are located in the same place, therefore, after getting off the train or regular bus, you can try to immediately go by minibus to Ochamchira - in the summer they run there 3-4 times a day. You can do it this way - get to the market from the station by any type of public transport and transfer to minibuses that depart from the market and go to Ochamchira. But you need to do this before 15.00 - after that there will be no minibuses. A private taxi can also take you to Ochamchira - the cost is approximately 1,500 rubles per car.
And finally, another relatively convenient travel option is your personal transport. But in addition to the distance that you will have to cover to the Russian border with Abkhazia, add about 160 more km to your journey to Ochamchira. Please note that during peak season at the border you can stand in a car queue for several hours. You should be extremely careful - on the highway in Abkhazia you will come across about a dozen traffic police posts. Also keep in mind that 10-15 km after Sukhum, the quality of the road surface will deteriorate somewhat.
At the border, passengers get out and cross it on foot, while the driver also undergoes a check and registers the vehicle temporarily. Then, on the Abkhaz side, you will need to get onto the federal highway and go straight, without turning anywhere for about 2 hours until Sukhum. Along the way you will pass Gagra, Gudauta and New Athos. In Sukhum, following the main road, you will need to get onto the Kodori highway, which after 4 km will turn into the Abzhuiskoe highway, drive another 50 km (the road is straight again, no turns) to the Ochamchira road sign, turn right and drive another 3 km to the city center.
If you arrive in Adler at the station or airport and have booked a room in one of the hotels or guest houses in Ochamchira, we recommend using the transfer service - meeting guests. In this case, you will be met and taken to your accommodation by a car of a specialized transport company, and this service can be provided in different types.
For example, the Garuda Express company offers two types of transfer to choose from: group transfer and individual transfer from the airport and Adler railway station. The group transfer service is very profitable - you only pay for your seat on a comfortable bus, since several tourists who have pre-booked seats gather on it at a certain time and follow you to their hotel or guest house.
The individual transfer service is more convenient, but also more expensive - a car arrives for you at the airport or railway station at the time you have appointed and takes you to your accommodation. The company can offer you a choice of a regular passenger car, a premium car, a family minivan or even a large sprinter.
If you are traveling to Ochamchira by private transport, we will tell you how to get to several hotels in and around the city's coastal strip.
One of the most famous boarding houses in Ochamchira is the Eucalyptus Grove boarding house. It is located in the village of Kyndyg or Kindgi, 25 km south of Sukhum. The boarding house is located on 5 hectares in a picturesque sea bay, on the territory of a eucalyptus grove and offers its guests year-round accommodation in 2-storey cottages on coastline. On the territory of the complex there is a guarded parking lot, a dining room, a bar and a summer cafe on the shore, national restaurant, disco with karaoke, banquet hall, first aid station, grocery and hardware store, swimming pool, sauna, massage room, children's and volleyball courts. The Eucalyptus Grove boarding house is suitable for a quiet and relaxing family vacation. The address of the object is Ochamchira district, the village of Kyndyg (Kindgi). To get to the site, you need to take a course from Sukhum to the Kodori highway, and drive along it for about 30 km, do not miss the sign for the village of Kyndyg on the right, turn right, towards the sea and after another 1 km turn right, here the sign will help you “ Boarding house "Eucalyptus Grove". Nearby, in a eucalyptus grove, you will see steam from a geyser spring.
Hotel “Samshit 555” is located in Ochamchira itself in a small park at the entrance to the city. This is a quiet and cozy place for a family holiday on the seashore. The hotel is open all year round. There is a guarded parking lot and a restaurant on its territory. national cuisine, shop, beach rental and sports equipment, excursion services are provided. Hotel address - Ochamchira, st. B. Shinkuba, no. 159. You can get to the hotel “Boxwood 555” in this way - upon entering Ochamchira, at the first intersection, turn right to the hospital square, then the main road will go left. Almost to the seashore you need to go straight and before leaving the shore, again turn along the main road to the right and drive straight along the sea for 1.5 km, to Shinkuba Street, on which the hotel is located - a modern 3-story building.
Sports hotel“Pearl” was built in 2015 on the seashore in Ochamchira. It is ideal for athletes, as well as active and family recreation. On the territory of the complex there is a guarded parking lot, a dining room, a conference room, a storage room, a gym, a wrestling and boxing room, a table tennis table and beach equipment rental. Personal training and excursion services are available. Resort infrastructure There are subtropical parks, shops, cafes and restaurants around the complex. Also nearby is sports complex with grounds equipped for playing football, volleyball and basketball, central Stadium and a mini-stadium. The address of the sports and hotel complex “Pearl” is Ochamchira, st. Voronova, 25. To find the object, you need to enter Ochamchira at the first intersection, turn right to the hospital square, then the road will go left. Almost to the seashore you need to go straight and before leaving the shore turn left along the main road, drive 500 m to the city administration, then turn right, after a block turn left and go to Voronova Street, after 300 m there will be a hotel building on your right " Pearl".
