Analysis of our last holidays from our holidays

Holidays from our holidays are the trips we take to the countries where Dora is not covered by our UK insurance. On our last holidays from our holidays we have been to Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina. How much did we spend and what did we think of it?

Not as much as we thought. Our trip around the South of Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina lasted 11 days. We spent €823 compared to €780 budgeted for that period. Therefore, we overspent <€43>, 6%. This is a very good result. We must not forget that even in trips like this, we still use our original budget to compare costs.

To ease comparison with other countries we have included our usual graph and table, which shows the total costs of the trip but we have also provided a table detailing the costs in each country.

Travel

As expected, the biggest expense of these mini-holidays was transport. We took various sorts; ferries, buses, train and taxis. The total transportation costs amounted to €297, 68% over budget, out of which €66 related to ferries to the Croatian islands and €11 to the train from Sarajevo to Mostar. The remainder related to buses, taxis and luggage costs.

It should be noted that we would have spent more on travel had we kept with the original plan of hiring a car. The lowest quote we got from a hiring car company amounted to €320 for a week. It would have cost us more, as we travelled longer, plus petrol and parking. We would have also paid more at campsites for having our own vehicle.

Accommodation

Total accommodation costs amounted to <€193>, 89% over budget. We set up a benchmark of €24 per night, an ambitious objective to achieve, as we were in high season. We thought camping would be the cheapest option, but it wasn’t the case. Campsites seem to make the most of the high season, especially in Croatia. On the islands, camping cost up to €18 per night. Not very good value when a budget hotel cost only €7 more. Even with amazing facilities, a campsite is still a campsite.

So we ended up camping only in Morinj and Durmitor National park. The former cost €14 for one night and the latter €14 for two.

The rest of the nights we stayed in basic hostels. We booked all our accommodation via Booking.com and got really good deals. The average cost per night amounted to €20 per night.

Food

Eating cost us €299, which €216 of it related to eating out. The average cost of per meal, including wine, was €24. The average cost of lunches, including two meals at the campsites amounted to €8. We are not big eaters really.

Other

The €5 under the Communication costs related to a new charger which I had to buy for my mobile, as I forgot it in one of the hotels.

LPG and Laundry are costs associated with Dora. No Dora, no costs.

We bought ourselves a map to trek in Durmitor National Park. It cost us €12.

Activity costs were low, simply because of the nature of this trip. We spent most of the time swimming on the coasts of Croatia and Montenegro and trekking. So the €11 under Activities related to the visit of the Citadel walls in Kotor and the History museum in Sarajevo.

Below, there are the detailed costs per country.

Croatia takes the lead. We spent €301 over three days, which equates to €101 per day. We are not very impressed of prices in Croatia. Although prices may be lower outside season, Croatia is not a cheap country. You can tell by simply looking at supermarket food and public transport prices, which are average 10% higher than of its neighbour Montenegro. Croatia has become a trendy country and it is making the most of it.

Montenegro, on the other hand, is quite affordable. It may not have thousand of kilometres of coast but its beaches are as beautiful. If you want peace and quietness you can hide in places such as the Bay of Kotor, which crowds seem to find boring. As you would expect, prices drop when you go away from the coast.

Bosnia & Herzegovina is very inexpensive country and with half of the tourists, so a double whammy.

IMPRESSIONS

Croatia

We were so looking forward to Croatia; the beauty of the coast line, the turquoise colour of its waters, the calmness and relaxation of its islands…We were right on the former and so wrong on the latter.

The drive along the coastal road was amazing, we highly recommend it, although in Summer the road can get quite congested.

The islands…yes, they are pretty. The beaches are generally clean, snorkelling around the cliffs has been nice. But the crowds spoil these natural treats. You cannot enjoy in the same way when you struggle to find a spot on the beach, have children screaming around you, have to listen to loud music from a beach party. Croatia seems to be the new Ibiza.

In addition to this tourists bring filth, the beaches and sea here is littered and quite frankly, disgusting. GDR

But you haven’t finished our staying here yet. We still have four days in this country before we go up to Slovenia so we will do an evaluation of our overall impressions of the country then.

Montenegro

Croatia’s neighbouring country, although not that popular internationally. Don’t take us wrong, you still find unbearable and highly touristic places like Budva. But you can still find less frequented places around Kotor and Morinj. Otherwise, you also have the option to escape to the mountains.

And those mountains were beautiful, the highlight of this mini-trip. GDR

Bosnia Herzegovina

This has been a really nice surprise. The landscape is incredibly beautiful. Unlike South Croatia, where we felt like a fish out of the water, B&H’s didn’t leave us indifferent; the warmth of the people, the scars of the war, the frustration of the population of not being able to live in peace…Our visit to B&H’s was very emotional.

SM