How to book a holiday?

[whatwoulddexterdo]

Please bear with me
I haven’t flown for 25 years, now after hypnotherapy I’m planning a trip
The only thing is I have forgotten how to do this?
I would like to go to Croatia, fly into Dubrovnik and travel seeing a couple of islands, a detour to Bosnia and a final couple of days In split flying home from there. I would hire a car
I cannot find holidays online that do fly drive packages
Do I just book single flights and book airbnbs? If so is my holiday ATOL protected?
thanks to anyone who replies

Skyscanner to find flights, then book directly with the airline

booking.com for accommodation

Why do you want to do this particular trip after 25 years of no foreign travel and not even knowing how to book? It sounds a bit much to me.

You’d need to book one way flights to the airports you’ve planned, drive a 10 hour trip and arrange alternative drop off for the hire car.

Yes, you’d need to arrange this yourself or pay extra for an independent travel agent.

Why bother? Use jet2 city breaks to go to either Dubrovnik or split and then do a couple of organised trips for your first time.

That's quite a complicated trip for someone who hasn't travelled in 25 years. Have you been to Croatia and Bosnia before?

I don't think you'll find a fly-drive package for that itinerary since you'd be taking the car across a border and out of the EU, plus finishing in a different place. It would be simpler and cheaper to get the bus across the border into Bosnia and then hire a car in Bosnia if you need one for the destinations you want (e.g. if you only want to visit Mostar and Sarajevo, you can do that easily on coach-style buses). You won't need a car in Dubrovnik or Split. Check the bus timetables to see if you're better off starting in Split and finishing in Dubrovnik.

ATOL is only if you buy flights and accommodation as a package.

You need travel insurance, irrespective of ATOL or ABTA status of any bookings.

Where in Bosnia do you want to go?

You can buy "open jaw" or multi-city flights which are priced as return flights rather than singles, but you don't have to fly in and out of the same city. Use Skyscanner to search for them.

Have a look at Explore Worldwide, Balkan Holidays and Just You , they can probably put this togethe4 for you

Yeah. And pay over the odds. There’s just no need really.

Are you going with others ir on your own? For a first trip in 25 years book a package like this. Might cost few more £££ but far easier and atol protected
Tour | Balkans Rail Adventure | Explore! | YUGYUG2027 share.google/4BznPh2wBTUVV1IBo

This is true with scheduled airlines like British airways or Emirates. Budget airlines don't typically offer this, if Ryanair is your best option you'd have to book 2 single flights. Sounds like a fun trip though.

First of all, congrats on wanting to travel again, and everything you want to do is do-able, but things, as you acknowledge, have moved on. You have two main choices, you either go with a specialist travel agent for this area. It won't a Croatia fly-drive (that boat has largely sailed) Going with a specialist helps in some ways, firstly - it should be protected but bear in mind that protection does not stop disruptions or problems happening, it simply means you have some recourse if they happen. Specialist agencies still sometimes use budget airlines, and can end up using hotels that you might not choose if you were doing it yourself. Another plus is you get to do AN agenda, and they shepherd you around based on their programme (this suits some, but not others, and it is often based on the common touristic route that most might take and you could look at these to see if it meets the diversion into B&H). BUT it comes at a price, and it is hefty. Most people now book all of the separate elements directly, but this takes time to get the route right, and all of the elements in it, but moreover, it can be completely ruined by the airlines deciding to change their schedule, or one of a million other moving parts to go wrong. The areas you have mentioned are probably on the torturous side for this, no trains, there are buses and boats to contend with. One hiccup and there will be hotels that cannot be stayed in, travel that cannot be taken etc. It is not generally protected. Even with a "dynamic insurance add on" it is hard to claim. You COULD hire a car and this would remove a lot of this reliance on public transport, but you would need a one way hire, unless you were flying back out of the same airport (again it can sometimes be done, but at what price). I would love to do the trip you are proposing, it is a lovely part of the world, and I have been doing "self managed" holidays for 20 years, but this one is a definite head-scratch unless you have limitless time, a fair budget and don't mind the risk. HTH x

I am sure they could put something together, but it wouldn't be cheap. Last time I made the mistake of asking Explore for a quote for tailor made it was eye wateringly ridiculous.

Joining a ready-made Croatia-Bosnia trip would be more economical, although still a premium.

Yes, you're right, I meant to clarify that.

So I’ve actually done a similar trip. Flew into Ljubljana and hired a car for 3 days to explore the mountains and the caves. Actually got a bus down to Plitvice Lakes and on to Split as it was easier than taking a car through multiple countries. Hired a different car in Split to explore the coastline and did Mostar as a day trip. Day excursion to Brac island.

Presumably your anxiety relates to flying and not driving but I didn’t find the driving any harder than in the UK.
I was a skint student so pieced that trip together myself- Skyscanner for flights, local car hire, all hotels booked separately via Booking.com, lastminute.com or hotels.com.

These days I’m less skint and care more about things like ATOL protection but still love a complex itinerary holiday with a roadtrip element and usually flying in and out of different airports. My absolute goto is Trailfinders. I always have a strong idea of itinerary like you do but they often add in good suggestions and can advise on number of nights in certain places. My last 2 trips they’ve been cheaper than what I can price up independently, they don’t hard sell and the app is good too.

With respect, I think this is slightly dramatic. It's not "torturous" to travel in Croatia or Bosnia independently.

Op hasn't said where in Bosnia she wants to visit, but Bosnia has trains!

And established bus routes across the border and internally with comfortable coach-style buses and proper bus stations to buy your tickets. The border crossing from Croatia is very easy, there's a steady stream of buses running the route.

You can also hire cars within Bosnia and drop-off at a different place, although op probably wouldn't as it sounds like she'd been doing a circuit or one-stop detour.

I have done versions of this trip a few times and - whilst it is complicated for a first trip in 25 years - it's nowhere near as arduous and troublesome as you're making out.

Thank you all

That sounds like a lovely trip and well done for getting back into flying.
Most people would just book flights and accommodation separately for something like this. Just be aware it usually won’t be ATOL protected unless it’s a package, so good travel insurance is important.
Since you’re hiring a car,you should keep an eye on insurance, excess and deposit.Because cheaper deals can come with high excess if you’re not careful.