Aventuras De Viaje's Blog, page 43
August 27, 2014
Croatia, Europe. 2 Week Itinerary.
Here is a quick summary / itinerary of a 2 week trip to Croatia. The links will direct you to related, more in-depth posts, of each particular location.
Croatia is quite a small country and I feel this itinerary was not rushed, but we did keep moving. There were a few things I wanted to do but did not get the chance to do (due to time constraints). I think a full month in Croatia would give enough time to do the additional few things I wanted to, as well as making it a bit more relaxed. I do feel, however, than I have traveled Croatia sufficiently enough (for me) that I do not feel that I would have to return, unlike many countries in South America that I ‘zipped’ through and definitely need to do again.
Day 1. Arrived in Zagreb from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). Stayed in Dots Hostel. Went to markets.
Day 2.Took a train from Zagreb to Osijek. 4 hours and 136 kuna. Stayed in the Old Town, Hostel Tufna.
Day 3. Went to Bizovac as a day trip. Cost 25 kuna for a train ticket. Takes under 30 minutes to get there. Spent afternoon day exploring Osijek. Went to the market and cathedral. Stayed another night in Hostel Tufna.
Day 4. Took the train/bus/train to Rijeka. Took 9 hours and cost 240 Kuna. Slept in the Youth Hostel.
Day 5. Explored Rijeka. Went to the markets, pier, Trsat Castle, the beach and the shopping center. Slept in Youth Hostel.
Day 6. Went to Pula by bus. Took just over 2 hours and cost 110 kuna. Saw the Coleseum. Slept in the Youth Hostel by the beach.
Day 7. Explored Pula Old Town, then took a bus back to Zagreb. Slept in the Liaks Hostel near the bus station. Explored Zagreb.
Day 8. Caught the bus to Plitvace. Takes 4 hours and cost 86 Kuna. Slept in Plitvice House Preslica. ‘Swam’ in nearby river.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.Day 9. Went to the Plitvace National Park. Sleep in Plitvace.
Day 10. Caught the bus to Split. 200 kuna and under 4 hour ride by shared taxi. Slept in apartment. Went to the beach and walked around the Old Town.
Day 11. Day trip to Brac (Island). 50 minutes by ferry. 33 kuna. Saw sphinxes. Slept in Split.
Day 12. Bus to Makarska. 52 Kuna and 90 minute ride. Went to the Nudist Beach and then to the nightclub/café/bar in the cave (named Deep). Slept in Hostel Makarska.
Day 13. Hiked the mountain in Makarska. It took about half a day.
Day 14. Took a bus to Dubrovnik. Took 5 hours and cost 106 kuna. Checked out the old town and Bubas Bar (where you can ‘cliff’ jump into the sea) Slept in Guesthouse Nicky and Anci Guesthouse. Ate dinner at Lunas pizza.
Day 15. Went to Kupari beach to see abandoned hotels. Walked around the city walls in the afternoon.
Day 16. Went to the airport and flew to Malaysia.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
August 24, 2014
Teaching English at Guangdong Ocean University (GDOU), Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
Guangdong Ocean University is in the city of Zhanjiang 湛江. There are 3 campuses. Xiashan 霞山, Haibin 海宾and the Main Campus, (Zhu Xiao 主校).
I worked I worked in the main campus as a Foreign English teacher at Guangdong Ocean University for one year. This post is my personal opinion of what it is like working there, as well as some useful logistical information.
Getting to Guangdong Ocean University Main Campus
Option 1. From town, catch the #9 bus headed toward (something) Da Xue (大学). (Sorry, I do not remember the first characters). Cost is 4rmb from town. If you are coming from the Train station, walk out the front, do not cross the street. Turn right until you get to the bus stop. The bus runs from 0630 – 2130 or there about.
Option 2. From either the Xiashan or Haibin campuses, you can take the university supplied bus free of charge (for teachers, or any foreigner that can pass as a teacher). This is the preferred option. Free of charge, and no public stops. It is about a 20 minute ride.
Option 3. Catch a taxi from Zhanjiang town. It shouldn’t cost you more than 30-40 rmb, depending on the time of day i.e. early morning hours will probably be more.
Working In Guangdong Ocean University
All in all, Guandong Ocean University is a good place to work. The pay is about the normal going rate for the hours you need to do (max 16 teaching hours, 6000rmb / month). You need to create all the lessons and exams and do grading also. There’s more paperwork at this place than at most, but it’s still not that much.
English corner is held twice weekly but is optional.
You are pretty much left alone to do what you want in class. As long as the students don’t make complaints you won’t get bothered by anyone. The dress code is very lenient; I wore shorts and a t-shirt.
You could be teaching English Majors in a variety of subjects including oral, listening, reading, writing, American and European history, pronunciation, business English etc, but may also teach non-English majors.
Your apartment it is no-more than a 10 minute walk to the classrooms, depending on what building you are in. Classrooms have fans but no air con. Most rooms are equipped with computers and projectors, which work most of the time.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.Staff changes so it is hard to comment on them. When I was there the administration staff was good i.e. I never had any problems. All the foreign teachers live in the same couple of buildings. All good people, none of which keep you up at night with parties or anything, and they get together every once in a while for dinner or something like that.
Living in Guangdong Ocean University (Main Campus)
Although the actual location is about 20-30 minutes by bus out of town, just outside the campus has everything you need for day to day living. Fresh markets for vegetable, fruit and meat and there are a couple of convenience stores for everything else. There are a few billiard halls and a few KTV joints. There’s a snack street with a good selection of Chinese street type food (noodles, rice etc) and some hot pot restaurants.
