montenegro - have you been? any tips?

[newgirl]

after the last bond film and as its not too far and because neither of us has been there, we are thinking of going at the end of the summer holidays. Has anyone been and can you recommend where to go and stay? thanks x

are you still interested? just seen this - we went to montenegro a few years ago and really enjoyed it. i can have a think and get back to you if you want

the bond film was set in the Italian lakes - they just said it was Montenegro. The real Montenegro is nothing like the Italian lakes. It is like Croatia instead (if that means anything to you?). Most of the accommodation is private apartments and villas, so look on owners-abroad or similar. Budva is nice. Kotor is nice too (but more a visit than a place to stay with kids). The beaches are big and sandy. Its gone from undiscovered to huge in just 3 years, but some of the infrastucture has struggled to keep up (esp roads and sewage).

I am considering a 3 day (August bank holiday) family trip to Montenegro. Go or not?

Kotor was beautiful. The rest if the coastline was skanky! Overfull beaches, I didn't think they were that big! Rubbish floating in the sea. Poledancing girls in the bars. I preferred Croatia, where I thought the food was better and the towns prettier. I didn't go inland though. And the ice-creams were amazing! 3 days would be enough. I spent two weeks there and it was a bit yawn.

Actually, I take it back. We also thought Przno was sweet and walked round to the beach at Sveti Stefan which was lovely.

Beamea; where did you go in Croatia and who did you book through? I am very interested in Croatia!

We didn't book. We got flights to Dubrovnik, booked a hotel online for our first night and did some island hopping from there, finding accommodation as we went. Mljet was gorgeous. As was Korcula and Hvar. It was easy to get around on ferries but we ran out of time!

Thanks for the info, Beamae. Might swing bach to Czech Republic or Hungary, now.

the bond film was filmed in chek republic

montenagro is NOTHING like that

we enjoyed it, but it is pretty.. (err I don't usually use this word, but chavy!) Think Jersey Shore and that's the beach life there!

• still fun, but we were child free at the time!

czech
(knew I'ld spelt it wrong but couldn't think of the correct one)

Haha! Definitely Jersey shore! Take your spangley prostitute shoes to wear on the beach...

TINIEST BIKINIS IN THE WORLD EVER!!!! !
barely dental floss, wierdly compulsive viewing!

Montenegro?

And I don't have SPS... Perhaps they do them at M&S Croydon?

You have to get all hooker glammed up and do sports illustrated style beach photoshoots of you and your mates. Make sure you get lots of cheeky bum shots in the surf. Our eyes were on stalks!

Oh no! Chavvy? That's nothing like it's described...eek!

We're going with a 2 year old in a couple of months and staying in Herceg Novi.

I think I'm going to be doing a lot of waiting and beach playing with ds while dp does a lot of the extreme sports - really want us both to kayak but just not going to be possible unless we take in turns.....

Also, we were thinking about hiring a car as there's not much price diff between that an airport transfers (flying to Dubrovnik) I don't know what public trasport is like?

Any tips would be gratefully appreicated - our first holiday as a family and ds's first plane experience...

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it! but in a tacky kitch kinda way, can't remember the names of all the places we visited we moved around a lot staying in hostels

"Also, we were thinking about hiring a car as there's not much price diff between that an airport transfers"

I do remember the roads being pretty hairy! we used buses, I wouldn't fancy driving myself!

we bussed from Montenegro to Dubrovnik so I'm sure there's plenty going the opposite way!

also the border control was pretty scary and wouldn't/couldn't speak english so was glad of the bus driver telling us what to do.

We took a taxi from Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi and buses from there which were very easy. I'm not sure where the nearest beach is. It was all concrete swimming platforms.

"It was all concrete swimming platforms."

Brilliant! Can't wait.....

Off to cook ds's dinner and google "concrete swimming platforms montenegro"

I have thought about this all day and do you know, I think there was a little beach at Herceg Novi! You'll be alright.

Thanks Beamae - do you know I've read such amazing reviews on Monte, from trip advisor to lonely planet so was really surprised to read your comments, beaches are meant to be lovely, as good if not better than Crotia -www.fodors.com/community/europe/croatia-or-montenegro-which-is-better-for-beaches.cfm

Interesting though, always good to have balance - really looking forward to Kotor (glad you like that) and think we're going to go with a car as we'll be able to get to further places quicker shudders at the thought of being stranded waiting for a bus with a screaming toddler at the end of a hot, exhausting day

Anything else you rated or didn't? I'm making notes here in preparation.....!

I think I have very high standards for beaches, being from South Africa! I don't consider shingle good or the kind of beach which is covered with deckchairs for hire. At Budva you could literally not even stand between the chairs! The people who didn't want to pay for chairs were huddled further along amongst the rubbish. We didn't find one beach without rubbish on the beach or rolling in the waves. And for some reason a lot of sanitary waste like sanitary towel wrappers. It was a bit grim. On two separate beaches I had a dead pigeon bob past me. But having said that, there are some pretty old towns, like I said before amazing icecreams and we loved Kotor. I think you'll be impressed with a lot of stuff there. It really depends in what you enjoy doing on holiday. I like solitude, beauty and amazing food. I'm not into all day drinking and all night clubbing anymore. It's all subjective. Don't let me put you off!

starimlini.com/

We loved this.