The city of Ochamchira (Ochamchira) lies on the Black Sea coast at the mouth of the Galidzga River in the very southeast of the republic, just 35 km from the Abkhaz-Georgian border.
History and legends of Ochamchira
At this place in the first half of the 6th century BC. e. The Greeks founded the policy of Guenos, considered the oldest city on the territory of modern Abkhazia. The reason for this decision is not entirely obvious, since there are many more convenient bays in the area than the mouth of Dzhukmur, but in those ancient times the configuration of the coastline was completely different. Be that as it may, Guenos did not last long and was destroyed by civil strife and war with the Maeotian tribes from the Kuban region. Only in the 3rd century BC. e. people repopulated these places, and only ruins remained of the ancient city.
In the ancient period, first the Greeks and then the Byzantines actively developed this region, establishing trade with the mountain tribes. Fortified settlements were built in several stages, from which the ruins of Roman baths, a Roman bath, medieval defensive walls and other buildings have survived to this day. In a later period, the Ottomans actively exported precious boxwood from here (in Turkish - “shymshyr”), hence the modern name of the city.
Beaches of Ochamchira
Heavily damaged during the fighting of the Georgian-Abkhaz war, Ochamchira has still not regained its once famous resort potential, when tourists from all over the USSR came here.
Now the beaches and sanatoriums are empty, and the once thriving city itself is clearly fading away. But tourists still come here - the reason for this is unique historical monuments surrounding area, primarily the abundance of ancient temples.
Around Ochamchira
On the southeastern outskirts of Ochamchira is located village Ilori (Elyr)- one of the cult places of Abkhazia both from the point of view of Christians and among fans of ancient pagan cults. His business card is an ancient white stone.
15 km north of Ochamchira lies the small center of one of the seven historical regions of the country - Abzhua (Abzhui Abkhazia). Its main attraction is Mokva Cathedral of the Assumption Holy Mother of God , located in the very center of the village, on a vast Mykuashta Square ("Mokvinskaya Polyana").
17 km northeast of Ochamchira lies a small village, considered one of the oldest villages in Abkhazia. From the "natural fortress" plateau on which it is located temple, the most picturesque views of Colchis lowland, ruins of the Lashkender monastery- one of the seven sanctuaries of Abkhazia, the upper reaches Galidzgi (Aaldzgi), ruins of ancient fortresses on the Aysra ridge and snowy peaks Khojal Mountains(3313 m) and Narjhow(618 m) with the ruins of another medieval fortified point.
20 km north of Ochamchira lies a high mountain. On its outskirts there is the entrance to the Abrskila cave - one of the most famous in Abkhazia.
And in the very south of the region, on the banks of the Enguri River bordering Georgia, there is a large Chuburkhinji village(translated from Georgian as “Chestnut Bridge”; the Abkhaz call this village Khyatskha). Here are the ruins of a tiny village little known outside the troubled Gali region Church of St. George the Victorious, built approximately in the 12th century, and also has a small healing hydrogen sulfide spring.
Also from the regional center of Gali you can visit the picturesque Eris-Tskala Reservoir And ruins of a watchtower-fortress on Mount Satanjo (496 m). And in the seaside region located in the very north-west village of Akhali-Kindyg (Akhali-Kyndyg) There are natural outlets of thermal mineral waters, however, they are practically undeveloped.
How to get to Ochamchira
From the Russian station to Sukhum there is a comfortable train, the schedule of which changes every year. Taking into account the border stop in Vesely and numerous stops at intermediate stations, the entire journey to the capital of Abkhazia will take about four hours. Numerous minibuses also go along this route.
Then you should take a bus or minibus heading southeast to Ochamchira (a little over an hour on the way).
Ochamchira – sparsely populated resort village, located on the Black Sea coast, at the mouth of the “modest” Galidzga River. This town is the oldest settlement in the entire territory of Abkhazia. Founded back in the 4th century. BC, by Greek merchants, and was named Guenos. Then the city developed intensively, and in the 13th-14th centuries, the Ala-Gunda trading post was formed on the site of the town. Then the trading post suffered a collapse; during the period of Turkish domination, everything in this territory fell into disrepair, the town was deserted, abandoned buildings remained, which were subsequently overgrown with boxwood thickets. That is why the Turks gave the name in their own way “Shamshir”, which literally means boxwood or boxwood grove. This is where the town got its name Oshimshir; later, for better pronunciation in the local dialect, the town began to be called Ochamchira.
