Advice please - Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina (2 Viewers)

[Poms_from_Adelaide]

Hi

Thinking of hiring a motorhome for about three weeks in September/October 2024 and touring Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

We've recently done similar for two weeks in Bulgaria, starting from Sofia, heading south to Melnik, then across to Devin, up to Plovdiv, out to the coast, then to Velika Tarnovo, Sotop and back to Sofia. Stayed couple of nights in some places, just the one in others.

Thinking 14nights in Croatia down the coast from Rovinj, then 7 nights up through BiH before flying home from Zagreb. Does this sound too much to fit in? Should we focus on one or the other?

Also, those of you who have visited the Croatian islands during your trips, have you taken your MoHo across on a ferry, or left it on the mainland and done day trips as foot passengers?

Very early planning stages as yet, as the airlines haven't released flight times and prices for Sept'24 yet, but any itinerary suggestions gratefully received!

 

[sallylillian]

We island hopped with our 12 ton Morelo. From Split up to Krk we hardly touched the mainland. Would have done more but ran out of time. Great fun.

 

[MattR]

Hi

Thinking of hiring a motorhome for about three weeks in September/October 2024 and touring Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

We've recently done similar for two weeks in Bulgaria, starting from Sofia, heading south to Melnik, then across to Devin, up to Plovdiv, out to the coast, then to Velika Tarnovo, Sotop and back to Sofia. Stayed couple of nights in some places, just the one in others.

Thinking 14nights in Croatia down the coast from Rovinj, then 7 nights up through BiH before flying home from Zagreb. Does this sound too much to fit in? Should we focus on one or the other?

Also, those of you who have visited the Croatian islands during your trips, have you taken your MoHo across on a ferry, or left it on the mainland and done day trips as foot passengers?

Very early planning stages as yet, as the airlines haven't released flight times and prices for Sept'24 yet, but any itinerary suggestions gratefully received!

The timings sound good. I'd go as early as possible as I've heard that September is much nicer than October but others can advise better as our experiences were from 15 yrs ago.

We had 2 weeks doing what you're aiming for but didn't go to the islands and only had 3 days in BH but it is well worth going to. Sarajevo is fascinating.

Tour slowly in BH... Parts are mountainous with slow roads. The harvest is likely to be underway and folk will be pressing fruit to make into spirits etc..... Lots of rural life to see and soak in.

Lake Plitvice National Park is beautiful and is close to some of the best places to look for bears... https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jun/28/croatia-national-parks-bear-watching

Have fun

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[Poms_from_Adelaide]

The timings sound good. I'd go as early as possible as I've heard that September is much nicer than October but others can advise better as our experiences were from 15 yrs ago.

We had 2 weeks doing what you're aiming for but didn't go to the islands and only had 3 days in BH but it is well worth going to. Sarajevo is fascinating.

Tour slowly in BH... Parts are mountainous with slow roads. The harvest is likely to be underway and folk will be pressing fruit to make into spirits etc..... Lots of rural life to see and soak in.

Lake Plitvice National Park is beautiful and is close to some of the best places to look for bears... https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/jun/28/croatia-national-parks-bear-watching

Have fun

Fabulous - we went on a bear hunt in Slovenia (with cameras, not guns...although our guide had a gun, just in case)and it was amazing! I've found the ber sanctuary in Croatia already and put it on my list!

After the roads in Bulgaria, I think anything else will feel like motorways!

 

[Poms_from_Adelaide]

Me again - flights, motorhome hire, etc now all booked - slight change of plan as TinTin Tightwad said he would rather be here in September and away in June, so trip is now 2weeks in May in the UK, Easyjet flight to Ljubljana start of June, pick up motorhome from the lovely Marta at Odhod, then head immediately to Croatia then Bosnia then Croatia again for three weeks in June.

Question for anyone that has travelled through Croatia in June (2nd and 4th weeks or thereabouts): did you find you needed to book campsites in advance, or could you just turn up? I'm thinking of booking the Plitvice Lakes one in advance (I'm looking at Camping Bear) and maybe the Dubrovnik one (Camping Pod Maslinom) but not sure how busy it normally is that time of year.

Has anyone travelled similar time of year and did you find it ok just turning up on spec at campsites?

Edit: Just found out Camping Bear don't take reservations so that's one question answered!

