Daycares in southern pines nc: Best Toddler Daycare & Child Care in Southern Pines, NC

Best Toddler Daycare & Child Care in Southern Pines, NC

The following Southern Pines, NC daycares have immediate availability for toddlers. Even if a locations does not have current openings for your toddler, you can schedule a tour to join the waiting list. Capacity changes on a daily basis and we’ll let you know when a space becomes available!

11 Toddler Daycares in Southern Pines, NC

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Pumpkin Patch Day Care

Daycare in
Pinehurst, NC

(216) 259-8440

Pumpkin Patch Day Care is a home daycare that offers childcare programs for nearby families in Pinehurst. The director has programs for chil… Read More

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AS

Nette’s Fun Care Small Day Care Home

Daycare in
Aberdeen, NC

(312) 598-1767

Nette’s Fun Care Small Day Care Home is a home daycare that offers childcare programs for nearby families in Aberdeen. Transportation is pr… Read More

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SR

Ms.

Gayle’s Day Care

Daycare in
Aberdeen, NC

(323) 918-5692

Ms. Gayle’s Day Care is a home daycare that offers childcare programs for nearby families in Aberdeen. The director has programs for childre… Read More

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BS

Ms. B’s Play And Learn Fcch Daycare

Daycare in
Aberdeen, NC

(704) 859-2575

Ms. B’s Play And Learn Fcch provides childcare for families living in the Aberdeen area. Children engage in play-based, educational activiti… Read More

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AL

Anna’s Little Angels Fcch Daycare

Daycare in
Aberdeen, NC

(405) 374-4917

Anna’s Little Angels Fcch is a home daycare that offers childcare programs for nearby families in Aberdeen. The director has programs for… Read More

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FE

Kountry Kids Fcch Daycare

Daycare in
Southern Pines, NC

(216) 259-8440

Kountry Kids Fcch offers safe, loving childcare in the Southern Pines area. Kids learn through curriculum-based, educational activities. The… Read More

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DE

Kelli’s Family Child Care Home

Daycare in
Pinehurst, NC

(615) 257-9264

Kelli’s Family Child Care Home offers safe, loving childcare in the Pinehurst area. Kids learn through curriculum-based, educational activit… Read More

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FT

Faith’s Small Day Care Home

Daycare in
Southern Pines, NC

(206) 887-9382

Faith’s Small Day Care Home is a home daycare that offers childcare programs for nearby families in Southern Pines. The director has program… Read More

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RG

Row’s Sweet Tots Daycare

Daycare in
Aberdeen, NC

(216) 259-8440

Row’s Sweet Tots is a home daycare that offers childcare programs for nearby families in Aberdeen. The director has programs for children a… Read More

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Oasis Kidz Daycare

Daycare in
West End, NC

(757) 300-5744

Oasis Kidz provides childcare for families living in the West End area. Children engage in play-based, educational activities to help them a… Read More

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Recent Reviews for in Southern Pines NC

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many daycares are there in Southern Pines?

There are 20 daycares in Southern Pines, based on CareLuLu data. This includes 3 home-based programs and 17 centers.

How much does daycare cost in Southern Pines?

The cost of daycare in Southern Pines is $771 per month. This is the average price for full-time, based on CareLuLu data, including homes and centers.

How many daycares accept infants in Southern Pines?

Based on CareLuLu data, 3 daycares care for infants (as well as toddlers). This includes 1 home-based programs and 2 centers.

How many daycares offer part-time care or drop-in care in Southern Pines?

Based on CareLuLu data, 2 daycares offer part-time care or drop-in care in Southern Pines.

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Honestly about holidays in Abkhazia – 2023.

Reviews and important tips

I share my personal experience of holidays in Abkhazia. Find out how to go to the Land of the Soul in 2023, what prices are there and what you need to be prepared for.

Useful links:

• Level.Travel and Travelata – tours to Abkhazia
• 7 ways to buy a ticket cheaper
• Daily – private sector in Abkhazia
• Turtle – insurance

Contents:

1. Impressions and reviews
2. When to go
3. Which resort to choose
4. Getting there
5. Tour to Abkhazia
6. Border crossing
7. Where to look for housing
8. Food
9. What to see
10. Excursions
11. How to get around
12. Is it worth traveling with children
13. Money and bank cards
14. Mobile and Wi-Fi
15. Security
16. Tips

Impressions and reviews about Abkhazia

There are a lot of conflicting reviews about holidays in Abkhazia: someone writes that this is a poor country with lazy and rude residents who seek to extract money from tourists, and someone considers Abkhazia the Country of the soul and returns there again and again. Beyond all praise, of course, the nature of Abkhazia and its sights, clear sea and beaches – everyone speaks only positively about this.

I would love to return to Abkhazia! Almost everything impressed me: snow-capped mountains, exotic plants, magnificent abandoned places, delicious food, sincere people and some kind of atmosphere of general relaxation, calmness and simplicity. As our guide Danil said, Abkhazians live slowly. Perhaps in the high season this atmosphere is not there, because many tourists come.

Yes, there are many problems in the country, and it will disappoint you if you know absolutely nothing about Abkhazia and expect to see something like Sochi there. At the border, this difference is especially striking. Abkhazians themselves do not hesitate to criticize the government and say that it is no longer possible to attribute all the troubles of the country to the war that took place more than thirty years ago, that it is time to restore the economy and the Soviet legacy. Everyone spins as best they can, and lives mainly due to tourism: they rent apartments to vacationers, open new hotels and cafes, conduct excursions and organize transfers.

Abkhazia is an abandoned country with bad roads, water and electricity shortages, poor infrastructure and mediocre service. This must be taken into account, otherwise the rest will turn into a nightmare. For me, all the advantages of Abkhazia outweigh the disadvantages, and I didn’t even notice the disadvantages – except for bad roads in the cities, perhaps. In general, I imagined Abkhazia more destroyed than it actually is, and was surprised that there are even trendy cafes, beautiful hotels and embankments.

A beautiful embankment in Staraya Gagra. A trendy restaurant on the Sukhum embankment. At the same time, there are ghost towns in Abkhazia where there are almost no inhabitants left. Pictured is an abandoned hospital in Akarmara.

When is the best time to go

The first tourists come to Abkhazia in late April – early May. This is the time for a sightseeing holiday in Abkhazia, because it is still cold to swim, although I saw bathers in Gagra. The weather is unstable, it often rains, there are cold snaps. If you like sunny dry weather, choose the middle or the second half of May.

We arrived at the end of April for a week, and about half of that time it rained to varying degrees. It didn’t bother us, on the contrary, it added romance – the fogs in the mountains were amazing, the waterfalls were the most full-flowing in the year, the greenery was especially juicy, and how beautifully the rhododendrons and wisteria bloomed!

The beach holiday season in Abkhazia begins in June, when the sea warms up to +20°C and above – you can already swim. According to the reviews of the guides with whom we went on excursions, it is better to come to Abkhazia in June, because the weather is pleasant, prices are low, and there are few tourists.

July and August are hot months, the water temperature in the sea reaches +23. ..+25°С. The air temperature in this case is about + 28 ° C and above.

September is the velvet season in Abkhazia, water and air temperatures are approximately equal and stay at +23…+24°С. This is a good time to relax in Abkhazia.

Find out also about winter holidays in Abkhazia.

At the end of April, there are already vacationers on the beaches. Mostly they sunbathe, but there are also daredevils-bathers. We found Lake Ritsa wrapped in thick fogs. Magnolia. The advantage of resting in Abkhazia in the spring is flowering plants.

Which resort to choose

Here I will briefly tell you which resort to choose for a holiday in Abkhazia in the summer of 2023, and you will find more information in the full review of the resorts of Abkhazia.

Tsandrypsh

Tsandrypsh is a quiet resort right on the border with Russia. There are no entertainment and parties here, only a quiet and simple resort life with shops, cafes, the private sector and the market. If you want to have a cheap rest in Abkhazia, come here. This is a picturesque corner with clear water and huge white stones. Find out more about holidays in Tsandrypsh. Check hotels in Tsandrypsh.

