My Georgia Travel Adventures: A Trip to Remember (Even with a Kazbegi Mishap!) 🇬🇪
While waiting for my flight to Bosnia & Herzegovina 🇧🇦, I wanted to share my experiences traveling independently in Georgia:
Essential Info:
- Exchange Rate: To keep it simple, think 1 GEL = 10,000 VND (approximately).
- Visa: My friend got an e-visa for around $20. I was visa-exempt thanks to my USA visa.
- Entry (Tbilisi): The Tbilisi airport was a bit cold and formal. There were a lot of questions, and the police seemed a bit stern. I'd experienced similar scrutiny during check-in and security in Azerbaijan. But, travel teaches you resilience! 😅😅🤣🤣
- Exit (Kutaisi): Kutaisi was much friendlier! They asked a few leading questions but wished me a pleasant flight (probably just checking my onward visa).
- Flights: Since I was visiting four countries over eight legs, my flights cost 36 million VND. Consider combining Georgia with other nearby countries to save on airfare.
- Transportation: Bolt (ride-hailing app) is readily available and affordable. Walking is also a great option if you're staying centrally.
- Food: Plenty of restaurant choices! Select whatever fits your budget. I brought my own Cholimex chili sauce, as I'm not always adventurous with new cuisines 🤣. There are many restaurants near our apartment. My group enjoys hot pot, so we looked for Thai and Chinese restaurants.
- Apartment Rental: We stayed at 5 Gia Chanturia Street, conveniently located near the center with many restaurants within a 300m walk. We booked through Booking.com for the first two nights at 280-300 GEL. We paid 200 GEL directly for the next two nights. It had a private bathroom, two double bedrooms, two sofas, a kitchen, a washing machine, and was close to a supermarket - super convenient!
- The rental in Kazbegi was beautiful but a bit pricey at €94/night.
- The hotel in Kutaisi was ~50 GEL/night, near the market and center.
Our Georgia Itinerary:
Day 1: Tbilisi Arrival
Arrived at Tbilisi airport, got settled into our accommodation, and explored the central area for food.
Day 2: Tbilisi Sightseeing
Explored central Tbilisi, enjoyed a sulfur bath, and had juice at Z. Winery Fresh Juice opposite the Metekhi Virgin Mary Assumption Church. Check the prices! I didn't, and my mixed orange and pomegranate juice cost 70 GEL (~700k VND) 🤣🤣
Day 3: Road Trip to Kazbegi
Rented a car to drive to Kazbegi. While having a car gives you flexibility, it can be expensive, and the mountain roads are stressful. My honest advice is to book a day tour, which will be cheaper. On the other hand, with our car, waking up surrounded by mountain views, grazing cows, and green pastures was unforgettable 🤣🤣
Day 4: The Unfortunate Kazbegi Incident
The most stressful and unpleasant day: we had a car accident. Due to the slippery roads and rain, we swerved to avoid another car and crashed head-on. Both cars were damaged, and the airbags deployed. Luckily, no one was injured. My friend had car insurance, so both vehicles were covered. We paid a $100 fine. An ambulance arrived, but since everyone was okay, we signed a report and they left. We waited nearly four hours in Kazbegi for everything to be sorted.
Day 5: Sighnaghi Day Trip
Took a land tour (~500k VND) to Sighnaghi (definitely worth visiting!). We ate cheese bread (khachapuri), Churchkhela candy, purple wine-flavored ice cream, and sampled seven types of wine. A truly georgian experience!
Day 6: Armenia & Kutaisi
Two friends went to Armenia 🇦🇲 (it took two visa applications to get approved, $8/21 days) with a land tour.
I and another friend traveled to Kutaisi by train (around 15 GEL, ~4 hours) to continue to 🇧🇦. We took a Bolt from Kutaisi airport Station to the city center, and the driver was pulled over for a breathalyzer test! 🥹
Day 7: Flight to Bosnia
Flew to 🇧🇦 from Kutaisi.
I found the people in Georgia to be friendly and very fond of Vietnamese people. It seems very safe for solo female travelers. The scenery is like Switzerland! 😝
Final Thoughts:
Despite the accident, it was a great trip. Georgia 🇬🇪 is beautiful, peaceful, with stunning mountains and scenery. The rivers are a little dirty, and eating out isn't cheap. My expenses for food and activities over seven days were around 12 million VND.
I hope you get to visit many places you love, and remember safety first! 🥰🥰🥰
Thanks to the admin and everyone.
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