Chakvi Village

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 17 October 2026 · Editorial policy

Overview

Chakvi is a small resort village on the Black Sea coast of Ajara, about 20 kilometres north of Batumi and roughly 35 minutes away by road. It sits at the mouth of the Chakvistskali River, where a shingle beach meets low hills covered in tea bushes, citrus groves and remnants of Colchic forest. The village gives its name to the surrounding municipality and is best known as the birthplace of commercial tea growing in Georgia, a history still visible in the terraced plantations above the coastal road.

Chakvi matters to travellers as a quieter, slower alternative to Batumi’s promenade, and as a natural gateway to Mtirala National Park and the Batumi Botanical Garden. It combines a modest seaside resort with genuine agricultural and scientific heritage, which GTour includes in private itineraries for visitors who want coastal Ajara beyond the city centre of Batumi.

History

Chakvi lay within the historic Ottoman-controlled districts of Ajara until the region was ceded to the Russian Empire under the Treaty of Berlin of 1878, which transferred Batumi and its surrounding coast from Ottoman to Russian control. In the following decades Russian administrators searched the warm, humid Ajarian coast for crops suited to a subtropical climate, and Chakvi became a principal site for these experiments.

, tea cultivation was developed around Chakvi from the 1890s, with plantations and a processing works established to test whether the plant, already grown experimentally elsewhere in western Georgia, could be produced at scale. Chinese tea specialists were brought in to advise on cultivation and processing methods, and the Chakvi plantations and factory became a model later expanded across the wider Ajara and Guria coast during the Soviet period, when Georgia developed into the Soviet Union’s main tea-producing republic.

Collectivisation in the 1920s–1930s absorbed the Chakvi estates into state and collective farms, and tea, together with citrus, remained the backbone of the local economy through the Soviet decades. After 1991 the collapse of Soviet-era supply chains and subsidies led to the decline of much of the tea industry, and many plantations around Chakvi fell out of active cultivation. Since the 2000s, renewed interest in Georgian tea and in coastal tourism has brought some plantations back into limited production and encouraged the growth of small hotels and guesthouses in and around the village, part of a broader revival of the Ajara coast promoted by Georgia’s Adjara region tourism sector.

What to see

Chakvi tea plantations

Rows of tea bushes climb the hillsides immediately behind the village, a direct legacy of the experimental plantations established here in the late nineteenth century. Some terraces remain in cultivation and can be visited informally or as part of a guided stop; others are overgrown but still visible from the coastal road, giving a sense of the scale of the original estate.

Chakvi beach

The village’s shingle beach faces the open Black Sea and is noticeably quieter than the central Batumi waterfront, with a handful of small hotels and seasonal cafés rather than a built-up promenade. It suits travellers looking for swimming and sea air without the crowds of the city beaches.

Mtirala National Park

Inland from Chakvi, Mtirala National Park protects one of the wettest corners of Georgia, a relict Colchic rainforest with waterfalls, marked hiking trails and viewpoints over the Ajarian hills. The park is managed by the Agency of Protected Areas, which maintains the visitor centre and trail network near the village of Chakvistavi.

Batumi Botanical Garden

A short drive south toward Batumi, the Batumi Botanical Garden occupies the cliffs of Mtsvane Kontskhi (Green Cape) and displays plant collections from subtropical regions worldwide, arranged by continent along coastal paths. It is a natural pairing with a Chakvi stop, since both sites trace back to the same era of botanical experimentation on the Ajarian coast.

Chakvistskali river mouth

Where the Chakvistskali River meets the sea, a short walk along the bank gives views back toward the hills and plantations, away from the main road. It is a good point to pause between the beach and the inland tea terraces.

Getting there

From Batumi, Chakvi is about 35 minutes by road along the coastal highway north of the city; marshrutka minibuses and shared taxis run frequently from Batumi’s bus station and take a similar time. From Kutaisi, the drive is approximately 2 hours 20 minutes via the Kutaisi–Batumi highway, a route also served by direct marshrutka services. From Tbilisi, the journey is around 5 hours 40 minutes by road over the Rikoti Pass and down to the coast; Georgian Railway also operates daily Tbilisi–Batumi trains, and travellers can check current timetables and any stops near Chakvi directly with the railway. Check the road status page before winter travel over the pass, and see GTour’s guides for route planning.

When to go

The beach season runs from late May to September, when sea temperatures are warmest and the coastal hotels are fully open. Ajara is one of the rainiest parts of Georgia year-round, so even summer visits can include sudden downpours; spring and early autumn bring fewer crowds and pleasant conditions for walking in Mtirala National Park. Winters are mild but wet, with the tea terraces dormant and most seasonal cafés closed.

Where to stay and eat

Chakvi has a small but varied range of accommodation, from boutique apart-hotels to larger wellness resorts. Verified options in GTour’s register include Dreamland Oasis Hotel, Castello Mare Hotel & Wellness Resort, Next Green, Mziuri Gardens, Hotel Retro, Le Port Boutique Apart Hotel and Piazza Epigraph. Most offer on-site dining, and seasonal seafront cafés serve simple Ajarian fare such as khachapuri and grilled fish; GTour’s verified register lists more options below for stays and meals in and around the village.

Practical notes

The beach is shingle rather than sand, so water shoes are useful. Mobile coverage and basic services are reliable, but choices for dining and nightlife are limited compared with central Batumi, so many visitors base themselves in the city and visit Chakvi as a half-day trip. Carry light rain protection even in summer, given the region’s high rainfall, and allow extra time for the Mtirala park road, which is narrower than the coastal highway.

Questions travellers ask

Is Chakvi worth visiting if I am already staying in Batumi?

Yes, as a half-day or full-day trip. It offers a quieter beach, the historic tea plantations and easy access to Mtirala National Park, all within about 35 minutes of central Batumi.

Why is Chakvi associated with tea?

Chakvi was one of the first sites in the Russian Empire where tea cultivation was developed at scale on the Ajarian coast, starting in the late nineteenth century, and it remained central to Georgia’s tea industry through the Soviet period.

Can I still see working tea plantations in Chakvi?

Some terraces above the village remain in cultivation, though many areas that were farmed during the Soviet period are no longer actively worked. Visible rows of tea bushes on the hillsides still illustrate the original scale of the plantations.

Is the beach in Chakvi sandy?

No, the beach is shingle, as along most of the Georgian Black Sea coast. Water shoes are recommended for comfort.

How far is Mtirala National Park from Chakvi village?

The park entrance area is a short drive inland from Chakvi, in the hills above the coast. It is managed by the Agency of Protected Areas and has marked trails suited to a half-day visit.

Is it better to stay in Chakvi or Batumi?

Batumi suits travellers who want restaurants, nightlife and a wide choice of hotels, while Chakvi suits those seeking a calmer coastal base close to nature and tea heritage. Many visitors combine both, staying in one and visiting the other.

What is the best time of year to visit Chakvi?

Late May to September is best for the beach, while spring and early autumn are more comfortable for walking in Mtirala National Park, since summer afternoons can bring heavy rain.

Can I reach Chakvi by train from Tbilisi?

Georgian Railway operates daily services between Tbilisi and Batumi; travellers should confirm current timetables and any stop near Chakvi directly with Georgian Railway before planning a rail journey.

Does GTour arrange transport and guides to Chakvi?

Yes, GTour arranges private transfers and guided day trips from Batumi, Kutaisi or Tbilisi, combining Chakvi with the Botanical Garden, Mtirala National Park or other Ajara destinations as part of a custom itinerary.

Sources

• Agency of Protected Areas
• Georgian Railway
• Georgian National Tourism Administration — Ajara region