Croatia may be known to most people for when it was part of communist Yugoslavia, its participation in the Bosnian war, its deepest blue waters of the Adriatic seas that surround this beautiful country, the walls of Dubrovnik’s old town, or the Red and white checks that prettify every street corner.
But for those who have traveled to Croatia, it is also known for the chillaxed and stress-free aether experienced here.
The 600 km long coastline and endless islands that gleam upon it like a bride at her looking-glass might have a great deal to do with this chillaxed feel.
This gives you every reason in the world to feast in on my adventure in #Croatia – albeit only with your eyes. So, leave your hang-ups home and join the party.
Beach walks festooned with amazing people frolicking about.
Croatia is home to some of the friendliest, chilled out, patriotic folks I’ve come across.
I barely met any edgy, feisty people.
Gorgeous sunsets like the juicy inside of a freshly-split tangerine gloriously gripped the clear waters with glee as it lay in its final resting place, with sounds of the sea organ and lovers whispering little nothings into each other’s’ ears as a backdrop.
I took a one week vacation here in April to bank in on this ‘relaxed’ vibe.
I wanted to ensure that I not only experienced these moments, people, and places that touched my heart, but also experience it from a locals’ perspective in this short period.
I flew into beautiful Zadar at about 10:30pm in the night from an exploratory weekend trip in Paris but I knew I had made the right decision as soon as I stepped out of the airport bus shuttle.
Croatia is an amazing place.
“You’re very lucky” are Ivana’s words as I step out of the airport shuttle bus into platform 8 of the busy Zadar bus terminus.
Ivana is the lovely girl I met at on the train to the airport and coincidentally we were both headed for Zadar.
With a little grin on her face, she takes her little suitcase. “Y’right, and why d’you say so?” I ask.
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; NEVER stop fighting.” …E.E.Cummings
The decision to embark on this trip was largely driven by a deep desire for relaxation and wanderlust to some random destination I’d never imagined having on my bucket list. Before long, the planning for a solo female trip to Croatia began.
Almost all my Google searches recommended the shoulder season (May to September) as the best time to visit Croatia.
But I still chose to visit in the last week of April, anyhow.
Immigration Process
Zadar airport is pretty small and our plane being the only one that landed at the time, it wasn’t as busy.
After queuing for about 15 minutes, it was my turn at the immigration counter. I stood still for about 3 minutes, the officer fumbled with my passport as he struggled to locate the bio-data page.
A little background – while planning for my trip, I didn’t find a lot of information on how to go about applying for a tourist visa for Croatia other than the fact that there was no Croatian Embassy or Consulate in Kenya and that to access one I had either fly to Nigeria, Egypt or South Africa.
Sigh! But with my kind of determination, I was sure there had to be a work-around.
I started digging up the web for whatever bits and pieces of information that I’d find. You can imagine my sigh of relief when I stumbled upon the following excerpt from the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:
Pursuant to the Government’s Decision, starting with 22 July 2014, the Republic of Croatia applies the Decision No 565/2014/EU. All aliens who are holders of valid Schengen documents, as well as national visas and residence permits of Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania do not require an additional (Croatian) visa for Croatia.
The very next day, I booked an appointment the French Embassy in Kenya and a week later had the Schengen visa I needed to grant me entry into Croatia.
The immigration officer eventually found the bio-data page, stamped my passport and wished me a great vacation.
Since I was travelling with only a carry-on, I didn’t have to spend any more time at the baggage collection hall.
So, I just withdrew a few Kuna (kn) – the local currency – and exited.
Although Croatia recently joined the European Union in 2013 as a member state, she never embraced the Euro.
The ride from Zadar Airport
There is only one airport shuttle and should this be your preferred mode of transfer into the city, make sure to board immediately you clear up at immigration and baggage control. Click here for the Zadar airport shuttle bus timetable.
I quickly board the airport shuttle bus from the front gate of the international arrival terminal and within 10 or so minutes, it departed.
A one way bus ticket price is 25 kn, baggage transportation included.
It was rather a smooth uneventful ride as the mini-bus precariously hugged the well paved roads that wound through one historic building after another, dodging headlight glare from on-coming vehicles, and the occasional careless driver.”
The bus was clean with comfortable seats, and ample baggage stowage space. The driver was such an awesome envoy for the city.
As the shuttle from the airport stops at both the main bus station, platform 8 as well as in the Old Town, I wasn’t sure where exactly I needed to stop.
He was very helpful and informative.
Ten to fifteen minutes later and we had arrived at the bus terminus.
“It didn’t rain yesterday and the next two day are predicted to also be sunny,” Ivana continure, and since we’re not into shoulder season yet, you get to enjoy our country minus the crowds.”
Wow! what could top this? Yeap! This would be the perfect holiday “for me – beautiful country, wonderful weather, and minus the crowds.
And as true to duty as the needle is to the pole, the sun was to the weather forecast.
(Is that a thing? Let’s make it one!).
As I would only be in Zadar for 2 nights and 1 full day, I didn’t have an itinerary planned to the T.
As all my travel planning, I picked a few “must do activities” and “must see attractions.”
Please follow this series for details of how my one week in Croatia panned out.
Top on the list was visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park, Watching a Zadar sunset with the Sea Organ playing in the background, and a tour of Zadar Old Town. The Plitvice lake trip was squarely dependent on the weather. I crossed my fingers.
Best accommodation in Zadar, Croatia
If you’re looking for best hotels in Zadar or where to stay in Zadar, then I got you covered.
I highly recommend the chic AirBnB in Zadar that I stayed at.
Guest house Roki&Diva is located in Zadar, just a 5-minute walk from Kolovare Beach.
Guest house Roki&Diva is also 0.7 mi from The Captain’s Tower, 0.7 mi from Knight’s Palace and 0.7 mi from Palace of the Governor General.
Zadar Airport is 5.6 mi away from the Guest house Roki&Diva.