The actual campus isn’t huge; you can run around it in 20 – 30 minutes (depending on how fast you run). It has a soccer field with pull up bars and a running track. If you get your timing right you can use the pool and ‘kickboxing’ gym. Also has yoga, tai chi, badminton and I’m sure a few other things that I never bothered to look into. There’s a ‘business’ center with 3 bakeries (at the time of writing this), photocopying, picture taking, printing, phone services, ATM’s, key cutter, sewing services etc.
The actual apartment itself is decent, considering you are in a tropical environment. There are bugs, and they are a little run down, but it is livable. There is air-conditioning in the bedroom and a ceiling fan in the TV room. Cable internet is supplied, which you can hook up into wireless for a once a year nominal fee (ask the students or other foreign teachers to ‘hook you up’ as it is technically not allowed). The apartment is free, but you pay for gas, water and electricity, but then they give you money on top of your pay to cover it, and I never used more than they gave.
Donghai Beach. About a 30 minute bus ride away.
The apartment comes stocked with whatever the last people left behind, but at the very least will have a flat-screen TV that you can plug your computer via HDMI or use the USB port (cause T.V. reception is no good), a few bowls, wok, pots, pans and basic cooking utensils.
There’s a guy that comes around every other day around 1300 – 1400 selling fresh tofu and vegetables. We call him the tofu man. If you like to cook tofu, buy it from him.
You could also eat at one of the 4-5 dining halls, one of which is next to the teacher’s apartments.
Well, that’s about it. Any questions, ask in the comments section.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
August 22, 2014
Croatia 2 Week Itinerary, Europe
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
This is a quick summary of my Croatia 2 Week itinerary, Europe. The links will direct you to related, more in depth posts, of each particular location.
Croatia is quite a small country and I feel this itinerary was not rushed, but we did keep moving. There were a few things I wanted to do but did not get the chance to do (due to time constraints). I think a full month in Croatia would give enough time to do the additional few things I wanted to, as well as making it a bit more relaxed. I do feel, however, than I have traveled Croatia sufficiently enough (for me) that I do not feel that I would have to return, unlike many countries in South America that I ‘zipped’ through and definitely need to do again.
Croatia 2 Week Itinerary, EuropeOk, here it is it. My Croatia 2 Week Itinerary, Europe.
Day 1.Arrived in Zagreb from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). Stayed in Dots Hostel. Went to markets.
Markets in Zagreb
Day 2.Took a train from Zagreb to Osijek. 4 hours and 136 kuna. Stayed in the Old Town, Hostel Tufna.
Osijek Cathedral, Croatia
Day 3.Went to Bizovac as a day trip. Cost 25 kuna for a train ticket. Takes under 30 minutes to get there. Spent afternoon day exploring Osijek. Went to the market and cathedral. Stayed another night in Hostel Tufna
Osijek Market
Day 4.Took the train/bus/train to Rijeka. Took 9 hours and cost 240 Kuna. Slept in the Youth Hostel.
Beach at Rijeka, Croatia
Day 5.Explored Rijeka. Went to the markets, pier, Trsat Castle, the beach and the shopping center. Slept in Youth Hostel.
In Old Town, Rijeka
Day 6.Went to Pula by bus. Took just over 2 hours and cost 110 kuna. Saw the Arena. Slept in the Youth Hostel by the beach.
Pula Arena
Day 7.Explored Pula Old Town, then took a bus back to Zagreb. Slept in the Likas Hostel near the bus station. Explored Zagreb.
Entrance to Old Town
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.Day 8.Caught the bus to Plitvace. Takes 4 hours and cost 86 Kuna. Slept in Plitvice House Preslica. ‘Swam’ in nearby river.
At Plitvice National Park
Day 9.Went to the Plitvice National Park. Sleep in Plitvice.
In Plitvice National Park
Day 10.Caught the bus to Split. 200 kuna and under 4 hour ride by shared taxi. Slept in apartment. Went to the beach and walked around the Old Town.
Split, Old Town
Day 11.Day trip to Brac (Island). 50 minutes by ferry. 33 kuna. Saw sphinxes. Slept in Split.
The ‘unharmed’ Sphinx
Day 12.Bus to Makarska. 52 Kuna and 90 minute ride. Went to the Nudist Beach and then to the nightclub/café/bar in the cave (named Deep). Slept in Hostel Makarska.
Nudist Beach, Makarska
Day 13.
Hiked the mountain in Makarska. It took about half a day.
Hiking the Mountain, Makarska
Day 14.Took a bus to Dubrovnik. Took 5 hours and cost 106 kuna. Checked out the old town and Bubas Bar (where you can ‘cliff’ jump into the sea) Slept in Guesthouse Nicky and Anci Guesthouse. Ate dinner at Lunas pizza.
On the City Walls
Day 15.Went to Kupari beach to see abandoned hotels. Walked around the city walls in the afternoon.
One of the war-torn hotels you can see and walk through
Day 16.Went to the airport and flew to Malaysia.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.comThe post Croatia 2 Week Itinerary, Europe appeared first on Survive Travel.
August 21, 2014
8 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
Discover 8 amazing things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Also includes cheap accommodation, directions in and around Dubrovnik, Croatia and lots of other useful information on how to survive travel in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Dubrovnik was our last stop in Croatia. There’s lots to do there and it was a nice place to spend our last 2 days.
8 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, CroatiaOk, here it is. My list of 8 Amazing things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
1. Climb the MountainThe first thing on my list of amazing things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia is to climb the mountain. Actually, we didn’t even do this, since we had climbed the mountain in Makarska the day before.
It’s also possible to take a cable car up.
Ocean just out of Old Town
2. Go on the City WallsApparently this is the thing to do in Dubrovnik. Opening hours are from 0800 to 1900. Cost is 100kunas. Best to do it before 1000 or after 1700 to avoid the large cruise ship crowds.
