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Mebtak La Contents Introduction Map of the Sham Valley Trek When to do the Sham Valley Trek What to bring for the Sham Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Sham Valley Trek Transport to and from the Sham Valley Trek Permits for the Sham Valley Trek Cost of the Sham Valley Trek Navigating the Sham Valley Trek Accommodation on the Sham Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Link to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I went to Ladakh to do a 35 day trek through Zanskar to Spiti trek with a small group (see my blog 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 1 ) . Before the Zanskar trek I decided to do the short Sham Valley and Markha Valley treks by myself (see my blog 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek ). I started with the 3 day Sham Valley trek as it is an easy trek and altitude acclimatisation isn't an issue as the maximum altitude is about 3,800 metres, which is only 300 metres higher than Leh. I started the Sham Valley trek on 10th August 2024 which is the peak trekking period. I was pleasantly surprised that there weren't that many people doing the trek. I guess about 30 people a day. I really enjoyed the trek and although there are roads nearby it didn't spoil the trek. Some trekkers could find that the 2nd day of the Sham Valley trek is too short as it only takes about 2.5 hours. If so the 2nd and 3rd days could be combined into a 7 hour hike to Temisgam or a shorter hike to Ang. The Sham Valley trek is a good warm up trek for the slightly more difficult Markha Valley trek. It is possible to drive from the end of the Sham Valley trek to the start of the Markha Valley trek without going back to Leh. This journey takes about 2 hours and costs INR 4,000 (USD 48). 2.  Map  of the Sham Valley Trek Red line for the correct route & blue line for my wrong route 3. When to do the Sham Valley Trek The Sham Valley trek can usually be done from May to October. There is a small risk of snow on the passes in May and October but the highest pass is only 3,800 metres so usually it shouldn't be a problem. There are roads to both Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan and it would be easy to abort the trek if necessary July and August are the busiest months for the Sham Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. I did the trek in mid August and didn't find the trail and accommodation to be busy. There were less trekkers than in the Markha Valley and I didn't find the Markha Valley trek to be that busy either. It can be very hot in July and August and I found the first day of the Sham Valley trek to be hot. The temperature would be less extreme in June and September. May and October could be a bit on the cool side. 4.What to bring for the Sham Valley Trek 4.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. 4.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Sham Valley and Markha Valley trek s and I relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days. It took me 7 weeks to recover and I am now lactose intolerant as a result. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 4.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and they are comfortable. 4.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 4.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There is mains electricity in Yangthang, Hemis Shukpachan and Temisgam. 4.6. Medications I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 4.7. Other Items Other items worth consider bringing are: A head torch even though there is mains electricity at all the locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never use them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to take! Don't bring any satellite communication device, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 5. Internet Connectivity on the Sham Valley Trek The homestays I stayed in at Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan had free satellite wifi. I had Airtel and BSNL SIM cards but only tried to use the internet when I reached Temisgam. I could access the internet on my phone in Temisgam but unfortunately I can't remember which SIM I used. 6. Transport to and from the Sham Valley Trek If you are on a tight budget you can hitchhike or probably take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as the cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go the taxi stand in central Leh where there are lots of taxis parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Likir the rate is INR 2,511 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I used a taxi driver who had already taken me on an outing from Leh (see my blog Leh, Ladakh Travel Guide - 2024 ). H e charged INR 2,000 (USD 24) from Leh to Likir. He stopped at a couple of view points along the way and also at Magnetic Hill. At the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Ang which is where the road to Leh starts. There was a taxi parked on the road in Ang but the locals told me there were no available taxis and to walk on to Temisgam. At Temisgam I enquired at a local store about taxis to Skiu as I wanted to do the Markha Valley trek . The owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000 (USD 48)! The official rate for a taxi from Leh to Temisgam is INR 4,352 (USD 52) and to Ang it is an extra INR 500. Some trekkers prearrange for a taxi to meet them in Ang or Temisgam. Otherwise you would either need to find transport like I did or phone a taxi driver to come. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 7. Permits for the Sham Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Sham Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Likir. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was driving to Likir. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit  there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend you might be able to get through the check point if you leave Leh before 06.30 and reach the check point before it starts operating. Road Permit Ancient Tracks Travel Agency 8. Cost of the Sham Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Sham Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The cost of my 3 day trek was: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Likir Monastery 2,000 24 Homestay - Yangthang 1,500 18 Homestay - Hemis Shukshapan 2,000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Temisgam to Leh 4,352 52 TOTAL 10,452 125 9. Navigating the Sham Valley Trek Several blogs said that the trail for the Sham Valley trek isn't well marked and they are right! The Ancient Tracks travel agency had strongly advised me not to do the trek by myself as 2 Germans had recently got lost on the trek and had to be rescued. I had no intention of hiring a guide and downloaded the trail on Maps.Me and took photocopies of blogs providing directions. What could wrong on the easy Sham Valley trek which is sometimes called the Baby Trek! For my trek it went wrong about one hour after leaving Likir Monastery! I think most trekkers don't start the trek from Likir Monastery and start near the turn off from the main road to Likir Monastery. Starting at Likir Monastery made the route finding more difficult. The trail from Likir monastery only had one sign pointing the way and that was the only sign for the entire Sham Valley trek! There might have been the occasional cairn on the trek but if so there were very few. When I reached the road which leads to Yangthang I couldn't figure out how to locate the trail on Maps.Me a nd I asked a local person for directions. He wasn't very helpful and told me to continue up the road and I would see the trail. Further up the road I came across an animal conservation sign on the right and there were blue arrows marking a trail. I decided to follow the blue arrows as I thought the Sham Valley trek would be the only marked trail. The correct trail to Yangthang was later and to the left! The trail was very well marked with blue arrows and cairns. I walked through remote and rugged terrain for 3 hours and didn't see another person the entire time. I must have climbed to over 4,000 metres. It was extremely hot and I was running short of water. After 3 hours I could see a village (Saspochey) down in the valley but I was high above the valley with no clear route down. I then saw a painted animal paw print by one arrow. I had a terrible thought that the trail I was following was an animal spotting trail and didn't lead to a village. I therefore left the trail and tried without success to get down to the village. I couldn't find a way down and I was tired and thirsty. Fortunately I found the blue arrows again and to my relief the arrows did eventually lead to Saspochey. I was puzzled as to why this unused trail was well marked. I can only think the trail was often used before the road from Likir to Saspochey was constructed. It is also an area visited for viewing snow leopards and other wildlife. When I finally reached the road between Saspochey and Sumdo I had walked for 6 hours. Maps.Me showed that it would take another 3 hours to walk to Yangthang and I would reach there around 20.00. I decided to try hitchhiking but before any vehicles passed I came across a friendly road construction crew. The boss called a friend who picked me up in his car and drove me to Yangthang for INR 500. I learnt my lesson from this and afterwards was very careful! The next day's section of the Sham Valley trek was from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan. The owner of the guest house carefully pointed out the initial section of the trail to me. After that I used information gleaned from another blog as I knew the trail wasn't properly shown on Maps.Me . It was very easy finding the way from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan and I have provided details in the itinerary section. It only took me about 2.5 hours. However, trekkers still make mistakes navigating this section! Whilst I was having dinner at Hemis Shukpachan five Israelis arrived in the dark at 19.30. They had walked from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan but had used Maps.Me . It had taken them 9 hours and at the end they had to clamber down a cliff! They told me that there wasn't a trail so I couldn't understand why they hadn't realised the route was wrong. The family running the guest house at Hemis Shukpachen were very helpful and pointed out the first section of the Sham Valley trail to Temisgam. At the first pass a guide for a group pointed out the trail to the Mebtak pass. From the top of Mebtak pass it was very easy to follow the trail down to Ang . From Ang there is a tarred road to Temisgam. I didn't need to use Maps.Me from Hemis Shukpachen to Temisgam but I have been told it shows the correct trail. The five Israelis who got lost the previous day were using Maps.Me on this section and successfully reached the Mebtak La whilst I was eating my packed lunch. I have provided details of the route in the itinerary section. I don't understand why the trail for the popular Sham Valley trek wasn't marked at all yet the trail from Likir to Saspochey was well marked. My advice is to check the route at homestays and when meeting people on the trail. Also be very wary of using Maps.Me between Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan! 10. Accommodation on the Sham Valley Trek The accommodation on the Sham Valley trek is often described as homestays but the accommodation is far superior to that. The accommodation provided is really in guest houses and and they are very comfortable and reasonably priced. Some of the guest houses in Hemis Shukpachan and Temisgam even offer attached bathrooms and have proper beds. In Yangthang I stayed in the basic old village, rather than the new section. My room was comfortable and there was a flush western toilet inside the building. On the Markha Valley trek the accommodation really is in homestays! The bedrooms are usually basic and the toilets are long drops. On the Markha Valley trek you can't choose the homestay as they operate on a rotation system. On the Sham Valley trek you can choose where to stay. This has encouraged competition and raised the standard of accommodation. I did the Sham Valley trek in the peak season and started from Likir on 10th August 2024. The trail wasn't busy and nor were the guest houses. There is no shortage of accommodation for this trek. 10.1 Yangthang When walking from Likir you reach the new section of Yangthang first. There are several modern guest houses here and I believe most trekkers stay in them. They looked very comfortable. I didn't stay in the new section as I took the wrong trail when walking from Likir and ended up taking an unofficial taxi to Yangthang. I was a bit frustrated when my taxi drove past all the nice new accommodation and took me to the old village. The driver walked me through the old village to the Norbu Togochay Homestay. I was given a very good corner room on the upper floor. There was a shared flush western toilet on the same floor and a bathroom with a sink. The Tibetan dining room/lounge was