bulgaria
 

Hi everybody,

I'm planning a trip next summer Bulgaria via Romania.
Anybody done this already?

All info is welcome!

Walter

We did it this summer, but only the Black Sea side, and it was quite nice for biking - nice roads, some beautiful views. Though, bulgarians doesn't seem to like motorcycling culture or it's not developed yet - don't push yourself in traffic etc, play along as you're a typical car too, otherwise you can piss someone really off...

Don't know how good the inland is for biking though...

Cheers, Margus

[This message has been edited by Margus (edited 08 December 2005).]

walter asked:

> ... Bulgaria via Romania.
> Anybody done this already?

I've been there several times. If you can read German, you may check out my travel reports at http://hothaus.de/greg-tour

Do you have any specific questions?

Hi,

Thanks for the info.
Specific questions:
- do you find campinggrounds easely?
- how cheap (or expensive) is Bulgaria
- how high is the risk of robery?
- can you set up your tent by the locals?

Walter

> do you find campinggrounds easily?

I don't know, I don't camp. Besides, pensions, small hotels and private accomodation is cheap. On average, I paid considerably less than 10 EUR per night.

I would suspect that campgrounds off the black sea coast are not quite ubiquitous.

> how cheap (or expensive) is Bulgaria

Cheap. For example, chicken, potatoes, salad, bread and beer in a small town restaurant less than EUR 4.

Gasoline about 70 cents/liter, if I remember correctly.

> how high is the risk of robery?

I don't have any statistical figures. I never felt unsafe. I even walked the city park in Plovdiv at night. I guess you got to be adequately careful though, like anywhere.

I went great length to always safely park my bike - guarded parking lots, hotel basement garages, private garages, walled private yards, and so on.

> can you set up your tent by the locals?

Again, I don't know. But the thing is, the locals in former communist countries don't have large private properties, even in rural areas. And the bit they have around their house is probably full of tomato plants and chicken shit - not much clean grass to pitch a tent, I'd say.


[This message has been edited by ghorian (edited 09 December 2005).]

I have a friend in Sofia and in the 2 1/2wks i was there he & many other Bulgarias told me not to rough camp or i'll likely get robbed by the Roma/Gypsy population (population est 8-900,000 of Bulgaria's 8M). Even though this opinon would be driven by the average's Bulgaria's prejudice against Roma, i'd still recommend not to- eg: "Aid workers estimate that 90-95 percent of Roma in Bulgaria are chronically unemployed, hampered by illiteracy and prejudice, and the overall economic slump." That said, i did camp in the bushes but it was 11pm and i was fairly drunk as i had to wait 5hrs at for the ferry to fill at Vidin and there was only duty free cigs and alcohol!
Also, 20 leva (10euro) will get you out of nearly every traffic offence (including no helmet if you like) and 50leva for drink driving. I know, I know.....but someone may find that bit useful

Yes - I did this route too. See parts of 'Kevin Payne' in Travellers Stories. Bulgaria cheap but cops everywhere and the roadsigns are a major problem. Romania was great - and I only did the interior, not the coast. The others are right about prejudices in this area though - every Hungarian I met told me I would definitely die in Romania, for a wide variety of reasons. The Romanians then say the same about the Bulgarians, and so on..... And of course, these places do have their issues ! Email me if you want to know more.

I have been to Bulgaria for work couple of times. Beautiful country with great nature. There were mostly country roads. And yes if you go over the speed limit the plice do stop you.
Great cheese, wine and cognac is also there. The prices were quite reasonable 5 years ago.
Týrnovo is also a nice city.

Hi,
if you ride enduro motorbike, do not miss Transalpina mountain road ( pass Urdele ) in Romania, from Sebes to Rinca! Veeery nice!
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

AnteK -

Which month you crossed Urdele pass? I was very dissapointed when couldn't cross Durmitor in Crna Gora in early June due to snow :-(((.
What kind of surface is that road? I have a Transalp but only learning how to handle a heavy enduro.

mdmystko,

I have crossed Urdele in mid of September, no snow at all, only lot of water on unpaved rocky road. I like offroading and road is easy to do with your TA. Fantastic nature, vaste and uninhibited, no motorbikes, just shepard dogs from time to time :-) Durmitor is on my vishing list for this year, join us! I will send you some photos from Urdele on mail.
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

AnteK -

Yeah, that's what I like... Your pictures put Urdele pass close to the top of my wish list, thanks! BTW, how did you come to Romania on such tires, all time off road???

Your invitation is tempting. Last year I visited a few Balkan countries and enjoyed it a lot. What are your plans for the trip you mentioned - do you want to spend most of the time in Durmitor or just cross it and go on to other places? Southern Bulgaria looks similar - mountainous, remote, rarely inhabited country. I have a Lonely Planet guide to Bulgaria that offers plenty of information on accomodation, restaurants and places to see. There is nothing about motorcycle adventure touring ;-) but maybe these guys could help: http://www.motoroads.com

Take a look here: http://www.ndmystko.net/Montenegro/ to see some pictures from Durmitor (44-57 and 64-65), Piva Canyon (22-39), Tara Canyon (66-74) and other nice places, some of them certainly familiar to you. I drove Suzuki GS500 at that time.

If you want to see Krakow, you can count on my guidance.

Regards

Not all time offroad, of course. Those tyres are Michelin T63, surely one of the best dual-purpose tyres, fantastic both on/offroad. Fit them to your TA, soon you will find out what am I talking about!
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

Hi, I am a bulgarian living in Spain.
I cycled through Romania and Bulgaria 3 years ago. A nice place to cycle. Maybe with a motorbike too.
Don't worry about safety. The thieves are interested in cars, not motorbikes ; the only dangerous places are the resorts near Burgas, Plovdiv and Sofia. In Varna I was told this summer that there is no expensive car theft in the last 2 years.
Just park in paid parkings.
In both Romania and Bulgaria you will have to pay more in hotels, because you are a foreigner, like nearly anywhere in the world. (in Romania unoficially and in Bulgaria oficially), but it is still relatively cheap by western standards.
When entering Bulgaria maybe you have to buy a "vignette" to use inter-city roads. It's 4 euros for a week for a car (and 2 euros for desinfection).
Be aware of dogs in southern Romania.
If you go from western Romania to Bulgaria, better use the Portile de Fier bridge passing a bit through Serbia, instead of cathing the ferry.
Have a nice trip.