Although we only got to see a tiny portion of the park it was still worth the stress and headache that the public transportation caused. I will definitely be back and next time will probably rent a car to make sure I get out to the park on my own schedule, as opposed to following the schedule of public transportation.
The little bit that we did get to see was well worth our time. The park built catwalks over all of the running water, in many areas without guard rails, which amazed me. In high season this place gets completely packed, and people are walking shoulder to shoulder. Fortunately most people had other places to be on a random Thursday in October than Krka, and we often went several minutes without passing another group of people.
Croatia has been a joy, and I fell for it harder than I thought I would. The atmosphere is always relaxing and it seems that the people have nowhere to be, instead they just linger all day sipping coffee near the water. I personally enjoyed my time in Dubrovnik a bit more than Split, because it had a slower and more old time feel to it. Split is still very much an old city, but they've modernized themselves well and the streets are filled with brand name shops, bars and night clubs.
Coming in the off season was a fortunate accident because it saved us a lot of headaches. Normally the streets are flooded with tourists from about April to September, and there are constantly cruise ships coming into port, letting out hundreds of people at one time. We just barely missed this season and as a result got much cheaper prices and quieter days.
Fun facts and random observations
- Croatia is known for producing some of the best olive oil in the world, they're also home to the oldest olive tree.- The Croatian climate is ideal for growing lavender and as a result they are one of the largest lavender producers in the world.
- Croatian limestone is world-known, and it was used during the construction of the White House
- Both Dubrovnik and Split are home to hundreds, possibly thousands, of stray cats. You can't go more than a minute or two without running into one, and they're often found roaming outdoor restaurants or napping in cafes.
- I don't think I've ever seen such a large population of dog owners in such a small area, and they're all so well trained! We've seen shop owners bring their dogs to work, and the dog just wanders the streets nearby and comes back every once in a while to check in with their human. Split especially seems to be huge on dogs, it seems that every other person is taking their furry friend to the cafe or for a walk along the water.
- There's supposedly a large population of Croatians in Ohio and the largest hotel in the capital city of Zagreb is owned by a Croatian who used to live in good ol' Cleveland.
- Dubrovnik was very welcoming towards credit cards, but I don't think I was able to use my card once in Split which got obnoxious very quickly. Fortunately they have an absurd amount of ATMs throughout the city, one is basically always in site.
- I often appreciate the slow paced lifestyle of most Europeans, but sometimes they might take it a little too far. While traveling to Montenegro our bus stopped at a rest stop for a 10 minute break. I immediately went to the cafe to get a to-go coffee and was shocked when they told me they only do sit down, no take away cups. No take away cups at a rest stop!? It's nice to see people sitting and enjoying the place they're in, even when that's a rest stop on the side of the highway, but really? Not everyone has time to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee while traveling.
Tomorrow morning we have a 6am flight to Bangkok where we'll start the adventure of teaching English! More updates from Asia will be coming your way.
Logistical Info
During off season, adult tickets to Krka cost about $14 USD, cheaper if you have a student ID.
The simplest and most stress free way to visit Krka National Park would be through a booked tour. There are a handful of companies to choose from that can pick you up from your hotel in Split or the city bus station. This would handle the transportation and will often provide you with a guide to lead you through the falls, pointing out the most interesting features. Most tours start at around $60 USD and last about 10 hours
A cheaper method is public transportation. In general it's a relatively direct concept, simply take a bus from Split --> Sibenik --> Skradin. The problem comes when you're at the mercy of the bus schedule. The buses between Split and Sibenik leave on a very regular basis, but those between Sibenik and Skradin are what cause the issue. I wasn't able to find accurate times online, so I had to wait until we were at the park to ask about a bus to take us back, we were then informed that "one will most likely come at 5, and then perhaps one near 8 or 9, but we don't really know." WHAT? The last thing I wanted was to be stuck in the dark after the park closes, waiting for a bus that may or may not come. We aimed for the 5pm bus, which came 15 minutes late and made us late for our second bus back to Split.
I would advise those taking public transportation to start their day early in order to account for the crazy bus schedule. Another option would be to bus to Sibenik and then rent a car or scooter to get to the park.
Round trip bus tickets from Split --> Skradin cost about $18
There are five entrances to the park, with the most popular and easily accessible being Skradin. The parking lot of Skradin is actually still 1.5 kilometers away from the entrance to the falls which is walkable, but there is also a free shuttle that runs every 20 minutes.
As mentioned above, Split was not a fan of credit cards. Everything from coffee, to dinner to bus tickets had to be cash only. It was an extra challenge for me because the currency is so high. I would take out 300 kuna thinking that that was sufficient for a few days, but 300 kuna is only $43. But as I also mentioned, ATMs are everywhere in this city so it was never too much of an issue.
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