Hey ya,
Im biking across Croatia - little of Bosnia (5mile of coast) - Montenegro - Albania before swinging east up towards Macedonia and finally Bulgaria.
Just wondering is the likes of Bosnia and Albania safe ... ive been reading a few things and the guy im biking with now wants to change the route ..... any of you out there who have travelled these countries ... whats it like is it safe etc ???
Cheers all,
oj
Hey OJ
I've never had a problem in BosniaH during many visits, and that includes late nights, walking alone, and many other unadvisable things... but I could be just lucky.
Montenegro the same, later nights and even more walking alone etc...
Albania is a little different, there is a perception of threat but I haven't experienced it. As for Bulgaria, I have no idea what to expect there, except one time when I was in Hungary and going to take a bus to Bulgaria a Hungarian friends said to me "do you really have to go there?. I wouldn't advise it...", but that was his opinion and he'd never lied to me so I took him at his word and went elsewhere.
Hope that's some help.
Zaksame
Hey there!
Great plan! Seems very interesting.
Don't bother about Bosnia - you can even don't mention that you've already crossed it 
Really I know the road - and the only sign that you're already in Bosnia - is that there are too many hotels at the beaches comparing to Croatia. Greedy croatians - they have all the shore and leave only those 5 miles for bosnian sea-lovers 
We had the stop at the bosnian gas-station and they were very friendly in the cafe so actually any compaints about the safety - everything is OK.
Albania and Macedonia seem also having a break... Hope that it's for good. Now it's completely safe there - I haven't been by myself but know this from my macedonian friends who often travel to Albanian cost. I don't know as for the biking... But actually I never met any unfriendly people in that region even when we were close to Kosovo in a very tough period. So I would take a risk to go to Albania also.
cheers guys
thats great, its nice to have some reassurance from those of you who have been there!
Myself and 2 other lads will be doing the bike trip ... we booked flights before exploring the route... i always find it more fun having an element of surprise .. but considering the countries and the mode of transport we are using thought id check out a proper route etc
thanks again for your advice and reassurance
All safe - or unsafe, depending on who's out and about. Similar to New York, Paris, Rome and London.
Ive been doing Eastern Europe for so many years and I'm still alive. In a few weeks I'm back to Romania and Bulgaria for 6 weeks.
You pull the handle - and take a chance.
My opinion?? As safe as the safest places on the planet. Enjoy your trip.
I agree with redpaddy. I have been in ~Albania and all other countries North and south on my motorbike.
Its like everwhere else nice people live there.
If it looks dodgy move on. I was told Albania was unsafe. Rubbish. Great fun country.
Nice 1 - JohnIrelan.
I was in Albania twice (took the little fishing boat across from Corfu Town to Saranda.... 40 minutes). The people in Corfu told me that the locals over there would rob me blind. I stayed for a week, did over 1,000 miles, loved it - and went back again 2 years later.
Sure, there were baddies somewhere - just as there are in my town here in the UK, but if you wanna travel - then just do it.
Happy days.