 

[MattR]

Me again - flights, motorhome hire, etc now all booked - slight change of plan as TinTin Tightwad said he would rather be here in September and away in June, so trip is now 2weeks in May in the UK, Easyjet flight to Ljubljana start of June, pick up motorhome from the lovely Marta at Odhod, then head immediately to Croatia then Bosnia then Croatia again for three weeks in June.

Question for anyone that has travelled through Croatia in June (2nd and 4th weeks or thereabouts): did you find you needed to book campsites in advance, or could you just turn up? I'm thinking of booking the Plitvice Lakes one in advance (I'm looking at Camping Bear) and maybe the Dubrovnik one (Camping Pod Maslinom) but not sure how busy it normally is that time of year.

Has anyone travelled similar time of year and did you find it ok just turning up on spec at campsites?

Edit: Just found out Camping Bear don't take reservations so that's one question answered!

Edit: my response appears to be out of date so I've deleted it.

However, school holidays won't have started in June so sites are unlikely to be full. July and August would be much busier with Dutch, Germans and Italians.
.

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[jongood]

Me again - flights, motorhome hire, etc now all booked - slight change of plan as TinTin Tightwad said he would rather be here in September and away in June, so trip is now 2weeks in May in the UK, Easyjet flight to Ljubljana start of June, pick up motorhome from the lovely Marta at Odhod, then head immediately to Croatia then Bosnia then Croatia again for three weeks in June.

Question for anyone that has travelled through Croatia in June (2nd and 4th weeks or thereabouts): did you find you needed to book campsites in advance, or could you just turn up? I'm thinking of booking the Plitvice Lakes one in advance (I'm looking at Camping Bear) and maybe the Dubrovnik one (Camping Pod Maslinom) but not sure how busy it normally is that time of year.

Has anyone travelled similar time of year and did you find it ok just turning up on spec at campsites?

Edit: Just found out Camping Bear don't take reservations so that's one question answered!

Why dont you give yourself longer? Croatia is beautiful and the best of it is definitely away from motorways. One of my favourite roads is the e65 between Rijeka and Zadar with lots of little autocamps along the way, park with your wheels just above the water and eat in the family taverna or get the grill out. There will be surely some that you will just want to put your feet up and enjoy a bit longer. And you also have the islands to divert you.

Ferry prices for Croatian islands are generally not that bad and lots of motorhomes use them. We noticed last year that eating and camping prices have risen substantially and campsites were fuller some with queues outside ( aug- sep). Not sure about June - will depend on the weather but July is traditionally the Italian invasion.

 

[jongood]

I've not been there in June but would really doubt there is any need to book sites in advance. We didn't have issues finding spaces in early August and that was when the German and Dutch summer holidays were in full swing.

How long ago? It was mad busy last year.

 

[MattR]

How long ago? It was mad busy last year.

We were there quite a few years ago so I might be out of date. Was it busy in June?

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[jongood]

We were there Aug-sep and it was very busy

We were there quite a few years ago so I might be out of date. Was it busy in June?

Its changed massively since our last trip 4-5 years ago, a lot busier, quite a bit posher and noticably more expensive. It also has some new roads which is nice, the motorway around Rijeka is a sight in itself albeit the one most of us use to get there from Trieste is just as bad as it ever was.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

We went to Croatia towards the end of May last year and it was very busy on sites.
Luckily I had booked 12 months previously as we wanted front line pitches but even if I wanted a normal pitch I would book because come May it just gets busier until September.

We have just returned from a trip and definitely September is now getting very busy around so if I went again I would be looking at booking some of the more popular places well in advance.

 

[Poms_from_Adelaide]

Why dont you give yourself longer? Croatia is beautiful and the best of it is definitely away from motorways. One of my favourite roads is the e65 between Rijeka and Zadar with lots of little autocamps along the way, park with your wheels just above the water and eat in the family taverna or get the grill out. There will be surely some that you will just want to put your feet up and enjoy a bit longer. And you also have the islands to divert you.

Ferry prices for Croatian islands are generally not that bad and lots of motorhomes use them. We noticed last year that eating and camping prices have risen substantially and campsites were fuller some with queues outside ( aug- sep). Not sure about June - will depend on the weather but July is traditionally the Italian invasion.

Oh I would love to have longer, but we’re both still working here in Aus so five weeks is about the most we can manage to take time off and still have jobs to come back to, plus with the cost of flights this year (almost double what we paid in 2019!) and hire costs for the motorhome (around E100 a day) there is that limitation too

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