Croatia by Car
Exploring Croatia by car, made my adventure so much easier. Having that flexibility to plan & adjust my week to suit me was the ideal way to fit as much into the trip as possible.
Car camping is an idea I first came across in New Zealand – it’s the simple concept of living out of a car. No accommodation, no base & nowhere to head back to everyday sounds terrible right! Being totally reliant on your gear & everything that you’ve managed to squeeze into your luggage allowance – which when unpacked into your car, becomes your own little world!
I figured if I could manage it in the remote, wilderness of the world adrenaline capital, I could manage in Croatia – a country inhabiting a population of only 4.2million, across an area covering 56,594km2.
As most of my readers know, I’m privileged to own my very own VW campervan, where I have every camping luxury under the sun – As my friends call it, the Gucci van! However over the years, camping in some less than ideal (& illegal!) locations and less than ideal weather conditions – I’ve learnt what I need; what is essential and what I can live without.
Why Croatia? It’s a country I’ve always wanted to explore; from the sheer natural beauty of the National Parks, the towering & imposing mountain peaks of the Dinaric Alps, to the stunning blue Adriatic Ocean & the many islands, as well as the historic cities and incredible architecture. Flight prices came up dirt cheap, as well as being ideal flight times too. So off I went, exploring Croatia by car.
Despite the less than favourable exchange rate, it’s still a relatively cheap country to live in & you’re pretty much guaranteed decent summer weather too.
Finally the benefit of being an EU country (I won’t get into my views on Brexit… cough**FARCICAL**cough) – despite the language barrier, most Croatians (especially the younger population) speak really good English. That said, I despise this, as I always feel arrogant travelling to a foreign country, expecting them to speak my language in their country. I feel it’s a fundamental problem that whilst languages are encouraged, they aren’t mandatory from a certain age as they are in many other European countries.
Landed in Pula mid-morning with barely a clue what I was doing! I had a rough idea of where I wanted to go, but as far as a defined plan, nope… I didn’t have that!
So I picked up the rental car, hoping Pula would inspire me. Unfortunately, the overcast day, in a bustling working town, didn’t allow me to explore or see too much as the stress of arriving somewhere new without an agenda overwhelmed me a bit!
I used Discover Car hire; they provided an exceptionally priced car, with excellent value for money. The car was well looked after & best of all, the pick-up & drop-off process was so straight forward and simple. Check them out for their range of rental vehicles; https://www.discovercarhire.com/**
So my Croatia by car adventure started by heading inland, hoping a drive my fuel some ideas. On arrival in Rijeka, a post wander espresso fuelled me to sketch down & map out what I wanted to do – thus, my agenda was formed!
My first full day saw my exploring the old town of Zadar. Zadar is busy, with the fascinating Sea organ & Monument to the sun being a highlight, as well as the buffet/market found on Kalelarga Street.
I also took the opportunity to explore epic coastlines & beautiful clear blue waters in one of the northern islands; Otok Pag.
From Zadar I ventured further south towards Sibenik, in order to check out the Krka National park. With the weather ever changing in northern Croatia, exploring Croatia by car allowed me to change up plans at a moments notice. This national part is simply stunning. A short board walk takes you around the natural falls and through the trees, before arriving at the Skradinski Buk waterfall, where the clear waters invite you in for a swim beneath the majestic waterfall.
It’s also worth checking out the other attractions on offer in the Krka National park, which are far quieter due to the majority of tourists heading to the famous waterfall you can swim under. Roski Slap also offers the chance to hike a little further and explore a different landscape, still within the same stunning National Park. Check out my Guide for further info on getting to, getting around, parking, facilities etc at the National Parks
One thing which had been highly recommended to me was to get out on a boat trip around the Islands of Croatia. Choosing which one however is impossible decision – there are over 1000 to choose from! In the end, after researching till the early hours of the morning, I settled for one which left Split at 7.30am, taking in several of the islands around that Split-Dalmatia Coast.
Cue panic attack; I was in Zaboric that night, nearly 80km away – with a nearly empty fuel tank! I had to be up at 5, to pack my tent and gear away, grab a shower, drive 15km the wrong way to get to a fuel station that was open, get parked and walk down the main harbour in split – before 7.30. Once again, the flexibility of exploring Croatia by car allowed this crazy adventure to happen!
3 hours sleep later, I awoke, full of excitement, but not ready to deal with this hassle! After many espresso’s, expletives cursed and wrong turnings taken – I met up with the crew for the day aboard a swanky looking jet boat that would be ours for the day!
A 12 hour day, saw us take in the Blue Caves on Bisevo, snorkelling the blue waters of Vis & Budikovac, a tour of the Paklinski islands, before an evening in Hvar. A brilliant day out, seeing so much, in such chilled out style on the sun deck of a speed boat!
I can’t recommend Split Daily Tours highly enough, knowledgeable guide, organised tour, reasonably priced for a reputable company & full day out including tickets.
I would’ve also liked to explore the islands of Brac & Korcula, as well as a little more to wander Split at my own leisure – but that’s the problem with trying to do so much in such a short space of time!
Mid way through my trip, satisfied with how much I’d seen in just a few days – I headed south to Dubrovnik for the weekend.
*See tips section for more info on car hire in Croatia.
World Cup fever had gripped Dubrovnik, as they geared up to face Russia in the quarter finals – the atmosphere electric, everything draped with flags and colours, restaurants & bars packed out – the city was buzzing with life!
So I spent two days and one evening in Dubrovnik – it was the only place in Croatia I would call expensive, but, it’s an absolutely brilliant city. There’s just so much to do & so much to see. Everything is super clean, despite being incredibly busy in July & the people are so hospitable towards tourists.
