P
erhaps you’ve already
got a passport bursting
with stamps earned during
the height of European
summer. One that conjures
up memories of cookie-
cutter towns, coastlines
packed with lobster-red Brits and
waterfront restaurants whose prices
bear no relation to their actual value.
So, you might wonder why
Montenegro is worth the effort.
Well, we’re here to tell you it is.
This is a tiny country where the
mountains meet the sea, where the
peaks are reminiscent of Yosemite –
only without a McDonald’s in sight- and where the waters are implausibly
blue – only without a Maldives-style
island tax to go with them.
Skip Dubrovnik. It’s too polished.
But do ly into Dubrovnik. Then grab
the car, snake your way down the far
southern border between Croatia and
Montenegro, wait patiently and enter.
In the Bay of Kotor, where the
fjords give way to the Mediterranean,
it won’t take you long to realise why the
medieval town is UNESCO-protected.
It’s stupidly pretty, and has the
requisite food and booze to keep
you staring at it for hours at a time.
If you’re used to Croatia, something
will immediately catch your eye –
Montenegro can look a bit shabby.
But you’ll be quick to learn that this
developmental phase is its greatest asset.
There are no backpackers logging you
Game of Thrones tours and kayak rides
(if you’re not familiar with this, count
yourself lucky). In place of dodgy plates
of ish-and-chips at ine dining prices,
you’ll ind day-caught seafood,
masterfully prepared and offered
for as little as $20 a plate.
Plus, there are also hardly any
tourists. Western ones, anyway. You will
bump into an abundance of Russians
instead – because it seems the shady
dealings of a certain commander-in-
chief isn’t the only secret they have been
sitting on lately. No, they have long
been enjoying one of Europe’s hidden
gems long before anyone else has been
given the chance to ruin it. We suggest
you pack a camera, ind yourself a spot
on one of the endless beaches and
ind out why. ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: ADAM BAIDAWI.