Gagra

Gagra is a classic holiday resort in Abkhazia. There is a long sand and pebble beach, a promenade, a water park, a Ferris wheel. Lots of accommodation, cafes and shops. From Gagra it is convenient to go on excursions or see the sights yourself: Old Gagra and abandoned places, Ritsa lakes, Gegsky waterfall, Mount Mamdzyshkha. The city is green and beautiful. Find out more about holidays in Gagra. Look apartments for rent and hotels in Gagra.

The beach in Novaya Gagra is pebbly with some sand.

Pitsunda

Pitsunda is a neighboring resort and rival of Gagra. Maybe a competitor in terms of sea and nature, but it is definitely inferior in terms of infrastructure. Pitsunda is a time machine in the USSR, but this is its charm. Due to the neglect of the resort, tourists leave negative reviews, but we really liked Pitsunda.

Those who want to walk in silence through the park with relic pines and feel nostalgic or imagine how it used to be here, I advise you to come for a couple of days. The pines and cypresses are gorgeous, and the sea, in which dolphins frolic not far from the coast, is crystal clear. You will be impressed! Read the comparison of Gagra and Pitsunda. Look at apartments for rent and hotels in Pitsunda.

I was subdued by relic pines growing in Pitsunda right by the sea. Imagine the aroma!

Gudauta

According to reviews, Gudauta bears little resemblance to a resort. There is almost no tourist infrastructure, and if you want to relax in Abkhazia with amenities, it is better to go to Gagra or Sukhum. Gudauta is a quiet provincial town, but for this they love it. Around the beautiful nature, it is convenient to go to the sights. Look at apartments for rent and hotels in Gudauta.

New Athos

New Athos – cypress resort. A good place to relax in Abkhazia in the summer, because, according to reviews, there is an optimal combination of humidity and air temperature. And New Athos is a place with a rich history, beautiful nature and interesting sights. Learn about the rest in New Athos. Look at apartments for rent and hotels in New Athos.

Monastery in New Athos.

Sukhum

Of all the resorts I visited in Abkhazia, I liked Sukhum the most – cozy, beautiful, green. There is something elusive in it, some special atmosphere of simplicity and intelligence at the same time. Even the people here are different. They live relaxed and are not in a hurry: they chat over a cup of coffee, walk their dogs, play dominoes at Brekhalovka, watch dolphins. In general, the city sunk into the soul, I did not want to leave.

Sukhum is perfect for a comfortable summer vacation in Abkhazia: there are many attractions in the city and its environs, interesting excursions, accommodation, trendy cafes, a very beautiful promenade and long beaches. Look apartments for rent and hotels in Sukhum.

Elegant embankment of Sukhum.

Resorts of Abkhazia on the map

How to get there

There are many ways to get to the Land of the soul:

• Plane to Adler + direct train to Abkhazia
• Plane to Adler + taxi / bus to the border
• Train to Adler or Krasnodar + taxi / bus to the border
• Single ticket
• Package tour
• Excursion tour
• Excursion from Sochi or Adler as a transfer
• By car.

Find out more about how to get to Abkhazia – there I talked about each of the ways. Read also how best to go to Abkhazia – on your own, on a tour or with a guided tour.

Buy air tickets on Aviasales, and look for railway tickets on Tutu.ru and Yandex.Travel – there you can read reviews about trains and cars to choose the best places.

The direct train is one of the easiest ways to get to Abkhazia.

Package tour to Abkhazia

Vacation in Abkhazia in the summer of 2023 on a tour is a great solution if you don’t want to plan anything on your own. I advise you to buy a tour in advance so that you have plenty to choose from.

Prices for tours to Abkhazia in 2023. In summer, the most inexpensive tours with accommodation in guest houses cost from 50,000 ₽ for two, to 3 * hotels – from 65,000 ₽, 4 * – from 90,000 ₽. At the same time, for June you can find vouchers from 25,000 ₽ for two, for September – from 35,000 ₽. Cheap tours may not include transfers.

Look for profitable tours on Travelata and Level.Travel services. Check out 7 ways to buy a tour cheaper. Discount promo codes will help you save a little more.

Crossing the border

I crossed the border by train, and I think it’s the easiest way, because you don’t have to cross the border on foot and carry luggage. The border guards themselves walk around the cars and check the documents, which takes about two hours.