downstairs. There was electricity in the homestay and I had an electric socket in my room. There were no other trekkers staying and that suited me fine. The family running it consisted of the 80 year old grandfather, his adult grandson, a lady and 2 kids. The youngest kid was a bit of a nuisance. Everyone else was very pleasant and the grandfather spent most of his time praying. Breakfast was freshly cooked chapatis with jam and omelette. Dinner was Chhutagi which is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunch was chapatis, boiled eggs, snack bar and a juice pack. The food was plentiful. There was filtered water which I sterilised with my Steripen. They had satellite wifi which was free of charge. The cost of food and lodging was INR 1,500 (USD 18). This included dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and tea. When I left the grandson walked with me for a couple of hundred metres and pointed out the first section of the trail to Hemis Shukpachan. The homestays in the new section of Yangthang 10.2 Hemis Shukpachan When I reached Hemis Shukpachan I recognised a guest house recommended by a blog and it had attached bathrooms. Before I could walk up to it a young woman approached me and asked if I was looking for accommodation. She said her family's guest house was better and she would drive me there. Her guest house was in the centre of Hemis Shukpachan near the golden Buddha. They had 2 rooms with attached bathrooms for INR 2,000 (USD 24) and several other rooms without bathrooms for INR 1,500 (USD 18). These rates included dinner, breakfast and lunch. I chose the large upstairs corner room with an attached bathroom and hot shower. The woman who drove me there was the daughter of the owner and was visiting with her sister and brother in law. They spoke good English and I had a good time talking to them. In the afternoon I met them at the Buddha on the hill and they pointed out the trail to Temisgam. They gave me tea and biscuits when I arrived. For dinner they offered to cook either Chhutagi or rice and dahl. There was free satellite wifi and electricity in my room. 10.3 Ang and Temisgam There is some accommodation in Ang and a lot more in Temisgam. There is some very good accommodation in Temisgam and it is an attractive village with a monastery and fortress on the hill above it. I had been planning to spend one night in Temisgam but when I got there decided to go straightaway to Skiu to start the Markha Valley trek . 11. Itinerary for the Sham Valley Trek 11.1. Likir to Yangthang As I mentioned in section 9 I took the wrong trail on this stage of the trek and therefore can give little guidance about the trail. It would certainly be easier to find the trail if your taxi dropped you off at the trail head near Likir village instead of at Likir monastery. The other guidance I can give is that the trail runs along the left hand side of the road from Likir to Phobe La, which is is before the village of Sumdo. The hike from Likir village to Yangthang should take about 4.5 hours. It takes just over 1 hour to hike from Likir monastery to Likir Village. The trail I took was from Likir to Saspochey and if you have time this is a very enjoyable hike to do. From Likir village it takes about 4.5 hours to reach Saspochey. The trail is very well marked from Likir to Saspochey but it would be harder to see the trail markings going the other way. I believe there is one homestay in Saspochey. It should be possible to arrange transport back to Likir or onto Yangthang. If not it wouldn't be far to walk to the village of Sumdo and hitch hike from there. 11.2. Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan This is a short hike that only takes about 2.5 hours to the centre of Hemis Shukpachan. Don't use Maps.Me for directions as it doesn't show the correct trail. If you are staying in the new section of Yangthang you will need to first descend to the old section. Yangthang is a very small village and easy to navigate through. You continue past the old part of Yangthang and you will a green oasis in the valley below as shown in the first photo. Ask for directions in old Yangthang if you aren't sure of the way. You descend down to the green oasis in the valley and cross a bridge to reach it. Follow the trail upwards with a homestay on the left. The trail by the homestay is a bit indistinct as it goes through a small stream for about 100 metres. You soon reach a dirt track and you turn right and follow it up until you see a pylon on the left and a trail by it. Take this trail and follow the pylons until you reach the top of the Tsermangchen La (3,800 metres). From there you can see a green patch in the distance which is Hemis Shukpachan. From the Tsermangchen La it is easy to follow the trail down to the tarred road on the outskirts of Hemis Shukpachan. It is a very spread out village and there are guest houses as soon as you reach the outskirts. The centre of the village is further on and is below a hill with a large golden Budhha on the top and it can be seen a long way away. I stayed in a very good homestay in the centre and it was located very near the next section of the trek to Temisgam. 11.3. Hemis Shukpachan to Ang or Temisgam This section of the Sham Valley trek is on Maps.Me but I didn't need to use the app as I obtained directions before setting out and whilst on the trail. From the second pass (Mebtak La) it was very straightforward walking down to Ang and on to Temisgam. The trail leaves Hemis Shukpachan near the Disket Guest House which is below the Golden Buddha. You follow a dirt road and after about 10 minutes reach the house in the first photo. There you take a path between the house and the line of Poplar trees. This path becomes a jeep track and you walk up it to a white chorten shown in the 4th photo. You continue up past 2 toilets to the top of the first pass. There is a dirt road to the right of the pass and if you followed it you would reach eventually reach Ang and avoid the descent down the first pass and the ascent up the Mebtak La. The trail doesn't follow the road though! You descend on a trail which turns into a jeep track. At the bottom look out carefully for a blue and red concrete marker shown on the 11th photo. There you will see a feint trail to the right and it steeply ascends the Mebtak La. There are prayer flags at the top. It is worth going a bit further up to the left where there are some other prayer flags as the views are even better there. The trail down to Ang can be clearly seen from the Mebtak La. It eventually turns into a dirt road and the dirt road becomes a paved road before Ang and continues to Temisgam. There was hardly any traffic on the road between Ang and Temisgam. It was very scenic but also hot! 12. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Techa Gompa near Umlung Contents Introduction When to do the Markha Valley Trek What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek Permits for the Markha Valley Trek Cost of the Markha Valley Trek Map of the Markha Valley Trek Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I did the Markha Valley trek by myself in mid August 2024. Before doing this trek I spent 3 nights acclimatising in Leh (see my blog Leh, Ladakh Travel Guide - 2024 ). I then trekked in the Sham Valley for 3 days to further improve my acclimatisation (see my blog 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek ) . At the end of the third day of trekking in Sham Valley I took an unofficial taxi to Skiu. I stayed in a homestay for the night (12th August) at Skiu before trekking through Markha Valley for 4 days. I spent the nights in Skiu, Markha, Thachungtse and Nyimaling. I was concerned that the trails and accommodation could be very busy as I was hiking in peak season. I was pleasantly surprised, and probably fortunate, that neither the Sham Valley trek nor the Markha Valley trek were busy except at Nyimaling. I wanted to have my own room or tent and fortunately this was possible. At Skiu I had the homestay to myself. In Markha I had a triple bed room to myself. It was fortunate that I decided not to stay in Hankar as I later heard it was overflowing with trekkers. I had continued on from Hankar to the Thachungtse tented camp and had a tent to myself. I was one of the first trekkers to arrive at Nyimaling and was only allowed to have a tent to myself as the outer zip was broken. I really enjoyed the Markha Valley trek. The scenery was fantastic and there was great camaraderie with other trekkers. I usually don't like trekking on roads but the rough road from Skiu to Markha didn't spoil my trek. There was very little traffic and it made navigation very easy! The Markha Valley trek isn't difficult but the section between Skiu and Hankar can be very hot. There are now bridges over the river in many places. However, in years when the water level is high river crossings could be difficult on the descent from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I was fortunate that there was little snow last winter so the river levels were low. 2. When to do the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek can usually be done from late May to mid October. There is more risk of snow on the pass in May and October. In late June and July the river levels are often higher. As discussed in the section on River Crossings the river level is mainly a concern when descending the Gongmaru La as there are now bridges over most of the rivers until Nyimaling. Another consideration is the number of trekkers. July and August are the busiest months for the Markha Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. The section of the Markha Valley trek from Skiu to Hankar can also be very hot in July and August as it is in a valley. I trekked in mid August and the temperature on this section felt like it was in the mid 30's centigrade. In my opinion late August to mid September would be a very good time to do the Markha Valley trek. There should be less trekkers and the temperature would be less extreme. 3. What to bring for the Markha Valley Trek 3.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases Unless you are bringing your own tent you don't need to bring a sleeping bag for the Markha Valley trek. I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. For temperatures in mid August there were sufficient blankets and duvets at all the places I stayed at, including the tented camps at Thachungtse and Nyimaling. It would be colder in September and October but as there are less trekkers there should be more blankets and duvets available. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. You can be sure that the pillow cases provided are rarely washed. 3.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps on the Markha Valley trek provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Markha Valley trek and relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses or parasites. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days and it took me 7 weeks to completely recover. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 3.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult on the Markha Valley trek and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and that they are comfortable. I met some trekkers who had bought new footwear in Leh and were really suffering with blisters. To make matters worse they hadn't brought any plasters or Compeed. I also took water shoes as I had brought them for the Zanskar trek. I didn't use them as the river levels were low in 2024. However, when the river level is higher it would be good to at least have a cheap pair of plastic crocs for river crossings and they can be bought in Leh. 3.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays in the Markha Valley were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 3.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There was mains electricity in my room at Skiu and at Markha the homestay charged my cell phone from their solar powered batteries. My phone battery then lasted on airplane mode until I finished the trek. 3.6. Medications I hadn't taken Diamox for 20 years before this trek. However, I decided to take half a tablet on my arrival at Delhi at midnight and also the next morning and evening in Leh (3,500m). I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation in Leh as a result. I decided to take half a tablet of Diamox when I arrived at Nyimaling and half a tablet early the next morning. I didn't have any problems with altitude acclimatisation but I usually acclimatise well anyway. Therefore I would suggest taking some Diamox on the Markha Valley trek in case you need it unless you have already spent a week or so at altitude. I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 3.7. Other Items Other items worth considering: A head torch even though there is electricity at some locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Warm clothes for Nyimaling and the amount depends on the season. It got close to 0 centigrade during the night in mid August. I had a thin down jacket and long johns. I took a pee bottle which I had bought for my Zanskar trek. