Traveling through Bosnia and Herzegovina is an unforgettable experience, but it’s also a destination where a little preparation goes a long way. From scenic mountain roads and charming Ottoman towns to turquoise rivers, impressive waterfalls, and deeply moving history, this Balkan country has so much to offer.
But if it’s your first time visiting, you might have a few questions. Is it easy to drive around Bosnia and Herzegovina? Do you need cash? What are the roads like? Is it safe to travel there? And how much time do you actually need to see the highlights?
After spending one week road tripping through Bosnia and Herzegovina, I quickly realized that this country is incredibly rewarding to explore, but also a little different from some of its more visited neighbors like Croatia or Montenegro. Things can feel more local, more affordable, and sometimes a little less polished, but that’s also exactly what makes traveling here so special.
In this guide, I’m sharing 10 practical tips for traveling in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from renting a car and parking to money, safety, border crossings, and planning your itinerary. These are the things I wish every first-time visitor knew before exploring this beautiful and underrated country.
1. Renting a car in Bosnia
If you’re planning to explore more than just Sarajevo and Mostar, renting a car in Bosnia and Herzegovina is by far the best option. Public transport does exist between the bigger cities, but having your own car gives you the freedom to visit waterfalls, national parks, viewpoints, small villages, and scenic stops that would be much harder to reach otherwise.
For our Bosnia and Herzegovina road trip, we picked up our rental car directly at Sarajevo International Airport and dropped it off there again at the end of the trip. This made the whole itinerary very easy and practical, especially since our route started and ended in Sarajevo.
🚗 Rent a car by using SunnyCars. There’s never any hidden costs with them and free cancellation up to 1 hour before rental start. Their price is transparent and everything is included.
Before booking, double-check the insurance, fuel policy, and whether you’re allowed to cross borders if you’re combining Bosnia and Herzegovina with Croatia, Montenegro, or another neighboring country. Some companies allow it, while others don’t. Most rental companies will require you to get their full insurance policy to be allowed to cross the border.
💡 TIP – For instance, the information online said a cross-border permit to Montenegro would be €50 to €90, to be paid at the pick up desk. In reality we could only get the permit if we also got the full coverage which was €450 in total. A big difference, so make sure to keep this in mind when booking!
2. Driving in Bosnia & Herzegovina
Driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the best ways to explore the country, especially if you want to go beyond the main cities and visit places like Jajce, Pliva Lakes, Una National Park, Blagaj, Počitelj, Kravica Waterfalls, and the many scenic viewpoints along the way.
Overall, we found driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina very manageable, but it’s good to know what to expect before you go. The main roads between bigger cities are generally in decent condition, but once you head into the mountains or more rural areas, the roads can become narrower, winding, and sometimes a little rougher.
Distances can also be deceiving. A drive that looks short on Google Maps can take longer because of mountain roads, slower traffic, roadworks, or simply because you’ll want to stop every five minutes to take photos. Bosnia and Herzegovina is incredibly scenic, so the drive itself often becomes part of the experience.
💡 TIP – Our average driving speed was around 70km/h.
Another thing to keep in mind is that local driving can sometimes feel a bit more assertive than what you may be used to.
💡 TIP – There are a lot of speed cameras in Bosnia & Herzegovina and I really mean, a LOT! So make sure you stick to the driving speed at all times. They also often to police checks for alcohol. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit for drivers is 0.03% (often expressed locally as 0.3 g/l). This is effectively a near-zero tolerance policy, meaning even a single drink can put you over the legal limit.
3. This is how tipping works in Bosnia & Herzegovina
Tipping in Bosnia and Herzegovina isn’t as strict or expected as in some other countries, but it’s always appreciated when you’ve received good service. In restaurants and cafés, it’s common to round up the bill or leave around 5 to 10% if you were happy with the food and service.
For smaller bills, simply rounding up is perfectly fine. For example, if your coffee or lunch costs 18 BAM, you can leave 20 BAM. In more touristy places like Mostar or Sarajevo, tipping is a little more common, especially in restaurants, but it still doesn’t feel forced.
It’s best to tip in cash, even if you pay the bill by card.
4. Cash is still king
Even though I booked all of our accommodation through Booking.com we still needed to have a lot of cash on hand. Cause nearly all of the places that we stayed required cash payment upon arrival. So make sure to keep that in mind! They do accept Euros but once you’re in Bosnia & Herzegovina you can’t get Euros out of the ATM anymore.
💡 TIP – The easiest way to check if a place is cash-only is to scroll all the way to the bottom of Booking.com and under ‘House rules’ it’ll note the payment policy of the property. Typically, the majority of guesthouses and apartments are cash only, while hotels can be hit or miss.
Their official currency is the Bosnian convertible mark, also written as BAM or KM. It’s much easier to withdraw or exchange some local currency and keep small notes and coins with you. Also, it’s a very easy conversion: 2KM is €1.