When crossing the border on foot, you will need to walk along the pedestrian bridge over the Psou River with your luggage.

Crossing the border by car is not difficult. According to tourists, when crossing the border it is better to keep to the very right edge. Usually it takes about 40 minutes to complete – 1 hour, if you’re lucky. You can stay longer during the season. From 7 to 11 am and from 5 to 9 pm the border is busiest.

Documents at the border . To enter Abkhazia, adults need only an internal passport of the Russian Federation. It is better not to present a foreign passport so that there are no problems later with entry into Georgia. Children need a birth certificate. If you are driving a car, take a driver’s license, vehicle registration certificate and Abkhazian OSAGO insurance. If the car is not yours and the owner of the car is not with you, you need a notarized power of attorney with the right to travel abroad.

What questions are asked at the border . Abkhazian border guards do not ask anything at all, they even look at documents lazily, with one eye. But the Russian border guards carefully look at the documents and compare them with the photo. Adults are asked if this is the first time you are going to Abkhazia and with whom you are going. On the way back, they are interested in how many liters of alcohol you are carrying. Children are usually asked to give their parents’ names, their date of birth, and other simple things.

There are many cars with Krasnodar license plates in Abkhazia. Locals consider the inhabitants of the Krasnodar Territory and the Circassians theirs.

Where to look for housing

There are many housing offers in Abkhazia – you can stay in an apartment, guest house, hotel and sanatorium. But, according to reviews, the implementation and service are lame, don’t expect much.

The private sector in Abkhazia is very developed – it seems that every second person rents out housing in the country. Apartments, apartments and houses are cheaper to rent if you are traveling with a family or a group. Good apartments with a high rating in the summer of 2023 cost 4500-7000 ₽ per day, in the low season – from 2000 ₽.

Book apartments and houses on Daily, choosing from photos and real reviews. We also rented apartments through this site – conveniently and reliably. I recommend two apartments in which we lived during our holidays in Abkhazia:

• 3-room apartment by the sea in Sukhum. In the low season it costs 3500 ₽ per day, in the summer – 7000 ₽.
• Retro apartment in New Gagra by the sea. In the low season, it costs 3000 ₽ per day, in the summer – 4500 ₽.

guest houses are an inexpensive alternative to hotels. Not as pretty, but comfortable. Usually there is a parking lot and a courtyard with a kitchen where you can cook, sometimes a playground and a small pool. In the summer of 2023, economy rooms cost from 1600 ₽ per night, comfort – from 2500 ₽.

There are not many hotels in , but there is a choice. In summer, 3* hotels cost from 5,000 ₽, 4* — from 8,000 ₽ to 25,000 ₽ per day. Here are good hotels with high ratings and excellent reviews from tourists: Gagra, Dioskuria 3*, Apsny 3* (all inclusive), Apsuana Rose 4*, Amra Park-hotel & SPA 4*, Paradise Beach 4 *, Wellness Park 4* (“all inclusive”).

Trusted sites where you can safely book accommodation in Abkhazia:

• Daily.ru – a lot of apartments and guest houses.
• Hotellook, Ostrovok. ru, Yandex.Travel – hotels and guest houses, but the housing base is still limited.
• Travelata – a large selection of hotels and guest houses at tour operator prices. Here you can buy a tour or book a hotel without a flight. Very convenient and profitable.

Tips for booking and finding accommodation in Abkhazia:

• If you are going on vacation to Abkhazia in the summer, book your accommodation a couple of months before the trip.
• Most apartments can be booked from 2-3 days.
• There are problems with electricity and water in Abkhazia. We have not encountered this, but I have seen such reviews. Check with the owners of the shutdown schedule.
• For the low season, choose accommodation with heaters and underfloor heating, for the summer – with a water heater and air conditioning. There is no central heating in Abkhazia.
• Check the location of housing on the map. It happens that a large city appears in the description, but in fact the housing is located in the suburbs or a neighboring village.
• Choose accommodation close to the sea, especially if you come with children. The roads in the cities of Abkhazia are bad, and even more so the sidewalks.
• Book accommodation on Sutochno and Travelate – there are real photos and reviews of tourists. That way you won’t get a pig in a poke. Check out our tips for finding hotels. Find out also how hoteliers in the south cheat tourists.

