Changes

Abkhaz drivers love to drive very fast, be aware of that and get out whenever you're afraid of crashing into roaming cows or horses along the way. Abkhaz police is very friendly in general, don't be afraid to hitchhike next to their police posts. Nevertheless, hitchhiking is possible everywhere, even inside the capital, and you won't wait long at all (most times, [[User:Platschi|platschi]] had no chance to even put his backpack off his shoulders).  ''[[User:Redjo27|Redjo27]]: I went to Abkhazia in summer 2015 (which is tourist season) and I can say, that I had my worst hitchhiking experiences with locals there. They were shouting bad things, showing the middle finger and of course this had happened in other parts of the world as well, but not as often as in Abkhazia. Nearly everyone who stopped wanted money and one guy even a blow-job. I don't want to advice against going to Abkhazia, but I can just disagree about hitchhiking being easy in Abkhazia.''

Holders of CIS passports can enter Abkhazia without any obligations, whereas each other traveller has to get an entry permit and a visa on the spot in Sukhum. You can apply for an [http://www.mfaabkhazia.net/en/visa entry permit letter] online. [[User:Platschi|Platschi]] got his entry permit within two working days in June 2011. Afterwards, you have to get your visa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in [[Aqwa|Sukhum]]. Note, that guards won't let you into the building if you are wearing shorts. Price in 2011 was 20 USD (1 month tourist visa), to be payed beforehand in Rouble at a local bankor from 2012 you can pay in the ministry building. They don't stick the visa into your passport, but if you do so yourself, you won't be able to visit Georgia another time.

Traveling from Russia towards Georgia is currently (December 2010April 2012) not allowedpossible. Georgians will not let you in, if they let you will in it would mean that have entered Georgia illegaly, according to Georgian law(Georgians did not check your passport on the border with Russia). 

There are rumours that the borders have reopened <strike>and Western travellers can go via Georgia to Abkhazia and further into Russia</strike>. According to the ''Ministry of Foreign Affairs'' of Abkhazia "transit from Georgia through Abkhazia to Russia is forbidden. You can only enter and back" (December 2010). Keep in mind though that you won't get an exit stamp by the Georgians in case of leaving to Russia, thus when entering Georgia another time, you'll most likely be not able to enter the country due to a missing exit stamp from the last time. Nevertheless, as of April 2012 it was still possible to enter to Russia after coming from Georgia. User [[User:Rozwal|Rozwal]] asked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whether he could go to Russia and was informed that Abkhazia is not a transit country and that it was not allowed. He tried anyway and without any problem and any questions asked he entered to Adler in Russia. * ''[[User:Rozwal|Rozwal]]: I really could not understand the whole deal with crossing to Russia. Literally every person in Abkhazia told me that it was not possible but on LonelyPlanet I found a lot of relations from people that did it. I went and I did it. However, maybe if they asked me if I came from Georgia and I confirmed they would not let me out? In my passport it is not possible to see whether I came from Russia or Georgia since neither of them give you stamps (Georgians do not give you stamps when you go to Abkhazia, Abkhazians do not give you stamps at all, and Russians do not give stamps at border with Abkhazia). So maybe they just assumed that I came from Russia and that's it? It is hard to say though. Anyway, after you cross to Russia after coming from Georgia, next time you come to Georgia, you are going to go to court and possibly to jail. As of July 2013, they are still working on changing the law to make it just a fine. But this is still not done. Good luck!

There are no only few ATMs in Abkhazia(mostly in the capital), so make sure to bring some cash with you. The official currency is the Russian Rouble, but you can exchange US Dollars and Euros in most towns.