It was towards the tail-end of a great flight (one of the best I’ve been on after constant delays in my previous flights in Southeast Asia) when I first had a glimpse of Georgia from the window of the plane. Everything was covered with snow and for the nth time, I pondered on my seemingly spontaneous decision of coming here during the depths of the Soviet winter. Average temperatures in Georgia were supposed to hover at around 2 to 10 celsius, but in reality, it turned out to be a numbing -10 to 0 celsius.
touchdown tbilisi!
I have heard about the legendary Georgian hospitality before, where visitors are believed to come from God. Even from the immigration part alone, it certainly did seem like it. The arrival formalities at the airport was a breeze. Ex-Soviet countries are notorious for gifting tourists with a lot of red tape but Georgia was refreshingly efficient and welcoming. Over 70 nationalities can enter visa-free and Filipinos can enter with a visa on arrival for roughly USD 30. It is the only European country that Filipinos can visit without needing a pre-arranged visa. (Note: Georgia changed its visa regime in September 2014. Visas are no longer issued on arrival and need to be secured beforehand)
city hall of tbilisi
We were met at the arrivals hall by Tengo, the owner of the guesthouse that we were staying in. Since he was charging us roughly the same price as any taxi to Tbilisi, we decided to have him take us to save the hassle of having to locate the guesthouse ourselves.
the usual winter street scene
The snowfall seemed to have cleared as soon as we arrived in the city and slowly, we could see the sun peering out from the clouds. The entry to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi was a cheeky one — we arrived via George Bush Avenue. Georgia is perhaps the only country where George W. Bush is revered. During the long drive, Tengo mentioned to us how he had different Filipino guests who stayed in his guesthouse for the past three consecutive months. I was a bit astonished by this, as most people I know back home aren’t even aware of this country! But as it turns out, the Philippines accounts for the 2nd largest source of Asian tourists in Georgia – second only to China. In 2011 alone, over 6,000 Filipinos visited Georgia. I wonder how they end up there! But during our entire trip at least, I did not encounter a single one.
But I digress.
The guesthouse was conveniently located just off Tbilisi’s main drag called Rustaveli Avenue. This is Tbilisi’s equivalent of Orchard Road, filled with wide sidewalks, brand name stores such as Hugo Boss and Chanel and top hotels like Marriott and Kempinski. Although Georgia itself is not a rich country, the city authorities have tried very hard to spruce up this street to make it at par with famous shopping streets in Europe.
the posh rustaveli avenue – tbilisi’s main drag
After dropping our bags in the guesthouse, we took advantage of the sunshine and went to Narikala Fortress, a medieval structure built on a hill overlooking Tbilisi and from which there are majestic views of the city. From here, the city reveals itself for visitors to appreciate. The skyline – with the Mtkvari river slicing the city into two – is very picturesque and is reminiscent of other great European cities such as Budapest or Prague. There is an ongoing debate about whether Georgia should be a part of Asia or Europe. Even though geographically, it may be more proper to classify it as Asia (Georgia is situated south of the Caucasus mountain range after all), culturally and historically, Georgia is more a part of Europe and this is quite plain to see in the local culture and the city’s architecture.
narikala fortress – overlooking the old town
An unmissable landmark in Tbilisi’s skyline is the Sameba or the Holy Trinity Cathedral. It is said to be the largest Orthodox Christian cathedral in the Caucasus region and is one of the most majestic as well up close. From Narikala, we crossed the river and headed east to Sameba.
the majestic sameba (holy trinity) cathedral – tbilisi’s famous landmark
It was my first time to enter an Orthodox Christian church and the interiors looked very different from the type of churches that I am accustomed to back home. There were no benches but there were images of the Virgin Mary, Jesus and saints like St. George. The Georgians are a very religious lot and they come to church regularly to pray by these images. It is after all, the 2nd oldest Christian country in the world (second only to neighboring Armenia). My visit coincided with their evening prayers and with the crowds, it seemed like the subzero temperatures outside did not deter them from coming to church.