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles for the descent. Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never take them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to bring! Don't bring any satellite communication devices, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 4. Internet Connectivity on the Markha Valley Trek There was connectivity with the Jio network at Skiu according to the lady running the homestay I stayed at. However, I didn't have a Jio SIM card. Outside Markha's monastery there is free internet and it worked well. The password at the time was 1234567890. However, check the password with your homestay before walking up! The Jio and Airtel networks can be accessed at the top of the Gongmaru La. Many trekkers phone from there to arrange for a taxi to meet them at Chokdo. I don't think there is any connectivity to the BSNL network on the Markha Valley trek. I had BSNL and Airtel SIM cards and the BSNL SIM card was of no use to me during my 6 weeks in Ladakh. Jio seems to be the best and then Airtel. 5. Transport to and from the Markha Valley Trek If you are on a really tight budget you can hitchhike or perhaps take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go to the taxi stand in central Leh where lots of taxis are parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Skiu it costs INR 4,175 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I took a taxi to Likir to start the Sham Valley trek and then at the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Temisgam to Skiu for the Markha Valley trek. I asked about taxis at a local store in Temisgam and the owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000! For the return journey from Chokdo to Leh you have several options: Arrange a taxi to meet you at Chokdo before you start the Markha Valley trek. The official rate is about INR 4,500. The problem would be estimating your arrival time in Chokdo. I left Nyimaling at 07.15, immediately after breakfast, and got to Chokdo at 12.00. However, the numerous river crossings were very easy in 2024. Phone a taxi driver once you reach the Gongmaru La using a Jio or Airtel SIM card. It took me about 3 hours to descend to Chokdo. Hope that there is a taxi waiting at Chokdo. There were several when I got there but they may have all been prearranged by other trekkers. Try and share a prearranged taxi at Chokdo. That's what I did and the other trekker wouldn't accept any payment from me. Phone for a taxi from Chokdo and probably wait 1.5 hours for it to come from Leh. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 6. Permits for the Markha Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Markha Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Chilling. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was travelling to Chilling. However, if I was doing the longer and more difficult trek starting in Zhingchan it wasn't necessary as the road didn't go past the check point. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend there are 2 options. Start the Markha Valley trek from Zingchan or leave Leh by about 06.30 so you can get through the check point before it starts operating. INR 600 Permit for the Markha Valley Trek The Ancient Tracks Travel Agency in Leh 7. Cost of the Markha Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Markha Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The costs of my 4 day trek were: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Skiu (Estimate) 4175 50 Homestay - Skiu 1600 19 Homestay - Markha 1600 19 Thachungtse tented camp 1600 19 Nyimaling tented camp 2000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Chokdo to Leh (Estimate) 4500 54 TOTAL 16075 192 Regarding taxi fares I actually took an unofficial taxi from the end of the Sham Valley trek to Skiu for INR 4,000 and a kind trekker gave me a lift in his prearranged taxi from Chokdo to Leh. 8. Map of the Markha Valley Trek 9. Navigation on the Markha Valley Trek Before travelling to Leh I read several blogs about the Markha Valley trek and also the Cicerone Trekking in Ladakh guide book. I brought photocopies on the trek as they kept warning about wrong turns and difficulties navigating the trail. I also downloaded maps on Maps.Me and Mapy.cz . The reality is that the trail for the Markha Valley trek is very easy to navigate and it would be very hard to go wrong except in very poor visibility for the section after Hankar. I never had to look at the photocopies or the downloaded maps. There is now a road all the way from Chilling to Markha so it is virtually impossible to go wrong on this section of the Markha Valley trek. From Markha to Lower Hankar there seems to be a jeep track although no vehicles were using it as they couldn't cross the river just before Markha. The trail was a bit confusing after the restaurant in Lower Umlung and after leaving Upper Hankar. After Upper Hankar you go through a gate and then walk along the left bank of the river. After a while there is a steep trail on the left up the hillside. It looked a bit hairy but it was actually okay. You don't cross the river at all until you get to the bridge just before Thachungtse. The only other time I was a bit uncertain of the trail was at the Tsigu lakes, between Thachungtse and Nyimaling. Two other trekkers in front of me were uncertain whether to take the left or right path but we all correctly guessed to the left. Other blogs suggest following the horse droppings on the trail and it is a good indicator of the right path, particularly on the descent from the Gongmaru La. On this descent there are a couple of sections where the trail briefly ascends in order to avoid going through narrow and difficult canyons. The locals can often get through the canyons when the river level is low but it is safer to take the trails up. 10. Homestays & Tented Camps on the Markha Valley Trek The homestays on the Markha Valley trek run on a rotation system with each homestay in the village taking turns to take in trekkers. If the designated homestay is full they will send you to the next designated one, if there is more than one in the village! The rotation system sounds very fair but in reality it isn't. The rotation system means that poor quality homestays receive the same income as good quality homestays and they have no incentive to improve. In Skiu the lady running the homestay didn't like me taking photos as some areas were very untidy. She should have tidied up instead! In Markha I had a great homestay in the new section of the village but some trekkers in the old section of Markha were complaining about their accommodation. All the homestays charge INR 1,600 (USD 19) per night for food and lodging. Nyimaling tented camp charges INR 2,000 (USD 24). This cost includes dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and cups of tea. Breakfast usually consisted of freshly cooked chapatis or Tibetan bread with jam. At Skiu I was also served eggs. Dinner was usually Chhutagi or a rice dish. Chhutagi is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunches consisted of a sandwich or large pastry with a filling. Cold boiled potatoes were sometimes added. There was also a small juice box and chocolate bar. If the homestays are busy you might have to share rooms or sleep in the dining room. I was lucky and always had a room to myself. The toilets were long drops. They had a good system where you put soil down the hole after going to the toilet. I didn't find the toilets bad and they were clean. I was a bit perturbed at Markha when I saw the neighbour's dog lying underneath the long drop! The homestays provide filtered water but I recommend sterilising it. 10.1. Homestays in Skiu A couple of years ago travel blogs for the Markha Valley trek reported that there were no homestays in Skiu. I don't understand this as there are several. The taxi dropped me off at the far end of Skiu. The first homestay I enquired at informed me it wasn't their turn and directed me to the next homestay about 5 minutes away. There are also homestays at the start of Skiu which operate on a separate rotation system. My homestay was fine. I had my own room, the food was good, it was quiet and the toilet was clean. I had mains electricity in my room and I could charge electrical devices. There was limited Jio cellphone connectivity and the owner only seemed to be able to make calls from 1 room. There is probably better phone and internet connectivity in the first part of Skiu. 10.2. Homestays between Skiu and Markha When I arrived at Skiu in the late afternoon I had considered walking on as the heat had subsided. However, I wasn't sure about the accommodation after Skiu. I met some other trekkers who were continuing on but they had their own tents. The Skiu Women's Eco Cafe is a 50 minute walk from Skiu and the trekkers I had met camped there. The cafe was closed when they got there and it was closed when I passed it early the next morning. The sign doesn't mention that there is camping or homestay accommodation and the fancy flush toilet was locked. There is a camping site and restaurant at Hamurja which is a 1 hour 40 minute walk from Skiu. The sign mentions that beds are available and it looked like there were at least two fixed 2 man tents. I have never seen any mention of a settlement called Hamurja before and it is probably near Pentse. Sara is 2.5 hours from Skiu and there is a homestay and camping site. 10.3. Markha's Homestays There is at least one homestay and two campsites before you cross the river and enter Markha. They were probably used more when there weren't bridges over the 2 river crossings before Markha. Trekkers often had to wait until the next morning to cross the rivers. There are about 10 homestays in Markha. There are about 7 homestays in the old section of Markha at the foot of the hill below the monastery. There are another 3 homestays about 5 minutes further on and they are just off the trail to Umlung. I stayed in the new section of Markha and my homestay was very good. I was given a triple room and I checked that they wouldn't put other trekkers in before accepting it. The homestay was very clean and tidy, the food was good and the hosts were very pleasant. 10.4. Homestays between Markha and Thachungtse I had a drink at the restaurant at Lower Umlung. The restaurant looked good and the lady running it was very pleasant. I can't remember the homestay in detail but I think it should be a reasonable place to stay. Lower Umlung is a 90 minute walk from Markha. The homestay & campsite in Lower Umlung The homestay and camping site at Upper Umlung is about 15 minutes from Lower Umlung. I didn't take any photos of the homestays at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. There are several homestays in Lower Hankar and two in Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is the nicer location but it seems to fill up. I visited one of the homestays and the dining room looked nice but there might have only been one bedroom with triple beds. Trekkers at Nyimaling told me that the homestays in Upper Hankar had been packed the previous night and trekkers were sleeping in the dining room. 10.5. Thachungtse Tented Camp I intended to stay in Hankar rather than Thachungtse as I wasn't sure if they had fixed tents for trekkers at Thachungtse. I was also concerned about the river crossing just before Thachungtse as a YouTube video mentioned there wasn't a bridge in 2023 and that the river crossing in the afternoon was very difficult. I reached Lower Hankar very early at 10.50. It was so early that I didn't register that I was in Lower Hankar! I soon got up to Upper Hankar and had problems locating the homestays. I was finally shown the homestay and was given a triple room. I decided not to stay as I wasn't keen on the room and I wasn't sure if I would have it to myself. I tried without success to find another homestay. Luckily I met a small group of trekkers and their guide said they were going to Thachungtse. He said there were fixed tents there and that there was a bridge across the river before Thachungtse. I therefore decided to go there. There is a lower and upper part to the Thachungtse campsite and I was directed to the upper area where there were 4 two man tents and a large dining tent. There were only 3 other trekkers there and I was given my own tent with a sleeping mattress and duvets/blankets. The man running the upper campsite told us that early the next morning he was going to Hankar for 2 days and his campsite would then be closed. We therefore had to have breakfast at 06.00 but we could leave after him. I asked him if trekkers would be allowed to stay in the tents whilst he was away but he said not. The cost was INR 1,200 like the homestays and that included tea, dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch. The campsite was good but it concerned me that they were closing for 2 days in peak season. If I had arrived a day later accommodation may have been a problem. I did pass another campsite between Hankar and Thachungtse so it may be possible to stay there if Thachungtse was full. The lower campsite had some