Categories
Travel

What to Know Before Going to Bosnia

The magnificent gem of the Balkans that has emerged from the burnt ashes of the 90s war as a significant world travel location attracting tourists from all over the world.

Bosnia showcases a lot of magnificent natural scenes and architectural brilliance reflecting the European medieval construction style which made it a coveted journey for all adventurers looking to see a new place off the beaten track.

But before going on a vacation to Bosnia, there are a couple of things you need to know before which we will list here in this article.

Bosnia isn’t a war zone anymore

It’s good to know if you haven’t known yet, that the Balkans war was over more than 17 years ago. No more Yugoslav wars and Sarajevo isn’t sieged anymore, still many people think war is taking place in the country. Bosnia is a totally safe place to visit, you won’t be threatened by air raids or targeted by snipers.

It’s easy to get there

Bosnia isn’t part of the EU, most nationalities can get a visa on arrival and stay for at least 90 days. It’s better to check the official website of the Bosnian tourism directory for more details.

The difference between Bosnian and Bosniak

Since you are visiting Bosnia, you should know the difference between Bosnian and Bosniak. Bosnian refers to anyone from Bosnia the country while the term “Bosniak” refers to the Muslim Bosnians. So, this means there are Bosnian Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Christians, and Bosnian Croats. This is the evolution of a long conflict which took place in the Balkans for centuries, don’t ask about it just take it as it is.

Official currency and exchange rate

The official currency is the Bosnian Mark, it’s common to find people trading with Croatian Kuna, Euros, and US Dollars. One US Dollar is worth 1.6K Marks while a Euro is worth 2K. Exchange rates in Bosnia is around 5 percent, conversely, in Serbia, it’s down to none. So, it’s better to exchange currency before going in Bosnia if you are already in the Balkans.

Begging

Expect to find a lot of beggars on the streets. The war situation in Bosnia and the tight economy drove a lot of unfortunates to the streets. You can find old women selling tissues and small accessories, you can others just sitting and holding their hands out.

Shopping

Bosnia isn’t an open economy so don’t expect to find low retail prices when getting there. You might find EU price tags on some low-quality goods which are good as souvenirs.

Roaming the country

Bosnia isn’t only about Sarajevo if you are planning to stay for a long period try hitting other cities. Check Truvnik, Visoko, and Visegrad they boast also the attractive natural composition and rich architecture.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *