Organize your stay Bosnia And Herzegovina
Money Bosnia And Herzegovina
The currency of the country is the convertible mark, whose symbol is MK or BAM. It is linked to the euro by a fixed rate: 1 MK = 0.5113 € and 1 € = 1.95583 KM. The trick: it is usual to simply divide by two the prices displayed here to know their value in euros. The banknotes exist in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 KM. Coins have a face value of 5, 10, 20 and 50 feminga (100 feminga = 1 KM), but also 1 and 2 KM. It should be noted that in the south of the country, some Bosnian-Croatian merchants used to accept Croatian kunas. These were replaced by the euro in 2023.
Budget & Tips Bosnia And Herzegovina
The cost of living is on average half that of France. But salaries are three or four times lower. It is therefore advisable to be generous in tipping the staff of restaurants, cafés and hotels, who are often poorly paid. Plan on a budget of about 100-150 €/day for two people for food and lodging if you avoid luxury hotels and the rare gourmet restaurants. It goes up a bit in Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka.
Passport and visas Bosnia And Herzegovina
French citizens can enter the country with a valid passport or national identity card for a stay not exceeding 90 days.
Driver's license Bosnia And Herzegovina
The French national driving license is accepted. If you come with your vehicle, the international green card is required at the entrance of the country. The conditions for car rentals are the same as in France. But you may pick up your rental car in another country (usually at the airports of Split and Dubrovnik, in Croatia). In this case, you will have to pay an additional insurance fee to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tip: If you pay with a "credit" card (not just a "debit" card), these fees will be significantly reduced.
Health Bosnia And Herzegovina
Drinking water is not a risk. If the health system is not good, it is still good. However, it is better to avoid a problem on the spot. In addition, people with respiratory problems are advised not to visit Sarajevo in winter: it is the most polluted capital in Europe with fine particle levels exceeding 300 ㎍/m3 of air during the coldest months due to wood and coal for heating.
Mandatory vaccination Bosnia And Herzegovina
No specific vaccine is required. Regarding Covid-19, the local authorities removed entry restrictions on May 26, 2022 (keep informed of any changes on the website of your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs). In addition, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends a preventive vaccination against Central European tick-borne encephalitis in case of prolonged stay in rural or forest areas.
Security Bosnia And Herzegovina
In 2022, an estimated 175,000 anti-personnel mines remained in the country as a result of the 1992-1995 war. It will take another 2030-2040 for all of them to be removed. The risk areas are in theory well marked and no serious accidents have been reported recently. However, avoid venturing off-road into the wooded areas of the former front lines. Maps and advice can be found on the website of BHMAC(bhmac.org), the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Center.
Time difference Bosnia And Herzegovina
No time difference with metropolitan France, same time zone.
Spoken languages Bosnia And Herzegovina
There are three official languages: Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian. They are in fact almost the same language (Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian). Serbian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, but it is pronounced the same way as the other two languages. Otherwise, some of the young people are quite fluent in English. Many Bosnians who have worked and lived abroad speak German or Italian. French is only spoken by a small minority.
Communication Bosnia And Herzegovina
In some rural or mountainous areas, your cell phone will be inoperable. But on most of the roads, you will have network. Concerning Internet, Wifi is available for free in all the accommodations we propose, with one or two exceptions. It is also often the case in cafes and restaurants.
Electricity and measurements Bosnia And Herzegovina
The electrical outlets are Schuko or F type as in most of Europe. They are different from those in France, Belgium and Switzerland. But they accept "our" electrical appliances. No need for an adapter, then. Otherwise, Bosnia-Herzegovina follows the metric system and the temperature unit is the degree Celsius.
Luggage Bosnia And Herzegovina
In summer, it is very hot, but sometimes chilly in the evening in the valleys and near the rivers. You should therefore take light clothing, a single small piece of wool, mosquito repellent, sun cream, a hat and a water bottle. If you don't want to be caught unprepared, you should also bring a raincoat because it rains frequently. In spring and autumn, warmer clothes are needed and a raincoat becomes essential. In winter, from November to April in the mountainous areas of the northern part of the country, you will need warm clothes, gloves, a hat, a scarf and even après-ski. All year round, remember to bring good shoes that allow you to walk in the cities as well as on the hiking trails. A headlamp can also be useful to explore certain caves and corners of fortresses.