In Sukhum we lived in a warm and spacious three-room apartment by the sea. Our cozy retro apartment in Gagra. This spacious loggia overlooks the mountains. A beautiful hotel with a shady well-groomed park Amra Park-hotel & SPA 4 *. He reminded me of the Ordzhonikidze sanatorium in Sochi, only restored.

Meals

Eating on vacation in Abasia in the summer of 2023 can be relatively inexpensive. In cafe we tried to try the local cuisine. Meals cost an average of 300-500 ₽. In our cafe, the bill for four came out to about 2000-3000 ₽. Please note that a 10% service charge is included in the bill. Here are the prices for food in a cafe:

• Hominy with smoked cheese and beans — 320 ₽.
• Chanakhi – 350-550 ₽.
• Khashlama soup — 300 ₽.
• Ajapsandal (without meat) — 300 ₽.
• Lamb shish kebab — 500 ₽ for 200 g.
• Khachapur “Boat” with egg — 280-350 ₽.
• Khinkali — 300 ₽ for 4 pcs.

Most of all we spent on groceries in shops and markets, because we always had breakfast at home and sometimes had dinner when after the tour there was no desire to go to a cafe.

Food prices in supermarkets are the same or slightly higher than in Russia: kefir and milk from 60 to 100 ₽ per liter, a dozen eggs – 95 ₽, cheeses from 600 to 1500 ₽ per kg, brisket – 550 ₽ per kg. Abkhazian wine is very cheap (Eshera, Psou, etc.) – only 240 ₽! Local fruits are inexpensive, for example, tangerines in season are only 30 ₽ per kilogram. In small grocery stores, prices are slightly higher than in supermarkets.

At markets I advise you to buy specialties: smoked meat for 750-850 ₽ per kg, smoked cheese – 900 ₽, buffalo and goat cheese – 1000 ₽, feijoa jam – 100-200 ₽ for a small jar. They sell a lot of nuts, dried fruits, churchkhela, spices, teas and herbs – we bought all this for gifts.

Read more about food prices in Abkhazia.

Hominy with smoked cheese and beans is a tasty, hearty and inexpensive dish. Products at the Sukhumi market. These are not mouth-watering buns, this is Abkhazian smoked cheese.

What to see on vacation in Abkhazia

There are so many beautiful places in Abkhazia that you will always find where to go and what to see on vacation in the summer: Lake Ritsa, Malaya Ritsa, Gegsky waterfall, Old Gagra, New Athos, pine trees and the Pitsunda embankment, cities -ghosts, alpine meadows… Here I will not paint everything, otherwise the article will be endless. Read more about what to see in Abkhazia and how to have fun.

An abandoned railway bridge in a ghost town lost in the mountains of Eastern Abkhazia.

Excursions

The resorts of Abkhazia offer many excursions, the only problem is how to choose a good one. There is little trust in street travel agencies, so I booked excursions on our favorite Tripster service. There is a huge selection of interesting copyright programs, there are real reviews of tourists and ratings of guides. It is convenient that you can talk with the guide before paying and ask clarifying questions.

It is difficult to drive around the sights of Abkhazia without your own car. We didn’t have a car, but we really wanted to see all the most interesting things and get the most impressions, so we spent almost the entire week of our vacation on excursions. The trip ended up being amazing! We saw all the main sights, learned a lot about the country and met interesting people. Without these impressions and acquaintances, our vacation would not have turned out as bright and memorable. My mother dreamed of our adventures for a few days after returning home – that’s how much we brought impressions. So I can safely summarize that Tripster tours are an ideal way to make a trip to Abkhazia bright, rich and super easy to organize. I recommend!

My happy parents during our excursion to Eastern Abkhazia. Behind the Saint waterfall.

Group tours in Abkhazia cost 500-1600 ₽ per person, and individual tours cost an average of 10000-17000 ₽ for 1-6 people. You can take a group tour around the city, but if you want to drive around the sights all day long, especially natural ones, I advise you to take an individual one.