On the City Walls
3. Walk Around the Old TownIf you are a Game of Thrones fan you may recognize some things, if not, it is still very nice to walk around.
There’s still reminiscence of bombing from the war in early 90’s.
Getting to Old TownDubrovnik is a bit more expensive that other parts of Croatia, especially in the Old Town. We stayed about 2km out of Old Town. Buses are quite convenient. They cost 15 kuna for a one way ticket which lasts an hour (only 12 kuna if you buy it from a kiosk, 15 from the bus). Buses 1a, 1b and the number 3 takes you from the bus station to old town. Day tickets are only 30kuna which can be bought from the bus station and probably any kiosk.
Dubrovnik, Croatia, Old Town from City Wall
4. Go Cliff Jumping in Buza BarThis bar is over the ocean, and you can jump into the water from it. Also, it’s just a really nice spot to have a beer. Great atmosphere.
Map of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Cafe Bar Buza
5. Eat PizzaLunas pizza was recommended on Wikitravel.org/en/Croatia. It is cheap (compared to places in the Old Town) and was only a ten minute walk from our accommodation. The pizza was really good. Most mediums were 50kuna, and I ate about 3/4 of it.
Streets of Old Town.
6. Eat ChocolateApparently the national chocolate is really good, and there is a shop that is dedicated to it. We tried it, and the chocolate is pretty good, but then again, all chocolate is good.
This map shows the locations of the chocolate shop and Luna Pizza
7. Go See All the Film Spots From Game of ThronesThe guy from Guesthouse Nicky works for the Game of Thrones during filming so he knows a lot about it. There’s a bunch of spots in the Old Town.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.
As you enter Old Town
8. Go to the Abandoned Hotels on the BeachThe last thing on my list of amazing things to do in Dubrovnik is to visit the abandoned hotels. Actually, this was also the favorite of my amazing things to do in Dubrovnik.
South East of Dubrovnik is a place called Kupari. Here there is a beach (pictured at the top of this post). Back in the day it probably had some beautiful hotels, but during the war in the 1990’s they were bombed and abandoned. No-one has tried to salvage them. You can go there and walk through the abandoned ‘war torn’ hotels. There is also a swim-able beach, people fishing and a café with light snacks and ice-cream. The area may be considered a bit of a mission from Dubrovnik so it is not very busy, but is definitely worth the trouble (and really isn’t that hard to get to).
Getting to the Abandoned Hotels in Dubrovnik, CroatiaFrom the bus station (or one of the bus stops up the hill from old town), catch the number 10 heading East. It will cost 18Kuna one way. It is out of the city zone so the all day tickets will not be honored. Get off when you see Autocamp Kupari and walk down towards the ocean.
One of the war-torn hotels you can see and walk through
Other Useful Information About Dubrovnik, CroatiaHere’s some other useful information about surviving travel in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Getting to Dubrovnik AirportThere’s a bus that goes from the Main Bus station to the airport and takes about 40 minutes. The leaving times change depending on departure flights. I have read that it also picks people up from the cable car station outside the Old Town, but NOT from Pile gate in front of Old Town. There is also a third place it can pick you up from, but by this stop there may not be any room left on the bus. See the map below.
The cost is 35Kuna one way which can be bought on the bus or from the ticket booth at the bus station. This bus can also be taken from the airport into Dubrovnik for the same price which supposedly drops you off at either Pile Gate or the Bus Station.
This website Absolute-Dubrovnik.com/ will tell you the times of the buses one or two days in advance. The times are also posted at the bus station.
Map of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Airport pickup bus stop 3
Getting to Dubrovnik from SplitWe took a bus from Makarska, but this bus comes from Split first.
From Makarska to Dubrovnick takes just under 5 hours and costs 106 kuna + 7 for baggage. Split is probably another couple of hours and a bit more expensive. Check Croatiabus.hr.
Make sure you get on the right one. We even showed our ticket to the guy loading the bags and he said yes, then when he checked them on the bus they were wrong. They do not check as you get on, so we were kicked off about 20 minutes into the journey. Luckily, you can just hail down the right one when it comes along. This bus goes through Bosnia on the way through, and they will check your passport, so make sure you have it on you.
The ‘gate’ to Old Town
Cheap Accommodation in DubrovnikIf you need cheap accommodatio nin Dubrovnik, we stayed in Guesthouse Nicky. The guy will pick you up from the bus station. It is a good idea to send him a photo of yourself, because we saw him there, but didn’t know it was him and ended up walking to the accommodation. They do dorms and private rooms at a reasonable price. (Private room was 450kuna for 3 people).
On my second night I moved to a dorm room less then 5 minutes walk from the bus station. It is called Anci Guesthouse and it cost about 140kuna per night (look for it on hostelworld.com). The owner is a very nice (and chatty) lady and is helped by her son. English is decent. Rooms are nice and clean. Free wifi, hot water, kitchen facilities and she even did one of the girls laundry for her.
The ocean off Dubrovnik
Next Stop… Kota Kinabalu, MalaysiaI’ll be stopping off in Malaysia to see family for about a week before having to go back to work in China.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.comThe post 8 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia appeared first on Survive Travel.
Dubrovnik, Croatia. 8 Must Do Things in Dubrovnik.
Getting to Dubrovnik from Split
We took a bus from Makarska, but this bus comes from Split first.
From Makarska to Dubrovnick takes just under 5 hours and costs 106 kuna + 7 for baggage. Split is probably another couple of hours and a bit more expensive. Check Croatiabus.hr. Make sure you get on the right one. We even showed our ticket to the guy loading the bags and he said yes, then when he checked them on the bus they were wrong. They do not check as you get on, so we were kicked off about 20 minutes into the journey. Luckily, you can just hail down the right one when it comes along. This bus goes through Bosnia on the way through, and they will check your passport, so make sure you have it on you.