larger fixed tents and a stone dining room. It was full as a group was staying in most of the larger fixed tents. I met 2 trekkers who were staying in a 4 man tent and they said the owner had tried to charge them for 4 persons. They did negotiate the rate down a bit. 10.6. Nyimaling Tented Camp I arrived at Nyimaling at 11.15 which was very early. I asked the owner for a single tent but it wasn't possible as he didn't know how many people were coming. As he took me over to the 2 man tents he showed me one with a broken zip on the fly sheet and said I could have that tent to myself. I was delighted. The camp filled up with trekkers and by mid afternoon it was full. The last couple given a tent were told that if any one else came a third person would be squeezed in! Officially it was a 3 man tent but in reality it was tight for even 2 people. Later in the afternoon it started to rain and the campsite became muddy. One trekker who had intended to sleep outside asked for a tent and the owner told me that he would have to sleep in my tent. I refused as the vestibule of my tent couldn't be used for luggage. I would have been sharing the worst tent even though I was the first person to arrive at the campsite. In the end they found a tent for him but the owner wasn't happy with me. I read a blog that said they have plenty of spare tents at Nyimaling which they can erect if necessary. That isn't correct and the only tents are the ones erected. Most of the tents are 2 man tents but they also have a couple of 8 man tents. In total 50 to 60 people can be accommodated. Groups with their own tents tend to camp a few hundred metres away. As it often rains or snows at Nyimaling the campsite can be muddy. When it is sunny it is pleasant and you can sit outside and drink tea. When it rained everyone stayed in their tents until dinner time and then went into the very rudimentary and dark dining tent. The owner said that it was very difficult planning for meals as the number of trekkers staying varied so much and he didn't know the number until the actual day. Apparently the day before the camp was only a third full. Supper consisted of 2 huge pots of food and rice and it was self serve. It's best to line up as quickly as you can and not sit in the seats by the walls as it is difficult to get out. The food was good and plentiful. It was very sociable in the basic surroundings. Breakfast was served at 07.00 and it was again self serve. I think there was porridge and chapatis. Whilst we were eating breakfast they were preparing our packed lunches in the kitchen. I went to the kitchen after breakfast to pay the INR 2,000 for the night and collect my lunch. I didn't eat it until I got back to Leh! When I left two Israelis were trying to pay for their share of an 8 man tent. The owner was insisting they pay for all 8 people even though they weren't all hiking together. Apparently 2 of the others had already paid and left but the owner couldn't remember this. I don't know how it was resolved but the owner wouldn't back down and started being rude about Israelis. It was all a bit unpleasant. It is best to arrive at Nyimaling early so you can get reasonable accommodation. Otherwise you could end up in a 8 man tent, share a 2 man tent with 2 other people or sleep in the dining room. None of those options appeal to me! They don't make single trekkers share a tent with the opposite sex. As a result one woman had a tent to herself. 11. River Crossings on the Markha Valley Trek The river crossings on the Markha Valley trek were my main concern as I was doing the trek by myself. All the travel blogs said that river crossings could be a problem just before Markha, between Markha and Umlung, before Thachungtse and on the descent from the Gongmaru La. The first river crossing before Markha village now has a bridge for pedestrians but not for vehicles. In mid August 2024 most vehicles couldn't cross this river. The final river crossing before Markha has a bridge suitable for vehicles. There are now bridges where the river crosses the trail between Markha and Umlung and also before Thachungtse. I crossed the bridge near Thachungtse in the early afternoon and it was a raging torrent. I wouldn't have attempted to wade through that river by myself. It was worse than any of the rivers I crossed on the Zanskar trek. I had to cross a small stream about 15 minutes after leaving Thachungtse early in the morning. It was very easy to jump across as the water level was low. A trekker reported in July 2018 that this stream was a raging torrent at 14.00. The time of day, snow fall the previous winter, rain, temperature etc can make such a big difference. At Nyimaling you have to cross the river to take the trail ascending to the Gongmaru La. When I arrived in the afternoon it looked like I would have to wade through it the next morning. However, the next morning the river level had dropped and it was possible to hop across on the rocks. After the initial descent from the Gongmaru La the river has to be crossed numerous times, perhaps around 30 times. Fortunately the river level was very low in 2024 and it was easy to cross each time without removing my boots. In some years this river on the descent can be a raging torrent and difficult to cross. One blog recommended trying to get to Chokdo by 10.30 to avoid difficulties in crossing. The bridges were well made but there is always a risk that a bridge can be swept away in floods and not replaced immediately. The first steel road bridge at Chilling, built in 2015, was washed away in flood water later that year! Therefore you cannot rely on the bridges I mention being in place. You should enquire about them when trekking. 12. Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek The Markha Valley trek traditionally used to be started from either Zhingchan or Chilling. The Zhingchan route takes about 7 days and requires crossing the 4,973 metre high Kanda La at the start of the trek. Most trekkers don't take this route due to the risk of altitude sickness and the extra time required. If you acclimatise properly, and have the time, the Zhingchan route is the superior option. I did the Chilling route as time was a constraint and I wasn't adequately acclimatised. I actually started the trek in Skiu as there is now a road from Chilling to Markha. Very few trekkers now start the Markha Valley trek from Chilling and I don't recommend doing so for reasons detailed in the next section. Many trekkers take a taxi to Markha in the morning and either stay there or hike to Hankar the same day. This reduces the trek to 3 days and 2 nights. I think that it is a shame to drive from Skiu to Markha as the scenery is excellent and there is very little traffic on the road. 12.1. Chilling to Skiu I was driven along this section of the Markha Valley trek and most trekkers do the same. I don't recommend hiking this section as: The first part of the road is tarred and the traffic is fast. The scenery isn't as good as during the rest of the Markha Velley trek. In July and August it is likely to be very hot. 12.2. Skiu (3430m) to Markha (3806m) As I mentioned earlier many trekkers skip this section of the Markha Valley trek as they drive from Leh to Markha. I think that is a mistake as the scenery is excellent and can't be appreciated from a vehicle. The dirt road doesn't spoil the hike as there is very little traffic and it makes route finding very straight forward! I arrived in Skiu late in the afternoon and stayed the night there. That meant I could leave Skiu early and walk in the cooler early morning temperatures. It would have been even better if I had walked for 1 hour 40 minutes the previous afternoon from Skiu to the tented camp at Hamurja . I left Skiu at 07.30 and reached Markha at 13.00. The temperature was very pleasant for the first couple of hours but then it became very hot as the trail is in the Markha valley. Markha is an attractive village with a crumbling old fort and a monastery on the hillsides. I didn't see any other trekkers until I reached Markha and then I met plenty. 12.3. Markha (3806m) to Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) It only took 3 hours to walk to Lower Hankar (3,990m) and from there it was another 20 minutes to Upper Hankar (4,048m). It was too early to stop for the day and I walked another 2 hours to the tented camp at Thachungtse. Most trekkers spend the night at Lower Hankar or Upper Hankar. Upper Hankar is in a very attractive location with an old fort perched on a rocky outcrop. Apparently it is possible to scramble up to visit it. The altitude at Thachungtse would be too high for most trekkers who drive from Leh (3,500m) to Markha the same day. I saw very few other trekkers on the trail as I left Markha at 07.30, which was earlier than most trekkers. 12.4. Hankar (3990m) or Thachungtse (4250m) to Nyimaling (4848m) The weather was overcast for the first time during the Markha Valley trek. The sun makes such a difference to the the scenery and it seemed a bit bleak at times. However, there were good views of the snow covered Kang Yatse which is 6,400 metres high. It was an uphill walk to Tsigu lake. After that the terrain flattened out and the last section to Nyimaling was across a plateau. It took 3.5 hours to walk from Thachungtse to Nyimaling and the previous day it had taken 2 hours to walk from Upper Hankar to Thachungtse. As I had left Thachungtse early at 07.30 I only saw 2 other trekkers on the trail. Nyimaling is in a bit of a bleak setting. Some trekkers climbed up the hillside to the south west of the campsite to get better views of Kang Yatse. There are apparently some very nice walks around the Nyimaling area but you have to know where to go. It wasn't advisable for me to explore by myself and I wouldn't fancy spending a second night at Nyimaling's muddy tented camp. 12.5. Nyimaling (4848m) to Chokdo (3660m) I wanted to set off very early from Nyimaling but breakfast was only served at 07.00. I left at 07.15 which was before many trekkers but I still had about 10 trekkers ahead of me. There were 2 groups camped near us and I was pleased that I was about 20 minutes ahead of them. It is a steep 440 metre ascent from Nyimaling to the Gongmaru La (5,287 metres) but it wasn't difficult and it took 1 hour 40 minutes. It wasn't cold or windy at the top and I spent 15 minutes enjoying the views before starting the descent to Chokdo. The very first part was steep but there was a good path that snaked down. I was pleased that no one was ahead of me or behind me and it stayed that way until I had almost reached Chokdo. The trail to Chokdo was very clear. It crossed the river about 30 times but since the river level was so low the crossings were easy. The only time I had any doubts about the trail were when it ascended a couple of times to avoid difficult sections through the canyon. It took about 3 hours to descend 1,600 metres from the Gongmaru La to Chokdo. I didn't find the descent difficult or tiring and the scenery was very good. It is an enjoyable section of the Markha Valley trek when the river level is low. I was fortunate that another trekker overtook me before Chokdo. At Chokdo I asked if I could share his taxi and he very kindly agreed and wouldn't accept payment. I was back in Leh by about 13.30 and ate my packed lunch at my hotel! 13. L inks to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Krk Town's Harbour We visited Krk Town on our way from Rab to Rovinj (see my blogs Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12 , Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide and Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide ) . We took the ferry from the town of Lopar on Rab Island to the town of Valbiska on Krk island. It was a short drive from Valbiska to Krk Town. We parked to the west of Krk Town at " Parkiraliste 1 . zona" on Kvarnerska Ulica " and it was a 10 minute walk to the historic centre of Krk Town. The parking cost Eur 1 per hour. There were other car parks nearby if this one is full. Krk Town is dominated by the Frankopan Castle and the bell tower of St Quirinus' Church. The tall bell tower has a striking onion dome with a trumpet blowing angel on top. There is a Eur 5 entrance fee for Frankopan castle. Most Google reviews say that it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to look around and the views from the walls are the main feature. You can see the interior of the castle for free as the ticket office is in the courtyard. We didn't think it was worth paying to look around. We enjoyed wandering through most of the streets in Krk's old town and it took us just over an hour. It was definitely worth stopping to see Krk Town. The Francopan Castle, Krk Town The Francopan Castle, Krk Town Interior of the Francopan Castle Passageway by the Cathedral of the Assumption Church of Our Lady in Health St Quirinus' Church My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

