TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
I'm really rather interested in doing a brief week long trip through the six countries in the Balkan region that I haven't yet been to - Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo - and I mainly mean the capitals, with the exception of Montenegro, where I've heard that Podgorica is pretty rubbish, and there I'm looking at Kotor and Budva instead.
Now, although some people have been fast to warn me off of Albania and Kosovo, I've looked into it and it seems that they're perfectly safe to go to for a day, just to be guarded as there could be terrorist attacks, but really, that could happen in any major city. And I've also learned to do Serbia before Kosovo, as there is a small chance that Serbian border force could refuse entry to someone with a Kosovo stamp on their passport.
I was thinking of going around Easter time, with a nice early flight from London to Tirana arriving around 10am that Ryanair have for £20, which gives me a full day to explore before taking a 9pm overnight coach to Skopje for £17. I can do a full morning and afternoon there before taking a coach to Belgrade at 5pm for £21. That'll get me there around midnight, but there's a single room in a hotel for £16 I can get some sleep in, then have a full day in Belgrade before leaving on the 10pm night bus to Sarajevo (£24.) Full day there and overnight (hotel single room only £8!) before a coach to Kotor leaves at 7am, costing £22, arriving 3pm. Here, I can actually get an apartment with a private beach for the night at only £23, and an early morning bus to the beautiful beach town of Budva for £6, where I can swim and explore for a few hours, and then take a £17 4pm coach to Pristina. There's a £12 double room there, and then a full day to be had in Kosovo's capital until the very reasonably priced £26 Wizz flight back to London at 10pm.
I just have a few questions.
Does that sound reasonably safe for a young solo traveller, and more importantly, can I rely on the long distance buses to actually show up, be easy to find, and be safe to travel on? I'm a very independent and savvy traveller despite my age, and many of the 38 countries I've visited have been done solo or leading the pair/group, but obviously your advice is welcomed.
I've been to Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria, and I don't plan to incorporate those into this trip, so while it would have been lovely for you to suggest it, I might as well save you the typing, as I don't want to visit those three on this occasion, much as I like all three.
Thanks!
Now, although some people have been fast to warn me off of Albania and Kosovo, I've looked into it and it seems that they're perfectly safe to go to for a day, just to be guarded as there could be terrorist attacks, but really, that could happen in any major city. And I've also learned to do Serbia before Kosovo, as there is a small chance that Serbian border force could refuse entry to someone with a Kosovo stamp on their passport.
I was thinking of going around Easter time, with a nice early flight from London to Tirana arriving around 10am that Ryanair have for £20, which gives me a full day to explore before taking a 9pm overnight coach to Skopje for £17. I can do a full morning and afternoon there before taking a coach to Belgrade at 5pm for £21. That'll get me there around midnight, but there's a single room in a hotel for £16 I can get some sleep in, then have a full day in Belgrade before leaving on the 10pm night bus to Sarajevo (£24.) Full day there and overnight (hotel single room only £8!) before a coach to Kotor leaves at 7am, costing £22, arriving 3pm. Here, I can actually get an apartment with a private beach for the night at only £23, and an early morning bus to the beautiful beach town of Budva for £6, where I can swim and explore for a few hours, and then take a £17 4pm coach to Pristina. There's a £12 double room there, and then a full day to be had in Kosovo's capital until the very reasonably priced £26 Wizz flight back to London at 10pm.
I just have a few questions.
Does that sound reasonably safe for a young solo traveller, and more importantly, can I rely on the long distance buses to actually show up, be easy to find, and be safe to travel on? I'm a very independent and savvy traveller despite my age, and many of the 38 countries I've visited have been done solo or leading the pair/group, but obviously your advice is welcomed.
I've been to Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria, and I don't plan to incorporate those into this trip, so while it would have been lovely for you to suggest it, I might as well save you the typing, as I don't want to visit those three on this occasion, much as I like all three.
Thanks!
Malta was having issues with some Albanians when I was there two years ago, though I'm sure the majority are very nice.