Capital
The city of Sukhum (often called in the old way: Sukhumi)
The local time
GMT+3 (one with Moscow)
Currency
The Russian ruble is used as the currency. The local monetary currency – apsara, is not used in any form of payment, since it has an extremely low rate. 1 Apsara is equal to 0.1 Russian ruble (10 kopecks). Since 2008, the production of collectible gold and silver apsars worth 23,000 and 4,500 rubles, respectively, began in Abkhazia.
Connection
From January 1, 2010, to call to Abkhazia, you need to dial +7 on a landline phone, which is justified by the allocation of a range of numbers for the Abkhaz Republic by Russian telephone lines. The region code for fixed phones is 840, for mobile operators it is 940. The Georgian regional codes that were in effect until 2010 are now considered invalid.
There are 2 mobile operators in the republic, the network of which completely covers the territory of Abkhazia. These are Aquaphone and A-mobile. In addition to cellular services, these operators offer mobile Internet services. Sim cards of both operators can be purchased in any city of the republic. Russian cellular operators are represented by Beeline, MTS and Megafon.
Emergency services
Rescue Service – 001
Police / security – 002
Ambulance Emergency – 003
Electricity
Mains voltage in Abkhazia: 220V.
In all hotels there are no problems with electricity. All sources work uninterruptedly, for electrical appliances with a European standard plug, there are special sockets in the rooms.
Accommodation
In addition to 4-5 star hotels and hotels in the resort towns of Abkhazia, there are many more economical ways of accommodation. Since the influx of tourists is quite high every year, even wealthy vacationers may not have enough places in expensive hotels. In this case, in each city there are various boarding houses, rest houses, health centers, resort complexes, sanatoriums. The cost of accommodation in such places depends, first of all, on the number and type of services, both offered by the institution and required by the tourists themselves. Also, the price depends on the distance of the accommodation from the sea (as a rule, no more than 500-600 m, although there are those from which you need to get by public transport), on the number of people entering (some boarding houses do not have double rooms, and some rooms are not intended for families with small children and children).
Tips
In most restaurants, hotels and other establishments, tips are most often included in the final cost of the service. However, additional tips at the discretion of the tourist may be offered. See liuxers for Abkhazia customs and traditions.
Shopping
In all the resorts of Abkhazia there are many boutiques, where clothes are supplied mainly from Turkey. According to numerous reviews, prices in such stores are sometimes too high (and, nevertheless, much lower than, for example, in Sochi), but most of the goods there are of high quality.
In the capital Sukhum, there is the largest market in the republic, where you can buy absolutely everything and at the lowest prices. Spices are especially popular among purchases, which can also be purchased inexpensively on the market in New Athos.
In other cities, the economy is not so well developed, and after the events of 2008, there are still no large food stores in some villages. So lovers of hiking in the mountains are required to stock up on essentials, since it is problematic to purchase them in mountainous areas.
Transport
Until 2011, there was no direct railway connection with Moscow. Now a direct flight with Moscow is opening without a change to Sochi, as it was before. Abkhazia’s domestic rail services are strongly discouraged, as at this stage any train may be stopped at any point along the route for a thorough check.
Public transport in all resort cities is very well developed, fixed-route taxis cover all tourist sites of the republic. It is recommended to use buses only with a guide so as not to get lost, however, if you get lost, the local population will always tell you the correct bus number. Taxi is also a popular means of transportation in the republic.
For more affluent tourists, there are local flights between resort cities. However, the prices for air tickets are too high, and air travel is not popular in the republic.
Healthcare
To receive free medical care in Abkhazia, you need a health insurance policy, which is usually purchased through a travel agency. The amount of payment for the policy is 10 rubles per day of stay in the republic.
In some hospitals, you need to be especially careful, since resort towns practice extorting money from tourists, including for inpatient treatment. A tourist who does not know his rights will have to pay for each service of a medical worker according to an allegedly official price list, but in reality this is a simple fraud.
To avoid food poisoning, all fruits bought in the markets must be thoroughly washed before eating. Tap water, regardless of the comfort level of the hotel, poses a great risk to the health of tourists, so it is best to drink water either bottled or boiled.
Medicines can be purchased without problems at any pharmacy, but you should carefully check the expiration date of a particular medicine on the spot.
