Croatia
The information below is provided by Lonely Planet readers and is not verified by Lonely Planet. For the official lowdown, contact your nearest embassy or check out our Travel Links.
Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
On
the way from Dubrovnik to Albania. Take a bus in Dubrovnik to Ulcinj (Montenegro, 5-6 hours). In Ulcinj you can get a taxi for €10-15 (2 hours) to Skhodra. The taxi station is not at the train station. Be aware that taxi drivers at the train station try to drive you to Skhodra for €40.
Philippe Boss, Switzerland (Sep 05)
On the bus trip to/from Split, you'll need your passport handy. There is a tiny ribbon of Bosnia that the road between Split and Dubrovnik runs through, and you need to show your passport to border control both on the way into Bosnia and on the way out 15 minutes later.
Elizabeth Walker, USA (Nov 04)
Travel Tips
Staying near Plitvice Lakes, you can get accommodation booked at the National Park office at Plitvice rather than having to book from Zagreb. We drove about 10 minutes down the road to a town called Slunj. Near the river some people have created a 'mini Plitvice' and there is lots of nice accommodation here (as long as you don't mind the noise of gushing water when you are sleeping!).
Sarah Dyer, Australia (Sep 05)
We came to Croatia in high-season ( July 15- August 20).
It was very, very hard to find a private room to stay. Towns like Trogir, Primosten and Sibenik were our worst places to find a place. Try to go to tourists agencies, they may find a place outside the bigger towns. We stayed in Brodarica, near Sibenik. It was about a 10 min ride by bus, the rooms were cheaper and it also has a very nice beach and diving center.
I would advise you in high-season to try to find a room at least before noon or 1pm. This is because you might get a greater chance to find a private room and at bus stations or harbours you might still get an offer from (elderly) women who await you. It's before noon, because most of the people have to check out before noon. If you arrive late in the afternoon, you may be unlucky and the rooms are already taken by others.This really worked for us when we arrived at Supetar, on the island of Brac. Expect to pay for a double room about 150-200 KN per person. But if you stay more than 3 days, you may can get a discount.
At Hvar town it's not that easy to get a ferry back to Brac. We were at Hvar town and we really wanted to go back to Bol. A good recommendation is to take an excursion boat and pay for one way. (about 100-150 KN per person, depends on the excursion provider) and in about an hour and a half you're at Bol! These excursion boats leaves about 3 times a week.
Supetar, Brac: It's a great experience to rent a scooter for a day or two. (190-200 KN per day if, you have your drivers licence). We drove to the towns of Nerezisca, Lozisca, Bobovisca (all 3 nice to visit!) to the harbour village of Milna for a bite. Near Osibova Bay is a good sandy beach and rocky plateaus to soak up the sunrays and the snorkling site is absolutely advisable! Lot's of coral here! Also the town of Mirca with her narrow streets and a good beach, near Supetar
is a nice midday visit as well.
Lot's of tourists agencies recommend to visit the monastery of Blace/Blaca. At the main entrance you can park your scooter or car, and from there it's about an 2 and half hour walk (if not more) to the monastery. Take your good hiking-shoes on and make sure you bring enough water, cause it's a very steep, and rocky walk and even harder during the hot midday sun.
Also a great experience is to take the scooter all the way to Bol. (from Supetar). It it was of the most best drives we ever took. The scenery is magnificent and the views over the sea are of a terryfing beauty. Supetar to Bol is about 33 km and if you're a good scooter driver, you can do this trip in about one and a half hour. Make sure you fill up the
scooter, as on the way are not many gas stations found. Arriving at Bol you'll get a great view over the Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn).
The southern part of Brac, near Bol, has an magnificent coastline with lot's of private bays and beaches. If you base yourself in Bol, you can hire mountainbikes and take a 30-45 min bike trip to Murvica. We actually found this little village by coincidence, and it has a marvellous beach, mostly visited by locals who avoid the touristic Zlatni Rat. We spent some laid back days on this beach and watched the time go by.
Vanessa van de Weerd, The Netherlands (Aug 05)
GENERAL - 10% discount for cash payment seems to get more and more common. Ask for it!
Internet access from hotels - Toll Free access numbers of VIPNet and T-Mobile can be used from most hotel rooms. Most of the time, these calls are actually free of charge (as no impulses are generated), however some hotels charge the calls regardless. If you plan to use Internet more extensively, make sure to ask!
Michael Weiner (Jun 05)
Regarding telephones: you can make free local calls in any post office. You can also check with the clerk, make a long distance call and pay for it before you leave. This may be self-evident to those who use the telephone more than we did, but US purchased phone cards are worthless. You can buy HR phone cards for various amounts, starting at 15 Kuna (about $2.50). The HR phone cards make it fairly seamless, hassle free and inexpensive.
We found Hvar to be very much less touristed than Dubrovnik. I guess it is a matter of accessibility. Man! When those tour buses let their folks off, Dubrovnik had a human traffic flood! Far fewer folks in Hvar.
