RIDING THROUGH BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: A MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE IN THE BALKANS

APR 17, 2023

Exploring Bosnia and Herzegovina on Two Wheels

Bosnia and Herzegovina was the third country I explored on my motorcycle expedition. As I travel more throughout the Balkan countries, I learn more about the conflict that took place in the 1990s from the Yugoslavian War. The remnants of this war still linger in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the physical state of the buildings, as well as in the psyche of the people.

Pre-Trip Research and Safety Concerns: A Cautionary Tale

I typically don't do research before I enter a country. I want to experience it firsthand and uninfluenced. The only caveat is I want to know about the actual dangers and safety precautions I need to take. Upon speaking to other travelers and locals, they warned me not to camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to unexploded land mines from the war. When I crossed the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Dubrovnik, Croatia, I immediately saw red signs with a skull and cross bones warning travelers not to venture off the main road because there are unexploded land mines.

Check out the red sign on the left side in the trees. A bit ominous, but definitely does the job.

Motorcycle Road Conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is full of two lane roads in poor condition. They are not buttery smooth and have quite a few potholes and uneven parts. It's not a country where I recommend setting any land records. Big rigs drive on these roads, so it's challenging to pass on blind corners. For both car and motorcycle riders, it's best to take it easy here. Here is a map of the route I rode below.

Discovering Mostar: A City Still Scarred by War

The first city I arrived in was Mostar. When I say there are still remnants of the war, I saw this first hand. There were buildings that were damaged from explosions and bombs during the war which have not been rebuilt and since have been abandoned. There were still bullets inside these abandoned buildings. As Bosnia and Herzegovina is still a developing country, many of these structures remain untouched due to limited funds for renovation.

Despite the country's history, it was still so beautiful. The mountain ranges are picturesque and there are beautiful waterfalls you can swim in during the summer. I definitely said "Wow" out loud a few times riding through the landscape. The photo above is Kravica Waterfall and was one of my favorite places I visited. Check out my YouTube video showing my experience of visiting Kravica Waterfall HERE.

Challenges of Riding in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Smog and Uncomfortable Interactions

Not every experience was beautiful, I had a few unpleasant ones. One thing I really didn't enjoy while riding through this country was inhaling the smog from the country's coal burning for electricity. I didn't know I was inhaling smog at first. While I was riding in the dark, once the sun started to set, I noticed a fog in the air, but was grey in color. My throat was starting to get itchy and the smell was pretty bad. I pulled my bandana to cover my nose and later saw a coal burning plant in Tuzla. This was a deterrent for me to want stay in this country which is a shame. My health and lungs are very important to me, and as a motorcyclist, the fresh air is a part of the reason why we ride. We ride to get away from the city's congestion with air pollution. But I could not escape this while in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I also had a very uncomfortable interaction here. For context, the main religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Islam and an individual whose hotel I was staying at pushed his beliefs on me. This article isn't to bash anyone, their views or religion, but I'm just sharing my experience. I felt extremely uncomfortable when this person, especially when I'm staying in their property, tried to push their beliefs on me. The conversation went like this:

Person: Do you have kids or a husband?

Me: No.

Person: Women were put on this Earth to have kids.

The conversation went on like this for a while. As someone who has spent their entire life trying to destroy stereotypes and glass ceilings, this did not sit well with me. I also realized it is not my job to change anyone and this person did not care what I had to say. I've had so many conversations with people from different backgrounds and upbringings with different beliefs, but we both respected each others lives and opinions. Sometimes we didn't agree, but we still listened to what each side had to say. This interaction was not that type of conversation. I've had much more positive interactions in Bosnia and Herzegovina that outweigh this interaction, but I did not feel like taking another chance on if another uncomfortable interaction like this would happen. I'm not supposed to fall in love with every country.

Balancing the Good and the Bad: Final Thoughts on Bosnia and Herzegovina

Riding a motorcycle through a country on a motorcycle isn't just about the condition of the roads and landscapes, it's about the interactions with the local people and learning about the culture. The interactions with locals is what really provides the richness in the experience when visiting a country. That's why I shared this experience. Honestly if I could give a ratio of the positive experiences to this negative one in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it would probably be 50:1.

Bosnia and Herzegovina was not my favorite country, but I'm happy I experienced it for myself. It's not a popular tourist destination and many of my friends back home in California have never heard of it. It taught me valuable lessons and gave me a deeper understanding of the region. I saw some amazing things there and even made a lifelong friend. I'll tell that story soon.