Serbia Travel Tips
According to liuxers, the security situation in the country is rather ambiguous. In Serbia, the crime rate is growing quite quickly. You should beware of scammers, especially active in the foreign exchange market, as well as pickpockets, often “working” at the airport, in public institutions and in crowded places. Do not carry valuables, documents and large sums of money with you. Do not display your wallet in public places or leave things in the front seat of the car during stops. It is recommended to avoid isolated areas, including outlying areas of cities, after dark. The police strictly suppress any manifestations of deception of foreign tourists, but at the household level, there are frequent cases of petty fraud or supposedly a sudden language barrier, therefore, one should be especially careful when discussing financial matters and never give money up front before the service is rendered. Most of the hotels and beaches in Montenegro belong to the state (although recently there have been many boarding houses and hotels owned by foreign companies and individuals). In Budva, Petrovac, Hercegnovi, Sutomore and Ulcinj, the private sector plays a dominant role, often offering better conditions than hotels. The beaches of Montenegro are mostly sandy (south) and small pebbles (from Budva to Sutomore), but the northern regions, as well as in neighboring Croatia, mostly have a rocky coast, where you can swim only in specially equipped places. Most of the beaches are fenced, and access to them is allowed only to guests of local hotels and pensions or for a fee. Within the city limits, beaches are rare – more often their place is occupied by a beautiful promenade or promenade, so many beaches, if they do not belong to some hotel, will have to be reached by public transport. In a number of cities, especially in the regions bordering Croatia, there is a shortage of water. Also periodically turn off the light (especially in Montenegro). Tap water is usually chlorinated, but due to damage from NATO airstrikes and the general deterioration of networks, drinking tap water is not recommended. For drinking, it is better to use mineral or bottled water. Photography is allowed only in places where there is no prohibition sign (crossed out camera). It is forbidden to photograph transport infrastructure and energy facilities, port facilities and military installations. There is an intra-republican border between Serbia and Montenegro, on which, regardless of the direction of crossing it, you can also be subjected to vehicle searches and document checks (border guards have the right to do this), as well as to face the requirement to purchase “national” insurance for the vehicle (a clear violation of the law – the “green card” is the same throughout the country).
Electricity 220 V., 50 Hz. Sockets and plugs of the European type, with grounding. In rural areas, old-style connectors are not uncommon – round two-pin, without grounding. Power outages are quite common, especially between November and April. Most high-end hotels and restaurants have backup power generators. The system of measures and weights is metric. Most high-end hotels and restaurants have redundant power generators. The system of measures and weights is metric.The price level in the country is quite low, but varies markedly in different areas. In the coastal regions of Montenegro, everything is about 25% more expensive, in Kosovo and Vojvodina – just as cheaper than in the whole country. At the same time, due to the difference in the exchange rate of the dinar and the euro adopted in Montenegro (although the dinar is also equated to the euro), the price difference can reach even greater values.Tipping in restaurants and taxis is usually up to 10% of the bill. In a taxi, it is recommended to coordinate the route of the trip and its cost in advance.
Serbia: Money and currency of Serbia
The official currency of Serbia is the dinar (YUM), equal to 100 pairs. In circulation are denominations of 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 dinars, coins of 10, 20, 5, 2 and 1 dinars, as well as 50 par. At the same time, banknotes in denominations of 10, 50, 200, 1000 and 5000 dinars were issued in two versions, and in 100 dinars – in three. The dinar is pegged to the euro. In Kosovo, only the euro (EUR, €) is used. In circulation there are denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros, coins of 2 and 1 euros, as well as 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.Exchange offices of Halyk Bank are open from Monday to Friday from 07:00-08:00 to 15:00-16:00 (sometimes with a lunch break), commercial banks are open from Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 13:00-15:00, on Fridays – from 08:00 to 13:00, on Saturdays most banks are closed. Montenegrin banks usually work from 08:00 to 19:00, on Saturdays from 08:00 to 13:00, the day off is Sunday. In the center of Belgrade and Podgorica, as well as in resort areas, many currency exchange offices are open on weekends as well. Currency exchange can be done at bank branches, official exchange offices and many licensed exchangers. In Serbia, in public places (train stations, airports) there are currency exchange machines. The rate even in nearby exchange offices can differ quite a lot. On the territory of Serbia, exchange transactions outside official institutions (commercial banks, exchange offices, etc.) are considered a criminal offense and are punishable by imprisonment for a term of 6 months to 5 years with confiscation of currency. In Montenegro, the punishment for such actions is an administrative fine. The use of credit cards and traveler’s checks is difficult almost throughout the country, with the exception of the capitals and resort areas of Montenegro, where Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and Diners Club, as well as travel checks, are accepted for payment almost everywhere.