Dubrovnik is a bit more expensive that other parts of Croatia, especially in the Old Town. We stayed about 2km out of Old Town. Buses are quite convenient. They cost 15 kuna for a one way ticket which lasts an hour (only 12 kuna if you buy it from a kiosk, 15 from the bus). Buses 1a, 1b and the number 3 takes you from the bus station to old town. Day tickets are only 30kuna which can be bought from the bus station and probably any kiosk.
Where to Sleep in Dubrovnik
We stayed in Guesthouse Nicky. The guy will pick you up from the bus station. It is a good idea to send him a photo of yourself, because we saw him there, but didn’t know it was him and ended up walking to the accommodation. They do dorms and private rooms at a reasonable price. (Private room was 450kuna for 3 people).
On my second night I moved to a dorm room less then 5 minutes walk from the bus station. It is called Anci Guesthouse and it cost about 140kuna per night (look for it on hostelworld.com). The owner is a very nice (and chatty) lady and is helped by her son. English is decent. Rooms are nice and clean. Free wifi, hot water, kitchen facilities and she even did one of the girls laundry for her.
8 Things To Do in Dubrovnik
1. Climb the Mountain
We didn’t do this (we had climbed the mountain in Makarska the day before). It’s also possible to take a cable car up.
2. Go on the City Walls
Apparently this is the thing to do in Dubrovnik. Opening hours are from 0800 to 1900. Cost is 100kunas. Best to do it before 1000 or after 1700 to avoid the large cruise ship crowds.
3. Walk Around the Old Town
If you are a Game of Thrones fan you ay recognize some things, if not, it is stil very nice to walk around There’s still remonance of bombing from the war in early 90’s.
Dubrovnik, Croatia, Old Town from City Wall
4. Go Cliff Jumping in Buza Bar
This bar is over the ocean, and you can jump into the water from it. Also, it’s just a really nice spot to have a beer. Great atmosphere.
Map of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Cafe Bar Buza
5. Eat Pizza
Lunas pizza was recommended on Wikitravel.org/en/Croatia. It is cheap (compared to places in the Old Town) and was only a ten minute walk from our accommodation. The pizza was really good. Most mediums were 50kuna, and I ate about 3/4 of it.
6. Eat Chocolate
Apparently the national chocolate is really good, and there is a shop that is dedicated to it. We tried it, and the chocolate is pretty good, but then again, all chocolate is good.
This map shows the locations of the chocolate shop and Luna Pizza
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.7. Go See All the Film Spots From Game of Thrones
The guy from Guesthouse Nicky works for the Game of Thrones during filming so he knows a lot about it. There’s a bunch of spots in the Old Town.
8. Go to the Abandoned Hotels on the Beach
South East of Dubrovnik is a place called Kupari. Here there is a beach (pictured at the top of this post). Back in the day it probably had some beautiful hotels, but during the war in the 1990’s they were bombed and abandoned. No-one has tried to salvage them. You can go there and walk through the abandoned ‘war torn’ hotels. There is also a swim-able beach, people fishing and a café with light snacks and ice-cream. The area may be considered a bit of a mission from Dubrovnik so it is not very busy, but is definitely worth the trouble (and really isn’t that hard to get to).
From the bus station (or one of the bus stops up the hill from old town), catch the number 10 heading East. It will cost 18Kuna one way. It is out of the city zone so the all day tickets will not be honored. Get off when you see Autocamp Kupari and walk down towards the ocean.
One of the war-torn hotels you can see and walk through
Getting to Dubrovnik Airport
There’s a bus that goes from the Main Bus station to the airport and takes about 40 minutes. The leaving times change depending on departure flights. I have read that it also picks people up from the cable car station outside the Old Town, but NOT from Pile gate in front of Old Town. There is also a third place it can pick you up from, but by this stop there may not be any room left on the bus. See the map below.
Map of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Airport pickup bus stop 3
The cost is 35Kuna one way which can be bought on the bus or from the ticket booth at the bus station. This bus can also be taken from the airport into Dubrovnik for the same price which supposedly drops you off at either Pile Gate or the Bus Station.
This website Absolute-Dubrovnik.com/ will tell you the times of the buses one or two days in advance. The times are also posted at the bus station.
Next Stop… Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia)
I’ll be stopping of in Malaysia to see family for about a week before having to go back to work in China.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
8 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
Discover 8 amazing things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Also includes cheap accommodation, directions in and around Dubrovnik, Croatia and lots of other useful information on how to survive travel in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Dubrovnik was our last stop in Croatia. There’s lots to do there and it was a nice place to spend our last 2 days.
8 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ok, here it is. My list of 8 Amazing things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The first thing on my list of amazing things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia is to climb the mountain. Actually, we didn’t even do this, since we had climbed the mountain in Makarska the day before.
It’s also possible to take a cable car up.
Ocean just out of Old Town
2. Go on the City WallsApparently this is the thing to do in Dubrovnik. Opening hours are from 0800 to 1900. Cost is 100kunas. Best to do it before 1000 or after 1700 to avoid the large cruise ship crowds.
On the City Walls
3. Walk Around the Old TownIf you are a Game of Thrones fan you may recognize some things, if not, it is still very nice to walk around.
There’s still reminiscence of bombing from the war in early 90’s.
Getting to Old TownDubrovnik is a bit more expensive that other parts of Croatia, especially in the Old Town. We stayed about 2km out of Old Town. Buses are quite convenient. They cost 15 kuna for a one way ticket which lasts an hour (only 12 kuna if you buy it from a kiosk, 15 from the bus). Buses 1a, 1b and the number 3 takes you from the bus station to old town. Day tickets are only 30kuna which can be bought from the bus station and probably any kiosk.