We had had some reservations about travel to Croatia, but found this trip to be the most pleasant, stress-free vacation to Europe we have ever had! Extensive research through books, the internet are key elements. We have found MANY travelers do not study the ins and outs of traveling in the country they are going to, much less the culture or the language. My wife and I try to blend in, learning some key phrases, trying to dress conservatively or like the local folk, using public transport, eating local foods and shopping at the city markets.
Jay Gertz, USA (Feb 05)
Moving About
This is a general comment about your last edition of the Croatia guide: Although you mention that the visitors to Zagreb buy the daily ticket for the tram (page 67) you do not mention that these tickets must be validated right away or risk arrest. The second day we were in Zagreb, got the daily tickets and luckily we validated them as soon as we got in the tram even though it was very croweded. A minute and a stop later, an undercover policewoman came in the tram, looked around and came straight to the spot where we were standing. She displayed a badge (FBI style) and asked for tickets; she checked to make sure that they were validated and then got off without ever checking on anybody else's. The three days we were in Zagreb and after 30 or so rides in the trams, we never saw any locals purchsing or validating tickets, BUT, tourists beware.
Vic Sofras, USA (Apr 06)
When travelling through Croatia in Sept/Oct 2005 we found that we were charged 10 kuna per person when traveling on buses to have our luggage on the bus. This was not included in ticket prices. We got caught out as we were leaving the country, had bought our ticket and got rid of the rest of our money, then had a big drama. No idea why they do not include this in the price of the ticket.
Bronwyn Buckingham, New Zealand (Nov 05)
We took a ferry from the island of Korcula to the island of Mljet. This ferry dropped us a half hour walk from Sobra. The only ATM and National Park are in Pomena (the other end of the island) and we had endless problems trying to get from Sobra to Pomena. The bus travels just once/twice a day and it is too far to walk! We met loads of other people who'd ended up either in the same position, or stranded in between the two places at nightfall! There are very few houses in between and people were stranded on the side of the road looking dehydrated.
Anne Clarkin, Ireland (Sep 05)
Nova International run a boat service from Gruz Harbour and Lapad to the Elafiti Islands. Perfect if you don't want to be crammed on one of those horrible tourist boats offering a free fish picnic. The Hotel Line runs in Peak Season and leaves Lapad at 9:35. Fares are around K30 for a one way trip.
David Craig, UK (Sep 05)
The main bus station in Dubrovnik has moved even further out of town. It is situated now in the harbour area, north-west of the Jadrolinja Ferry Wharf. The street used to be called 'Gruska' but was recently renamed 'Obala Pape Ivana Pavla II'.
Pim Bonne, Belgium (Aug 05)
It is a good idea to buy bus tickets in advance and reserve your seat for long distance journeys. we were lucky but we saw some people who had to stand for the whole 5 hour journey from Dubrovnik to Split.
Jen Sleigh, UK (Jul 05)
The bus to Split airport only seems to meet Croatian Airlines flights. The local bus 37 to the airport takes 45-50 minutes, and it is a zone 3 ticket costing 15KN.
Julian Hinvest, UK (Jul 05)
Croatia, Krk Island: For the numerous European readers going by car, you could perhaps mention that the ferry to Rab only operates in high season. This year they started around May 26th (We had to go back from Baska to the bridge in the north.).
Michael Unger, Germany (Jun 05)
Be sure to check the newest possible road information when driving north from Dubrovnik towards Zagreb or Rijeka. A new north-south motorway is under construction and several maps already include it, claiming it will be finished in 2005. There are also signs as far south as Split which direct you to the motorway. The problem is that you have to drive lengthy distances to get to the motorway, then use it only for 20 km or so and finally spend hours driving on small roads trying to find your way back to the Croatian coast. This happens several times en route, so stick to the coastal road to save time.
Rolf Palmberg, Finland (May 05)
Travel between Hvar and Korcula: there also seems to be a direct catamaran that runs between not only Hvar and Split, but Hvar and Korcula as well. One only needs to worry about the big Jadrolina ferry if traveling by automobile.
Lonely Planet cited taking the #37 bus from Split in order to get to Trogir. We found this a terrible way to get to Trogir. For one thing, first you have to find the correct bus station to leave from and it is NOT easy to find if you don't speak Croatian. In order to get to the suburban bus station on Domovinskog rala or the one on Zagrebacka requires quite a hike (from the ferry terminal.) We found the bus stopped at every block on the way and it took over an hour, maybe even an hour and a half. Crowded at peak times and stifling in warm weather. It is much easier to catch an express or direct from the bus station directly north of the ferry terminal on Obala Kneza Domagoja.
Not enough can be said about the joy of Croatian long distance bus travel. Coaches are clean, efficient and run precisely on time. Their bus system seems to be comparable to the Germans. And it definitely beats traveling by plane on an American carrier.
Jay Gertz, USA (Feb 05)
Split: Although our guidebooks told us it was possible to buy city bus tickets at kiosks, we were somehow never able to find a kiosk that actually sold them. We always paid on the bus, and the driver was usually able to make change. You still have to validate the ticket the driver sells you in one of the little boxes.
