The tiny European hotspot so much cheaper than Croatia – but just as beautiful with 25C temperatures in autumn
SOAK up the sun along the Dalmatian Coast for half the price of Croatia – by crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina’s little-known share of the shoreline.
With its turquoise waters, pine forests and terracotta rooftops, the Dalmatian Coast is famously pretty.
But while the tourist hordes flock to Croatia for this scenery, you could enjoy it for less by going to the Bosnian beach town of Neum instead.
This budget haven butts into Croatia in between Dubrovnik and Split, a quirk that can be traced back to 1699 when the city state of Dubrovnik, terrified of an attack by Venetians, gave a tiny tract of land to the Ottoman empire to give itself a buffer against Venice.
This means Bosnia and Herzegovina now has the world’s smallest coastline, after Monaco, at just 12 miles.
Graced with daytime highs of 25C in September and within easy distance of both Dubrovnik and Split, the only major difference is the cost.
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This September in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a double room in a hotel averages £62 per night, according to operator Kayak. In comparison, couples could pay £140 per night along the coast in Croatia.
Even in Neum’s largest and most swanky hotel, the Grand Hotel Neum, a last-minute long weekend this month starts at £49pp per night. That includes breakfast, spa access, a choice of four swimming pools and a private beach.
Food and drink is much cheaper too.
You’d get change from a fiver for a couple of local beers and you can find Bosnian, Mediterranean and international dishes very reasonably priced.
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The real crowd-pleaser is Ćcevapi, a popular Bosnian lunch to go.
Locals joke it’s the reason KFC never took off here.
This simple yet filling meal consists of mini grilled meat kebabs and raw onion slices stuffed inside a warm pitta bread. Again, you would struggle to spend £5 on this beloved staple.
Granted, Neum is a little rough around the edges compared to its well-established neighbours Croatia and Montenegro.
It’s very much a seaside resort, not offering much in the way of culture, and parts of the town are underdeveloped. But each year, its tourist offering improves.
Neum is home to several pebble beaches, the largest and most popular being Plaza Neum.
There are various watersports and boat excursions on offer, again cheaper than in Croatia.
For a fly-and-flop holiday along the Dalmatian Coast, you won’t find better value for money.
Neum itself doesn’t offer much in the way of attractions but it’s a great base for exploring both southern Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s hinterland.
The Herzegovinian capital of Mostar, which is famous for its Ottoman bridge, is around an hour’s drive away.
Stays at the heart of its cobbled old town can be as cheap as £12 a night in a hostel dorm.
For something more luxurious, like the 4H Hotel Restaurant Kriva-Cuprija — which has even attracted royalty — you would still keep the cost below £45 per person per night this September.
The best place for admiring Mostar’s beauty is the top of the 17th-century Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque, at the heart of the old town.
Admire the turquoise Neretva River that meanders through the city beneath you and onwards for miles.
Fantastic scenery
Other top sights include the Kajtaz Ottoman House, Museum of War and Genocide Victims and the Old Bazaar, where you can grab a scoop of fresh ice-cream for less than a quid while shopping for souvenirs.
Then, park yourself at a bar to watch daredevil divers plunge 24 metres from the Stari Most bridge.
On the outskirts of Mostar is the twee village of Blagaj, known for its Dervish house built into the cliff of the Buna River spring.
Admire the view from the shore or rent a canoe and follow the spring to its source inside a cave.
Just under an hour from there are the Kravice Waterfalls, the country’s answer to America’s Niagara Falls.
Brace yourself for a very cold, albeit refreshing, dip before relaxing at one of the waterfront restaurants.
There are lots of local tour companies which you can book with at the last minute to see these sights. And if wine is your thing, there are tours for that too, in Mostar’s surrounding vineyards.
But you don’t have to go far for fantastic scenery. Back in Neum, the Vidikovac observation deck looks out across the majestic bay. There are a also a few hiking routes — if you can peel yourself off the deckchair.
Getting Neum is a little more of an effort than Croatia.
You fly to Dubrovnik then it is about a one-hour coach ride to Neum.
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Fares are just under £8 each way with Flixbus — and bus travel throughout the region is generally cheap.
But it’s worth the extra fuss for a slice of Dalmatian sunshine at a bargain price in this quirky corner of Bosnia.
GO: Neum
GETTING THERE: Flights to Dubrovnik this September are from £217return with easyJet, and Jet2.com has flights next September from £228pp.
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STAYING THERE: The Grand Hotel Neum is from £49pp per night for four nights arriving September 22.
Or spend four nights at the Hotel Kriva-Cuprija, Mostar, from £45pp per night.
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