As if you need them: Top 3 reasons to visit the Balkans

Backpackers are slowly discovering the discounts and total positive points of travelling through the Balkans. While some, especially backpackers from North America, focus entirely on Western Europe, hitting up spots like Amsterdam, London, Dublin, Paris and Munich... there's a whole other world waiting for a fraction of the price and a train ride away. If you haven't travelled through the Balkan countries and you've stumbled onto this blog, I hope you're inspired to check them out. Airline tickets to major cities are cheap and easy to come by, so you've got no excuses not to! 

Why?

Here are the top 3 reasons

Beach, sand and surfing:

This isn't Hawaii or Sydney but did you know that Albania, Slovenia and even Montenegro have awesome beaches? The biggest plus is that they're not overcrowded with tourists from huge cruise ships with pricey cameras slung around their necks and designer towels draped over their shoulders. The Adriatic Sea is clear and blue.

Adventure is easy to find:

Have you ever tried water-rafting? How about in Bosnia? While the country's bad reputation comes from its civil war history, the place has totally changed since then. If you're into adrenaline-pumping water sports, try white water rafting here. The Julian Alps are also great for skiing, Sarajevo did after all host the Winter Olympics in the 1980s.

Nightlife:

Top city to party in this corner of the world? Definitely Belgrade. The city has a constantly flow of young people and plenty of clubs and bars are opening all the time. Party boats are also popular. Sarajevo, Budva and Hvar in Croatia are also cool spots to party. What's their preferred drink? It's a local brandy called rakia. Some hotels even offer a shot of it upon arrival.