Long Distance Buses Super bus service in Croatia - in our experience they give the Swiss a run for their money in punctuality, so don't be late! Also, the driver shows no mercy when leaving after brief rest stops and it seemed all too easy to be left behind, so keep careful track of time. Since the longer distance buses are run by all different companies, the same trip can differ a bit in price depending on which company it is. If saving pennies is important, it would be worth asking the prices of the different buses leaving to the same location around the same time (ex - we saved a bit taking an 8 am bus to Dubrovnik from Split rather than the 8:30 - and it made one or two fewer stops so the ride was shorter as well)
Elizabeth Walker, USA (Nov 04)
Scams & Warnings
I was on Lopud - one of the Elephite islands. Quiet enough really but I decided to spend 2 nights there. Anyway, I followed their sign posted "trekking trail". Near the top of the island I wandered off the main trail about 100 feet or so and happened upon a mine field sign. Just to let you guys know that they are out there on the islands as well! - I had thought that it was just a mainland phenomenon.
Brendan Griffin, Ireland (Oct 05)
I would like to report an incident to you on the Croatian island of Vis in the Adriatic.
My girlfriend and I visited the island in August for 10 days and had a beautiful time there. However, there are obviously unmarked areas with landmines on the island around where the former Yugoslav army had their bases. Unfortumately, neither your guide book nor the official island map or any island tourist office talk about the threat. However, local people know it and on July 19, 2005 a Dutch tourist lost one leg when stepping on a mine on the Mt Hum. As I said, there is no official information about the mine threat on the island and no signs posted. Only after adamant asking at a tourist office we got a quite contrasting information: Never enter former bases of the Yugoslav army (Mt Hum, Stupisce Lighthouse and others) even if the complex looks rotten, only walk on frequently used trails, donā??t go hiking in the woods.
Ekkehard Kauffmann, Switzerland (Aug 05)
SLAVONIA - VUKOVAR - Danube Riverbank/Mines - Note that the Danube riverbank east of Vukovar (when you walk down on the strip of grass from the parking next to Hotel Dunav) is a mine-suspected area (nobody has bothered to mark it as such, though - so, if you walk there, you may well run into the unforgettable experience of detonating a mine or a piece of unexploded ordnance). The area should be cleared during the coming months.
Michael Weiner (Jun 05)
I wish to advise you of a local con/scam that unfortunately I was a victim of in Split but is common in Croatia. I went to a strip joint/Go Go bar as they are called and had 2 drinks while a woman sat with me & had a drink. When I went to leave I was presented with a bill for AU$650 which I of course strongly disagreed with. After they insisted that the bill was correct & included the womans drink which I did not order, I asked for the Police to be called at which point I was beaten by a huge man and I chose to pay the bill on my credit card, thinking I may have some chance to stop it. Unfotunately it took me 90 minutes to get through to Australia to my bank and was told it had gone through. I am following the normal channels through my bank to dispute the transaction.
Anonymous (May 05)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
In the city of Zadar there is a new sight which is not yet included in the present guide. You can find it in Zadar on the peninsula (old town) at the north-western promenade. It is some kind of flute system which is under the sea surface. When a wave reaches the coast it pushes the air inside the stones out through some flutes. By doing this wonderful and fascinating noises come out of the flutes which are installed right under your feet, in the stones which constitute the promenade walk. When I visited Zadar this flute system was working so well that you could hear it from 500m far away. This attracted lots of people who are just standing at the promenade and are looking for the place where the mysterious sound comes from. In my view this sight should in any case be included in your guide as it is now one of the most attractive sights in Zadar. Moreover, it is an innovative idea and fascinating architecture which I have not seen so far.
Martin Scepanek, Germany (Aug 05)
I enjoyed my stay in Dubrovnik, but what really made my holiday was sea kayaking! I took a half day tour to departing from Lapad Bay to the island of Kolocep. It was unforgetable experience. After about 30 minutes of paddling we reached the island and we stopped at the most fantastic place that you can imagine-the Blue Cave. You don't see it from outside, since the entrance is very low. We left the kayaks and we swam inside. The bottom is sandy and the reflection of sun rays creates that unbelievably torqoise blue color.
After visiting the cave we paddled to small village on the island where we had lunch. It was delicious: small fried fish, cought by local fishermen that morning! We returned to Lapad Bay in early afternoon. It was an unforgetable trip and the price was very reasonable: 250kunas (aprx. €35). Lunch and transfer from our hotel were included in this price.
Tanya Leedson, Sweden (Jul 05)
Snowboarding in Croatia. Whilst I realise that Croatia is not famed for it's ski facilities the slopes we visited are easily worth a mention purely because of their ideal location, just outside of Zagreb's city centre. Here are details on how to get there: From the main square take the no.14 tram to Mihaljevac (the last stop) and transfer to tram 15 and take that to Dolje (also at the end of the line). From there you must walk through a long tunnel before emerging on the other side, and walking another ten minutes to the cable car station. Cable cars leave/return every hour on the hour and cost 17KN for a return. Once at the resort prices are very reasonable. Lessons will cost 140KN for the first hour and then 90KN for every subsequent hour. Equipment rental is similarly cheap at around 140KN for a day (although we somehow managed to get it for 70KN for a day).
Lee Bone, UK (Feb 05)
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