Dubrovnik, Croatia, Old Town from City Wall
4. Go Cliff Jumping in Buza BarThis bar is over the ocean, and you can jump into the water from it. Also, it’s just a really nice spot to have a beer. Great atmosphere.
Map of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Cafe Bar Buza
5. Eat PizzaLunas pizza was recommended on Wikitravel.org/en/Croatia. It is cheap (compared to places in the Old Town) and was only a ten minute walk from our accommodation. The pizza was really good. Most mediums were 50kuna, and I ate about 3/4 of it.
Streets of Old Town.
6. Eat ChocolateApparently the national chocolate is really good, and there is a shop that is dedicated to it. We tried it, and the chocolate is pretty good, but then again, all chocolate is good.
This map shows the locations of the chocolate shop and Luna Pizza
7. Go See All the Film Spots From Game of ThronesThe guy from Guesthouse Nicky works for the Game of Thrones during filming so he knows a lot about it. There’s a bunch of spots in the Old Town.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.
As you enter Old Town
8. Go to the Abandoned Hotels on the BeachThe last thing on my list of amazing things to do in Dubrovnik is to visit the abandoned hotels. Actually, this was also the favorite of my amazing things to do in Dubrovnik.
South East of Dubrovnik is a place called Kupari. Here there is a beach (pictured at the top of this post). Back in the day it probably had some beautiful hotels, but during the war in the 1990’s they were bombed and abandoned. No-one has tried to salvage them. You can go there and walk through the abandoned ‘war torn’ hotels. There is also a swim-able beach, people fishing and a café with light snacks and ice-cream. The area may be considered a bit of a mission from Dubrovnik so it is not very busy, but is definitely worth the trouble (and really isn’t that hard to get to).
Getting to the Abandoned Hotels in Dubrovnik, CroatiaFrom the bus station (or one of the bus stops up the hill from old town), catch the number 10 heading East. It will cost 18Kuna one way. It is out of the city zone so the all day tickets will not be honored. Get off when you see Autocamp Kupari and walk down towards the ocean.
One of the war-torn hotels you can see and walk through
Other Useful Information About Dubrovnik, CroatiaHere’s some other useful information about surviving travel in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Getting to Dubrovnik AirportThere’s a bus that goes from the Main Bus station to the airport and takes about 40 minutes. The leaving times change depending on departure flights. I have read that it also picks people up from the cable car station outside the Old Town, but NOT from Pile gate in front of Old Town. There is also a third place it can pick you up from, but by this stop there may not be any room left on the bus. See the map below.
The cost is 35Kuna one way which can be bought on the bus or from the ticket booth at the bus station. This bus can also be taken from the airport into Dubrovnik for the same price which supposedly drops you off at either Pile Gate or the Bus Station.
This website Absolute-Dubrovnik.com/ will tell you the times of the buses one or two days in advance. The times are also posted at the bus station.
Map of Dubrovnik, Croatia, Airport pickup bus stop 3
Getting to Dubrovnik from SplitWe took a bus from Makarska, but this bus comes from Split first.
From Makarska to Dubrovnick takes just under 5 hours and costs 106 kuna + 7 for baggage. Split is probably another couple of hours and a bit more expensive. Check Croatiabus.hr.
Make sure you get on the right one. We even showed our ticket to the guy loading the bags and he said yes, then when he checked them on the bus they were wrong. They do not check as you get on, so we were kicked off about 20 minutes into the journey. Luckily, you can just hail down the right one when it comes along. This bus goes through Bosnia on the way through, and they will check your passport, so make sure you have it on you.
The ‘gate’ to Old Town
Cheap Accommodation in DubrovnikIf you need cheap accommodatio nin Dubrovnik, we stayed in Guesthouse Nicky. The guy will pick you up from the bus station. It is a good idea to send him a photo of yourself, because we saw him there, but didn’t know it was him and ended up walking to the accommodation. They do dorms and private rooms at a reasonable price. (Private room was 450kuna for 3 people).
On my second night I moved to a dorm room less then 5 minutes walk from the bus station. It is called Anci Guesthouse and it cost about 140kuna per night (look for it on hostelworld.com). The owner is a very nice (and chatty) lady and is helped by her son. English is decent. Rooms are nice and clean. Free wifi, hot water, kitchen facilities and she even did one of the girls laundry for her.
The ocean off Dubrovnik
Next Stop… Kota Kinabalu, MalaysiaI’ll be stopping off in Malaysia to see family for about a week before having to go back to work in China.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.comThe post 8 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia appeared first on Survive Travel.
August 19, 2014
5 Top Things to Do in Makarska, Croatia
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
Discover 5 top things to do in Makarska, Croatia. Also includes cheap accommodation, directions in and around Makarska, Croatia and lots of other useful information on how to survive travel in Makarska, Croatia.
Makarska was not a destination in our original plan, but we decided to stop there to break up the bus ride from Split to Dubrovnik. I’m glad we did, it was definitely worth the look.
I guess this is the town square.
Getting From Split to Makarska, CroatiaGetting from Split to Makarska, Croatia, is a 90 minute bus ride and costs about 52 kuna. Putting your baggage under the bus only cost 3kuna. We took the 1000 from Split.
Cheap Accommodation in Makarska, CroatiaIf you need cheap accommodation in Makarska, Croatia, we stayed at the Hostel Makarska. Not to be confused with Hotel Makarska.
