AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures
Balkans 2018: 11-Day Tour
The Balkans: 28th April to 7th May 2018
Medium Group (Non-cycling) 10-Day Tour of the Balkans:
(Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Slovenia):
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)>KLIA>fly Emirates>Dubai Airport (Dubai) (transit)>fly Emirates>Venice Airport (Venice, Italy)>bus>Opatija (Croatia)>Plitvice Lake>Šibenik>Split>Dubrovnik>Kotor (Montenegro)>Budva>Mostar (Bosnia)>Sarajevo>Zagreb (Croatia)>Bled Island (Slovenia)>Ljubljana>Postojna Cave>Noveta Di Piave >Venice Airport (Venice, Italy)>fly Emirates>Dubai Airport (Dubai) (transit)>fly Emirates>KLIA>Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
(Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Slovenia):
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)>KLIA>fly Emirates>Dubai Airport (Dubai) (transit)>fly Emirates>Venice Airport (Venice, Italy)>bus>Opatija (Croatia)>Plitvice Lake>Šibenik>Split>Dubrovnik>Kotor (Montenegro)>Budva>Mostar (Bosnia)>Sarajevo>Zagreb (Croatia)>Bled Island (Slovenia)>Ljubljana>Postojna Cave>Noveta Di Piave >Venice Airport (Venice, Italy)>fly Emirates>Dubai Airport (Dubai) (transit)>fly Emirates>KLIA>Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
(See day-to-day blogs for more detailed routes)
The Balkans is an intriguing place covering several countries, mainly those of the former Yugoslavia. It's intriguing because of the complicated process of how it became one country and later broke up into several countries from 1918 to 2006. It came into existence following World War I, under the name of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, following centuries of foreign rule over the region under the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy. The kingdom was invaded and occupied by the Axis powers in April 1941, during World War II, and the Communist-led Partisan resistance went on to proclaim it the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia. Partisan leader Josip Broz Tito ruled the country from 1944 until his death in 1980. In 1963, the country was renamed for the final time, as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). The six constituent republics that made up the SFRY were the socialist republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. After an economic and political crisis and the rise of nationalism and ethnic conflicts following Tito's death, Yugoslavia broke up along its republics' borders during the Revolutions of 1989, at first into five countries, [with the republics of Montenegro and Serbia forming a reduced federative state, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY)], leading to the Yugoslav Wars. The FRY was dissolved when Montenegro and Serbia each became independent states in 2006.
So here we are visiting these countries that have gone through almost a century of strife, with some still having clear memories of their difficulties.
The Balkans is an intriguing place covering several countries, mainly those of the former Yugoslavia. It's intriguing because of the complicated process of how it became one country and later broke up into several countries from 1918 to 2006. It came into existence following World War I, under the name of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, following centuries of foreign rule over the region under the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy. The kingdom was invaded and occupied by the Axis powers in April 1941, during World War II, and the Communist-led Partisan resistance went on to proclaim it the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia. Partisan leader Josip Broz Tito ruled the country from 1944 until his death in 1980. In 1963, the country was renamed for the final time, as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). The six constituent republics that made up the SFRY were the socialist republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. After an economic and political crisis and the rise of nationalism and ethnic conflicts following Tito's death, Yugoslavia broke up along its republics' borders during the Revolutions of 1989, at first into five countries, [with the republics of Montenegro and Serbia forming a reduced federative state, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY)], leading to the Yugoslav Wars. The FRY was dissolved when Montenegro and Serbia each became independent states in 2006.
So here we are visiting these countries that have gone through almost a century of strife, with some still having clear memories of their difficulties.
(Note: This is an expansion of a brief blog of our Balkans 2018 tour, which is now expanded to more detailed daily blogs.)
(Click here to go to the Balkans 2018 Main FB Album)
(Click here to go to the Balkans 2018 Main FB Album)
BLOGS
Below are the daily blogs of our tour. click on the respective photos to read. Further below are some travel trips for this region. It was an interesting and awesome tour, so come and have a look:
DAILY BLOGS COMING.....
STAY TUNED!!!!!
