Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic

Hi Daniel:

I just finished doing Croatia and Hungary last month, I'll be going back to Slovakia later this month, having toured there last summer and enjoyed it a lot. Czech Republic I don't know about, they have a visa requirement for Canadians that is a real PITA, that has kept me out. Like you, I avoid large cities like the plague and stick to the smaller roads.

Croatia is a delightful country and you will be very surprised at the high level of development and high quality of the infrastructure throughout the country. There has been a great deal of road-building in the last 10 years, and everything they have built recently is equal in quality to what you would find in Switzerland, which is to say it is damn good. Older roads and smaller roads are well maintained. The people there are very hospitable and gracious. The country, overall, has a high level of development, for example, ATM's just about everywhere, even in small towns, credit cards accepted at all gas stations, good phone system, easy internet access, and all Western brand consumer products available everywhere. I spent most of my time on the peninsula of Istria, it is wonderful up there. Drivers in Croatia can be a bit aggressive but it is not as bad as Italy. The worst problem is German tourists in their big Mercedes who are in a rush to get somewhere, the locals are less of a problem, they just don't pay much attention to the stripe running down the middle of the road. The police are making a genuine effort to get unsafe cars and drivers off the road and control speeding, etc. but you need to keep your eyes open when you drive. No corruption whatsoever that I encountered or heard of. Overall, I would say the country is pretty similar to Austria in terms of safety, services, etc. Just a lot less expensive. Tourism is the number one item driving the Croatian economy, and everyone who lives there is keenly aware of it and does not wish to offend anyone. Crime - of any kind - is remarkably low in Croatia.

Hungary was similar, not as new, fresh and sparkling as Croatia with respect to infrastructure, but again, no problems with credit cards for gas, ATM's, getting Western products, etc. People there are a little cooler than Croatia, perhaps because Hungary has less of a tourist industry than Croatia.

Slovakia is a very nice country, very scenic, pretty much rural, similar in level of development to Hungary. Avoid Bratislava, it is dull, dreary and boring, nothing worth seeing there. No-one has given anything a coat of paint since about 1950. Up toward the mountains in the north, near the Polish border, it is beautiful and the least affected by 'Western' culture of all the countries you mention. Which means you won't be able to find anything in the stores that you recognize.

Concerning motorcycle security, it is wise that you be alert to this, but I don't think you will have any problems securing the bike in any of these countries, because all the locals have the same concern for their vehicles and bikes as you have. So, if you are staying at a pension, guest house, hotel, either they will have secure, locked parking (you can take that for granted), or, the owner will put your bike in their garage or barn, then park their own car or tractor right behind it, so as to make it difficult to remove. My bike is a 350 kg ST1100 so I was not very worried about people carrying it away. If you have a lightweight bike, bring a chain to secure it to something. When you are parking it in the day to go sightseeing, just find yourself an attended parking lot, and park it there. It will cost you a dollar or two, tops, but you then have peace of mind. It is not difficult to find an attended lot in towns and cities. In rural areas, you can just park it by a restaurant, etc. and the local people will keep an eagle eye on it for you - at least, that was my experience.

I have had nothing but good experiences in the three countries mentioned, and expect you will have a nice time as well.

Jondoe's post above tells of a very different experience. Perhaps he visited different areas (larger cities?) or perhaps when in Hungary he was closer to the border of some countries that are having economic problems or experiencing large inflows of economic migrants from other areas (e.g. close to border of Serbia, or close to border of Romania). I think you can pretty much trust your "nose" to let you know when you are in a questionable area and when you are not. Have a look at how the locals behave, where they park, etc. and you should get a feel for the place pretty quickly.

I have never camped - I always stay in pensions, etc. - so I cannot comment on the security issues associated with that.

[This message has been edited by PanEuropean (edited 08 August 2002).]