This trip to the Caucasus visited Armenia and Georgia, and the only regret was that there was too little time left for Armenia. Before departure, I heard a friend who had been to Georgia say that the consumption there would be lower, but this was not the case in actual experience.
Tbilisi is the most affordable place to stay in the entire itinerary. Whether it’s Booking or Booking platforms like Agoda, it’s hard to find a cheaper Georgian city than Tbilisi.
When backpackers with limited budget choose accommodation, it is recommended to sort them directly from low to high by price, and then choose the ones with high ratings and meet their needs among low-priced listings, which can save a lot of screening time.
If you can use map software and purchase a local mobile phone card, you can also directly search for surrounding accommodation on the map and contact the landlord by phone. In this way, the intermediary who bypasses the booking platform can sometimes talk about more favorable prices. Of course, we should also be wary of individual landlords asking exorbitant prices.
Therefore, my suggestion is: first know the approximate price range of the area in the major booking websites, so as to know fairly well.
Generally speaking, it is more cost-effective to walk in directly than to book online, because the landlord can save the platform commission. If the stay time is longer or the number of peers is large, there is more room for bargaining.
However, my traveling companion and I tried to counter-offer many times in Georgia, but they were unsuccessful.
An important reminder about accommodation in Tbilisi: don’t choose a room that is too cheap, and be sure to check the reviews carefully before booking to make sure there are no bed bug problems. Bed bugs here are very troublesome. Once bitten, they will seriously affect the mood of the journey and easily leave scars.
When booking abroad, it is recommended to use the international booking platform. While some domestic websites also have overseas listings, it can be difficult for backpackers on a tight budget to find really low-priced options on these platforms.
If you want to stay in a cheap youth hostel, you can look out for the “hostel” sign when looking on the spot, which usually means an affordable hostel or inn.
The price of “guest house” will be relatively higher. There is also a simple method: observe the appearance directly, and just skip the high-end hotels.
This may be ignored in destinations such as Sri Lanka, because the exchange rate is in our favor. But in Georgia, the local currency is about 3 lari to the dollar.
Take public transportation as an example. The bus and subway in Tbilisi are 1 lari (about $0.33) each time.
Transportation costs vary from city to city. The bus ride in Kutaisi costs only 0.6 lari (about 0.20 USD), and the driver is honest and has no habit of overcharging whether it is a bus or a minibus.
But not all Georgian drivers do. When we were transferring from Zugdidi to Mestia, we came across overcharging drivers.
Interestingly, drivers charge foreign tourists a flat charge of 40 lari (about $13.33), and they are charged in advance. But we haven’t seen drivers publicly charge local passengers.
Later, my traveling companion saw that the driver gave a local 20 lari (about 6.67 USD), and realized that we were really cheated. After checking the strategy, I also found that it was almost 30 lari (about $10) from Zugdidi to Mestia.
More dramatically, when I returned from Mestia, I also needed to transfer to Zugdidi to Baku.
At first, the station staff told me that there was no direct train after 8 pm, and I needed to transfer to Zugdidi, which cost 30 +18 lari (about 10 +6 USD). At that time, I thought: It costs 50 lari (about $16.67) to go directly, so why is it cheaper to transfer trains?
So I asked for the price again. The girl seemed to come to her senses, and quickly changed her mind to say that it was 35 lari (about 11.67 dollars) plus 18 lari (about 6 dollars).
Later, at the Zugdidi bus station, the driver asked me for another 20 lari (about $6.67). I said the station staff told me it was 18 lari (about $6).
He didn’t know whether he really couldn’t understand English or pretended not to understand it. He waved the bill in his hand to signal me to add money. I pointed in the direction of the station, stressing again that I had just asked for the price. He didn’t speak.
Also, don’t completely trust the network strategy. Some people say that it is a local custom for minibus to Mestia to not have air conditioning on, as all drivers do.
But then we enjoyed the air-conditioning service when there were mostly local passengers, only two foreign tourists and the bus was empty.
Including later on the night bus back to Tbilisi from Batumi, we also enjoyed air conditioning all night long.
So, don’t believe the saying that “locals don’t have the habit of turning on air conditioners”. They may just not want to turn on air conditioners in order to save costs.
If you plan to visit Mestia, stop in Kutaisi for a day or two. The scenic spots in Kutaisi are concentrated, and one day is basically enough.
There is only an early bus from Kutaisi to Mestia. If you miss the 10 am bus, you need to transfer to Zugdidi.
It is strongly recommended that you get up early and take the direct train, because the direct train only costs 40 lari (about 13.33 USD), and transferring from Zugdidi may be taken advantage of by the driver. I actually spent 15 lari (~ $5) + 40 lari (~ $13.33).
The buses from Mestia back to Tbilisi and to Batumi both leave at 8 a.m., and the drop-off point is the pick-up point. It is recommended to make an appointment one day in advance during the peak tourist season, because most of the buses departing from here are minibuses or minibuses, and a bus that can seat 20 people is already considered a large scale.
Mestia to Tbilisi and Batumi both cost 50 lari (approximately $16.67). If you miss the direct train, transfer to Zugdidi. This is a city with convenient transportation. It cost me 35 lari (about 11.67 USD) to get from Mestia to Zugdidi.