the dome of the cathedral
The next day, we more or less just wandered around Tbilisi. It’s not a big city but there are lots to see. We passed by the larger-than-life Freedom Square with a monument to St. George in the middle. Lots of international investors are placing their money in Georgia and this is evident in the construction boom that’s happening in the city. New chain hotels are building their first properties in Tbilisi and many of the quaints shops and restaurants in the old city are being closed down temporarily due to a mass restoration of heritage buildings.
freedom square... used to be called lenin square
The city also introduced me to Georgian cuisine, which is much better than I expected. There’s a wide array of restaurants to choose from in Tbilisi. I was surprised to find several Chinese and Japanese restaurants, alongside the more expected local Georgian, Azerbaijani and Persian eating places. A meal in a midrange restaurant in Tbilisi turned out to be cheaper than I thought, normally not setting us back by more than USD 10 a pop.
a picturesque city by any measure
Overall, Tbilisi exceeded my expectations. It was never in my “must visit” cities, and the main reason I went was because of an unbeatable airline promo. It’s during trips like these – when I’m given a pleasant surprise – that I get to enjoy more. A heady mix of east and west, the city offers a lot for visitors and those who come are ultimately rewarded. An added plus is that it is relatively cheap and easy enough to get around.
I have a feeling that it won’t be long before I return.
How to get there:
Not many airlines fly to Tbilisi. For those in Asia, your best bet is Qatar Airways, which flies to Tbilisi from most major Asian cities such as Manila or Singapore with convenient transfers via Doha. From Europe, it’s a lot easier as there are flights to Tbilisi from many European capitals including London, Athens and Vienna. You can read about my flight experience onboard Qatar Airways to Tbilisi here.
Where I stayed:
The main advantage of staying in a small hotel / guesthouse is that one often gets a very homely and personalized level of service. I stayed in a hotel in Tbilisi just off the main drag. Tengo (the owner) and his wife were true exemplars of the legendary Georgian hospitality. You can book hotels/guesthouses in Tbilisi and get some of the best deals HERE.
do you have a stopover in doha? if so, was there a visa required for stopover? thanks
Yes I did. Doha’s a pretty common stopover for onward connections to Europe / Middle East (or Asia if you’re coming from Europe).
You just wait in the airport, they don’t require a visa for this.
hello sir, just want to ask about the visa upon arrival. what requirements do they want? i have read in some sites that you need a letter of invitation coming from a person in georgia. I am a Filipino here in Oman and planning for a trip there this september. thank you. waiting for an answer thru e-mail.
Hi, you didn’t leave an email address…
They did not require anything from me. I didn’t have to present any letter of invitation or anything of the sort. The only requirement was a payment of 50 GEL before the visa can be issued!
thank you very much sir and I do hope it is still like that til september. Ok din ho ba dun stay sa formula 1 hostel. I am planning to get that as my accomodation while in tbilisi. by the way my e-mail is jo_al_ra@yahoo.com. did you tour the city by yourself or you go with a group on a city tour? how much is the room rate?
I think it’s better if you check their website for room rates as it may change from time to time — http://www.formula1georgia.com/
by the way, we went around by ourselves as mentioned in the blog post. tbilisi is easy to go around.
Just a query, what Hotel did you stay in Georgia?
Do you have tourist guide then?
Did you stay only in Tbilisi or other part of Georgia?
Thanks for replying though it is a little bit current since 2012.
Elmer
hello. i just want to ask if the cost of living in georgia is high? 🙂
Hi Marisse, it’s quite alright. It’s definitely a lot lower than most European countries. I would say it’s just a bit higher than the cost of living in the Philippines. It’s possible to get by with USD 35 per day for accommodations, food, transpo and some admission tickets.
Dear Albino,
Thank you very much for your thankfulness. Not all can be so nice and equitable, like you are.
Warm and kind regards from Tbilisi, Georgia
Beautiful images!!
