Chorvatsko 3 fin

Morning coastal/mountain roads (Montenegro → Bosnia & Herzegovina)

• Started the day with a scenic drive on the Piva River and around Piva Lake:
  • Beautiful views on both sides
  • Good asphalt
  • Lots of tunnel passages with shifting light/dark (described as a bit uncomfortable, but not the road’s fault)
  • Traveler recommendation: highly recommended road/route
• Drove north toward the Plužine area, continuing toward the Bosnia & Herzegovina border.

Border crossing & driving conditions

• Border process described as straightforward (IDs + vehicle paperwork mentioned).
• Notes while crossing:
  • Drive carefully—road quality wasn’t amazing
  • Watch for animals on the road
  • Bridge access looked unstable/rough (described as bumpy asphalt)
  • Nature views were still “absolutely beautiful.”

Town stop + lunch (Brod → Mostar)

• Crossed toward Brod (Bosnia), crossing a bridge, then continued toward Mostar.
• Lunch in Brod:
  • Food described as excellent and cheap
  • Lunch was right by the bridge.

Scenic valley descent + monuments

• Continued through a scenic descent from mountains into the valley.
• Saw cows on the road, noting that the “danger feels imminent” in the Balkans—slow down and stay alert.
• Short break at a site near a Yugoslav partisan war location:
  • Mentioned a propaganda film from 1973, joking it was the most expensive Yugoslav film ever made
  • Saw a monument
  • Also noted a nearby older, decaying hotel structure

Lake stop (cool/windy)

• Headed to Lake Klinie:
  • Beautiful lake, but windy and cold
  • There was a pier/jumping point, but nobody was swimming
• Brief stop: got dressed, then continued.

Cafe break + language-friendly travel (Gacko)

• Drove to Gacko, stopping at Cafe Dort:
  • Coffee was good; service was pleasant
  • Staff/restaurants reportedly spoke English without issues

Weather shift—light rain only

• Clouds gathered; light rain happened unexpectedly:
  • They put on raincoats
  • Only caught a few drops—no major downpour
• They slowed down to test traction on local asphalt and reported it felt fine (not slipping).

Approaching Mostar → push to Makarska

• Mentioned arriving near Mostar, but didn’t get footage of the city.
• Plan change:
  • Running late and weather shifting, they continued via the highway toward Makarska to avoid getting wet again.
• Arrival at the Makarska Riviera: described as spectacular.

Key travel takeaways (gear + limits)

• Main takeaway: they likely wouldn’t do such a long journey on a small motorcycle again.
• Emphasis on managing rain and minimizing repeated wet-weather exposure.

Makarska stay: walk + “rest day” routine

• Stayed in Makarska for a more relaxed/rainy day.
• Walk included:
  • Visiting the area near the St. Peter lighthouse
  • Attempting to go to the Malakološky Museum, but it was closed
• Rest-day activity:
  • Walked about 6 km
  • Swam in the sea
  • Exhausted afterward

Croatian language / social routine

• They took/used a “Croatian course” (described humorously as a crash-course taught by a “grandpa”-type local character).
• Recurring theme: they manage to communicate with limited language skills, though sometimes translation is needed to understand what people really said.

Primošten viewpoint stop

• Short stop above Primošten:
  • Mentioned as a place remembered from childhood vacations
• Continued instead of going to Plitvice:
  • Too far / referenced swimming restrictions at Plitvice

Krka National Park (walk + swimming rules)

• Visited Krka National Park, expecting “Plitvice-like” waterfalls.
• Advice/notes:
  • Motorcycles prohibited
  • Descent to waterfalls via park routes (walk described as ~3 km)
  • Toilets available throughout
  • Terrain includes uphill/downhill (not a flat contour walk)
• Swimming restrictions:
  • They believed swimming might still be possible at first, but reported it has been prohibited for years (referencing around since 2019, “about six years ago”)
  • Swimming under waterfalls is specifically not allowed
  • Implied attempts “undercover” aren’t recommended/are restricted
• Boat access:
  • Mentioned Škradin as a place to start/anchor if you don’t want to ride to Krka by bike/motorcycle
  • Caution about mast height near the bridge
  • (Boat detail is mentioned as a practical warning)

Food stop after the park

• After the park, they ate at a second restaurant:
  • Google-rated, but they said there wasn’t much food available / not much selection
• Met Czechs again during the stop—again highlighting multicultural, overlapping English-speaking interactions.

Adriatic highway detour + beach stop

• Planned to go to Zadar, but diverted due to group preference and time.
• Beach/bar stop:
  • Beach in Pošedar/Posedar (spelled variably)
  • Near Novigradsko more / Novigradsko Pole (mentioned loosely)
  • Clouds looked threatening; they turned away rather than staying longer.

Pag Island experience (transition to “lunar” landscape)

• Took the route to Pag Island.
• Notable features:
  • Drove across/near Paš Paš Bridge for shots (moon-like landscape + bridge)
  • Pag described as dramatically different—“nothing, but interesting and beautiful.”
• Accommodation search:
  • Waited until evening; lodging search felt “not fun”
  • Budget/standards and need for a restaurant/beer influenced the decision
  • Final place found in the city, praised for a quieter forest-adjacent setting.

End-of-trip vibe (farewell night)

• Described as their “last night in Croatia,” with a relaxed farewell mood.
• Their group cheers and mentions support prompts:
  • Like/subscribe
  • Follow on “Hero Hero” for bonus content (including GPX links)

Notable locations, products, or speakers (as mentioned)

Locations

• Makarska, Kaňony/Kanyons (river path), Piva Lake, Plužine
• Bosnia border area near river crossing, Brod, Mostar, Blažaj/Blagaj (area mentioned)
• Lake Klinie, Gacko, Blagaj Děangrad (spelling unclear)
• Primošten, Krka National Park, Škradin
• Posedar, Pag Island, Paš Paš Bridge

Brands/products / food & drinks (mentioned)

• Absolut, lemonade
• salted almonds, peanuts
• Coffee/espresso stops

Speakers/figures (jokes or nicknames mentioned)

• “grandpa” Croatian teacher / local “grandfather”-type character
• “Klivi/Klivi actually wanted…” (group member nickname)
• “president / president is against it…**” (speaker nickname/joke)