I was also very interested in the 2 lari (about 0.67 USD) train from Kutaisi to Batumi recommended by many people, but the frequency was either too early or too late, so I didn’t experience it in the end.
Finally, let’s talk about the experience of Batumi Railway Station. I showed the booking information on my mobile phone to the staff, and she glanced at it and asked me to wait on the platform on the second floor.
I asked where to pick up the tickets and she just repeated “go upstairs”. I asked which way to go upstairs and she said “go whichever way you want”.
Because I didn’t fill in the passport number and other information when booking the ticket, I was worried that the absence of physical tickets would affect the ride, so I listened to her words and went upstairs to wait. But there is nothing on the platform on the second floor, and the future flights displayed on the electronic screen don’t have the one we booked.
Uneasy, I asked the locals again. I met a kind couple this time and took me downstairs again to ask the staff.
The staff wouldn’t let me go upstairs this time. After a local translation, I realized that my traveling companion had booked the wrong ticket-what we bought was actually a bus ticket!
If I hadn’t asked the locals, or really waited upstairs at the railway station, I would have missed the bus completely!
Obviously, the staff member didn’t look at my ticket carefully the first time, otherwise she wouldn’t have deliberately asked me to wait for the bus at the railway station, did she?
The kind local couple took me to the bus stop next door to confirm with the staff again. I also asked if I needed to collect a physical ticket.
This time, I don’t know if it was because I was accompanied by locals, or if the attitude of the bus station staff themselves was good. The answers I got were much more detailed and there was no impatience at all.
Overall, Georgia gives me mixed feelings. Most of the people here seemed cold, some were really indifferent, while others were cold on the outside and hot on the inside.
Kindness doesn’t distinguish skin color or race, and I won’t completely deny a certain place or group of people because of my own experience. After all, everyone’s experience is different.
My feelings about Georgia are mixed. This guide to avoiding pitfalls covers the two basic expenses of public transportation and accommodation. After all, traveling abroad are the main expenses.
You can save as much as possible on food, but there is a basic bottom line for accommodation. Unless you choose a couch guest to get a free accommodation, the approximate cost can be estimated in most cases.
My final lesson: Never book too cheap accommodation in Tbilisi! Personally, the only capsule hotel in Kutaisi-Mandaria Hostel-I’ve been more satisfied with.
This youth hostel has a lot of public space. The price of 15 lari (about 5 USD)/night includes kitchen use and refrigerator for passengers to store food and drinks. The washroom is equipped with a hairdryer, and the shower even has a small trash can.
The disadvantage is that the room is small, there is no air conditioning, and there is only a small fan. But none of this is hard for backpackers to bear, and the location is close to where I drop off.
It’s a bit far from the downtown scenic spots, but you can take a bus to the downtown scenic spots in the nearby Youth Park. After all, Kutaisi bus only costs 0.6 lari (about 0.20 USD)!
During this trip to Georgia, I went to Kutaisi, Mestia, Batumi and finally back to Tbilisi, and also to Mzheta. After that, I completely gave up the idea of going to cities such as Signagi and Gori, perhaps because I was tired of seeing the scenery at this time.
As for why I didn’t go to Kazbek, this highly regarded scenic spot selected for the cover of Lonely Planet, in fact, it was originally on my must-visit list.
But I don’t know whether the people here are too good at making money or too bad. The baggage fee of 5 lari (about $1.67) made me give up the idea of staying there for a few days.
If you are planning to visit Kazbek, remember not to bring bulky luggage to the station as the driver will charge extra baggage fees.
There were three people with two traveling companions. At first, the driver saw our hesitation and took the initiative to reduce the price to 10 lari (about $3.33) (the total baggage fee for three people). When we walked around and asked the driver of the next bus, the man appeared again and muttered to the driver in local dialect for a while.
Maybe because we had to go, the baggage fee became 5 lari (about $1.67) per person. So that day, the three of us directly changed our plans and went to Kutaisi.
Public transport from Tbilisi to Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Mzkhta, Batumi, Kazbek, etc., are all near the Didube metro station.
Tbilisi to Kutaisi 15 lari (about $5), to Mzkhta 2 lari (about $0.67), to Kazbek (without luggage) 15 lari (about $5), other routes I didn’t ask, not quite clear.
Be careful not to pay attention to overenthusiastic locals near the station, who may be chartered drivers soliciting customers.
In fact, you can also choose a tour group when you go to Kazbek. On Xiaohongshu, you can see the tour fee of 40 lari (about 13.33 US dollars)/person, plus 20 lari (about 6.67 US dollars) up the mountain, and the total of about 20 US dollars can complete the journey.
The advantage of participating in the tour is that you can visit several scenic spots along the way, but I also heard that there may be compulsory consumption. I was a little tired after playing, and I didn’t have the mind to screen again. If you want to join a tour, you can find many local travel agencies by wandering around the old city.
There are many attractions in Georgia, which is why I decided to stay here a few more days in the first place. Unexpectedly, the first aesthetic fatigue in my life was actually here.
Maybe it’s not the scenery that makes you tire, but the people and things you meet along the way.
