In terms of a visa to enter Yugoslavia, getting one before you arrive is imperative. Furthermore, if you are planning on leaving and returning, apply for a re-entry visa in your home country. Do not assume you can get a re-entry visa once you are in Belgrade. This is not a given and even if you do get one, it can take over six weeks of "paperwork" before you receive it.
Alison Alessi, USA (Sept 98)
Despite being told by the Yugoslav consulate in Athens and the Yugoslav immigration officers on the Albanian border that the border crossing between Herceg-Novi (Montenegro, Yugoslavia and Southern Croatia) was open, it turns out that it is only open on a permanent basis to UN personnel. Fortunately the "back door" to Dubrovnik is quite straightforward via Sarajevo (about US$9 for an overnight bus departing Herceg-Novi around 9 pm).
Scott Eden (June 98)
If you are thinking of travelling to Yugoslavia then a visa is required, in advance only. In order to get this you will require a letter of invitation from someone in the country. The visa is valid for one month from the date of issue and so it is advisable to visit the embassy in person as to avoid any confusion about when you want the visa to "commence" Any attempt to secure a visa at the border will be unsuccessful. A single entry visa is UKú15.
As for the current climate, the situation in the southern province of Kosovo is extremely volatile and should, therefore, be avoided. However the rest of the country is perfectly safe to visit with little chance of an escalation of violence outside Kosovo.
Darren Longley (May 98)
Yugoslavian consulate in Thessaloniki Greece, has moved to Komninon 4 opposite the Continental Hotel. The new telephone number is (031) 244-265 and working hours are from 9am to 12 pm mon - fri.
Dragan Simic - Yugoslavia (Nov 97)
In the summer I have to recommend the several small boats anchored close to shore along the Sava River on the Novi Beograd side in Belgrade. They become super crowded almost every night, but especially on weekends, between 1 am and 4 or 5 am. Buses run all night but much less frequently so it is better to just wait until regular service is restored daily at 4 am. Each boat has a different crowd - some are for dancing and others for sitting and having a drink.
The National Theatre is in season through June. There are different performance of well-known plays (in srbski) operas and ballets nightly. The prices range from 15 to 40 dinars. I saw a wonderful performance of Carmen and bought the ticket the afternoon of the show.
Alison Alessi, USA (Sept 98)
There is a refuge of the griffon vulture in Uvac Gorge, near the town of Nova Varos in western Serbia, 260 km from Belgrade. Griffon vulture is a large scavenger that spends much of the time soaring on huge flat wings (wing span 270 cm), usually gregariously.
There is organised feeding of vultures by the Birds of Prey Protection Fund. In the summer of 1997 there were about 250 griffon vultures in the colony - the largest colony in central Balkans. Six years ago they were on the very edge of extinction, with only 60 birds. In the 1990's there were 150 species of birds counted in the reserve, 19 diurnal and 9 nocturnal raptors among them, including Peregrine Falcon, Hobby, Golden Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle,Egyptian vultures, Griffon Vulture, Eagle Owl, and Wallcreeper, etc.. Among mammals, one may see an otter, also brown bear and wolf.
Flooded by dam Sjenica, gorge of the river Uvac is 27 km long and is 998 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by 1300 m mountains. In the gorge there is a 6200 metre long cave system - Usacki Pecinski Sistem. If the water level is high, the cave may be entered by boat for about 15 metres (there is another dry entrance nearby). Near the cave, remains of stone walls mark the place of a Serbian mediaeval fortress.
For information, one should contact the Birds of Prey Protection Fund, Trg Vojvode Bojovica 5, 31320 Nova Varos, FR Yugoslavia (+381 33/85-198) Contact person is Mr Borko Obucina..
Activities in this area include bird watching, either by foot or by boat (one can arrange a guided lake tour with the people form BPPF, or negotiate for a price of a tour - minus guide - with any owner of a boat anchored by dam Sjenica), caving, hiking or angling. Hiking near the cliffs and prolonged boating below them is prohibited in order not to disturb nesting vultures. Angling for mekrel, carp, chub or barbel is allowed.
Picturesque village by the name of Stitkove - where no house is less than one hundred years old - is locate nearby. To reach a village one should go across Sjenica dam and further 4 km eastward.
Thirty kilometres away, near the town of Prijepolje is Milesevo Monastery, built in X111 century with some magnificent fresco paintings ("The White Angel" is the most famous). Hiking tour through nearby Milesevka Canyon is possible.
Dragan Simic (Apr 98)
