# Montenegro, Albania & Macedonia ....



## Bagshanty

...returning by way of Bulgaria & Romania

We have reached Kotor in Montenegro - VERY touristy.

I am posting my first ever blog on http:\\balkanbeetle.blogspot.com. I shall be noting campsites and wild camping spots as we go. Some Germans we met this morning on their way back from Albania have been incredibly helpful..

(posted from the free wifi at the Kotor Tourist Information Office)

Andy


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## EJB

Excellent 

Direct link:- http://balkanbeetle.blogspot.co.uk/


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## Don_Madge

Bagshanty said:


> ...returning by way of Bulgaria & Romania
> 
> We have reached Kotor in Montenegro - VERY touristy.
> 
> I am posting my first ever blog on http:\\balkanbeetle.blogspot.com. I shall be noting campsites and wild camping spots as we go. Some Germans we met this morning on their way back from Albania have been incredibly helpful..
> 
> (posted from the free wifi at the Kotor Tourist Information Office)
> 
> Andy


Hi Andy,

About the last 15 miles of coastal road to the Albanian border is being resurfaced. The conditions are very bad in places. We were there last month and it was slow going, 1st gear in many places.

Enjoy.

Don


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## Bagshanty

Thanks Don. The road from Dubrovnik to the Montenegro border is in a similar state for about 8 miles. 

We're now at Kamping Boce in Zabljak, 1500 meters asl, in 2 " snow! I didn't pack my woolly knickers for a trip to the Adriatic! Cost only €9.

Andy


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## Don_Madge

Hi andy,

You most likely know about camping Albania but if not I can highly recommend it. The Dutch owners are very friendly.

http://www.camping-albania.eu/

Safe travelling.

Don


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## Bagshanty

*More Montenegro*

I have updated my blog http://balkanbeetle.blogspot.com/. Now back on the coast, nearing the Albanian border. As the country is 90% mountain there are very few wild camping locations, but there are some good and cheap campsites. (and some dilapidated ones too)

The roads, except for some terrifyingly black tunnels, have been very good.


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## Bagshanty

Don_Madge said:


> Hi andy,
> 
> You most likely know about camping Albania but if not I can highly recommend it. The Dutch owners are very friendly.
> 
> http://www.camping-albania.eu/
> 
> Safe travelling.
> 
> Don


Thanks Don, posting this from their free wifi. This will be our 3rd night here. Lat night was the Dutch owners' 23rd wedding anniversary, and the party was just great! - see photos
Albania has a very similar feel to Romania (and we love Romania)


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## markmallory

*Help please with info on insurance at Montenegran border?*


Hi Andy, Don & Ted.
We are planning a trip to Croatia and Montenegro in August/September. I have found this thread and am reading "Beetling Round the Balkans" with great interest - thank you.
Please may I ask if anyone can advise on insurance for driving in Bosnia and for Montenegro.
My current insurer (Comfort) provides full cover for Croatia but are unwilling to provide any Green Card cover at all for Bosnia or for Montenegro, not even minimum third party.
As I understand, it is possible to buy insurance cover at the border entry point to then drive legally and stand police checks.
Can anyone give any further info / advice?
Thank you,
Mark.


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## Don_Madge

Hi mark,

In April we paid €15 for 14 days third party insurance for Montenegro.

Yo mention Bosnia, are you referring to the Neum corridor or do you plan to spent time in the country?

We passed through the Neum corridor in April and for the first time our passports were checked at each end by the Bosnian and Croatian border guards. 

We ran uninsured for the 10 miles through Bosnia.

If you don't want to use the corridor you can bypass it by using the ferries.

Enjoy your trip.

Don


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## markmallory

*THANK YOU*

Hello Don,

Thanks for that. 
I had read some other confusing info, €15 was mentioned by someone, so thanks for confirming.
You certainly know the area, we are only intending to use the Neum corridor to transit as you mention and I would take the uninsured chance as you.
I have read someone saying they were held up at the Bosnian border and told they must pay €100 for insurance! 
I have noticed the ferry option - hmm - a Croatian Ferry or Bosnian Roads - which is the lesser of two evils?

Are you currently in UK or travelling?

Regards,
Mark.


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## Don_Madge

Hi Mark,

We have used both the ferry and road route and both were OK. The road through the Neum is in good condition and we enjoyed visiting the islands whilst using the ferries.

On our way home from Turkey this year we paid €65 for third party insurance in Macedonia and the Serbians wanted €100, we declined there very generous offer and went via Albania who charged us €27 the same as we paid in 2010.