Hostel Makarska is only a 5-10 minute walk from the bus station. Free wifi, fridge, and outdoor cooking facilities and use of lockers. The people there are very friendly as is the dog. 100kuna for a dorm bed. Book ahead on either HostelBookers.com or directly with the owners. hostelmakarska@gmail.com. +385912567212. HostelMakarska.com
Getting to Hostel MakarskaGetting to Hostel Makarska is easily walk-able from the bus station.
The address is Prvosvibanjska 15. To get there from the bus station, head SE on Don Mihovila and take the 3rd right on Jadranska and then the first left to the hostel. You will see signs.
Map of Makarska, Croatia. Bus Station to Hostel
5 Top Things to Do in Makarska, CroatiaOk, here it is. My list of 5 top things to do in Makarska, Croatia.
1. Secluded Nudist BeachThe first thing on my list of top things to do in Makarska, Croatia is to go to the ‘secluded’ nudist beach.
There are the obvious main beaches which are quite easy to find (just walk along the coast), or if you want to go for a bit of a walk you can go to this less crowded beach. It is about a 30 minute walk from town.
You do not have to be a nudist to go to this beach (as you can see from the featured picture), and not many people are. All the nudist seem to be at the far end. It is a much nicer alternative than the main (and very crowded) beaches. Worth the hike.
The Secluded Nudist Beach
Getting to the ‘Secret’ Nudist BeachLook at the last map at the bottom of this post. There is a beach out the front of a hotel, and then there is a path. Just follow it all the way around. You can stop wherever you want and will probably get a piece of ocean to yourself, or go all the way to the end and you will get to the nudist beach.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.2. Go to the Cave BarThere is a really unique bar/café/nightclub in Makarska. It is in a cave, and is quite easy to find. Apparently a lot of people come to Makarska specifically to go to this bar. Its official name is Club Deep.
All the Sail Croatia tours (party boats) arrive in Makarska on Sunday, so this club is packed on Sunday night. It is empty then gets really crowded all at once as they all come in. Inside the local beer is 15Kuna, outside is table service from the small bar and it is 20Kuna per beer. After midnight they start charging a cover charge, but I don’t know how much it is.
Getting to the Cave BarTo get to Club Deep, follow the same directions as if going to the Nudist beach described above. It is on the way, before the hiking path. You will not miss it.
Club Deep, the Cave Bar in Makarska, Croatia,
3. Climb the MountainThis was my favorite of my top things to do in Makarska, Croatia. The secluded beach was a close second.
Overlooking Makarska is a really big mountain that you can climb.
It takes about 3hours to reach the first peak and 5 to reach the second. If staying at Hostel Makarska, talk to whoever is at reception and they will give you a good topographical map. The path is a bit steep and rocky at the start, but then turn’s into a forest area which is very pleasant.
View from the Mountain
The trail is very well marked all the way from town, with these red and white dots and stripes. The stripes indicate which way you should turn by angling in the way you should turn. The map below shows a rough spot from where you can start to see the indicator dots/stripes. Click on any picture to enlarge the images.
4. Buba BeachThe lady that rented us the apartment in Split told us that Buba Beach was better to go to that the main beach. It’s about a 20 minute walk from the main beach. It is a little quieter, but not as good as the Nudist beach mentioned in this post. There is a bar there too, the Buba Bar. We didn’t go in but it had music pumping (we went there late afternoon).
How to Get to Buba BeachTo get to Buba Beach, go west along the coast (going East will take you to the first beach mentioned)
Map of Makarska, Croatia. Shows the main beach in relation to Hostel Makarska.
5. Go RockclimbingThe last thing on my list of top things to do in Makarska, Croatia is to go rock-climbing. I didn’t actually go but on the way to Secluded Beach (see #1) there are some side paths and some obvious bouldering opportunities. Also, on the ma that they gave us at Hostel Makarska they had symbols for it.
Hiking the Mountain.
Next Stop… DubrovnikDubrovnik is our last stop in Croatia. I’m very glad we decided to spend a couple of day in Makarska. It is a very pleasant town with lots to offer, but not over run by tourists, except for when the Sail Croatia boats come in once a month.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.comThe post 5 Top Things to Do in Makarska, Croatia appeared first on Survive Travel.
Makarska, Croatia. Travel Guide to Makarska.
Getting to Makarska
We took the 1000 from Split. It took 90 minutes and costs about 52 kuna. Putting your baggage under the bus only cost 3kuna.
Where to Stay in Makarska
Hostel Makarska is only a 5-10 minute walk from the bus station. Free wifi, fridge, and outdoor cooking facilities and use of lockers. The people there are very friendly as is the dog. 100kuna for a dorm bed. Book ahead on either hostel world or directly with the owners. hostelmakarska@gmail.com. +385912567212. http://www.hostelmakarska.com/
The address is Prvosvibanjska 15. To get there from the bus station, head SE on Don Mihovila and take the 3rd right on Jadranska and then the first left to the hostel. You will see signs.
Map of Makarska, Croatia. Bus Station to Hostel
Getting to the ‘Secret’ Nudist Beach
You do not have to be a nudist to go to this beach (as you can see from the featured picture), and not many people are. All the nudist seem to be at the far end. It is a much nicer alternative than the main (and very crowded) beaches. Worth the hike.
There are the obvious main beaches which are quite easy to find (just walk along the coast), or if you want to go for a bit of a walk you can go to this less crowded beach. It is about a 30 minute walk from town. Look on the map. There is a beach out the front of a hotel, and then there is a path. Just follow it all the way around. You can stop wherever you want and will probably get a piece of ocean to yourself, or go all the way to the end and you will get to the nudist beach.
Getting to the Cave Bar
There is a really unique bar/café/nightclub in Makarska. It is in a cave, and is quite easy to find. Apparently a lot of people come to Makarska specifically to go to this bar. Its official name is Club Deep.
