Greetings from Budva,

I’m back in Budva, Montenegro after a great time in Dubrovnik, Croatia with my mother. I can’t believe how fast two weeks have gone by, crazier yet I can’t believe how fast this summer is going by?! Is it really already approaching the end of July? Only two good months left in this part of the world and I plan on making the most of it. Had all sorts of plans but as it happens, catching a flight from Podgorica to Belgrade tomorrow.

To say I’m loving Budva would be an understatement. What’s odd is that before arriving here, I knew next to nothing about it. I had heard it mentioned a few times and now I can’t understand why it’s not talked about more. The word is getting out when it comes to Croatia and all sorts of tourists from all over the world are there. Montenegro is a bit different and I’m seeing mainly Serbians coming for vacations as well as lots of Russians but not as many as I heard there was in previous years.

In a few years or less more of the tourists who are doing Croatia will also be venturing here. It’s not every day I go somewhere and I’m one of the few North Americans. I can count on one hand the number of people from N.A that I’ve met here and I’m the only Canadian I’ve ran into while here. I like it, it gives me a glimpse of how another part of the world passes their holidays and if you’re looking for an adventure slightly different from the normal, I suggest you look into this part of the world.

Something interesting is that a lot of tourists I am meeting in Croatia are those who used to visit Italy. Even my mother who was crazy about Italy would probably return to Croatia or Montenegro opposed to yet another tour of Italy. There are lots of similarities between the Balkans and Italy from what I’ve heard and seen first hand just this place is fresher and that sense of adventure is more present.

One thing I like about Budva is how busy it is. Ironically this is one of the biggest complaints I’ve heard from other travelers saying that the beaches are too crowded. Well, there are thousands upon thousands of barren beach landscapes around the world and I love the fact that it’s busy. Have you ever spent a long time on a deserted beach? I have and it gets boring quick. If you are looking for a more quiet beach experience, I’ve heard Ulcinj is the place to go.

The nightlife is also solid in Budva which I heard about before coming  but it’s better than I anticipated. Having rented an apartment in the core of old town for ~9 nights off and on now and spending another 4 nights in the area I’ve gotten a good taste. A taste which makes me want more. That said, it’s a big world and that is why I’m off to Belgrade tomorrow because if not, I could blink and the summer would be over.

If you’re from North America which I know most of you are, look into the Balkans for a different holiday experience; it won’t disappoint you. I’ve written a decent amount about my time here already but I’ve got much more, including lots of videos so stay tuned for that.

Tips hat,