Sarpi
Sarpi is a Georgian village on the Black sea in Southwestern Georgia right on the border with Turkey.
Understand
Nothing much, apart from the border crossing between Turkey and Georgia. Coming from Turkey one re-enters Europe, as evidenced by the Orthodox church just behind the border juxtaposing the mosque on the Turkish side.
The border is open 24/7.
Get in
Border crossing from Turkey
Coming from Turkey exchange some money at the bank inside the Georgian customs terminal, before the immigration check. Note that they charge a commission of about 5% higher than what is obtainable at street stalls in Batumi, whereas the exchange booths by the bus stop outside charge a 10-12% higher commission.
There's no point in buying anything in the duty-free shop within the Turkish building as Georgian street prices are lower. Similarly, don't go for the (non-free) toilets on the Turkish side, since the toilets on the Georgian side are free of charge.
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Note: If you need a visa to enter Georgia and plan to buy one on arrival (as it is officially possible), be aware that there is no ATM inside the border checkpoint, and the bank, officially open 24/7, is only "sometimes" open. If you cannot change money into Georgian lari, you will be denied entrance, at least until the bank opens. And this can last for hours. |
Get around
See
Do
It's odd for a major international border crossing to have a nice beach, but Sarpi's pebble beach and clear water are nice indeed. Despite the Turkish trucks lined up to cross over to Hopa, the setting is picturesque, with the beach and border crossing occupying a narrow strip of land before the topography of the village shoots directly upwards across jungle-covered green cliffs. Whether a swim here is your first or your last experience during your travels in Georgia, it's likely to be a memorable one. Swimming across the border would certainly not be appreciated by the border guards, though.
Buy
Eat
The main eatery right by the border post and the beach is heralded by a lot of yellow umbrellas over plastic tables. It's a modest eatery and probably not the best introduction to Georgian cuisine, but some quick roadside food after a dip in the crystal waters of the Black Sea is likely to be enjoyable regardless of the quality.
Drink
With the oldest evidence of wine making having been discovered just up the road, it's hardly surprising that wine takes precedence over beer, Chacha, or any other form of alcohol. Be prepared to drink at least one glass since a refusal might offend or brand you as a Muslim undesirable.
Georgians don’t usually sip - they slurp - although they are always patient enough to wait until each traditional toast has been orated.
Sleep
Options are scarce if you are looking for accommodation within Sarpi itself, although if you make friends with a local you are likely to receive sincere offers of generous hospitality at their own house. There are good options just up the coast though — ask around after you've already left the customs office behind.
Go next
- Turkey: buses to Trabzon, taking 3-4h, stop at all places en route and run almost every hour and cost around TRY10 (Oct 2013).
The next stop to the south is the small town of Hopa (population 15,000) in Turkey. A ride on a dolmuş (shared taxi) should cost certainly no more than 5-10 Turkish lira. The Turkish taxi drivers won't speak Russian, if that's how you have been getting around, so brush up on either your Georgian or Turkish numbers and get ready for a lot of bargaining in Turkey!
- Batumi since the regular city bus (line 101) is 1 lari to Batumi. Buy a ticket from the driver and punch it in the yellow box. (As of 2014, the 101 does not seem to go until the border.) Bus 16 links the border to Batumi's city centre (1 lari too). To go to Batumi's train station, transfer to line 101.
If you are coming from Turkey, say your farewells to the dolmuş culture and say hello to the wonderful world of post-Soviet Lada taxis. A ride up to Batumi, where you can connect with the national transport system, should not cost any more than 15-20 lari.
- Gonio fortress is on the road to Batumi.