This is interesting to know that Filipinos can enter with visa upon arrival! And the place is awesome! I wonder how it is like during the snow-less months 🙂
I heard the best time to go there is during autumn months when the vegetation turns into various hues of red, yellow and brown
How was the food?
Not bad… they have a pretty wide variety available… local, Persian, Japanese and even Chinese food
Again, I love all your photos here. So vivid and very well captured. I think you’ve actually visited and photographed more places in Tbilisi than I have. Although I’ve been there twice for 3 weeks each visit, most of the time were spent working. Glad I found your site.
thanks! Tbilisi is really picturesque so no need for much effort there! hehe
Lucky for you to be able to have business trips there! Wish I could, too!
Bino! I want to go too! Kelan ka babalik? Let’s bring Tim!
Yes, let’s! Currently I’m seeing unreasonable air ticket prices. Waiting for a promo!
Perhaps I can tag along, kung may promo fare…
Winter so far is not the best time to visit Georgia 🙂 Autumn/Summer time is wonderful.
Very wonderful! I just wanna know roughly how much did the promo fare cost you?
Hi Sydney, at the time it cost me around USD 340 roundtrip! This is on a full service airline.
340 usd?! wow! which airline? from singapore to georgia right?
Marlon: I flew with Qatar Airways then. They had a promo fare for their inaugural flights (for the first week only)
So ito pala yung sinasabi mo Sydney! 😉
nice syd beautiful!! =)
Wow, I never knew we can enter Georgia with a VOA! And for only $340?? So cheap! I wonder how much the regular fare is? Want to go back to Europe even in non-Schengen areas first. *bookmarked*
Aleah: Yes, they are not so strict with entry requirements. Actually I don’t think they require any nationality to obtain any pre-arranged visa for short-term visits to Georgia.
Tried to check the fare recently, unfortunately it’s now hovering at about $1600 which is really too expensive! Alternatively, FlyDubai also flies to Georgia for about $300 from Dubai RT.
Thanks for your post. I am planning a trip to this area, either this Sept or Dec (will be doing Central Asia and Turkey-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Ukraine) – the last trips for me this year… How many days do I need to sufficiently cover Tblisi? Did you go on your own or did you have a pre-arranged tour?
Salamat! 🙂
We went on our own. Tbilisi is relatively compact. Around 2 days should be enough. But it’s a great city, you may wish to stay a bit longer
Thanks! I think we settled it today… Central Asia this Sept and then Turkey-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Ukraine this September… No problems with visas?
Hi, I’m planning to go to Georgia first week of September. Dahil na deny ang schengen visa ko.. LOL .. Question po… Marami bang marunong mag english sa tbilisi if ever we need to ask for directions? Also sa airport, I would assume may money changer na before the immigration counter kasi need bayaran ung visa in GEL? tama po ba? 🙂 thanks..
I read somewhere it is one of the safest cities in europe daw… hehe.
Plano din namin magstay sa countryside… nag stay din ba kayo outside Tbilisi? If so, saan po ung recommended niyo?
(buti nakita ko itong blog mo kasi I don’t know kung kaninno ako magtatanong ng mga ganitong bagay… heheh )
Hi – I’m afraid not many people can speak English in Tbilisi, and moreso in the countryside for that matter. Would be good to learn some Georgian or Russian.
Yes, there is a money changer in the airport for the visa fee. Aside from Tbilisi, we went to Mtskheta and Gori — you can check out my other entries posted here as well!
Props to your blog. Keep writing! Very helpful post. I’m planning to go to Georgia at the end of the month!
Im planning to go here! So $35US per day is the budget? I wanna do one week in beautiful Georgia
Yeah, I think USD 35 per day is doable for ground expenses such as lodging, food and land transpo.
i’m not sure what the air tix to georgia are going for now, how are you intending to go?
via Qatar, same as u… might do a sidetrip to Armenia as well since they do this e-visa thing online. I don’t know anything about Qatar Airways seat sales though so I might as well fork out $1500 for this one LOL. Planning to do this either April or May 2013
that is sooooo beautiful! and the bridges! I hope they could make like those beautiful bridges here in Manila again… =)
Wow, lovely pics! Tbilisi looks beautiful!
