Visiting Montenegro on the cheap
One of the things about being a travel agent, is that far too often you find a travel deal that is too hard to resist yourself, and so out comes the bank card.
Montenegro, in all honesty, is a destination that has never been on my travel radar. I have visited (and really enjoyed) neighbouring Croatia, but Montenegro just hasn’t been on my hit-list. In all honesty I had to look on the map to see where it was exactly!
I spotted a deal for just £129 per person for 4 nights at the Elena Guest House, located in Przno. It was an Easyjet Holidays package. It didn’t include transfers or hold baggage, but I never usually take these options anyway, much preferring to make my own way to the hotel and travel light with cabin baggage.
I had actively been looking for a quick getaway for me and a friend, but being at the tail-end of the school holiday, everything was just so expensive, so when I spotted this offer, all it took was a bit of google research to make sure it was suitable.
Whilst googling for info, I was instantly impressed by the beauty of the beaches and crystal clear water. Half an hour later, me and my friend were booked and excited to go!
Montenegro turned out to be my FAVOURITE short haul destination that I have ever travelled to, and here is why I loved it so much.
- Montenegro is REALLY cheap
It feels like a long time ago that I travelled to a short haul beach holiday and felt like I was getting a bargain every time I spent. Without showing my age, do you remember the good old days of buying a beer with Pesetas or a Moussaka with Drachmas? Those that are too young to remember, it felt cheap.Same goes now for Montenegro, whilst they have adopted the Euro, the prices for everyday holiday essentials, are considerably lower than the likes of Spain, Greece & Portugal.For example, the lovely three course meal below, from a front line beach restaurant (Obala Restoran) cost just under 6 euros per person!
You could order a large beer (just under a UK pint/500ml) for around 2 Euros in most places, including beach bars and really funky bars in the Old town.Note – Where we were staying in Przno is actually quite expensive but a few kilometers down the road is Budva, a large commercial resort where prices are much lower.
- Beautiful beaches to suit all
Whether you’re a fan of bustling beaches with plenty of action to people watch, or secluded coves that you and a loved one can escape to, Montenegro has it all.Whilst the beaches tend to be quite rocky, they are beautiful with turquoise clear water and plenty of space on the sand. Even the busy beaches are not crowded to the point you struggle for space.
If you are a fan of water sports, be it diving, water skiing or banana boats, Budva beach has plenty of facilities for you to enjoy.
I personally am not a beach person, nice to look at but hate the sand, so we chose to relax on the most comfortable sunbeds ever at Torch Beach Bar – for 20 euros you get a bed (price per bed not person) for the day, and excellent waiter service to keep you topped up with cocktails and shisha pipes.
A whole day of beers and cocktails in the sun listening to good music and plenty of eye candy only cost 40 euros for the two of us!
- Delicious Food
The food throughout our break was of an extremely high standard, we tried a range of restaurants and eateries, mainly in Budva, and not one meal disappointed.I am a big fan of seafood, and the Montenegrins really know how to impress a seafood snob like myself. The squid I had at Obala Restoran was the best I have tasted, and I lived in Seafood capital Malaga for a few years!The local wine had a very distinct taste to it, very deep flavours but not heavy, and again cheap as chips!
- Brit Abroad Free Zone
It is hard to make this point without coming across a little pretentious, but when I go away, I like to feel like I am away. So the site of a Bob & Barbaras Cafe bar filled with fellow brits always kills my travel mojo a little.Apart from on the flights, we didn’t meet or see one fellow Brit in 5 days! I know many people like to go away and make new friends with fellow english speakers, and each to their own, but the fact that Montenegro seems to have fallen off the British holiday radar suited me just fine. It was amazing actually.Obviously, the knock on effect of this is that most of the restaurant/shop staff speak little English, so it is great to learn a few basic words before you travel.
- Nature trails
I love meandering aimlessly and seeing what I can find, but now and again it is nice to know you are not going to get lost.In Przno there are several nature trails that you can follow, we spotted a Map with the routes, and it became our plan for that day.
- PeopleThe local people, at first, can seem a little abrupt and rude, but you soon learn that this is just their way, and once you get used to that you begin to really appreciate how different a culture can be just a few hours flight away.The younger generation especially are friendly and approachable and happy to help with local advice.
- NightlifeWhilst my days of going to nightclubs have been and gone, I do like to get out and about in the evening and have a few cocktails in a bar (or three). Budva has a really vibrant scene with cool quirky bars and a generally chilled out vibe.We stumbled upon a free outdoor event with a super talented live band playing hits from many genres, the crowd were really up for it and it was the best night out I have had in ages!
- DubrovnikOn practically every corner you will find tour agents selling trips to Dubrovnik, a beautiful city well worth a visit.Having been before, we gave it a miss, but you are looking to pay around 25 euros for a full day trip, the journey time is around 2 hours each way.
- SafetyOften in a foreign place you feel a little guarded, and usually with good cause, Budva despite being a commercial resort feels uber safe. Day & Night you feel completely safe to wander around alone, making Montenegro a great place for solo travel.There isn’t much of a police presence in the resort, but we suspect this is because there isn’t a massive need for one.
- Accommodation to suit all budgets.
Whilst we stayed in a very budget hotel, if you want a luxury Spa holiday then your tastes will be catered for.
