2000 km, 4 countries, 8 border crossings (hmm actually 9!), a few barrels of beer, and all around, a fantastic ride. Rewind to September 2021 – in India, we’re just coming out of a devastating 2nd wave of Covid, Western Europe seems to be just getting into their 3rd or 4th wave. Eastern Europe seemed to be quiet, but what had caught my fancy was touring in the much ignored but beautiful, much less expensive part of Europe, the Balkans.
The Balkan countries formed with the breaking down of the erstwhile Yugoslavia and are made up of:
- Serbia
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Albania
- Greece
- Montenegro
- (North) Macedonia
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Slovenia
- Croatia
Greece, Slovenia are already part of the Schengen and EU. Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Bulgaria are getting close, but the other countries in the list below are less traveled, have smaller economies, with much lower costs of living. That’s where I wanted to go and what an awesome decision it was!
Visa-free travel
I made my itinerary based on a few universal worries that Indian travelers have – visas! While very simple for our friends from countries with stronger passports to travel around the world, many of us in developing countries have the additional pain of applying for visas (and paying a lot of money for them), and deal with the restrictions placed on our travels.
Some research showed that Indians didn’t need a visa for Serbia and many of the Balkan countries have a visa-free policy for Indians if we hold multiple entry visas from the U.S. or any of the Schengen countries. I had the former – so I made my itinerary around all countries that allowed me access, and had lifted COVID entry regulations (or so I thought!) – the five countries that I would build by tour around were going to be Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and (North) Macedonia. I planned a 2200 km ride over 11 days.
OK, now that you know the back story, let’s get to why this region offers the BEST value for an Indian motorcycle rider.
Best value for Indians motorcyclists
OK, it’s believed the world over that Indians (and citizens of South Asian and many of the South East Asian countries) are tight-fisted. And the truth is – we are! And there’s good reason for it – our earnings are a fraction of that in developed nations, and while our cost of living is lower to match that lower income, it is challenging for all of us when we travel to more developed countries. All costs need careful consideration and so we end up with that label. I for one don’t care much about any labels, and while wouldn’t consider myself stingy by any yardstick, will definitely be measured in my spends when traveling to North America or Western Europe.
And this is what makes the Balkans the BEST value for Indians (not just motorcyclists) – the cost of living is less than Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore! Your money goes far in the Balkans and so you have a great time not worrying about how much you have spent!
But that’s not all. There are a bunch of other things that make the Balkans stand out for me.
- European lifestyle and services/infrastructure
- Great assortment of food and drink (especially for non-vegetarians)
- Dynamic culture influenced by both the east and the west
- Good people – they’ve been through so much strife, and value life so enjoy it
- Easy travel between countries
So don’t wait any longer – book a trip to the Balkans and enjoy a stress free, inexpensive holiday – on a motorcycle, or off it!