As a guide, we liked Danil the most, with whom we walked around Sukhum and went to New Athos. An excellent storyteller and just a nice person, I advise you to take any excursion with him – you will not regret it.

Here are some excursions I went on vacation in Abkhazia:

• Lake Ritsa and Gegsky waterfall on an SUV
• Sukhum. History and flavor of the capital of Abkhazia
• New Athos. Origins of Christianity in the Caucasus
• Ghost town and nature of Abkhazia

I told about these excursions in detail in the itinerary of my travels in Abkhazia. See even more interesting programs in our selection of the best excursions in Abkhazia.

Also on Tripster there are multi-day tours to Abkhazia. They last from two to eight days. The programs are promising and varied, but the prices are more than adequate. For example, a busy week-long tour costs 37,800 ₽ per person.

We visited the delightful waterfall “Giant” on an excursion to Eastern Abkhazia. We saw the openwork station Psyrtsha during an excursion to New Athos.

How to get around

The main transport in Abkhazia is minibuses and taxis, and we used them. There are buses only in Gagra and Sukhum.

There are minibuses from Psou to any resort. End points are indicated on the windshield, but you can get off and sit down anywhere on demand. You need to slow it down with a wave of your hand, otherwise it can sweep past. Yes, it’s to zip through – drivers sometimes drive around the city at 100 km / h. Minibuses depart as the cabin is full.

Minibuses run frequently in the summer, and the rest of the time – as they please. According to the stories of locals, in the low season you can wait for a minibus for quite a long time, but we have not come across this.

The price depends on the distance and impudence of the driver. For example, we paid 150 ₽ per person for the trip from Gagra to Pitsunda, and 75 ₽ back. As I understand it, you do not need to ask the cost, otherwise they can call an overpriced price. Sometimes the price is already written in the minibus. Here are the prices for travel in minibuses in 2023:

• Gagra – 50 ₽
• Gagra – Pitsunda – 75-150 ₽
• Gagra – Gudauta – 200 ₽
• Gagra – New Athos – 250 ₽
• Gagra – Sukhum – 300 ₽

Buses . In Gagra, bus number 2 connects the old part of the city and the new one, and number 3 goes from Staraya Gagra to the village of Bzypta. Travel around the city costs 25 ₽, according to tourists. There is also bus number 5 from Gagra to Pitsunda and Ldzaa, the fare costs 70 ₽.

There are city buses and even a trolleybus in Sukhum. We took bus number 1 from the railway station to the city center. The fare costs a penny – only 10 ₽! I looked at the bus route in Sukhum on Yandex.Maps, but in reality it was different. I had to navigate the place and ask for help from the locals.

Taxis are everywhere. The most popular are “A-taxi”, “Garuda-taxi”, “Prestige”. Travel around the city costs from 100 ₽, but private traders, taking advantage of the ignorance of tourists, offer to carry for 300 ₽. The fare from the border to the resorts costs from 600 ₽ to a couple of thousand, depending on where you need to go.

I used “A-taxi” only to get around the city. It is convenient that they work without a roaming connection: as long as there is Wi-Fi, I called them on WhatsApp and ordered a car. You can install the application on a Russian number, but I did not succeed.

The final stop of minibuses in Sukhum is the railway and bus station.

Holidays in Abkhazia with children

Why do many people choose Abkhazia for holidays with children? I think it is captivating proximity to Russia. If you want to feel abroad, but you can’t go far, Abkhazia is a good option. There is beautiful nature, clean sea and air, quite free beaches.

Tourists recommend Gagra and Pitsunda for holidays with children in Abkhazia. According to reviews, Pitsunda has the best climate for relaxing with a child: a fresh breeze, relic Pitsunda pines and a clear sea in which dolphins frolic.

Gagra is an ancient city with beautiful architecture. Sights are concentrated in Staraya Gagra, and entertainment for children can be found in New. There is a water park, a Ferris wheel and a dolphinarium.