View of Rovinj from the North Our visit to Rovinj was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12  for our daily trip report covering Rovinj. We drove to Rovinj from Rab Town on our return journey to the UK. See my blog Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide . Contents Rovinj Pula Accommodation in Rovinj My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Rovinj 1.1 About Rovinj & What to See Rovinj has a very Italian appearance and apparently some inhabitants still speak Italian. It is an unspoilt historic town. Rovinj is a reasonably large town and there is little traffic so it is great wandering around. There are not too many sights to see, but Rovinj is an exceptionally nice town in a beautiful setting. Rovinj's main square is Trg Marsala Tita and it has a clock tower. In summer there are often street performers in the square. A street called Grisia branches off the square to the west through a Balbi's Arce and then climbs steeply up to St Euphemia's Church. Clock Tower - Trg Marsala Tita Trg Marsala Tita in Rovinj. Balbi's Arch in Rovinj The 18th century St Euphemia's Church is at the top of the hill in the centre of Rovinj's old town. Its tower is very impressive and is visible from most parts of Rovinj. There isn't an entry fee and it is worthwhile seeing the interior. There are good sea views from the plaza by the church. St. Euphemia's Church, Rovinj Interior of St. Euphemia's Church, Rovinj 1.2. A Circular Walk around Rovinj It is a very pleasant walk around the perimeter of Rovinj. Start from the southern end of the harbour and and walk along the harbour to the piers in the northern section. The promenade along the harbour is surrounded by cafes and restaurants. Rovinj's Southern Harbour Then continue walking westwards along the sea front and soon the street climbs up to St Euphemia's church. From there descend eastwards along the northern part of Rovinj. There are houses and shops on either side with a few alleys on the left descending to the sea. Typical Alley in Rovinj Trg Valdibora is at the bottom of the hill and from around this area is an impressive view of the northern side of Rovinj. Then walk south to the very nearby main square of Trg Marsala Tita, which is just off the harbour. View of Rovinj from the North Just north of Trg Marsala Tita walk down Rovinj's main shopping street (Via Carrera) that runs south eastward. At the end of Via Carrera take a side street to the right and you will be back at Rovinj's harbour where you started. 1.3. Parking in Rovinj We parked at a reasonably sized car park on the eastern side of Rovinj and it was a 10 to 15 minute walk into the centre. There were always places available and it cost Eur 1 per hour. Payable in advance by cash or card. Click here to see the location on Google Maps. 1.4. Beaches in Rovinj We spent half a day at Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape). It is a 6 minute drive from Rovinj to the edge of Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape), and then depending on where you park, a 10 to 15 minute walk through wooded parkland to the sea. Zlatni Rt Nature Reserve near Rovinj The closest parking is on the road where it ends at Zlatni Rt. However, you have to get there early to find a spot. Otherwise there are large parking lots a bit further back. We parked at " Parking Monvi " which is a huge parking lot. You can pay at a machine with a credit card or cash, exact change only. We paid Eur 7 for the day, but there is also an hourly charge. There are a couple of beaches in the large park (Lone Beach and Zlatni Rt), but we just found a nice shaded spot on the rocky shoreline. I think we were near Punta Cabana . It is a popular area so go there by mid morning to obtain a good spot and also to find parking. There were a couple of restaurants nearby and they were renting out sun loungers and umbrellas. 2. Pula 2.1. About Pula & What to See Pula is a working port that isn't as reliant on tourism as other Croatian coastal towns. Pula isn't a particularly attractive town, unlike the numerous Venetian coastal towns dotted along Croatia's coast. However, Pula is more authentic and caters for locals rather than tourists. There are many interesting historical sights in Pula and it is definitely worth visiting for half a day. Many of the sights date back to the Roman era and include: The sixth largest amphitheatre in the world dating back to around 14 AD. Amphitheatre at Pula Amphitheatre at Pula The Roman amphitheatre is the main tourist site in Pula and the entrance fee is Eur 10. In summer it is open from 08.00 to 22.00. We entered at 09.00 and there were very few people until 09.30. Unfortunately they were constructing a large stage and screen for summer events. This prevented us from taking photos of the entire amphitheatre and the construction was noisy. They do this in summer at many amphitheatres and it spoils the experience for visitors who are paying high entrance fees. The Triumphal Arch of the Sergii which was erected in 27 BC. Arch of the Sergii The Temple of Augustus which was completed in 14 AD. Temple of Augustus The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary that dates back to Roman times, although much of the present structure is from the 17th century. Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Venetian castle built in the 1600's. Pula Castle We didn't enter the Venetian castle as there is a Eur 7 entrance fee. This fee also includes the museum but we didn't want to visit it. Instead we walked the entire way around the castle on a reasonable path. There were good views of the moat, castle walls, Pula's harbour and the amphitheatre. The views wouldn't have been much better from the castle. Pula's indoor market which was constructed in 1903. Fish Market 2.2. Getting There & Parking in Pula We visited Pula as a half day trip because Rovinj was a more attractive town to base ourselves in. Pula is a 50 minute drive from Rovinj. Car parking can be a problem in Pula but if you are willing to pay Eur 4 per hour there is a good solution. " Parking Karolina " is a large car park with 200 spaces next to the amphitheatre and it still had spaces when we left at midday. The Eur 4 per hour charge is the most we paid anywhere during our 3 month road trip but it was worth the convenience. Before exiting you pay at the ticket machines by card or cash. There are clean toilets for a charge of Eur 0.70, but there are also free clean toilets at the amphitheatre. 3. Accommodation in Rovinj We stayed in an excellent one bedroom apartment about a 10 minute drive from the centre of Rovinj. We booked it through Booking.com for only Eur 61 per night. I have reviewed it on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (number 15). 4. My other blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

View from the Roof of Omis's Fortress Contents Introduction Parking in Omis Omis's Old Town & Fortress Boat Trips up Cetina Gorge The Beach Links to My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Introduction We based ourselves in Trogir for 3 nights and visited Omis and Split from there. There was a lot more to see in Trogir and Split but it was a pleasant outing to Omis. I have posted blogs with travel information for both Split ( Split, Croatia: Travel Guide ) and Trogir ( Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide ). 2. Parking in Omis In Omis we parked at " Parking Priko " which is a large car park just before the bridge when driving from Split and it is an easy 10 minute walk to Omis's historic centre. It cost Eur 1 per hour. Some Google reviews mention that in the evening it can take over an hour to exit the car park. 3. Omis's Old Town & Fortress Omis has a very small old town with just 1 main street and a few alleys veering off on either side. This main street is lined with shops, restaurants and cafes. The Main Street in Omis The Eastern Town Gate, Omis The Main Street in Omis Clock Tower, Omis Holy Spirit Church, Omis There is a fortress above Omis's old town and the entrance fee is Eur 5. It is a steep climb up to the roof of the fortress and the roof is accessed by a fixed ladder. There are spectacular sea and mountain views from the castle as Omis is in a very impressive setting. Fortress Steps up the Fortress Ladder up to the Fortress Roof View from the Roof of the Fortress View from the Roof of the Fortress You need about an hour to see both the Old Town and the castle in Omis. 4. Boat Trips from Omis to Cetina Gorge Touts will offer you boat trips from Omis up the Cetina Gorge. We were quoted Eur 20, but when we didn't want to wait for the next boat the price was dropped to Eur 15! We decided not to wait for the next boat. The boat trips start from Omis on the hour and last for 2 hours. They only go about 6 kilometres up Cetina gorge before stopping at a restaurant for about 45 minutes and then returning to Omis. I have my doubts that it's good value for money. 5. The Beach at Omis A large sandy beach is a 5 minute walk from Omis's Old Town. It looked quite nice to us but the Rough Guide says " it is composed of hard and uninviting sand ". There are toilets there costing Eur 1. 6. Links to My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

The Harbour of Hvar Town We took a short ferry ride from the island of Brac to Hvar Town. See my blog Brac, Croatia - Travel Guide . Contents Introduction Hvar Town Stari Grad My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Introduction We have been twice to the island of Hvar and stayed in Hvar Town. Usually we prefer to stay in quieter places. However, we like the vibe of Hvar Town and there is more to see and do than in Stari Grad, which is smaller and laid back. You can base yourself in either of these towns as there is a good air conditioned bus service between Hvar Town and Stari Grad. The buses run from the early morning to late evening and the bus schedules can be found on Buscroatia.com . It is about a 30 minute journey from Hvar Town to Stari Grad and the return bus fare is Eur 9.40. Both towns should definitely be visited. 2. Hvar Town Hvar Town is one of our favourite places in Croatia. It has an unspoilt historic centre and the town is in a beautiful setting. Hvar Town certainly isn't undiscovered and it is very fashionable with lots of tourists. On our first visit to Hvar Paul Allen's (Microsoft co-founder) Octopus yacht , with 2 mini submarines and 2 helicopter pads, was docked there! 2.1. The Fortress above Hvar Town The main site to visit is the impressive fortress on the hill behind Hvar Town. It is a steep climb up to the fortress and there are a few places on the way up where you have spectacular views of the town and bay through gaps in the trees. Unfortunately it is very expensive to enter the Fortress. It costs Eur 10 to visit the Fortress and Eur 15 to visit the Fortress, Theatre and Arsenal. We didn't pay to enter and instead sat on one of the benches by the fortress walls and enjoyed the great views. It was still worth the hot walk up. The Fortress above Hvar Town The Fortress above Hvar Town View of Hvar Town from the Fortress 2.2 Hvar Old Town The majority of the historic Hvar Town is between the main square (Trg St Jepana) and the Fortress. It is worthwhile wandering around and exploring all the atmospheric alleyways. Hvar Town Hvar Town Alley in Hvar Town Porta Maestra - Hvar Town The 16th century St Stephen's cathedral is at the eastern end of Hvar's main square near the market and bus station. It is a huge square and we sat by the side of the square to rest and people watch. St Stephen's Cathedral Hvar's eastern harbour is usually very busy with boats and ferries coming and going. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes on the eastern side. The alley that runs behind this section of harbour is also historic and interesting. 2.3. Hvar Town's Seafront Promenade It is a nice walk in both directions along Hvar Town's promenade and there are small private beaches at either end. The beach on the western side looked better, but the sun loungers may be expensive. There was a sign at the eastern beach saying "Sunlounger Eur 25". I hope this price was for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella as otherwise the price is extortionate. A Beach West of Hvar Town 2.4. Water Taxis from Hvar Town to the Pakleni Islands All the ferries dock on the eastern side of Hvar's harbour. This is also where the water taxis to the Pakleni islands depart. These water taxis cost Eur 10 return and usually go to 3 of the Pakleni islands; Jerolim, Marinkovac and Sveti Klement. We went to Jerolim as it is a quiet island with a rocky coastline. A lot of naturists go there. The Eastern Harbour in Hvar Town 2.5. Food and Drinks in Hvar Town Restaurant meals are no longer excellent value in Croatia and that is certainly the case in Hvar Town. However, there are a number of places selling sandwiches for Eur 6, pizza slices etc and this works out to be a much cheaper option for a quick meal. There are also a couple of small supermarkets on the north side of the main square (Trg St. Jepana). They are very busy with customers buying drinks, snacks and ice creams at reasonable prices. Ice cream parlours in Hvar Town charge Eur 3 per scoop. 2.6. Toilets in Hvar Town There are 2 public toilets in Hvar Town. The best one is near the market opposite St Stephen's Cathedral and they also have a self service laundrette and showers. The toilets are clean and cost Eur 1. There are also toilets where the ferries dock on the eastern side of the harbour. They cost Eur 1 but were dirty. 2.7. Tourist Office & Maps The tourist office is in the south west corner of Hvar Town's main square. They have maps of Hvar town, bus timetables etc. There is also a map of Hvar Town on hvarinfo.com . You have to zoom in to see the details. 3. Stari Grad, Hvar We took a bus from Hvar Town and spent a couple of hours walking around Stari Grad before returning. We got to Stari Grad at lunch time and bought some sandwiches. We ate them in the very pleasant Trg Petar Hektorovic square where the famous Tvrdalj is located. The sandwiches in Stari Grad cost Eur 3, which is much cheaper than in Hvar Town where they cost Eur 6! Stari Grad is so much quieter and laid back than Hvar Town. It is smaller and can easily be seen in 1.5 hours. Stari Grad's old town is on the southern side of the harbour and the hotels are on the northern side. There are rock and concrete "beaches" in front of these hotels. Swimming is apparently better to the west of the old town at the entrance to the bay. There are 2 public toilets in Stari Grad. The best ones are on the harbour at the western end of the old town. I think they are meant for the people on the yachts moored nearby as they have showers. There is an attendant there but they are free and spotless. There are also some more basic toilets near the market at the eastern end of the harbour. There is a map of Stari Grad on hvarinfo.com . You have to zoom in to see the details. The Harbour The Square at Tvrdalj Castle in Stari Grad Stari Grad St. Stephen's in Stari Grad Square in Stari Grad St. Stephen's in Stari Grad 4. My Other Blogs on Croatia Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

