Tbilisi Sea: Reservoir with Beach, Arboretum and Gino Paradise Park

🌊 Reservoir resort · ⏱️ 3–6 hours or several days · 📍 Varketili district, Tbilisi

🧭 Who This Article Is For

The Tbilisi Sea is a place that brings everyone together: those who want a beach, those who want amusement rides, and those who just want to sit by the water. In the 1950s, it was an irrigation facility. Today, it is one of the main recreational sites of Georgia's capital. This article is for those who want to understand exactly what to do here and why the reservoir is called a sea.

💧 Why the "Sea"?

This is one of the most frequent questions. Several citizens in the comments section asked it as well.

The Tbilisi Reservoir was created in the 1950s for irrigation and multi-purpose use. There is no actual sea here — it is a freshwater artificial body of water. However, it is big. Big enough for the horizon to blend into the water when viewed from the shore. Locals started calling it a "sea" as soon as it became a part of daily life: going "to the sea" for the weekend meant coming here.

The official name is the Tbilisi Reservoir. The popular name is the Tbilisi Sea or simply the Tbilisi Sea. Nowadays, "sea" is most commonly used by everyone — both locals and tourists.

📜 Historical Layer: Salt Lakes and Workers' May Day Rallies

In the territory where the reservoir is now located, there were historically salt lakes. This was a remote place outside the city limits, and it was precisely here at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century that Tbilisi workers came for secret political gatherings and May Day rallies — far away from police surveillance.

From the Varketili side, two obelisks have been preserved — they were built in honor of the grand opening of the reservoir in the 1950s. This is one of the few Soviet memorial sites of this type that has survived to our time.

Water enters the reservoir through a main canal from the Iori River — it stands out with its characteristic emerald color. It is the Iori River that gives the reservoir this clean, bluish-green water that visitors often notice in photos.

🎡 What is Here

• Gino Paradise Water Park is one of the largest in Georgia. Slides, various types of pools, and attractions for all ages. A separate wellness center offering spa treatments. Visitor vponomareva383 described it well: "The Tbilisi Reservoir is indeed very cool. The yacht club has a gorgeous, warm atmosphere. The prices are steep, but it's worth it."
• A yacht club on the waterfront. Yacht cruises, watercraft rentals. An atmospheric evening venue. Prices are above average but include the full experience.
• On the shore of the reservoir lies the Tbilisi Dendrological Park — 250 hectares featuring more than 300 species of trees and shrubs, including sequoias, relict zelkovas, and evergreen oaks. Founded in 1956. More details can be found in a separate article about the dendropark.
• A beach area near the shore. Swimming is permitted. The water is clear — visitors note its beautiful color. You can sunbathe and relax right by the water.

🗺️ How to Spend a Day at the Tbilisi Sea

1️⃣ Reach the Varketili district by taxi or public transport. Find the obelisks — they serve as a good starting point for orientation.

2️⃣ Start with the dendrological park — a walk among 300 species of trees in the morning while it is still cool.

3️⃣ Head to the shore — beach, swimming, sunbathing. In hot weather, the water warms up pleasantly.

4️⃣ In the afternoon — Gino Paradise water park: slides, pools, wellness center. Check prices in advance.

5️⃣ In the evening — the yacht club for a dinner by the water or a yacht cruise.

💬 What Visitors Say

"The Tbilisi Reservoir is a beautiful place where you can enjoy not only picturesque views but also various activities. It is especially nice that you can stay nearby to enjoy the view of the reservoir."

"I was at the Gino Paradise water park this summer; the Tbilisi reservoir is indeed very cool. The atmosphere at the yacht club is gorgeous, warm, with lots of cheerful people. The prices are steep, but the club is worth it."

"I visited a few years ago and still remember it. I especially remember the yacht club and the obelisks — they give the place a special atmosphere."

"The color of the water in this reservoir is very appealing, just like a blue lagoon. Going on a yacht and also visiting a water park is simply super."

🏁 Is It Worth Going

The Tbilisi Sea does not disappoint. Yes, officially it is a reservoir. Yes, it is not salty. But the water is clear, there is a beach, the water park is large, the yacht club is real, and all of this is within the city limits. For those who are staying in Tbilisi for a long time or want to spend a full "beach" day without traveling to the Black Sea, this is the right choice.

ℹ️ Please check the operating hours of Gino Paradise water park, the yacht club, and beach areas before visiting — they depend on the season. How to get there: taxi or buses heading towards Varketili. Information is current at the time of publication.