The coastlines are stunning, the oceans as blue & inviting as ever – swimming and kayaking is so accessible.
I can’t recommend Dubrovnik highly enough. Its super easy to get into via public transport, with main bus routes into the all the nearby towns running frequently with plenty of stops. As well as the inner city routes too. However, if you’re prepared to walk kilometres at a time – I’d fully recommend exploring that way – you just see so much more!
So after finishing up in Dubrovnik & stupidly not booking my return flight from Dubrovnik – I had to drive all the way back north to Pula; this did give me the opportunity to detour via Plitvice National Park & boy am I thankful for that.
Plitvice is another of the more well-known National Parks, located slightly north of central Croatia. Whilst you aren’t able to swim in Plitvice, like you are in Krka – I would say it’s far more spectacular; it’s more a full day out exploring the lakes, waterfalls and nature. Again, as a UNESCO World Heritage site it is highly conserved and well maintained in order to preserve its natural beauty. You can easily spend a day here just wandering, admiring incredible waterfalls, gazing across clear turquoise lakes or fascinating about vast variety of nature on display.
Whilst it’s the more expensive of the two national parks in terms of entry, buying a map & parking, don’t be put off – it’s so worth it!
In summary; awesome country… so much to see & so much to do. Ace food, brilliant people & adventure everywhere – adventure to suit all types! Its inexpensive too, despite the less than favourable exchange rates right now (Brexit…). Croatia by car just gets expensive when driving from top to bottom – twice, with fuel, tolls, camping & making sure you do everything on your bucketlist! Highly Recommended!
Thanks for reading! If there’s anything else you’d like to know about Croatia or things you enjoyed most from your trips out there, please done hesitate to get in touch!
Tips;
Driving in Croatia: One thing that’s crucial for driving in Croatia, is a ‘green card’ & permission from the rental company to drive it through the border into Bosnia. In order to get south to Dubrovnik, you have to briefly cross into Bosnia (at Neum) and back into Croatia about 20km later – no idea why, you just do! Its no hardship, just a documentation exercise.
Driving abroad in general: check with the authorities what you need documentation wise, license, ownership documentation. Most likely you’ll be told – but if you get stopped by the police – I didn’t know isn’t an excuse!
The RAC is useful source of info; https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/country/croatia/
Getting used to driving right hand side of the road with left hand drive vehicle (right hand for gear changing!) meant the first round about was an experience!
What do I take for car camping: let me break this one down…
- Stuff to sleep: tent, mat, sleeping bag, pillow (inflatable).
- Cooking stuff: Spork. I bought all my meals – it seems more efficient to do that with long days than also have to worry about buying pans/stove and cooking stuff.
- Clothing: depends on time of year and activities you plan to do – bear in mind airline baggage rules/weight allowance.
- Technology gear: phone, GoPro, laptop & chargers. I lived off a 12v socket for the week. So my inverter and 12v/USB sockets were vital when driving. I also use a solar power pack for on the go. I keep it safe by simply keeping it either on my person, or out of sight in the car. Obvious rules apply, keep passport/phone/wallet on you at all times – don’t show anything else off, for risk of break ins. Don’t leave car unattended in suspect places either, not in a foreign country!
Campsites vs wild camping: depends on where I am. In Croatia its cheap enough to use campsites for 7 days – I struggled to get that ‘off grid’ due to how busy it was in July and what I was doing/where I was going; it would’ve meant going significantly out of my way, so more cost in fuel/time.
How I manage solo: I read and I blog – this keeps me more than occupied. When it’s that busy during the day, you’re glad for your own space to read/blog in the evening!
Long days can be stressful, not knowing when or where you’re sleeping each night just adds to the adventure.
Having a car is a hassle with cities and leaving stuff unattended for long days – but its so worth it to take the trip at your own pace and do what you want! You also see so much more; in terms of country side, views, coastlines. If you want to stop for a photo, no problem. You want to stop for a coffee, no problem. You want to take a scenic detour, go ahead! It also allows you to flexible with plans, not being constrained by a fixed holiday agenda or tied to a hotel etc. you can change it based on weather or recommendations as you please.
List of campsites;
Camping Borje (used twice) – ideal for Plitvice National Park. 20 minutes from entrance – alterative they do a free shuttle bus every day leaving at 10.30 & returning at 5.30. https://www.camping.hr/campsites/borje
Camping Miocic Rtina – Nice restaurant/grill onsite. Ideal for a stay on Isle of Pag. https://www.camp-miocic.com/en
Autokamp More – dirt cheap, just south of Sibenik. Nice little port town, with several bars and restaurants offering plenty evening entertainment and live music.http://www.autocamp-more.eu
Camping Tamaris – another dirt cheap spot, basically someone’s driveway. Located just outside split, again on the coast close to bars and restaurants.http://www.camptamaris.tk
Camping Kupari – very basic facilities, reflected in the price. Located 6 miles south of Dubrovnik, but right next to a bus stop. Ideal for exploring Dubrovnik. They let me park my car for free for the day after checking out, in order to get the bus back in to Dubrovnik. http://www.campkupari.com
Camping Briony – a very busy spot just outside Pula. Like a holiday camp, with loads of activities going on. I used it for convenience of being near Pula Airport for my return flight. Reasonable facilities & food available onsite. https://www.camping-adriatic.com/brioni-camp-pula
The campsites I used ranged from 100Kuna to 130Kuna, where £1 probably equals 7.5Kuna today.
**This is an affiliate link. For every transaction made through this link, I will make a small amount of money through commission – every little helps to keep the adventures going!
