Georgia's Black Sea resort capital: a 7 km seaside boulevard, the moving Ali and Nino statue, the Alphabet Tower, nightly dancing fountains and a subtropical Botanical Garden. Swim off the pebble beaches in summer (June–September); it is Georgia's rainiest city, with heavy downpours in autumn and winter. Half-day trips to Gonio Fortress, Makhuntseti Waterfall and the Mtirala rainforest. No direct flights from Ulaanbaatar — fly via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines, Pegasus) or via Almaty in summer, or land in Tbilisi and take the 4-hour fast train; Mongolian citizens need an e-visa, and health insurance is mandatory.
🛂 Visa: e-Visa · 30 days✈ Flight: 12h☀ Best months: May, June, July, August
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: May, June, July, August, September.
Things to see (12)
📍🧸 for kids
Batumi Boulevard and the Ali and Nino statue★ 4.7 (30,000)
BeachFree; bike hire around ₾5–10 per hour24 hours; the statue moves from 19:00 in the evening
A 7 km seaside promenade laid out in 1881: palms, playgrounds, a cycle path and cafés. At its northern end the 8 m steel 'Ali and Nino' figures glide towards each other, merge and part — the love story from Kurban Said's novel. Swim off the pebble beach in summer.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goMongolian citizens need a visa for Georgia — an e-visa or entry on a third-country visa; insurance is mandatory.+
1
Visa: the evisa.gov.ge e-visa
Mongolia is not on Georgia's visa-free list. Apply online at evisa.gov.ge: up to 30 days within 120 days, fee ~$20 plus a mandatory $15 DuVerify check, decision within up to 5 working days. Attach flight and hotel bookings, insurance and proof of funds.
Visa-free with a Korean, Japanese, US or Schengen visa
Under Government Ordinance No. 256, holders of a valid visa or residence permit of 50 countries including the US, UK, EU/Schengen, Japan and South Korea may enter visa-free for 90 days in any 180. The visa must be valid on the day you cross the border.
Since 1 January 2026 every foreign tourist must hold health and accident insurance of at least 30,000 lari covering the whole stay, shown at the border in English or Georgian. It is also checked if you enter from Turkey at Sarpi.
Tip: Codeine medicines are banned in Georgia — carry prescription medicines in their original packaging.
🛬Arriving and getting to the cityBatumi airport is close to town; from Tbilisi the train is the most comfortable option.+
1
From the airport: bus or Bolt
Buses 10, 10a and 9 leave from in front of the terminal every 10–15 minutes, 70 tetri (~₾1 by foreign card), 20–30 minutes. A Bolt costs about ₾12 to the boulevard and ₾15 to the central station.
Double-decker Stadler trains leave Tbilisi Central twice a day (08:05, 17:10; extra services in summer) and reach Batumi Central in ~4 hours. Second class about ₾36, first class about ₾76; summer tickets sell out, so buy early.
Tip: Batumi Central station is on the north side of town — a short Bolt ride to the boulevard.
Direct buses run from Trabzon to Batumi several times a day in ~3 hours, about $16–23. At Sarpi you cross on foot and show your Georgian visa and insurance.
📶Phone and internet+
1
Georgian SIM
Magti, Silknet and Cellfie have shops at the airport and in the centre; buy a SIM with your passport. A Magti SIM costs ₾10 and 30 days of unlimited data about ₾35.
If your phone supports eSIM, buy one before you go so you can call a Bolt on landing. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés and hotels. If you arrive from Turkey, a Turkish SIM stops working once you cross the border.
Tip: If entering via Sarpi, activate your Georgian eSIM in advance.
🚇Getting aroundWalk or cycle the boulevard and Old Batumi; use buses and Bolt for longer hops.+
1
City buses
Pay on city buses by tapping a bank card or with the ₾2 orange transport card; a ride is about 70 tetri. Bus 10 links the airport and the centre; marshrutka 31 goes to the Botanical Garden and marshrutka 16 to Gonio.
The boulevard has a cycle path with plenty of rental bikes and e-scooters. Bolt is cheap in town with upfront prices; with street taxis, agree the fare first.
3
Out of town
Marshrutkas to Makhuntseti and Mtirala are few and irregular — with children a GoTrip car or a hotel tour is more comfortable. Mountain roads are narrow and slippery in the rain.
Restaurants, shops and Bolt accept Visa/Mastercard. Withdraw lari from TBC and Bank of Georgia ATMs; avoid high-fee private ATMs. Markets, marshrutkas and beach stalls need cash.
City exchange offices give good rates for dollars, euros and Turkish lira; airport rates are poor. Tugrik is not exchanged, so bring dollars from Ulaanbaatar. Restaurant bills usually already include a service charge.
Tip: In casinos and 'cheap' boulevard restaurants, check menu prices first.
🍜FoodBatumi is the home of Adjarian cooking: boat-shaped khachapuri, Black Sea fish and Turkish-style sweets.+
1
What to eat
Adjarian khachapuri — boat-shaped bread with cheese, egg and butter (stir the egg into the cheese and dip torn-off crust); khinkali; fried Black Sea red mullet (barabulka); borano — cheese melted in butter; Turkish and Adjarian baklava. Lagidze fruit sodas for the children.