What is important to remember on vacation with a child :

• Russian medical policy in Abkhazia is not valid, so buy insurance for abroad at Cherekhapa.
• The end of summer and the beginning of September is the best time for families with children in Abkhazia.
• Book your accommodation in advance during the high season.
• The roads in the cities are broken, which is inconvenient for a stroller, so settle closer to the sea.
• To walk along the pebble beach, buy aquashoes.
• Remember the rules of hygiene – children in resorts often become infected with rotavirus.

A child in Abkhazia will definitely be interested and happy if you follow the simple rules of hygiene and do not swallow sea water.

Money and bank cards

Abkhazia has its own currency, but everyone uses Russian rubles. The priority is cash, preferably small or for settlement, especially in transport and small shops. I read in the reviews that if there is no cash, then the sellers offer to distribute the Internet and transfer money to them, but I have not come across this.

All Russian cards work, even though they are abroad. However, they are not accepted everywhere. For example, I have never seen terminals on the market. In small shops, they prefer cash, even if there is a terminal. I paid with a card a couple of times – the payment went through successfully. They do not have PayPass terminals, you need to insert a card.

There are no Russian banks in Abkhazia. Make no mistake, Sberbank is not what it seems, and has nothing in common with ours. There are ATMs, but not as common as in Russia. Most of them are in Sukhum. You can withdraw from Tinkoff cards without commission if the amount is more than 3000 ₽. According to reviews, Sberbank has a commission of 1%.

I took both cash and bank cards on vacation in Abkhazia. I advise you to take 50/50 as well.

Sberbank in Abkhazia is not what it seems.

Mobile communication and Wi-Fi

Roaming is activated on the border with Abkhazia. If it is important for you to always be in touch, you can choose the tariff of your operator or buy a local SIM card (there is also an E-sim). The two main operators in the republic are A-mobile and Aquafon. The prices for their tariffs are almost the same. For example, at Aquafon, a SIM card costs 350 ₽, and the minimum tariff with a package of minutes within Abkhazia, SMS and the Internet is 550 ₽. If you need to call to Russia, you will have to pay separately.

We didn’t need to be constantly connected, so I decided not to buy a local SIM card. To move into a rented apartment, I activated the service of unlimited calls for a day from MTS for 170 ₽ to the border, and immediately turned it off after settling in. The rest of the time, Wi-Fi and calls through instant messengers were enough. Wi-Fi everywhere I used it was fast.

Is it safe in Abkhazia? And I was wary of resting in the republic, but in reality I felt completely safe there. Nobody encroached on the camera, and the men were not burdened with attention. But the pedestrian in Abkhazia seems to be absolutely defenseless, so be careful when crossing the road.

Car tourists often leave negative reviews about Abkhazia. Therefore, we did not go to the republic by car, but took excursions. However, we asked both guides and tourists who arrived in their own car about safety – everyone answered that there was no need to worry if you follow traffic rules and buy local insurance, and also be polite and non-confrontational.

In general, not a single tourist from our company was injured while on vacation in Abkhazia. The worst thing that happened to us was that on the embankment in Gagra a gypsy stuck up to us, and even that one was safely sent away. 🙂

We met these gypsies traveling around the country three times during our vacation. They love to tie red strings around the wrists of tourists. Ignore them, and if they persist, threaten them with the police. Drivers on the roads of Abkhazia need to be careful – every now and then there are cows, horses, sheep and even buffaloes.

Tips

To make your stay in Abkhazia memorable only good, follow these simple tips:

• Russian medical policy in Abkhazia is not valid, so buy insurance for abroad at Cherekhapa. The policy costs only 60 ₽ per day per person. Or you can get free insurance for trips around the world by issuing an All Airlines Tinkoff card.
• Check your cafe bill before paying.
• Carefully cross the road.
• Buckle up in the car. The driving style of the Abkhazians is specific, and accidents are frequent.
• Do not leave things unattended, especially on the beach and in the car. Watch your phone and keep your money in different places.
• Drink bottled or boiled water.
• Do not swallow sea water.
• Wash fruit and hands thoroughly.
• Take a tourist first aid kit, especially if you are traveling with children.
• To walk along the pebble beach, buy aquashoes.
• There are scammers and gypsies in the resorts. Do not let them dress you up in national costumes or put animals and birds on you and do not take pictures with them – they will take a lot of money for this, even if initially the amount is small.