It will be very interesting to see what happens when the motorway the Croatians are building to Dubrovnik reaches the Neum corridor, it's getting very close to it now.

Regards

Don


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## markmallory

Thanks again Don for the info, it's great to speak to someone who knows.

Do you recall the cost of the ferry and how long it took? I think I may have seen somewhere that there are three sailings a day and it is about £30.

We will probably go for the driving through Neum corrider without insurance and have the ferry as a turn round back-up plan if we can't get through at the Bosnian border.

Regards,
Mark.


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## Don_Madge

markmallory said:


> Thanks again Don for the info, it's great to speak to someone who knows.
> 
> Do you recall the cost of the ferry and how long it took? I think I may have seen somewhere that there are three sailings a day and it is about £30.
> 
> We will probably go for the driving through Neum corrider without insurance and have the ferry as a turn round back-up plan if we can't get through at the Bosnian border.
> 
> Regards,
> Mark.


Hi Mark,

Details of the Ploce-Trapanj ferries HERE

We paid KN247 for a 6 metre van and 2 pax. That's about £27 at today's exchange rate. The trip takes about an hour.

Regards

Don


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## markmallory

Thanks again Don,

I notice you have a Timberland Freedom. We have a similar Van Conversion - a 6m Autocruise Accent.

We have just returned from a trip to Italy, my other half made her first attempt at a Blog, if you are interested:
www
.talesofharry.blogspot.
com


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## Bagshanty

We went to Bosnia a few years ago covered by Saga, but the only company that would do insurance for Montenegro, Serbia (except Kosova) Macedonia & Albania was Caravanguard, and that at an extra cost. That is fully comp insurance, not just third party.

Our Bosnia trip is here http://www.pippins.me.uk/2009%20Bosnia/2009_Bosnia.htm. Do make sure you go to Sarajevo


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## Bagshanty

Now in Bulgaria, having crossed Macedonia, where there was only one campsite open, an that was a throwback to the gulags! Our last visit to Bulgaria ended in disaster, when the river at Plovdiv burst its banks (in 2005). Daily Mail readers may be surprised to hear we really enjoyed Albania, the people are hard working and friendly, and resourceful. Roads are rapidly improving, and we have been on far worse roads in the last 2 days in Bulgaria.

One close call in Macedonia - sitting under a tree reading a book, a loud crack - and a large bough landed only 5 feet away.
Blog has been updated, http://balkanbeetle.blogspot.co.uk/

Home in 3 weeks


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## Bagshanty

*Romania - and interesting monastic paintings*

We're now at one of our favorite sites, Oude Wilg in Romania, owned by a Dutch/Romanian couple.

I have updated my blog, http://balkanbeetle.blogspot.com, the latest update covers Romania so far


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## Bagshanty

A Google Earth type view of our route through Montenegro, Albania & Macedonia, callected by a satellite tracker, can be seen here:

http://www.a-trip.com/tracks/view/107902

(Select map view, and stop or pause the rather naff little red car whizzing round the route, then use the page just like Google Earth with our route superimposed)

Unfortunately there is a gap in Albania where I failed to turn the device on properly


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## Bagshanty

*Satellite tracker*

I have been asked what I used to track our route.

I used i-gotu, a small device from Maplins, http://www.maplin.co.uk/gps-travel-tracker-227620, then uploaded the trip to the atrip website http://www.a-trip.com

Each evening I downloaded the route to the laptop, cleared the data from the device, and recharged the battery. It worked well, except for a small glitch in Albania when I didn't turn it on properly (hence the gap)


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## pomme1

Apologies for resurrecting an old post, but does anyone know if there are height or other size restrictions on the Ploce - Trapanj ferries? My 'van is 7.4m long and approx. 3m high.

Roger


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## Don_Madge

pomme1 said:


> Apologies for resurrecting an old post, but does anyone know if there are height or other size restrictions on the Ploce - Trapanj ferries? My 'van is 7.4m long and approx. 3m high.
> 
> Roger


Hi Roger,

We used the ferry in 2010, you should have no problems with your size of van.

Don


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## Bagshanty

pomme1 said:


> Apologies for resurrecting an old post, but does anyone know if there are height or other size restrictions on the Ploce - Trapanj ferries? My 'van is 7.4m long and approx. 3m high.
> 
> Roger


As far as I recall, no restrictions - it takes buses and lorries (and we wild camped on the quay, but beware parking where the vehicles queue for the ferry)

Andy


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## pomme1

Thanks Don and Andy, that was the reply I was hoping for!

Roger


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