Do I need an invitation letter from a Georgian citizen/resident if I want to go to Georgia? Also, I’m a Filipino living in the Philippines, with no temp resident status in any Middle Eastern country. Am I still eligible for visa upon arrival?
I went there a couple of months back and got visa on arrival. No questions asked. I have a Dubai visa but I don’t think it mattered.
I will be in Georgia next month (February, 2013) for a short stay visit (about 5 to 8 days). Do you have any idea how many days are typically permitted/given by the immigration officer on arrival at the airport?
It depends — it can range from as short as the duration of your stay up to 360 days. Usually they will base it on your return ticket, which is what happened to me.
Thank you Wanderer. How about snow? Is there still a snow in the month of February (last week)?
Thanks for the blog i enjoyed georgia..we were there last september
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed Georgia!
Hi, I am from Bangladesh, would like to visit Tbilisi, Georgia on December with my family. We are looking an invitation from Georgia. Can anyone help me?
Hi, I am confused about visa. Some site didn’t mention if Philippines is included with visa upon arrival, some blogs said they acquire visa upon arrival.
Can you help me confirm this. I wanted to purchase my ticket and leave on Dec 20, 2013. I get frustrated with inconsistent info online. I am Filipino working in Saudi Arabia.
Thank you in advance
Hi Mary, a visa on arrival is indeed available for Filipinos. I availed of it when I entered Georgia (via Tbilisi Airport).
The reason why Georgia is “patok” to Pinoy travellers is mainly because its visa-upon-arrival. Plus you get to taste Europe on a low-cost traveling though Georgia is really part of Asia. It’s definitely cheaper to tour here vs. Paris or London for sure. My ex-workmates now based in Doha are making it their destination of choice whenever they have leaves because of its low-cost and easy/convenient way to travel.
Great eye-opener blog for this country!
The photographs are simply stunning and I bet the city looks even better during spring or summer. It’s nice to see something about a different destinations than Paris or New York. Good info as well…
Yes, Tbilisi is simply stunning. And I also think it’s regardless of the season.
Hi Dino,
Great article! Just a question though, were you able to travel outside Tbilisi? Is hiking (in say, Svaneti) doable on December?
Hi Kay, Yes I also went to Mtskheta and Gori. Hiking in Svaneti in December is not advisable due to the winter weather. But it also depends from year to year. Sometimes the snow cover isn’t as bad.
Hi there,
NIce article.
I just want to ask if you can travel to georgia with no return ticket, then take the train to Armenia and go back to your country from Armenia. Will they cause any problems if you do this? Do you have any experience or did you consider doing this?
I’m checking online and trains from Tbilisi to Yerevan are only 20 USD with bunk beds to sleep on.
Thank you.
Haven’t been to Armenia so I can’t say for sure. But as far as I know, the immigration authorities are quite flexible. All they need is some proof that you’ll be leaving the country so if you don’t have a return ticket, a ticket going to another country should be ok.
I must say, this is a great travel blog..
Bino, when did you travel to Georgia? Because i am planning to go in October this year, im considering the climate in tbilisi during my trip..
Thanks,
Jb
Hi JB – I went in Feb
Hi.. thank you very much for sharing your experience it is really very informative for me.. I am planning to visit Georgia very soon but I am looking for an invitation letter as if its required for visit visa.. Do you have any idea how to get this letter? or maybe the hotel can arrange? kindly share any email of this hotel if you have.. thanks
Hi MJ – Hmm.. I didn’t have to get an invitation letter when I visited. May be best to check with your nearest Georgian consulate on this.
Hello,
I’m trying to follow in your footsteps and trying to book at formula 1 tbilisi hotel.
