Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

I know Croatia ferries are complicated but cheeez. . .if you’re putting together an article pushing “Island Hopping in Croatia”  at least read the damn schedules. A recent article from the Guardian newspaper was so riddled with errors it was virtually unusable. Here is my letter to the travel editor:

Dear Travel Editor,
I’m all for encouraging travel to Croatia (I make my living from it!) but the Island Hopping article was mis-conceived and inaccurately reported. I’ve been travelling to Croatia for 13 years first as a guidebook writer for Lonely Planet and now as publisher of www.croatiatraveller.com. I can assure you that island-hopping in Croatia is far from simple. Intra-island ferry service is and always has been rather limited. The services are designed to bring islanders to work, not bring tourists to the islands.

Contrary to the assertion in the first paragraph, catamarans and car ferries do not “run daily between most islands”. The article mentions catamarans linking Rab and Pag plus Hvar, Vis and Korcula. That’s five islands out of 1100. Brac Island and Hvar Island also have  catamaran links but not from Hvar Town, only from Jelsa and Milna. The catamaran from Jelsa is at 6am!

The only other service linking the islands is the coastal car ferry which runs twice a week most of the year and about 4 times weekly in July and August. This line provides car ferry service between Korcula, Hvar and Mljet Islands. There’s also a car ferry line between Krk and Cres islands. The ability to shuttle between two or three islands does not, in my opinion, constitute an “island-hopping” holiday.

The worst of it is the suggested itinerary linking Dubrovnik, Sipan and Korcula which is completely impossible. Ms Thorpe has clearly misread the catamaran schedules. The catamaran from Dubrovnik to Sipan is at 7.10PM! Unless she means the ferry to Sudarad on Sipan Island? In any event the catamaran from Sipan to Mljet Island is at 8pm. And it goes to Sobra, not a place from which you can visit the lakes etc. Nor does it then go on to Korcula. That catamaran is in the morning. It’s a mess.

Another serious and easily verifiable error is the statement that on the Jadrolinija website “you can pre-book tickets – essential in high season.” Go to the website where it clearly states that online booking is limited to the coastal and international lines. The other catamaran lines–Krilo, GV and Rapska Plovidba– have no online booking whatsoever.

Here are some other, lesser errors: Rab Island is lovely but not really a “major windsurfing destination”. It ranks far behind Bol and the Peljesac Peninsula. “Pag’s summer party scene” is confined to Novalja on the northern end of the island. Pag Town is as rowdy as a church picnic.

It would be good to publish a correction to this article and try to avoid such sloppiness in the future. One way to do that would be to consult my site, www.croatiatraveller.com which thoroughly explains the ferry schedules. I’ve also attached my downloadable ferry guide which has all the Dalmatian schedules referred to in the article.

It’s finally on your bookshelves (and on amazon.com
and amazon.co.uk)! The book I worked so hard on last year has been published. Insight’s Croatia Step by Step Guide is a compilation of 15 tailor-made itineraries for self-guided tours in Croatia.  I cover Zagreb, Zagorje, Plitvice Lakes, Istria (coast and interior), Split and around Split, Krka Waterfalls, Sibenek, Vis, Hvar, Korcula and Mljet islands, the Peljesac peninsula and Dubrovnik.  Because I did all the walking and driving tours myself, the instructions and maps are detailed and easy-to-follow.

There  are plenty of photos for inspiration plus all my favourite restaurants, cafes, hotels and nightlife. Perhaps the best feature is the sturdy pull-out map that includes a Croatia road map and city maps of Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split.  Let me tell you a secret: if you bought these maps separately you would pay more than the price of this book!

And there’s so much more: practical advice, transportation information, history, outdoor activities, insider tips, useful vocabulary. Insight’s Croatia Step by Step Guide has everything you need to plan an unforgettable holiday in Croatia. So, order it now from:

amazon.co.uk
or
amazon.com

Writer Clare Mann wrote a useful recap of her Dalmatia sailing adventure in this week’s Telegraph. What I particularly like is the PR boost she gives to some of Croatia’s less-visited gems. Yes Hvar and Korcula are “party islands” (particularly Hvar) but just sail out to Vis, Mljet or the Kornati Islands and you can get plenty of peace and quiet even in mid-August.

In addition to recounting her itinerary, the writer gives a rundown of where to fuel up, and I don’t mean put petrol in the boat. There sure aren’t a lot of restaurants jostling for space in Zlarin for example, but it’s nice to hear about her scrumptious local meals. Just keep in mind that many of the destinations mentioned are only accessible by sailboat. Another good reason to charter a sailboat in Croatia!

Click here for the article on the Dalmatian islands.
Click here for where to eat and drink.

See my Croatian islands guide.

An interesting article in the New York Times discusses the problems facing Croatia’s tourist industry this year as the global economic crisis bites down. For a country that depends heavily on tourism to prop up a frail economy, any drop in visitors is cause for alarm. And Croatian tourist industry professionals are alarmed. In fact they’re so alarmed tourist agencies are even trying to persuade Serbs to let bygones be bygones and return to Croatia for their summer holiday.

The article also contains some interesting nuggets for others contemplating a Croatian vacation. Although frequently touted as a budget vacation because the country is “not in the eurozone”, the fact that the kuna is pegged to the euro keeps prices relatively high for Brits and Yanks dealing with a weak currency. Devalue already, I say!

Budgeteers should also note the reference to the Dubrovnik’s five-star Excelsior hotel enticing visitors with vouchers and discounts. I’m sure they’re not the only one.

See my special budget tips for visiting Croatia.

Go to the NY Times article.

As the pound sinks against the euro, British holiday-makers should turn to Croatia to save money, according the The Observer. Yesterday’s travel section has a number of specific suggestions for  holidays in Croatia rather than–other places. For example:

• Korcula instead of Corfu
  Korcula island has vineyards, hiking and cycling plus it’s less developed than the Greek island.
• Istria instead of Chianti
  Great wine, truffles and the medieval hill towns of Motovun and Groznjan make Istria special
• Zadar instead of Ibiza
  “one of the hippest club scenes in Europe” is in Zadar, according to The Guardian.  Yes, Zadar nightlife for bars, pubs, music clubs and discos.

Go to  the article or read more budget tips for visiting Croatia.