IN given time This is no longer a city, not even a town, but rather a village that has fallen into complete disrepair. The village is very small. The buildings consist of one-story, or at best two-story wooden houses (mostly dilapidated), there are no asphalt roads, and where they were there were holes and potholes (consequences of the military operations of 1992-1993).
The general impression of the village is complete devastation and squalor. Dirty cows, buffaloes, pigs and chickens roam the streets (where instead of roads there are only directions) wander. And all this “splendor” against the backdrop of dilapidated, abandoned houses. A terrible picture.
Local aborigines and better times They weren’t known for their hard work, and even more so now. The local authorities are doing nothing to raise everything from ruin or at least put in order what remains. And the legacy of the former union was great. Decent boarding houses, recreation centers, there were even pioneer camps. Now a small fraction of this “wealth” has been preserved, but all that has been done is a little touch-up, and that’s all. In general, the village of Ochamchira was never famous as a popular resort; even in Soviet times, there were rarely many vacationers in the boarding houses; people from other Soviet republics were rare guests. Basically, the village was popular among “its own people” and was positioned more as a quiet, calm, family resort.
To this day we cannot remember this semblance of a holiday without shuddering. It all started at the border, where, according to the transfer services we paid for, we were supposed to be met by a representative of the Samshit boarding house. We waited for this little man for about an hour, and when he still didn’t get it, we decided to get there on our own. When we booked a room at the boarding house, we were told that it was 50 kilometers from the border to the boarding house. Don't believe it. Three times more. The roads are terrible, if you compare the military tankodrom with what we were driving on - the autobahn. We drove for more than 3 hours, the price was wild, from 3 to 5 thousand rubles, you definitely have to bargain. Of course, upon arrival at the boarding house we received a lot of apologies, the administration asked us to “get into the situation.” But during the entire “rest” I constantly had to “get into the situation” for one reason or another. Not only us, all the vacationers “got into the situation” every now and then.
The boarding house provides rooms of various categories of comfort to the services of vacationers, but we must again “get into the situation” because a semi-luxury room is a semblance of an economy class room (it’s scary to imagine what an economy room in a boarding house is like). The room was located opposite the public toilets and laundry - the aroma was not boxwood groves. There is no balcony in the room, there is no place to dry clothes and resort supplies. The furniture is on the verge of destruction, the beds are narrow and uncomfortable - a legacy of the USSR. The only joy is that the room has a refrigerator (in which there is nothing to put anything. There are no shops in the village), an air conditioner, albeit old, but in good condition. There was a creaky cabinet and so on in other small things (a carafe with water from the tap, which is better not to drink).
Meals in the boarding house are served three times a day, in its own dining room. As you understand, we need to “get into the situation again.” Egg usurpation is what I would call nutrition. Breakfasts were a complete torture, they only cooked eggs (omelet or scrambled eggs with mayonnaise), the cooks didn’t have enough culinary imagination for more. We tried to order at least porridge for breakfast, but the answer was clear - no. Porridge for children. Scrambled eggs for adults. They don't serve fruit, compotes are similar to the Yuppie drink (if anyone remembers what kind of disgusting thing that is). Lunches are lean and tasteless. Nightmare. There is an alternative to table food on the boarding house's territory - a snack bar (patskha in local). Believe me, it’s better to eat in the canteen.
Who was on the Crimean peninsula and saw public beach in Alushta, know - in comparison with the beach in the village of Ochamchira, the beaches of Alushta are a nature reserve listed in the Red Book. It feels like the beach in the village has never been cleaned at all. Cows roam around it
the shepherds wash them right away. Horror. There are no resort entertainments, this is probably futile. There aren't even old catamarans, it's a complete wilderness.
Not far from the boarding house there is a local market. This is where all those who like to make scandals belong. Boor on boor and drives boor. People are angry because of their poverty; they look at all vacationers like occupiers. Fruits (apples, peaches can only be bought in the morning), but the prices are simply astronomical. There is not just no evening entertainment, there is none at all. You can sit in the snack bar on the territory of the boarding house in the evening and drink local wine. But, God forbid you go for a walk outside the territory in the evening, at best you will be left without valuables (this was the instruction we were given by the private owner who was taking us to the boarding house).
If you want to go on excursions, organize them yourself. Because you will have to “get into the situation” again and not go on the excursion for one reason or another. There will be a lot of reasons for refusal, the main thing is to “get into the situation.” We simply “ran away” from there, from this terrible “resort” without regret.
It is noteworthy that a local private owner who kindly agreed (for 3,000 rubles) to take us to the border asked us a question that still has no answer. He simply asked: “What were you doing here anyway?” The answer was our silence, since there was really nothing to say.
Ukrainians have a good saying about this, translated as follows: A cheap fish is a stinking fish.
