Bosnia

To be honest, I think Bosnia is the most underrated destination I’ve ever been to. I absolutely loved my 3 weeks there.

The county itself has a beautiful landscape of mountains, rivers, and waterfalls.  Its natural beauty mixed with recent post war history creates every backpacker’s dream adventure.

After being warned about Bosnia being potentially “dangerous,” I realized that many people are still bitter about the war. It is a country putting in great effort to overcome the 90’s massacre, but also making sure to never forget it.

I split my time between both Mostar and Sarajevo. Both destinations were awesome in their own ways.  English is not widely spoken, but with some patience and an open mind, the locals will happily show you their country.

Mostar

This town is quaint, charming, and downright magical. A scene of Naboo taken right out of a Star Wars film. It’s just a few hours bus ride from Split, with a culture unique to its region. 

Things to Do

1. Take the Hostel Majdas Tour

I stayed at Hostel Majdas. The owners are survivors of the 1993 war. A brother and sister who both managed to flee to different countries during the religious disputes, and both came back to Bosnia several years later. The hostel has a homey atmosphere with free homemade breakfast every morning.

I took a tour that gave us a background story of how Majda fled to London for many years working odd jobs to support herself, while her brother was smuggled into Sweden. Their family came from Muslim decent, which triggered friends and neighbors to turn against them. Along the tour you are taken to go swimming in Kravice Falls, invited into a Bosnian woman’s house for traditional tea, and then taken to the Dervish Monastery where you drink the holy water and make a wish.

Since the war, new buildings have been built alongside the abandoned ones covered in bomb scars. 10 years later, damaged buildings still stand reminding everyone of the atrocities.

2. Climb The Abandoned Sniper Tower

Through word of mouth, I learned of an abandoned sniper tower that could be climbed. My friend and I went at sunset thinking we were the only ones who had climbed over the gate to reach the rooftop. But as I climbed to the top of the ladder, I stumbled upon a large group of Aussie backpackers with the same idea. So the tower is no secret, but definitely worth the climb to witness that Mostar sunset.  

3. Jump Off The Bridge

The town’s main tourist attraction is the Stari Most. A large bridge that was rebuilt after it was destroyed during the war.  Today is stands majestically in the Turkish quarter. It has now become a major spot for recreational diving. I happened to catch the weekend where Red Bull hosted the world diving competition. Aside from the competition, anyone can jump off the bridge by paying a Mostar local 20 euro, which includes training before you take the leap.

Sarajevo

Here is one of my top favorite cities in the entire world. Sarajevo has cobblestone streets, hilltop views, and the best baklava ever.  Despite all the bullet holes and recent war history, it was hard for me to imagine violence in this city. 

Sarajevo is the spot where World War I began. It is home to the bridge where Franz Ferdinand was shot and also the base to a 4-year siege.

Things to do

1. Hike the fortress

There is an old fortress overlooking Sarajevo. Go during sunset and you can catch chants from 4 different religions chiming in unison.

2. Abandoned bobsled slopes

I hitched a ride with some Slovenians I met along on the streets and we drove to Northern Sarajevo, where the 1984 winter Olympics were held. The abandoned bobsled track was damaged as a result of siege of Sarajevo. Serbian forces used it as an artillery base during the war.  Bullet holes and defensive fighting holes are still seen on the last turns of the course. The tracks are now used as a canvas for graffiti, and many curious travelers roam around during the day.

3. Pyramids

Although not entirely proven yet, a cluster of natural hills in Central Bosnia are claimed to be the largest human-made ancient pyramids on Earth. We drove to the town of Visoko, just northwest of Sarajevo. From there, my newfound Slovenian friends helped us find the road to the tunnels dug during an earlier excavation. After a guided tour through the tunnels, I’m torn on the belief of it. The government refused to fund any further research on the sight, so the pyramids sit there, but with no evidence on actually being pyramids. I’m a sucker for conspiracy theory, so I think it’s definitely worth a visit.

The energy fields above the Bosnian Pyramids are vertical, while energy fields on natural hills are horizontal. Some speculate that the pyramids may be a type of an artificial antenna used for sending and receiving information. Test results have also proven a high level of negative ions, thus resulting in a healthy state for the human body. Mind-blowing for me, but some would find it unbelievable.

Hostel tips

Franz Ferdinand

 A boutique hostel with the most comfortable hostel bed I’ve ever experienced

Hostel Teatar

Two young Croatian guys who were pretty much gifted the hostel after hanging out there so much run this place. Staying with them was more like having a sleepover at a friend’s apartment. The owners like to show you funny YouTube videos and make you listen to Balkan Reggae.