The Harbour at Supetar We took a car ferry from Split to Supetar on Brac after staying 4 nights in Trogir (see my blogs Split, Croatia: Travel Guide and Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide ). We then stayed 4 nights on Brac Island and during our stay took a passenger ferry over to Hvar Island for the day (see my blog Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide ). Contents Supetar on Brac Island Day Trip to Sutivan, Lozisca, Vidova Gora and Skrip Bol and Zlatni Rat Beach Ferries from Brac to Split, Hvar & Dubrovnik Accommodation in Supetar My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Supetar on Brac Island Supetar is the port and main town on Brac. Supetar has a small historic centre around the harbour with lots of restaurants on the waterfront. To the east of the harbour is the port and to the west there is a seafront promenade. When the seafront promenade ends a coastline path continues westwards to some hotels and beaches. The beaches aren't very special. On the hill above Supetar's port, and by the large roundabout, is a shopping centre with 2 good supermarkets (Lidls and Tommy). There are 2 small supermarkets in Supetar's historic centre but the selection is limited. Supetar's Harbour The Parish Church in Supetar Supetar's Seafront Promenade 2. Day Trip to Sutivan, Lozisca, Vidova Gora and Skrip We drove the short distance from Supetar to Sutivan and parked at a free car park at the entrance to Sutivan. We really liked the small town of Sutivan as it is unspoilt and classy. There were reasonable beaches at each end of the small town, with toilets at the eastern beach. Sutivan Harbour The Western Beach at Sutivan The Eastern Beach at Sutivan Alley in Sutivan Sutivan There is limited parking at Lozica, just before the traffic light in the centre of the village when driving from Sutivan. There isn't much to see apart from a very fancy bell tower and that can be better appreciated from a distance. Village of Lozisca We drove on to the 778 metres high peak of Vidova Gora, which is the highest point on any Adriatic island. There is a free car park below the peak and there are good views. It is even better if you walk for 10 minutes from the car park to the peak of Vidova Gora. There are excellent views over to Hvar island and Zlatni Rat beach at Bol. View of Zlatni Rat beach from Vidova Gora View towards Hvar from Vidova Gora We drove back to Supetar via Skrip, which is the oldest continually inhabited settlement on Brac. The Rough Guide book describes Skrip as a " sleepy nest of stone houses with heavy stone roof tiles ". It sounded very nice but the reality was that Skrip wasn't very special! Skrip does have a few nice stone buildings but there aren't enough of them to make an impact. The village is also very spread out and there are newer buildings that spoil its appearance. Stone Houses in the Village of Skrip Stone Houses in the Village of Skrip The Village of Skrip 3. Bol and Zlatni Rat Beach I was concerned that parking at Bol would be very expensive as reviewers were complaining they were charged Eur 5 per hour or Eur 20 for the day. However, this charge is for the main car park for the Zlatni Rat beach on the west side of Bol. We parked in a wooded car park off the left of the main road just before reaching Bol's waterfront. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be marked on Google maps. It is then a 10 minute walk to the eastern end of Bol's old town and a 15 minute walk to Zlatni Rat. We were charged Eur 2 per hour for parking. The centre of Bol is small and mainly consists of 2 streets running parallel to the seafront promenade and harbour. It is pleasant strolling around but it only takes about 30 minutes to see everything. Ferries to Hvar and Dubrovnik depart from Bol's eastern pier. From Bol it is a very pleasant walk along a wide and wooded seafront promenade to Zlatni Rat. The promenade is lined with hotels, restaurants and cafes. Zlatni Rat is Croatia's most famous beach, probably because of its shape as it juts out on a cape with fine shingle beaches on either side. It wasn't too crowded when we were there but that was in late June. A View of Bol from the Main Road The Seafront Promenade at Bol Church of St Anthony in Bol Bol Old Town Promenade to Zlatni Rat Beach View from the Promenade to Zlatni Rat Beach The Eastern Section of Zlatni Rat Beach The Western Section of Zlatni Rat Beach 4. Ferries from Brac to Split, Hvar & Dubrovnik Ferries between Brac and Split The only car ferry that goes from Brac is a Jadrolinija ferry that sails about every 1.5 hours between Split and Supetar on Brac island. Tickets for the ferry can be purchased on Jadrolinija's website . It cost us Eur 33 for our car and 2 passengers. The ticket is valid for the day selected and not for a specific sailing. There are several negative Tripadvisor reviews about the signage to Split's ferry terminal and also the signage to the piers at Split's ferry terminal. However, we found that the signs were very good. If you enter " Ferry Port of Split " on Google maps it will almost get you to the correct pier. Vehicles park in lanes at the pier when waiting for the Split to Supetar ferry. Vehicles board on a first come first served basis. We arrived 1.5 hours ahead of the departure time and were twelfth in the queue. There are toilets in the nearby terminal building. We were directed to park our car on the main deck of the ferry and it was very straightforward driving on to the ferry at Split and driving off at Supetar. However, we saw cars driving down the ramp to the lower deck and it was extremely narrow. I was very pleased not to have to do that. The morning before we took the ferry from Supetar to Split there was terrible traffic congestion in Supetar. We were informed it was due to vehicles queuing to board the ferry and that it was even worse in the peak season. As a result we took an early ferry (07.45) the next day to avoid this issue. We arrived at Supetar's port at 07.15 and boarded the ferry without problems. The Ferry between Split and Supetar The Interior of the Ferry between Split and Supetar. The Boarding Area at Split for the Ferry between Split and Supetar Ferries between Milna, Brac and Hvar Town/Korcula/Dubrovnik There is a daily passenger catamaran that departs from Milna on Brac Island to Hvar Town, Korcula and Dubrovnik. It departs Milna at 09.35 each day and arrives back at 19.20. We took this catamaran from Milna to Hvar Town for a day trip and it arrived at Hvar Town at 10.20 and returned at 18.40. This gave us plenty of time to see both Hvar Town and Stari Grad. See my blog " Hvar Island, Croatia " for details. The tickets for the catamaran cost Eur 15 each way and can be purchased online from TP Line . Tickets can also be bought when boarding the ferry, if there is space. We parked our car at a large car park near the entrance to Milna. There is a ticket machine there and it costs Eur 1 per hour. There is a daily maximum charge but the machine didn't state what the maximum was so we paid for 11 hours. A local guy told us that no one checks for payment at the car park but we didn't want to risk it. It is then a 15 minute walk to where the ferry docks on the northern side of Milna's harbour. Enter " TP Line catamaran ferry terminal " on Google maps. The Catamaran that departs from Milna on Brac Island Other Ferries to and from Brac Island KL operates high speed ferries on 2 routes that stop on the island of Brac: Brač (Milna) – Hvar – Korčula – Mljet (Pomena) – Dubrovnik Brač (Bol) – Makarska – Korčula – Pomena(Mljet) – Dubrovnik 5. Accommodation in Supetar, Brac We stayed in a 1 bedroom apartment in Supetar for Eur 73 per night. There is also a 2 bedroom apartment available. Both apartments are in separate detached buildings and can be booked through Booking.com . I have reviewed them on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (number 12). 6. My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

The 4 Bell Towers of Rab Town from the Zidine Fortress We really liked Rab Town and the beaches on the island were good. However, there was too much sporadic development in the countryside along the main roads and it spoiled the view when driving around. Rab seems to be a very compact island and was a bit too busy. That might be because it is so close to the mainland. Contents Rab Town Beaches on Rab Island Ferries to Rab Island Accommodation in Rab Town Restaurants in Rab Town Links to My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Rab Town 1.1. What to See in Rab Town Rab Town was one of the nicest towns that we visited in Croatia. It is also one of the easiest to find your way around as there are 4 main streets running parallel to one another from west to east. Rab Town is entered from the main square (Trg Svetog Kristofora) which is on the north west side of Rab Town. It is a busy square next to the harbour and has a good view of Zidines's Fortress. The first main street, which runs along the harbour, is surprisingly not that pleasant and there is little to see. The next 2 main streets (Donja Ulica and Srednja Ulica) run closely parallel to each other along the middle of Rab Town. Most of the shops and restaurants are on these 2 streets. The fourth main street runs through the upper part of Rab Town and there are 4 churches and bell towers along it. There is a fee to enter the Great Bell Tower. At the western end of the upper street you can climb steps to a short section of Rab Town's walls. There are good views of the old town with its 4 churches and also of the harbour. At this western end of the upper street you can enter the large and wooded Komrcar park. It is a pleasant walk along the most southern path as there are good sea views over to the Frkanj Peninsular and also of the city walls. The 4 Bell Towers of Rab Town from the Zidine Fortress St Andrews Church & Bell Tower View of Trg Svetog Kristofora from Zidine's Fortress The Zidine Fortress in Rab Town St. Andrew's Church viewed from Komrcar Park St. Mary's Bell Tower in Rab Town 1.2. Parking in Rab Town We always parked at " U.O. Marina (Parking) " about a 10 minute walk from the centre of Rab Town. It is a large car park with an attendant. The charge is Eur 1.50 per hour and you pay the attendant when entering. In the early evening there was plenty of space but by 20.00 it was becoming full. 2. Beaches on Rab Island 2.1 Frkanj Peninsula near Rab Town The Frkanj Peninsular is an undeveloped and wooded peninsula less than a 15 minute drive from Rab Town. Most of the coastline is rocky, although there are some sandy areas. We went twice and parked at Žal Beach Bar & Kitchen for a fee of Eur 4. Water taxis from Rab Town also dock near here. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available, but most people don't use them and find a shady spot along the rocky coast. It is best to arrive before 10.30 to 11.00 a.m. to obtain a parking place and to find a good spot by the sea. It is a popular area and we really liked it. The restaurant gets good reviews but we didn't eat there. Beach on the Frkanj Peninsular Frkanj Peninsular on Rab Island 2.2 Paradise Beach at San Marino Paradise Beach is in the Lopar Peninsular, which unusually for Croatia has a sandy coastline. It is a 20 minute drive to this beach from Rab Town. Paradise beach is a huge beach in a very shallow and sandy bay. It was far too shallow for us as even after walking 100 metres into the sea the water was only up to our knees. It is therefore a beach which is popular with families and has attractions like water slides in the bay. If you have children Paradise beach is probably very nice. For us the sea was too shallow, there were too many people and it was too commercialised. We much preferred the Frkanj Peninsula We paid Eur 13.50 for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella. All day parking was Eur 7.00. Toilets cost Eur 1 with the first visit free if you rent sun loungers. There are smaller and uncommercialised sandy beaches in the north of the Lopar Peninsula. They would have probably suited us better. Paradise Beach at San Marino Paradise Beach at San Marino 3. Ferries to Rab Island 3.1. The Ferry from Jablanac to Misnjak on Rab Island Rapska Plovidba run hourly ferries from Jablanac on the mainland to Misnjak on Rab Island. You can't buy tickets in advance and must buy them at a booth at the dock. They accept credit cards and it cost us Eur 25.50 for the short ferry ride. It is a busy ferry and in peak season there may not be space on the ferry if you arrive near the departure time. The ferry carries about 100 vehicles. Cars waiting for the Ferry at Jablanac Vehicles on the Jablanac to Misnjak Ferry The Jablanac to Misnjak Ferry The Ferry entering Misnjak on Rab Island 3.2. The Ferry from Lopar on Rab Island to Valbiska on Krk Island There is a car ferry that goes between Lopar, at the northern end of Rab Island, to Valbiska on Krk Island. Krk island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. See my blogs Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide and Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide . We felt that this was a nicer way of travelling to Rovinj in northern Croatia (see my blog Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide ) than taking the short Jablanac to Misnjak ferry crossing back to the mainland. The travel time was about the same for each route, but the longer ferry ride to Krk island appealed to us as it would be more relaxing. In the summer season there are 4 ferries a day and the times and cost are detailed on croatiaferries.com . We paid Eur 43.93 for the 1 hour 20 minute ferry ride which is operated by the state owned Jadrolinija. The ferry takes about 100 vehicles and when we went all the waiting vehicles boarded the ferry. However, in July and August it is probably best to get there half an hour before boarding time. There is a ticket booth at the dock and credit cards were accepted. The Ferry entering Valbiska on Krk Island 4. Accommodation in Rab Town We had to leave the 2 bedroom apartment that we booked near Rab Town as we had a very noisy family above us. Luckily we were given a refund. If there hadn't been a problem with noise it would have been very nice and it only cost Eur 71 per night through Booking.com . We were then fortunate to find another even nicer 2 bedroom apartment 2 kilometres away from Rab Town as there had been a cancellation. We paid Eur 117 per night through Booking.com but the price had been reduced due to the cancellation. My reviews of both apartments are on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 " (numbers 12 and 13). 5. Restaurants in Rab Town We ate at the Sanpjer restaurant in Rab Town every evening as we liked the food and it was good value. It has very good reviews and is very popular as a result. Usually there are queues and it is better to get there before 18.30. 6. Links to My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

Trogir We spent 3 nights in Trogir and visited Split and Omis from there. See my blogs Split, Croatia: Travel Guide and Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide . Trogir is definitely worth visiting as it a beautiful old Venetian town that hasn't been spoiled by modern development. Contents Trogir Old Town Trogir New Town Accommodation in Trogir My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Trogir Old Town Trogir's Old Town is on an island only 50 metres off the mainland. The Old Town is unspoilt as virtually all the buildings originate from four centuries of Venetian rule and there are no modern buildings on the island. There used to be 2 bridges over to the island. When we were there the wooden bridge for pedestrians, west of the main bridge, was closed. The main bridge crosses over to the Land Gate entrance to Trogir's Old Town. To the south east of the Land Gate are most of Trogir's main buildings. These are the: Cathedral of St Lawrence with its famous carved stone west portal dating back to 1240. There is a Eur 5 entrance fee to see the interior but the famous west portal can be seen from outside. Cipiko Palace. There is nothing to see inside. Town Loggia & Clock Tower. Trogir's Town Hall There is a wide promenade along the Trogir Channel at the southern end of the island. Sections of Trogir's old town walls, and the Kamerlengo fortress (entry Eur 5), can be seen. The promenade is lined with restaurants and cafes. There is a bridge at this southern end of the island to another larger island called Ciovo. There are some shops and restaurants on the Ciovi side of the bridge but there is little worth seeing. We were in Trogir in late June and in the evenings the Old Town was teeming with visitors and many restaurants were full. The Town Hall Cipiko Palace West Portal of the Cathedral Lady of Mount Carmel Church Alleyway in Trogir Cathedral of St Lawrence Town Loggia & Clock Tower 2. Trogir's New Town Trogir's new town has spread out on the mainland on either side of the bridge crossing to Trogir's Old Town. The bus station is on the eastern side of the bridge. There is also a new and pleasant seafront promenade running eastwards that has views of Ciovi island. There is a busy tourist market on the western side of the bridge. Slightly further to the west are several large car parks and visitors parking here pass through the market to reach Trogir's Old Town. Parking costs between Eur 2 to Eur 3 per hour in high season depending on how close you park to Trogir's Old Town. There are several supermarkets along the coastal road west of the bridge to Trogir's Old Town. The biggest and best one is a Plodine supermarket on the ground floor of a small 3 storey shopping centre. There is free underground parking for customers. There is a Lidl supermarket 4 kms east of Trogir's Old Town. 3. Accommodation in Trogir We stayed in a 1 bedroom apartment about a 10 minute walk from Trogir Old Town. The apartment was very nice and the hosts were very hospitable. We booked the apartment through Booking.com and it cost Eur 69 per night. I have reviewed the apartment in my blog UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 2 (number 11). 4. My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

Diocletian's Palace in Split Contents Introduction Traffic and Parking in Split Diocletian's Palace West of Diocletian's Palace Golden Gate & the Grgur Ninsk Statue Split's Waterfront (Riva) Day Trips from Split My other Blogs on Croatia 1. Introduction Split's Old Town is one of the highlights of Croatia and should definitely be visited if you are in the vicinity. There is a lot to see and you need half a day to see it. We found that tour groups descended on Split's Old Town from 10.30 a.m. and it then became congested in many areas. Therefore try and arrive early to avoid the crowds and to find parking. 2. Traffic and Parking in Split The roads around Split, including the main coastal road, can be very congested. It can also be very difficult to find a parking place. We parked at a large car park only a 5 minute walk to Diocletian's Palace and it can be located by entering "Parking Split" on Google maps . We had to circle around 3 times before finding a space and each time we had to exit the car park and the attendant let us out without any hassle. The parking spaces are wide and it costs Eur 1.50 per hour. If you are leaving Split on a car ferry see my blog " Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide " (section 4) for information about the ferry port at Split. 3. Diocletian's Palace The area of Diocletian's Palace occupies the eastern half of Split's Old Town. Diocletian's Palace was built in AD 300 but fell into disuse by the 6th century. From the 7th century refugees fled to Split and lived in Diocletian's Palace. Over the centuries the buildings were changed so that it is no longer recognisable as a palace. Most of Diocletian's Palace can be seen by just freely wandering around. However, you have to pay to enter the Cathedral and the Cellars of Diocletian's Palace. The entry fee for the cellars is Eur 7. The entry fee for Split's cathedral depends on what you visit and the charges are steep. It costs Eur 5 to enter the cathedral, but there are additional charges for the bell tower, crypt, baptistery and treasury. If you visit everything it will set you back Eur 15. We visited the Cathedral and I am not convinced it was worth the fee. It is very small and we have seen a lot of cathedrals for free. There are public toilets near the eastern entrance to the Diocletian's Palace. Diocletian's Palace in Split Diocletian's Palace in Split The Interior of the Cathedral Underground Market in Split 4. West of Diocletian's Palace Split's Old Town continues from the western side of Diocletian's Palace to the pedestrianised street of Marmontova. Narodni Trg is known as People's Square and is a large and impressive square on the western edge of the Palace. There are lots of interesting alleys to explore in the western part of Split. Marmontova runs from north to south and is a very classy shopping street. On its south eastern corner is the very grand city council building known as the Prokurative. Western Side of People's Square (Narodni Trg) Eastern Side of People's Square (Narodni Trg) Marmuntova Street in Split Palace of Cipriamo de Ciprianis Alley in Split St Domnius Cathedral in Split 5. Golden Gate & the Grgur Ninsk Statue The Golden Gate is the northern gate and is the best preserved gate in Split. It is set in Split's huge and impressive city walls. Outside the gate is a small plaza with a gigantic statue of the 10th century Bishop Grgur Ninski. The statue was made in 1929. The Golden Gate in Split Grgur Ninski Statue in Split 6. Split's Waterfront (Riva) A wide waterfront promenade runs along the southern section of Split's old town and in places along Diocletian's Palace. The promenade is lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. It is a very pleasant area and there are plenty of places to sit, relax and people watch. There are public toilets at the eastern end. Split's Seafront Promenade Cafes on the Seafront Promenade (Riva) The Seafront Promenade backing onto Diocletian's Palace 7. Day Trips from Split Trogir is a beautiful Venetian Town about a 35 minute drive north of Split. Trogir is well worth visiting and there is plenty of parking just outside Trogir's old town. See my blog Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide . Omis is a small Venetian town in a very beautiful setting. Omis is about a 35 minute drive south of Split. There is a large car park just off the main Split to Omis road. See my blog Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide . There is a very regular ferry from Split to Supetar on Brac island and it takes about 50 minutes. It wouldn't be worth taking the ferry just to visit Supetar and it would be better to spend a few nights on Brac island and drive around. See my blog Brac, Croatia - Travel Guide . 8. My Other Blogs on Croatia Hvar Island, Croatia: Travel Guide Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12