Tip: Adjarian khachapuri is big and rich — one is enough for two to share.
2
Where to eat
The boulevard and Piazza cater to tourists and are pricey; Old Batumi's backstreets and the area around the Central Market have plenty of cheaper local places. At the fish market, choose your fish and have it fried at a restaurant next door.
Beaches are pebbly and shelve steeply, and waves get strong on stormy days — stay out of the water under a red flag and give children water shoes. Autumn and winter bring heavy downpours, so pack an umbrella and a waterproof jacket.
Political protests have continued in Tbilisi since late 2024 — keep away from any protest. Never go to Russian-occupied Abkhazia or South Ossetia; Batumi is far from them. Watch for scams and drink spiking in casinos and bars.
In Orthodox churches women cover their heads and wear a skirt, and men take off hats. Adjara also has many Muslims — at Old Batumi's Orta Jame mosque take off your shoes and dress modestly. Don't walk the city streets or enter churches in beachwear.
2
Hospitality
Georgians are extremely warm to guests; bring a small gift if invited home. At a feast the tamada proposes toasts — it is fine to politely decline alcohol. 'Gamarjoba' — hello, 'Madloba' — thank you.
📱Useful apps+
1
Maps, taxis and trains
Bolt — Batumi's main ride-hailing app. Google Maps shows bus and marshrutka routes. Buy train tickets to Tbilisi and Kutaisi online at tkt.ge.
The airport is close, so Bolt is easiest; arrive early for international flights and allow for passport-control queues. If you fly out of Tbilisi, take the train the day before your flight to be safe.
Take Georgian wine, churchkhela, Adjarian tea and spices (khmeli-suneli) as gifts. Wrap wine in checked luggage and check transit-flight and Mongolian customs alcohol limits. Spend leftover lari in Georgia — it is not exchanged in Mongolia.
🚨 Emergency numbers
Unified emergency number (police, ambulance, fire)112
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
Daily around 11:00–24:00
A 130 m tower with the 33 letters of the Georgian alphabet spiralling up it like DNA. The observation deck at the top looks over the city, sea and mountains; lit up at night, it marks the northern end of the boulevard.
Europe Square, the Medea statue and Old Batumi★ 4.6 (20,000)
CultureFree24 hours
A square ringed by European-style buildings with a statue of Medea holding the Golden Fleece; fountains and lights in the evening. Walk on through the 19th-century streets of Old Batumi, past the Astronomical Clock and St Nicholas Church.
FoodFree (cafés and restaurants extra)24 hours; restaurants open late
An enclosed Italian-style square with mosaic paving, a clock tower, balconied buildings, cafés and restaurants. Live music on summer evenings; a comfortable place to try Adjarian khachapuri.
NatureAdults ₾20, schoolchildren ₾2, students ₾5; electric car ₾10Daily, in summer ≈9:00–19:00 (shorter in winter)
A subtropical garden founded in 1912 on the seaward slopes of the Green Cape, over 100 ha with Japanese, Himalayan, Australian and South American sections. It is hilly, so with children or older people hire an electric car. About 9 km from town by marshrutka 31 or Bolt.
CityReturn ₾9–39 (depends on time and package); children cheaperDaily 10:00–23:00
A 2.6 km cable car from the old town up Anuria hill: views of Batumi bay, the port and the whole city from the top station. Up top are a restaurant, a digital museum and a children's play room; best at sunset.
KidsFreeSummer evenings after sunset (from ≈21:00)
A fountain show set to music and coloured lights on Ardagani Lake on the new boulevard — the families' favourite evening walk. Times change with the season.
KidsShow ₾30 (16:00), ₾35 (evening); under-6s free without their own seatTue–Sun, shows 16:00, 19:00 (21:00 added in summer)
A dolphin show by 6 May Park, running since 1975 and a children's favourite. Buy tickets online or at the box office in advance; the schedule changes by season.
CultureAdults around ₾6; with a guide ₾15Daily 10:00–18:00
Finds from Colchian, Greek and Roman Adjara — gold jewellery, pottery and coins. Small, but it helps make sense of the land of Medea and the Golden Fleece; good for a rainy day.
The intact walls of a 1st-century Roman fort, by legend the tomb of the Apostle Matthias. About 12 km south of town on the road to the Turkish border, next to the cleaner beaches of Gonio and Kvariati. Marshrutka 16 or Bolt.
Makhuntseti Waterfall and Queen Tamar Bridge★ 4.6 (10,000)
NatureFree; tours around ₾40–80Daylight hours
A 20 m waterfall in an Adjarian mountain valley with a plunge pool you can swim in; nearby is the 12th-century stone arch of Queen Tamar Bridge. About 30 km from town by marshrutka towards Keda, taxi or a half-day tour. The rocks are slippery.
NatureEntry free; rope trolley over the river around ₾4Daily in daylight; visitor centre ≈9:00–18:00
Colchic subtropical rainforest in Georgia's wettest spot: forest trails, waterfalls, boating on a lake and a guesthouse. With children take the easy 3–4 km trail along the Chakvi river. About 25 km from town; marshrutkas are few, so take a taxi or GoTrip.
