General Info
Tourism in Montenegro is still recovering following the war in the 1990s, but improvements are speedy and the country is quickly turning into a lovely, albeit somewhat costly
Yacht Charter destination for sailors. The country benefits from a unique position along the coast of the
Adriatic Sea in between
Croatia, Serbia and Albania, some of the cleanest beaches and waters in this part of the
Mediterranean and an exciting nightlife.
Probably one of the most appreciated regions by
Yacht Charter enthusiasts and of special interest to them is the Bay of
Kotor, considered among one of the most beautiful in Europe by many. Regardless of its debated beauty, Kotor is the longest fjord in southern Europe, and home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of
Kotor, Budva and Ulcinj, all a big hit with the Yacht Charter crowds.
The country has several ways of entry, by plane being the most comfortable and also the fastest, but one could also drive here (keep in mind that much of the infrastructure is still undergoing major reparations). By trains would be another option since Montenegro has overnight trains leaving from all neighboring countries, all for fairly small prices too. By ferry, you can get into Montenegro from Bari and Ancona in
Italy.
Law & Order
The increasing number of tourists is
turning Montenegro into the holiday destination it was before the war, which, in turn, is shaping the legislation and bureaucracy concerning foreign tourists. Visitors from countries such as
Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, the United States and Europe may enter and stay in Montenegro for 3 months with just a valid travel document, while nationals from countries from the former Soviet bloc and Russia need a tourist visa in order to enter and stay in Montenegro.
For
Yacht Charter skippers, additional paperwork is required. As usual, after entry, one must head immediately to a port of entry (Bar, Budva,
Kotor, Risan or Zelenika), the ships’a registration documents, a valid skipper license (certificate of competance), a crew list, a list of boat equipment and clearance from the last port of call.
Alternatively, you can expect your boat to be intercepted by naval crafts patrolling the waters. In order for this to go down smoothly, you should monitor VHF channel 16 at all times and when contacted give out the required information: such as the name of the ship, flag, international callsign, last port of call, destination.
Yacht Charter crews will not undergo such checkups.
In order to sail your ship in Montenegro a cruising permit is required (that includes charter boats). This is issued upon entry in the country and it’s quite expensive after the tax for this rose dramatically at the end of 2008. The cruising permit is issued for 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or a year, with prices varying accordingly, regardless of whether you own the boat or it’s a Yacht Charter.