If you've seen one Balkan country, you've seen them all, right? Wrong. It’s easy to lump these 12 splendid countries together, but there’s a Thai saying you may have come across which applies here, and that is –“same same, but different.” In some ways, yes, some Balkan countries share a language, history and food–former Yugoslavian states especially, but they’re also different for many reasons which means one might be more for you than the other. For example, Albania, having been shut off from the world under communism for 30 years, has a vastly different history to its neighbours, but shares their Ottoman heritage. The language is also different to Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia, where it’s practically the same. But the predominant religion in Albania is Islam, like Bosnia and Kosovo (are you keeping up?). We’re often asked by prospective guests, “which Balkan country should I choose?” So we've put together a handy guide to help you decide which Balkan country, out of Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia or Kosovo, is best for you. But before we do, we caveat by saying we’re Undiscovered Balkans, so we’re not focussing on the best beach resorts in Croatia or whether you should pick Kotor over Budva (there’s enough of those posts out there). No, this guide is for those who love to get off the beaten path, be it through active adventures like hiking or kayaking, or visiting remote mountain villages in search of an authentic taste of the culture. There’s a Balkan destination for every type of intrepid traveller out there, old or young, read on to find yours. Croatia Best for: Coastal scenery, laidback adventures, seafood and wine Croatia is more mainstream than other destinations in the Western Balkans, it was the first to recover tourism following the breakup of
If you’ve seen one Balkan country, you’ve seen them all, right? Wrong. It’s easy to lump these 12 splendid countries together, but there’s a Thai saying you may have come across which applies here, and that is –“same same, but different.” In some ways, yes, some Balkan countries share a language, history and food–former Yugoslavian