To get there, follow the same directions as if going to the Nudist beach described above. It is on the way, before the hiking path. You will not miss it.
Club Deep, the Cave Bar in Makarska, Croatia,
All the Sail Croatia tours (party boats) arrive in Makarska on Sunday, so this club is packed on Sunday night. It is empty then gets really crowded all at once as they all come in. Inside the local beer is 15Kuna, outside is table service from the small bar and it is 20Kuna per beer. After midnight they start charging a cover charge, but I don’t know how much it is.
Climbing The Mountain
Overlooking Makarska is a really big mountain, that you can climb.
It takes about 3hours to reach the first peak and 5 to reach the second. If staying at Hostel Makarska, talk to whoever is at reception and they will give you a good topographical map. The path is a bit steep and rocky at the start, but then turn’s into a forest area which is very pleasant.
View from the Mountain
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.The trail is very well marked all the way from town, with these red and white dots and stripes. The stripes indicate which way you should turn by angling in the way you should turn. The map below shows a rough spot from where you can start to see the indicator dots/stripes. Click on any picture to enlarge the images.
How to Get to Buba Beach
The lady that rented us the apartment in Split told us that Bubar Beach was better to go to that the main beach. It’s about a 20 minute walk from the main beach. It is a little quieter, but not as good as the Nudist beach mentioned in this post. There is a bar there too, the Buba Bar. We didn’t go in but it had music pumping (we went there late afternoon).
To get to Buba Beach, go west along the coast (going East will take you to the first beach mentioned)
Map of Makarska, Croatia. Shows the main beach in relation to Hostel Makarska.
Next Stop… Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is our last stop in Croatia. I’m very glad we decided to spend a couple of day in Makarska. It is a very pleasant town with lots to offer, but not over run by tourists, except for when the Sail Croatia boats come in once a month.Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
August 17, 2014
6 Interesting Things to Do in Split, Croatia
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
Discover 6 interesting things to do in Split, Croatia. Also includes cheap accommodation, directions in and around Split, Croatia and lots of other useful information on how to survive travel in Split, Croatia.
Getting From Plitvice National Park to Split, CroatiaGetting from Plitvice National Park to Split is about a 6 hour bus ride. A direct bus costs 180kuna (+ luggage costs, probably about 10 kuna) and takes about 6 hours.
As we were waiting for the bus from Plitvice to Split a taxi came. It cost 200 Kuna and took less than 4 hours. It was worth the extra 10-20 Kuna.
View off Split
Cheap Accommodation in Split, CroatiaIf you need cheap accommodation in Split, Croatia, we ended up staying in a guest apartment.
We hadn’t booked any accommodation in Split and we arrived on Friday. Apparently all the Sail Croatia ‘tours’ (party boats) leave on the Saturday, and it was also a Croatian holiday weekend (St Mary or something like that), so every hostel we tried was fully booked.
We ended up stumbling upon a lady who had a friend who had an apartment for rent. She charged us 200Kuna per person, per night (there was 3 of us). It was close to the city, 2 bedrooms and a couple of fold out couches, clothes washing machine and fully stocked kitchen (minus food). I have a feeling we could have bartered a little but I think it was a pretty good deal. You could very comfortably fit 6 people, although there is only one bathroom.
Contact Mirna. 0959046890. mirnasmajo@gmail.com. Her English is quite good and she is very nice.
On the way to Brac Island
6 interesting Things to Do in Split, CroatiaOk, here it is. My list of interesting things to do in Split, Croatia.
1. Go to the BeachThe first thing on my list of interesting things to do in Split, Croatia is to hit the beach. Unlike other beaches in Croatia that I had seen so far, this one was a sand beach.
Getting to the Beach in Split, CroatiaThe beach that is close to town is easy to find and as such, very crowded. From the bus station, head SSE. Walk on the east side of the park. It will lead you to the beach.
Map of Split, Croatia, Bus station to beach.
2. See the Sphinx’sThere are two original Egyptian Sphinxes in Split. Nowhere near as big as the one in Egypt, but impressive none the less. The one in front of Jupiters Temple has no head, and the other is located in Peristal Square, which seems to be ‘unharmed.’
Headless Sphinx. Split, Croatia
Getting to the Sphinx’sFollow this maps. Click on it to enlarge.
Map of Split Croatia, Bus Station to Sphinxes, and therefore, Old Town.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.3. Eat the Best Ice-creamIt wasn’t surprising that Split is a little more expensive than the Northern parts of Croatia, after all, it is a tourist town.
For some reason we decided to hunt down the best deal for icecream. Not because of the 1 or 2 Kunas we would save, but mainly because we did not appreciate that we would have to pay extra for the cone.
We ended up stumbling upon this place. 7Kuna for the ice cream, including the cone, and they also dip it in chocolate for you, no extra charge. Good flavors too. A waffle cone cost 2 kuna extra. It’s hard to explain directions so you’re just going to have to look at the map.
Where to Get the Best Ice-cream in Split, Croatia
Best ice cream in Split, Croatia
4. Visit the IslandsThere are a number of islands off the coast of Split. Originally we were going to go to three of them, but we ended up only doing one. This was because we wanted to go on from the islands to Dubrovnic, and the ferries that do this on leave on certain days (Tues, Thurs and Sat), so it was not good for us.
Getting to the Islands off SplitGetting to any of the islands is easy enough. Just go to the ferry terminal and buy the ticket.
Getting to Brac IslandThe island we went to was Brac. There are a few ferries each day. We caught the 1030. It took about 40-50 minutes to reach the island and cost 33 Kuna (one way).
From there, we took a bus to Bol, the main part with the famous beach. It costs 50 Kuna return and they time the bus leaving with the ferry arrival. The bus left at 1145 and took about an hour to get to Bol. So the whole journey ended up being about 2.5 hours. Then we spent a couple of hours on the island and had to go back to get the 1800 ferry.
