Is Bosnia and Herzegovina a safe place to visit? This is a question I was asked about a million times before my first trip to Bosnia. People had me questioning whether or not it was safe. I think I googled “safety in Bosnia” about 100 times before my trip! Now that I have been, I can confidently say, I felt totally safe! I’ve now visited Bosnia and Herzegovina twice and absolutely love it.
I’ve spent close to a week in Bosnia and honestly felt completely safe. Before I go into detail, please remember, this article is based on my personal experience in Bosnia. I can’t ensure safety in any country however, I will fill you in on my experience!
And don’t forget to pin this for later :)
MY EXPERIENCE IN BOSNIA
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While planning my trip to the Balkans, I was mildly nervous about traveling to Bosnia. While I initially felt comfortable traveling to Bosnia, it seemed the common perception was that it wasn’t a safe country to visit. Whenever I would tell people I was heading to Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro people would instantly respond, “Is Bosnia Safe? I’ve heard Bosnia is dangerous?”. Naturally, this comment made me nervous and resulted in a million google searches.
Throughout my research, I consistently read to be cautious of land mines and terrorism in Bosnia. This made me a little nervous, but, it wasn’t enough to keep me from seeing Stari Most which is a bridge in Mostar. And believe me when I tell you, it’s beyond incredible. I could spend days just soaking in the beauty of this bridge, but that’s beside the point! After a lot of research I decided I’m going.
If you’re planning a trip to the Balkans, make sure to grab the travel planners linked below. There are a total of 8 templates. Six of the templates list suggestions and travel tips for the most popular cities in the region. There is also a place for you to add your travel information as well as blank templates. They’re a great way to plan your trip and stay organized.
TRAVELING TO BOSNIA
I took a car with daytrip from Split Croatia into Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina which is about a two and a half hour trip. We had a great driver who was more than happy to answer any questions we had about safety in Bosnia. He actually started laughing before going on to say that Bosnia was safe and not to believe everything we hear! He said the landmines are clearly marked and Bosnia is working on removing them, but it’s a very expensive and dangerous process. He said not to worry as it’s completely safe. While this information came from one person, he lives in Croatia and drives to and from Bosnia all the time.
The roads clearly change when driving from Croatia into Bosnia. The roads in Croatia are pristine whereas in Bosnia they are extremely run down. There aren’t many highways in Bosnia and most roads tend to be two lanes. With that being said, the roads are clearly marked so as long as you stay on these you will be fine. If you’re not comfortable driving I highly recommend taking a bus or booking a private driver. Being unsure of the area, I preferred having someone drive that was more familiar with the roads.
WHAT TO DO IN BOSNIA
During my time in Bosnia, I’ve explored Kravice Falls, Mostar, and Blagaj in Bosnia. I honestly enjoyed my time in each area but fell in love with Mostar as it’s the most charming place!
I stayed about 5-10 minutes outside the city center in Mostar and felt completely comfortable walking in and out of town. The Bosnian people I met were more than happy to show me around town and share some history of the city. They were such kind and genuine people.
I felt completely safe however, one of the locals warned us to be careful around the bridge. Oftentimes, tourists will get distracted by the “bridge jumpers” making them an easy target for pickpocketing. He told me the locals in Mostar aren’t known for pickpocketing however, people from other cities can be. Be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to your belongings as you should in all countries!
There is so much history within the city making it such an interesting town to explore. Bosnia has not recovered from the war like the surrounding Balkan countries. There are still bullet holes on some of the buildings and a lot of the city is being rebuilt.
We felt safe at Kravice Falls and Blagaj as well. Kravice Falls was filled with people enjoying the Falls on a hot summer day. Blagaj is a really unique spot worth a visit! There are a number of stands and restaurants just outside the mosque giving it such a locals vibe. You can travel to Kravice Falls and Blagaj on your own or as a tour from Mostar.
WRAP UP
While I was comfortable traveling throughout Bosnia, I always recommend reading the government website before you travel. To give you a frame of reference, the travel advisory on the US Government website was a 2 “Exercise Increased Caution” for Bosnia due to terrorism and land mines throughout our travels.
I wanted to put this article together because I absolutely loved my time in Bosnia (enough I’ve already been back!). I hope this helps you feel comfortable to add Bosnia onto your trip to the Balkan countries. This area is absolutely stunning!
Planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Here are a few additional articles about Bosnia travel.
Safe Travels,
Sarah :)
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