Ureki (Georgia) is one of the most popular resorts in the country, which is located in the west of the state. Its business card is a beach with an unusual black magnetic sand, which, in addition to its interesting appearance, also has healing properties. We will tell you more about them in the article.
General information
The town of Ureki is located in the west of Georgia, between two important port centers – Poti and the resort town of Kobuleti. The main attraction of the village is its beach, called by Georgians Magnetiti (from the word Magnetite).
Despite the fact that Ureki is only a village 50 km from Batumi, local authorities are rapidly developing infrastructure: over the past decade, new hotels and hotels have been built, and several large shops have opened. In the summer, pop stars come here and arrange concerts on the beach. A 10-minute drive from the city is one of the best attractions in Georgia.
However, despite all this, Ureki is a large village with cows and a large number of mosquitoes. Therefore, before traveling, you should clearly understand where you are eating.
Ureki has a population of just over 1,400. Most people work and live off the tourism industry.
What are magnetic sands?
Magnetic sand in Ureki is the main and, perhaps, the only attraction of the village. Despite the fact that there are many beaches with black sand in other countries (Costa Rica, Iceland, Bulgaria, the Philippines), only in Georgia it is a healing tool and is used for physiotherapy purposes. According to scientists, Ureki beach has no analogues anywhere in the world, because the sand here is highly magnetized (contains up to 30% magnetite), and that is why it is curative.
Who can use Ureki sands for?
We learned about the healing properties of sand by accident. Previously, prisoners were sent here to work, and then they noticed that even the most terminally ill recovered. After this incident, the Georgian authorities began to advertise the healing properties of the sands and develop the tourism industry.
Today, only one sanatorium operates in Ureki – Colchis. It treats people with heart problems.:
- heart and blood vessels,
- by the respiratory system,
- musculoskeletal system,
- the nervous system,
- various injuries.
But those who suffer from asthma, tuberculosis, and also have malignant tumors and blood diseases should not rest here, as the magnetic sands of Ureka can only aggravate the disease.
Special attention is paid to children in the sanatorium: those who have a diagnosis of cerebral palsy can be treated here. The healing process takes place not only thanks to the magnetic sands of Ureki, but also thanks to the salty sea air on the coast of Georgia and the pine trees that grow near the sanatorium.
A big advantage of the Georgian magnetic sands of Ureki is that they do not affect only one single organ, but heal the person as a whole and improve his well-being, strengthen the immune system and normalize biological processes.
Ureki Beach
Two-kilometer Ureki beach is located on the Black Sea coast in Georgia. This is a place for the whole family to relax. The water in the sea is clean. The width of the sand strip is about 30 m, the entrance to the water is gentle — you need to walk 60-80 meters to the depth. In the photo of the Georgian Ureki, you will see that a large pine forest grows around the village.
The water in the sea is clear, but the beach can not be called perfectly clean — there is garbage here and I do not clean it up as often as I would like. The most well — groomed sandy strip is near the sanatorium. The cost of renting two sun beds and an umbrella on the beach is GEL 6, for an additional fee you can use a shower and toilet.
Important to know! There are stray dogs on Ureki beach, and in summer there are quite a lot of mosquitoes.
The main feature of the sea near the village of Ureki is the almost complete absence of fish – the unusual properties of therapeutic sand are not particularly liked by the inhabitants of the deep sea.
On the Georgian Ureki beach, you can not only relax, but also have fun: here, as on the Batumi beach, you can ride a water scooter or on water slides. However, it is still a more peaceful place, so if your goal is entertainment, go to Batumi.
Weather — when is the best time to relax
The swimming season in Ureki starts at the end of May (water temperature +18 °C), and ends only in mid-October (water +19…+20°C).
The most favorable months for visiting Ureki are June-July. The daytime air temperature is kept in the range of +25…+28 °C, water — +22…+26 °C, rain is rare, and the number of vacationers allows you to easily find a free place on the beach.
Despite this, the largest number of tourists is observed in mid-August: almost the entire local population is on vacation and does not miss the opportunity to soak up the hot sun. The air warms up to +28-29 °C, and the sea-to +27°C.
How to get to Ureki
Ureki is one of the stops on the highway leading from Batumi to Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Borjomi. That is why you can get to the village by almost any transport going in this direction. Let’s take a closer look at how to get from Batumi to Ureki.
By minibus
Minibus is the most popular way of travel for tourists in Georgia. The only drawback is the lack of a schedule. But minibuses run quite often, so you will not stand at the bus stop for more than 30 minutes. An important advantage of minibuses going towards the Georgian city of Ureki is that they stop at the stop you need, you just need to tell the driver where you want to get off. Buses and minibuses in the opposite direction — to Batumi — start their journey from the central bus station.
A special feature of Georgian transport is that along with official minibuses, there are also illegal ones: you can get to the right place very quickly and cheaply, but not always safely (drivers often consider themselves Formula 1 racers). If you are not afraid of this, then go to the lower stop of the cable car – this is a favorite place for illegal cabbies (Gogebashvili St, Batumi). The journey time is about one and a half hours. The cost of the trip for official carriers is 5 GEL.
By train
The only option is to travel by train from Batumi to Tbilisi. You can get on it at one of the two railway stations in Batumi – the Old One, in the town of Makhinjauri and the New One — in the city center near the Queen Tamara Highway.
The old railway station is not located in the city itself, so it can be reached by commuter bus in 10-15 minutes. Departure times to Ureki from Batumi are not very convenient – 01: 15, 07: 30 and 18: 55. The journey time is about one and a half hours. The issue price is 5 GEL.
So how to get from Batumi to Ureki? I think we’ve answered your question.
We hope that our article about the village of Ureki (Georgia) inspired you to new adventures. Enjoy your travels!