View of Sveti Stefan from St. Sava Church Contents Introduction & Practical Information Budva Old Town Slovenska Beach in Budva Sveti Stefan Excursions from Budva Driving to & from Budva from Croatia and Albania Links to my other Montenegro Blogs 1. Introduction & Practical Information The traffic and parking in the Budva area can be horrendous, even on the main coastal road. I was glad that we weren't staying near Budva as it is too built up and congested for my liking. This will only get worse. We left Kotor (see my blog Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ) at 08.00 to try to avoid the congestion and to find a parking spot. We went to a car park near Hotel Wow as it had good reviews on Google and it only cost Eur 1 per hour. The car park was already pretty full, but spaces free up fairly quickly. It is just 1 block from the seafront and a 10 minute walk to Budva Old Town. Enter " Parking kod hotela WOW " on Google maps to locate it. 2. Budva Old Town Budva is yet another old Venetian town to wander around. It is in very good condition due to it being entirely rebuilt after the 1979 earthquake. It looks very authentic and one wouldn't know it had been rebuilt. When we reached Budva's Old Town around 09.00 the streets were deserted and remained like that until just before 10.00. Then the guided tours came in! We had enough time to walk all around Budva without it being spoiled by the tours. We had wanted to walk on Budva's walls, but the gate was locked and it was not opened by the time we left Budva's Old Town at 10.15. There is a beach just outside the Morava Gate of Budva's old town. The beach has a public area as well as a private area with the usual sun loungers and umbrellas. It wasn't busy as it was early in the day. If you need to use a toilet there is one near the Morava Gate. It is on the left hand side as you come through the gate from the beach. I think it is meant to be for people using the private beach area but there isn't an attendant. The Church of Holy Trinity Alley in Old Budva St. Ivan's Church Typical Alley in Budva Old Town Typical Alley in Budva Old Town. The Beach by Morava Gate 3. Slovenska Beach in Budva We walked along the promenade from Budva's Old Town to the long Slovenska beach. It was 11.00 a.m. and the beach was absolutely packed. This was in late June so it could only be worse in July and August. Most of Slovenska beach is private with sun loungers and umbrellas for hire, but there are some crowded public areas. The lowest price that we saw for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella was Eur 12. The land side of the beach is packed with cafes, restaurants and shops. There are also several toilet facilities charging from Eur 0.50 to Eur 1.00. It was too busy for our liking. We decided not to swim there but to find a quieter beach away from Budva. Public Area at Slovenska Beach at Budva Slovenska Beach at Budva Private Area at Slovenska Beach at Budva 4. Sveti Stefan The entire famous and picturesque island of Sveti Stefan is a hotel managed by the Aman Resorts. Only hotel guests and people who have a reservation at their restaurants can enter the island. A few people have posted on the internet that they have had a tour of Sveti Stefan island for Eur 20 and that there were 2 tours a day. These posts are now several years old and it is doubtful that the tours now run. Anyway I am not sure how interesting it would be to tour an island that has been turned into a hotel. There are beaches on the mainland opposite Sveti Stefan. The beach south of the isthmus is known as Sveti Stefan beach. It has a free public section as well as a private section with 2 sunbeds and an umbrella costing around Eur 40 for the day. It is likely to be absolutely packed in the peak season like all the other beaches around Budva. The best way to see Sveti Stefan is from higher up and there are 2 main ways to view it: The easiest way is to pull into 1 of the 2 laybys on the main coastal road above Budva when driving from west to east. These laybys are not very large and are often full of cars. The best way is to drive up to St Sava church above the main road. From there you have a wonderful view. It is a 15 minute drive from Sveti Stefan beach along a good road, except for the last few hundred metres when it is a bit narrow. To get there enter St. Sava Church (the one at Denasi) on Google maps. Some people want a photo posing in front of the island and St. Sava Church is ideal for that. There is a circular platform in front of the church which is used for that purpose. It is probably intended for wedding photos. View of Sveti Stefan from St. Sava Church View from the Main Road of Sveti Stefan 5. Excursions from Budva A good day trip to the north of Budva is to the beautiful Venetian town of Kotor . From there you can continue to Perast, which is another Venetian town but much smaller. For details see my blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ) and Perast & Herceg Novi: Travel Guide . Kotor Perast The Lipa Caves to the east of Budva are very interesting and there is a good road there. A circular drive can be done by returning through Lovcen National Park and then down the slightly challenging Kotor Serpentine Road. See my blog The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave . The Lipa Caves 6. Driving to & from Budva from Croatia and Albania We drove to Budva from Albania. See my blog Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 for details. Afterwards we drove from Montenegro to Croatia. See my blog Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 for details. 7. Links to My Other Montenegro Blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide Day Trip to Perast & Herceg Novi The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10

Perast We drove to Perast and Herceg Novi during our 6 night stay in Kotor (see my blog Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ). We really liked Perast and Herceg Novi but found Our Lady of the Rock Island too touristy and busy. Contents Introduction Perast, Montenegro Parking Our Lady of the Rock Island Perast Old Town 3. Herceg Novi, Montenegro 4. Ferry from Kamenari to Lepetane 5. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs 1. Introduction We based ourselves in Kotor for 6 nights and went on day trips from there to see other places in Montenegro like Budva and Lipa Cave . Another day trip was to Perast, which is only a 20 minute drive from Kotor, and from there we drove a further 1 hour to Herceg Novi. The road to Perast and Herceg Novi is in good condition. The road is very scenic as it follows the northern shore of a fjord. On the way back it is possible to take a ferry over to the southern side of the fjord and do a circular drive back to Kotor. It is a very nice day trip to 2 historic towns with spectacular scenery the whole way. We left Kotor at 08.00 to avoid the traffic congestion in Kotor and parking problems at Perast. As a result we benefited from having little traffic on the road to Perast. Another way of seeing Perast and Herceg Novi would be to take one of the numerous boat tours on offer when wandering around Kotor's waterfront. These boat tours are normally about 3 hours long and also stop at a few other places like the Blue Cave. It seems most coastal resorts in Europe have a Blue Cave! These boat tours cost around Eur 40 per person, but usually only stop at the islands off Perast and Herceg Novi. We wanted to see the towns and didn't want to spend Eur 80. 2. Perast, Montenegro 2.1. Parking at Perast You cannot park in the centre of Perast unless you are staying there. There is a barrier to prevent unauthorised entry. There is limited free parking along the road above Perast but we paid for parking. Parking is a problem in high season unless you arrive early. Most private parking is off the main road and is free. However, the deal is that you must pay to go to Our Lady of the Rock Island or on a boat tour. Apparently they charge Eur 10 per person to the Island, whereas independent boats only charge Eur 5 per person. So if there are 2 people in your car you are effectively paying Eur 10 for parking! Some of these parking sites have toilets. There is paid parking on the side of the road just before the western entrance to Perast. They charge Eur 8 per day and there is a booth with an attendant there. There aren't that many parking places, but when we arrived at 08.30 we got a space. Input " Parking 1 " on Google maps to locate it. We found the parking attendants to be very helpful and pleasant. For some reason a number of reviewers on Google thought they were like the mafia! 2.2. Our Lady of the Rock Island We were strolling along Perast's waterfront just before 09.00 when a friendly boatman offered us a ride to Our Lady of the Rock Island for the usual round trip charge of Eur 5 per person. He promised he would return for us in 30 minutes and assured me that it would be long enough. I had my doubts but it was actually too long! Our Lady of the Rock Island is a very small island with a church on it. Fortunately there was initially only one other boatload of people there. Unfortunately the church was closed and didn't open until about 09.20. It is therefore best not to go before 09.30 if you want to enter the church. There is a Eur 2 entrance fee for the church. There is a pay toilet on the island and an advantage of getting there early was that it was free. By the time we left at 09.30 a lot more people had arrived on the island and there was a queue to enter the church. Our Lady of the Rock Island is one of those places that everyone wants to visit, but in reality it is nicer seeing the island from the mainland. It's a bit of a tourist trap. Our Boat to Our Lady of the Rock Island The Church on Our Lady of the Rock Island 2.3. Perast The majority of tourists seem to only visit Our Lady of the Rock Island. This may be because most boat tours only stop at the island. As a result wandering around the quiet streets of the old Venetian town of Perast was very pleasant. Perhaps the tour groups hadn't yet arrived as we were there early. We were impressed by the number of historic buildings along Perast's waterfront. We also enjoyed wandering up most of the streets above the waterfront and admired the Venetian churches and dwellings. It took us 2 hours to see Perast. You could easily spend longer if you go to the beach and have a drink or a meal. Perast St. Nicholas Church in Perast View from Upper Perast Bujovic Palace and Museum A Street in Perast St. Marko Church in Perast 3. Herceg Novi, Montenegro 3.1. Parking in Herceg Novi The Bradt guide states that " parking here is quite the ordeal ". I dislike trying to find parking in new places and usually use Google reviews beforehand to determine where to park. For some reason I didn't do my usual research and was surprised by the size of Herceg Novi when we got there. The main road runs high above the town and when I saw a free metered parking spot on the road I grabbed it. It would have meant a steep and hot walk down to the historic centre, and back up again, but I didn't want to drive around looking for parking. However, the parking meter was faulty and I couldn't pay. It turned out to be fortunate as a local man gave me directions to a cheap and very convenient multi storey car park about 5 minutes walk from Herceg Novi's historic centre. There are free toilets at this car park. The car park is called " Parking Opstina " and can be located by entering this name on Google Maps. 3.2. Sightseeing in Herceg Novi We explored Herceg Novi's old town, but didn't climb up high to see the Spanish Fort, nor did we walk to Savina Monastery to the east. It doesn't seem worth visiting the Spanish Fort as the Bradt guide describes it as "a messy, graffiti-scrawled ruin". The Bradt guide book suggests starting exploring from the main square (Trg Nikole Durkovica). If you use Parking Ostina it will be the first part of Herceg Novi's old town that you reach. From there you can climb up past the Bell Tower to Trg Belavista which has the Church of St Michael in the centre. There are a few restaurants in this square and we had lunch at one of them. We later found a better selection of restaurants around the seafront promenade and wished we had eaten there. We could have then walked up northwards to the 16th century Kanli Kula tower. We decided not to as several reviewers on Google felt that the Eur 4 entrance fee wasn't worth it. In summer time it is a venue for open air productions. It would frustrate me to pay an entrance fee for a place spoiled by being used as a theatre. Instead we walked down to the seafront promenade via the Church of St Jerome and the imposing Forte Mare. The entrance fee is Eur 4 for the Forte Mare (Sea Fortress). Again we decided not to go in as the consensus of Tripadvisor reviews seems to be that it is only worth it for the views. Herceg Novi's seafront promenade is very pleasant and runs for about 5 kilometres to the town of Igalo. We only walked along part of it as it was very hot. There is a narrow beach on the one side and a lot of restaurants and cafes on the other side. Trg Nikole Durkovica in Herceg Novi The Clock Tower in Herceg Novi The Parish Church of St. Jerome Church of St. Michael in Trg Belavista Forte Mare  in Herceg Novi  Herceg Novi's Seafront Promenade 4. Car Ferry from Kamenari to Lepetane We drove back from Herceg Novi to Kotor as far as the village of Kamenari. There is a car ferry that goes from Kamenari to Lepetane on the south side of the estuary. The ferry only takes about 10 minutes and costs Eur 5. It is a very regular ferry and we didn't have to wait long before boarding. We were at the end of the queue and didn't realise we had to pay before boarding at an office near the jetty. We weren't the only ones and the ferry staff let me drive onto the ferry while Lani paid. The road that runs along the south side of the estuary from Lepatane to Kotor is very narrow in places. It is too narrow for vehicles to pass at times. As a result I didn't enjoy driving along there despite the stunning scenery. A good strategy is to follow other cars as this usually forces the oncoming vehicles to give way. The Car Ferry between Kamenari and Lepetane View on the Drive from Lepetane to Kotor View on the Drive from Lepetane to Kotor View of Kotor from Muo 5. Links to My Other Montenegro Travel Blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide Budva, Montenegro: Travel Guide The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10