However they are asking for my credit card details (the front 16 numbers without the CVC). How safe is it in your opinion to send such info via email to them and did they request the same in you case?
Thanks in advance.
Hi, If you’re concerned about transmitting card details over the email (which is a valid concern), you can try booking here. No booking fees also and the card you use will just be for guarantee: http://www.booking.com/hotel/ge/guesthouse-formula1-tbilisi.html?aid=377565
which is the best month to visit Georgia to experience snow? thanks.
Hi RT, your best bet is during winter – Dec to Feb
Hi Bino, did you take QR 974 and arrive Tbilisi on 2nd February? There is a chance we took the same flight!! I remember bumping into the same guy (which could be you) again in Tbilisi where you were walking next to another dude (who looks like an East Asian like you).
Just revisiting this because I’ll be back to Tbilisi in two weeks!! 🙂
Could be! What I remember was that the flight was supposed to stop at Baku but ended up going straight to Tbilisi due to snowfall. What brings you there again? Is there another sale by Qatar Air?
Ha! Yes our flight did not stop over at Baku as scheduled due to snowfall. What a coincidence!
Qatar Air had another nice sale – not as fantastic as that USD300++++ fare we had in 2012, but I bought a return trip to Tehran for USD660. Thus I’ll be touring around Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia (again) and Armenia :).
sorry im just confused..what do you mean by this? “Georgia changed its visa regime in September 2014. Visas are no longer issued on arrival and need to be secured beforehand” Starting November 2014 its no longer visa free for Filipino’s?
I’m an Indonesian citizen, but I thought I’d help.
Like Bino our blog owner, I visited Georgia early 2012. I could get a visa-on-arrival at Tbilisi airport.
I returned to Georgia November 2014, and everyone agreed the rules have changed (in Georgia’s endeavour to join the European Union) and that visas-on-arrival are no longer available. I have to secure a visa in my home country.
No idea if it applies to Filipinos.
Hi, I’m planning to go to Tbilisi on Dec 9-12, 2015. However, I’m afraid that the tourist spots won’t be available because f the cold weather. Do you think it’s a good time to go to Georgia at those dates? well, i live in the Philippines my whole life and it’s a tropical country. I haven’t experienced snow. lol.
Hi good day! We are planning to go to Tbilisi georgia on January 24-27 because we were able to find an affordable travel package via a travel agency, but the tour is not included in the package. Is there a contact person you can recommend to us where we can get a tour package from? Or is it much better to explore the country by our own DIY. What can you recommend? Thank you.
Hi Florence, I went there on a DIY basis so I don’t have any travel agency contacts unfortunately. I personally prefer this as I can explore the country at my own pace.
i am nigeria citizen and i here that my country nigeria is visa free to georgia on arrival so what and what did i need on arrival to enter georgia plz reply
I’m going there on November. I can’t wait! Thanks for sharing your Georgia experience. I love your blog by the way. I’m a fan 🙂
http://www.frugalityonfleek.com
Thanks for your kind words, Lisette!
Hi bruh,
I am traveling to Georgia this October, could you give me some tips about the budgeting that includes the food, transportation,tours, and accommodation (minus the air ticket).
Thank you
john
Hello,
My friend and I are visiting Georgia in mid October. Is the weather going to be too cold?
I also wanted to know what is the best way to travel to places? Are taxis too expensive?
Thankyou!
Hi,
I know matagal na tong post na to, bored lang ako sa work and just searching random stuff and found your blog 🙂 I have been there too this year, mga summer time. OFW ako dito sa Dubai. Im not sure if someone mentioned to you na baka madaming Pinoy na nagabbakasyon sa Georgia ay dahil lahat ng residente dito sa UAE is visit on arrival and 3 hours away lang from Dubai. In 3-4k aed, roughly 40-50k php is makakapag bakasyon na sa Georgia, pero peak season na yan. Madami kasing vacation days dito sa UAE and dahil malapit lang, madami talagang nagppunta sa Georgia 🙂