Bol, Brac Island, Split
In my opinion, I would not recommend doing it, unless you really love to just be on a different beach. It is not worth the effort (in my mind). I do recommend going to at least one island, and I didn’t get to see the others, but I would say that Brac is not the one to go to. Apparently Hvar is the party island (and the biggest with the most to do). If I were to do it again, I’d go to Korcula.
5. Climb the Big HillThere is one thing I wanted to do but didn’t get a chance to, which was to climb the big hill and get a view of the city. I mean the one with the Jesus cross on it.
I feel like if I did this, it would have been the favorite of my interesting things to do in Split, Croatia.
The ‘unharmed’ Sphinx
6. Climb the Bell TowerThe last thing on my list of interesting things to do in Split, Croatia is to climb the bell tower.
Like the hill, we didn’t do this either, but would have if I had the time. It costs 15 kuna to climb (I read that somewhere)
View off Split
Next Stop… MakarskaI’d never even heard of Makarska before getting to Split, but we didn’t wanted to go on a bus all the way to Dubrovnik, so we picked it as a good halfway destination. It turned out to be one of my favorite destinations in Croatia.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.comThe post 6 Interesting Things to Do in Split, Croatia appeared first on Survive Travel.
Split, Croatia. Travel Guide to Split.
Our original plan was to skip Split, but we ended up staying there for two nights.
Getting to Split From Plitvace National Park
From Plitvace you can catch a direct bus to Split. It costs 180kuna (+ luggage costs, probably about 10 kuna) and takes about 6 hours. As we were waiting for the bus from Plitvace to Split a taxi came. It cost 200 Kuna and took less than 4 hours. It is worth the extra 10-20 Kuna.
We hadn’t booked any accommodation and we arrived on Friday. Apparently all the Sail Croatia ‘tours’ (party boats) leave on the Saturday, and it was also a Croatian holiday weekend (St Mary or something like that), so every hostel we tried was fully booked.
We ended up stumbling upon a lady who had a friend who had an apartment for rent. She charged us 200Kuna per person, per night (there’s 3 of us). It was close to the city, 2 bedrooms and a couple of fold out couches, clothes washing machine and fully stocked kitchen (minus food). I have a feeling we could have bartered a little but I think it was a pretty good deal. You could very comfortably fit 6 people, although there is only one bathroom.
Contact Mirna. 0959046890. mirnasmajo@gmail.com. Her English is quite good and she is very nice.
Getting to the Beach in Split, Croatia
The beach close to town is easy to find and as such, very crowded. From the bus station, head SSE. Walk on the east side of the park. It will lead you to the beach.
Map of Split, Croatia, Bus station to beach.
Unlike other beaches in Croatia that I’ve seen so far, this one is a sand beach.
Getting to the Sphinx’s
There are two original Egyptian Sphinxes in Split. Nowhere near as big as the one in Egypt, but impressive none the less. The one in front of Jupiters Temple has no head, and the other is located in Peristal Square, which seems to be ‘unharmed.’
Map of Split Croatia, Bus Station to Sphinxes, and therefore, Old Town.
Headless Sphinx. Split, Croatia
Where to Get the Best Ice-cream in Split, Croatia
It wasn’t surprising that Split is a little more expensive than the Northern parts of Croatia, after all, it is a tourist town.
Get the Latest Survive Travel Books FREE! Click Here to Get Them.For some reason we decided to hunt down the best deal for icecream. Not because of the 1 or 2 Kunas we would save, but mainly because we did not appreciate that we would have to pay extra for the cone.
We ended up stumbling upon this place. 7Kuna for the ice cream, including the cone, and they also dip it in chocolate for you, no extra charge. Good flavors too. A waffle cone cost 2 kuna extra. It’s hard to explain directions so you’re just going to have to look at the map.
Best ice cream in Split, Croatia
Getting to the Islands off Split
There are a number of islands off the coast of Split. Originally we were going to go to three of them, but we ended up only doing one. This was because we wanted to go on from the islands to Dubrovnic, and the ferries that do this on leave on certain days (Tues, Thurs and Sat), so it was not good for us.
Getting to any of the islands is easy enough. Just go to the ferry terminal and buy the ticket.
Getting to Brac Island
The island we went to was Brac. There are a few ferries each day. We caught the 1030. It took about 40-50 minutes to reach the island and cost 33 Kuna (one way). From there, we took a bus to Bol, the main part with the famous beach. It costs 50 Kuna return and they time the bus leaving with the ferry arrival. The bus left at 1145 and took about an hour to get to Bol. So the whole journey ended up being about 2.5 hours. Then we spent a couple of hours on the island and had to go back to get the 1800 ferry.
Bol, Brac Island, Split
In my opinion, I would not recommend doing it, unless you really love to just be on a different beach. It is not worth the effort (in my mind). I do recommend going to at least one island, and I didn’t get to see the others, but I would say that Brac is not the one to go to. Apparently Hvar is the party island (and the biggest with the most to do). If I were to do it again, I’d go to Korcula.
If I Had More Time
There is one thing I wanted to do but didn’t get a chance to, which was to climb the big hill and get a view of the city. I mean the one with the jesus cross on it.
You could also climb the bell tower to get the view (15 kuna).
Next Stop… Makarska
I’d never even heard of Makarska before getting to Split, but we didn’t wanted to go on a bus all the way to Dubrovnik, so we picked it as a good halfway destination. It turned out to be one of my favorite destinations in Croatia.
Tip: To find the best accommodation, compare Hostelbookers.com and HotelTravel.com and to find the cheapest flights use CheapOair.com