(Next... Russia) ___________________________________________________________________________________ Balkans 2018: Day 01 to 05 Map (Venice to Budva - 986km) Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)>KLIA>fly Emirates>Dubai Airport (Dubai) (transit)>fly Emirates>Venice Airport (Venice, Italy)>bus>Opatija (Croatia)>Plitvice Lake>Šibenik>Split>Dubrovnik>Kotor (Montenegro)>Budva. (Click Here for the Balkans Day 01 to Day 05 (Venice to Budva Route Map) See respective daily blogs for detailed daily route maps. Balkans 2018: Day 06 to 10 Map (Budva to Venice - 1006km) Budva>Mostar (Bosnia)>Sarajevo>Zagreb (Croatia)>Bled Island (Slovenia)>Ljubljana>Postojna Cave>Noveta Di Piave >Venice Airport (Venice, Italy)>fly Emirates>Dubai Airport (Dubai) (transit)>fly Emirates>KLIA>Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). (Click Here for the Balkans Day 06 to Day 10 ( Budva to Venice Route Map) See respective daily blogs for detailed daily route maps. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Related Balkan Blogs:
___________________________________________________________________________________ TRAVEL TIPS FOR BALKANS Below are some general tips on travelling in the Balkans: 1. Traffic Directions! Driving in the Balkans is left-hand drive, and driving is on the right-hand side of the road. Do look to the correct side when crossing roads. Speed limits are 50 km/h within urban areas, 80-110 km/h outside, and 110-130 km/h on highways; click here for details for each country. Here are some tips for driving in the Balkans. 2. Getting to & around the Balkans. The twenty of us flew return to Venice via Emirates Airlines, transiting in Dubai. From Venice Marco Polo Airport we travelled to and around the Balkans with a local guide (Lamija from Bosnia) on a 52-seater Neoplan Cityliner. In Slovenia, we took a pletna boat over to Bled Island. Click here for airlines serving the Balkans. Click here for a guide to public transport at the Balkans. Timothy of Ace Tours & Travel organised this guided 11-day tour at around MYR10,000 per pax. This cost included flight fare, ground arrangements, hotel bookings, almost all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), and entry tickets. For out-of-pocket spending, we exchanged some Euros for use in Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, & Slovenia). In Bosnia, we exchanged some Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible Marks at local money changers as soon as we arrived in the country. We also brought along our Big Pay debit cards, as these can be used to withdraw local money at ATMs. Debit and credit cards can also be used, but many smaller shops or market stalls only accept cash transactions. 3. Immigration & Customs Requirements Except for Bosnia, Malaysian tourists entering the Balkans do not need a visa to enter the region and stay for up to 90 days but must have a valid passport with at least six months remaining from the date of leaving the region. Click here for countries that are also exempt. For Malaysians, leaving and returning to Malaysia, getting through immigration is easier now. Just install and register MyDigitalID or MyBorderPass, and getting through will be a breeze. A QR code will be generated; have this scanned, and you're through. 4. Places & Things of Interests There were many scenic and interesting places of interest, but the following should not be missed : - Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera) (GPS: 44.86539, 15.58201) in Croatia. - taking the Pletna Boat to Bled Island (Blejski Otok) (GPS: 46.36237, 14.09011) in Slovenia. - Postojna Caves (Postojnska Jama) (GPS: 45.78124, 14.20549) in Slovenia. 5. Food Food in the Balkans is a rich mix of Ottoman, Mediterranean, and Central European influences, centered on grilled meats, flaky pastries, slow-cooked stews, and fresh dairy. The following should not be missed: - Burek, oven-baked layered filo pastry containing savoury fillings wrapped in a spiral. - Sarma (Sarma), food made of leaves (usually cabbage) rolled around a filling of minced meat, grains such as rice, or both. While Japrak is made with grape vine leaves and is usually found in Bosnia - Šopska Salad (Šopska salata). - Rakija, a fruit brandy, often home-made. Variants include Šljivovica, made from damson plums, and Loza, a clear and colorless spirit distilled from fermented fresh grapes. 6. Accommodations Accommodations were mostly in hotels, and the tour cost included them. 7. Communicating with Each Other Back in 2018, individual SIM cards were not cheap, so we rented the Roaming Man Pocket Wi-Fi, which can be shared by up to five devices. The only disadvantage is that each device must stay within 10 to 15 meters (about 30 to 50 feet) of the pocket Wi-Fi device to maintain a reliable Wi-Fi signal. These days, SIM cards suitable for the Balkans can be bought online. From Hello1010, a 6gB 15-day physical SIM card that covers the Balkans & Europe costs MYR69 (MYR32 during offer period); whilst a 10gB 15-day e-SIM costs MYR102 (MYR77 during offer), and a 20gB 15-day eSim costs MYR185 (MYR139 during offer). Click here for other e-SIM variants. 8. Communicating with Locals In countries formerly part of Yugoslavia, locals largely understand Serbo-Croatian. Most younger generations, tourism workers, and city residents speak good English. Proficiency drops off in rural areas or smaller towns. 9. Dressing When entering churches, monasteries, and mosques, it is advisable to wear long pants, especially for women. Ladies will also have to wear headscarves or veils. Caps and hats should be taken off when in churches and monasteries. 10. Weather May is overall quite comfortable, though spring weather can be changeable. One might experience a sunny afternoon followed by a cool, rainy day. Lowlands and Cities: Daytime temperatures generally range from 20°C to 25°C across most urban and lower-altitude areas. Higher elevations and mountain ranges stay cooler, averaging 15°C to 20°C, though higher passes may still have patches of residual snow. Coastal areas along the Adriatic and Ionian seas are warm and pleasant for walking or exploring, though the sea is generally still brisk or cool for swimming (roughly 17°C to 19°C). 11. Navigation ___________________________________________________________________________________ You may also like :
If you like this, view my other blogs at Jotaro's Blog (comments most welcomed below. if you like this pls share via Facebook or Twitter |