The city of Ochamchira, located on the Black Sea coast in Abkhazia, belongs to the region of the same name. The city and its surroundings at the mouth of the Galidzga River are famous for their picturesque natural landscapes and healing mineral springs. There are also tobacco and tea plantations, which are essential for the region's agricultural crops. 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.
Brief history of Ochamchira
The first settlements on the territory of modern Ochamchira appeared many years BC. In the Middle Ages, the Ochamchira region suffered significant losses, and trade relations deteriorated noticeably. Later, the city was completely deserted, and in its place there was an impenetrable boxwood jungle. In 1926, it became the center of the Ochamchira region in Abkhazia. Ochamchira has grown into a large sea port and one of the region's main agricultural centers.
In the 70-80s of the last century, Ochamchira aroused increased interest among tourists, and in the summer many guests from all over the Soviet Union gathered in local tourist centers. 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 in Lately The resort's hotel complex is being actively restored and its infrastructure is being improved. Inexpensive holidays and the emergence of new hotels have begun to attract noticeably more travelers to Ochamchira who want to visit the ancient city with an interesting history.
Getting to Ochamchira
Ochamchira is located 200 km from Sochi and 55 km from Sukhumi. It is convenient to get here by train and car. ? You can go by bus or car. There is a train from Moscow to Sukhumi. From Sukhumi you can get to Ochamchira by bus. U commuter buses there are no direct flights to the resort, but they do stop at some populated areas 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 find themselves in a square where they need to choose a suitable bus. People reach the Psou border by own car. After inspecting the car and passport control, you will be able to leave for the territory of Abkhazia.
Prices for travelers in Ochamchira
There is not a wide choice of accommodation in Ochamchira, because this resort is remote from the border and few tourists come here. Accommodation is rented here 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 were unable to choose a hotel or guest house on the Internet in advance, you can decide on accommodation upon arrival. There are no significant influxes of vacationers at the resort, so there will be no problems finding accommodation. You can stay at the Samshit 555 hotel, in guest house“At Khadzhimba”, at the “Arash” recreation center, at the “Eucalyptus Grove” boarding house.
As for shopping, Ochamchira does not have a wide variety of souvenirs and goods, but most of them are quite inexpensive. In local stores and shops you can buy inexpensive products, products self made, magnets.
Restaurants in Ochamchira serve national cuisine. In cafes and eateries you can taste seafood dishes, a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. In Abkhazia, it is customary to add spices and hot seasonings to meat and vegetable dishes. Especially popular here is the spicy seasoning - adjika, various types of cheeses, for example, suluguni and products made from it. People here cannot do without mamalyga and dairy products. Most people in Abkhazia drink cow's milk and the fermented milk drink matsoni. In almost all cafes in Ochamchira you can have a tasty and satisfying meal for a small amount.
Local attractions are not yet so familiar to guests from neighboring countries. One of interesting places in the vicinity of Ochamchira is located in the village of Otap and is a beautiful stalactite cave called Abraskila, 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 you can see one of the watchtowers of the Great Abkhazian Wall and a waterfall. The cascade of waterfalls several tens of meters high on the Shakuran River also looks impressive. It is quite pleasant 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 ancient architecture Abkhazia was built in the 10th century during the heyday of the Abkhazian kingdom. Due to the rich history of the region, the cathedral had to be restored frequently.
In the village of Ilor, located 5 km from Ochamchira, a white stone Ilor temple was built. The temple was built back in the 8th century, and it includes one hall and a semicircle of the altar. The Ilori temple stands out for its original decoration and thoughtful architecture. In addition, this temple is one of the seven main sanctuaries 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 projections of the altar. The decor of the temple is quite modest. The interior and exterior walls are smoothly tiled, only one wall is decorated with a carved cross. Only fragments of the paintings that decorated the walls of the cathedral have survived to this day.
On the outskirts of the city is the ancient site of Guenos, where you can see the ruins of a Roman bath and other buildings. Protective cobblestone walls from the Middle Ages have also been preserved here.
Tourist Information
The swimming season in Ochamchira lasts from May to September. In summer there is a comfortable climate with temperatures 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 stretches over 10 km in length. The beaches in Ochamchira are small-pebble, but in some places there is sand. It's usually not crowded here, so local beaches perfect for a quiet getaway. Sun loungers and umbrellas on the beaches are only available in areas that belong to hotels and inns. The beaches are most reminiscent of wild ones, but at the same time they are quite spacious. Also near Ochamchira there are many hot springs mineral water which is used for medicinal purposes. Therefore, tourists often come to Ochamchira for the purpose of improving their health.
Ochamchira is not yet one of the most popular resorts Abkhazia, and also has shortcomings in tourism infrastructure, but the city has many advantages. Ochamchira is perfect for inexpensive holiday far from the noisy city among picturesque nature. There is a friendly atmosphere here and local residents hospitable and smiling.