💡 TIP – Parking can also only be paid in cash in the local currency!
5. Yes, Bosnia & Herzegovina is safe, the war is over (since 1995)
One of the first questions I immediately got when I told people we were visiting Bosnia & Herzegovine was: “OMG, is it safe to go there?”
Well, duhu. The Bosnian War took place between 1992 and 1995.
And besides its former conflict, yes Bosnia & Herzegovina is a safe country and we felt comfortable during our entire trip.
The main places you’ll likely visit, such as Sarajevo, Mostar, Jajce, Blagaj, Počitelj, Kravica Waterfalls, and Una National Park, are all popular with travelers and felt safe to us. Locals were friendly and helpful, and we never felt uncomfortable while walking around, eating out, or exploring by car.
6. Don’t wander off the trails when you go hiking
One thing to be aware of is that Bosnia and Herzegovina still has some areas with unexploded landmines left from the war, especially in remote countryside, forests, and abandoned areas.
This shouldn’t affect a normal travel itinerary, but it does mean you should always stick to marked trails, official hiking routes, roads, and well-visited areas. Don’t wander off into overgrown fields or abandoned buildings.
💡 TIP – If you plan to go hiking or enjoy Bosnia’s wonderful nature, be sure to download the Mine Suspected Areas application, which shows potential mine areas.
7. Don’t rush through Bosnia & Herzegovina
One of the biggest tips I can give you is not to rush through Bosnia and Herzegovina. It may look like a small country on the map, and many people only visit Mostar as a day trip from Croatia, but Bosnia has so much more to offer if you give it a little extra time.
Spend time wandering through Sarajevo’s old town, enjoy a quiet morning in Mostar before the day trippers arrive, stop for coffee with a view, visit smaller towns like Jajce and Počitelj, and leave room in your itinerary for unexpected viewpoints, waterfalls, and scenic drives.
We spent one week road tripping through Bosnia and Herzegovina, and even then I felt like there was still so much more to see. If you only rush from one highlight to the next, you’ll miss a lot of what makes this country so special: the atmosphere, the people, the landscapes, and those little moments in between.
8. Bosnian food is definitely a meat lover’s paradise
A lot of traditional dishes are meat-heavy, with classics like ćevapi, burek with meat, grilled meats, stews, and stuffed vegetables often taking center stage on menus.
That being said, it’s definitely possible to eat vegetarian while traveling in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You’ll usually find simple options like salads, grilled vegetables, cheese pies, spinach pies, potato pies, soups, bread, and side dishes. Look out for dishes like sirnica, which is a cheese-filled pastry, zeljanica with spinach, and krompiruša with potato.
9. Tap water in Bosnia & Herzegovina
In general, tap water in Bosnia and Herzegovina is safe to drink in most cities and towns, especially in places like Sarajevo, Mostar, Jajce, and other well-developed areas. We drank tap water during our trip and didn’t have any issues.
That being said, if you’re staying in a very rural area, mountain cabin, or remote accommodation, it’s always worth asking your host if the tap water is drinkable. In some places, water may come from a local spring or private source, and while it can be perfectly fine, it’s better to double-check.
I’d recommend bringing a reusable water bottle with you, especially if you’re visiting during the warmer months or doing a lot of walking and hiking. Bosnia and Herzegovina can get very hot in summer, particularly around Mostar and Herzegovina, so staying hydrated is important.
10. The most idyllic swimming spot might have watersnakes
If you’re planning to swim in rivers, lakes, or waterfalls in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you might come across water snakes. This can sound a little scary at first, but in most cases there’s no need to panic.
Water snakes are part of the natural environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially around lakes, rivers, wetlands, and quieter swimming spots. We spotted them near the water during our trip, but they kept their distance and weren’t aggressive at all. Most of the time, they’re far more interested in getting away from people than coming close.
That being said, it’s always best to be respectful of wildlife. Don’t try to touch, catch, or scare them, and be careful when stepping into overgrown riverbanks, rocky edges, or areas with lots of vegetation. If you see a snake while swimming, simply give it space and move away calmly.
If you have any questions about how to visit Bosnia & Herzegovina or if you want to share your experience, comment below!
More information on Bosnia & Herzegovina
1 Month Balkan Itinerary – Discover Bosnia, Croatia & Montenegro
Bosnia & Croatia Itinerary: The Perfect 3 Week Balkan Road Trip
Bosnia and Montenegro Itinerary: The Perfect 2 Week Balkan Road Trip
Traveling in Bosnia & Herzegovina – 10 Practical Tips
Bosnia & Herzegovina in 7 Days: The Best 1 Week Itinerary
Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina – The Ultimate Travel Guide
Visiting Una National Park – The Ultimate Guide
7 Top Things To Do in Jajce
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