Beaches and the sea
Where the water is clean, the sand is black and the shore is quiet — and why locals drive out of town to swim.
checked in August 2026Batumi is a big port city, and the Chorokhi river flows into the sea just south of it. After rain the water can turn cloudy. That is why many people who live here drive out of town to swim 🚗🌊
⬅️ Left of Batumi — south
Gonio
A pebble beach next to the fortress, calmer than the city one. Easy to combine with the fortress in a single trip.
- Journey:
- 20 minutes
- How to get there:
- bus 16
Kvariati and Sarpi
The cleanest, clearest water on the coast, with rocks and pebbles. Kvariati has diving and snorkelling; Sarpi runs right up to the Turkish border.
- Journey:
- 30 minutes
- How to get there:
- minibus 88 from Tbilisi Square, or bus 16
➡️ Right of Batumi — north
Kobuleti
A resort town with a long promenade and a pebble-and-sand beach. Well served, and busy in summer.
- Journey:
- 30–40 minutes, 30 km
- How to get there:
- minibus or local train
Ureki
Black magnetic sand, said to be good for you. Shallow with a gentle slope — families with children come here.
- Journey:
- 1–1.5 hours
- How to get there:
- minibus or local train to Ureki
Maltakva beach
A wide sandy beach with a gentle slope near Poti — a rarity on this coast, where almost everything is pebbles. A pine forest sits alongside.
- Journey:
- about an hour
- How to get there:
- car, or a minibus towards Poti
The bamboo grove
Not a beach but a stop near the coast: a solid wall of bamboo, unexpected in Georgia. People pull in on the way to the sea.
- Journey:
- 40 minutes