Camp sites in Albania

[buffo]

Has anybody been to Albania in their Cali and if so can you recommend camping sites. Also, did you drive via Croatia and Montenegro or take a ferry from Italy? Regards Buffo

 

[H Marriage]

We looked in to driving down to Albania when we were in Croatia earlier this year, but our insurance company wouldn’t insure us, and another (Adrian Flux) quoted silly money just for third party for a few days, so we knocked the idea on the head. We still have in mind to get there though, so if you find someone who’s happy to insure your van, please let us know. We only thought about it very late in the day, when catching the ferry from Italy to Dubrovnik.

 

[Amarillo]

We would have loved to visit Albania (and Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Macedonia). Insurance is the biggest issue. For Bosnia, and maybe Serbia, you can buy third party insurance at the border, but we'd want full comp.


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[H Marriage]

We found the same Tom. We were offered third party only for Montenegro and Bosnia, so didn’t want to risk taking the van across with comprehensive insurance. We did however manage trips into both without the van, which were both splendid. The Montenegrin coast is stunningly beautiful, and well worth a visit. If we travel to Croatia again, we will investigate insurance properly before we leave. It will also become much easier once Montenegro enters the EU, but sadly that is unlikely to happen before we leave!!

 

[H Marriage]

Of course meant to say - without comprehensive insurance!

 

[Amarillo]

We found the same Tom. We were offered third party only for Montenegro and Bosnia, so didn’t want to risk taking the van across with comprehensive insurance. We did however manage trips into both without the van, which were both splendid. The Montenegrin coast is stunningly beautiful, and well worth a visit. If we travel to Croatia again, we will investigate insurance properly before we leave. It will also become much easier once Montenegro enters the EU, but sadly that is unlikely to happen before we leave!!

I'm confident that once Britain leaves the EU, European insurance cover will include new members of the EU.

One thing that will probably change is automatic third party insurance cover throughout the EU for any motor insurance policy in any member state. Policies bought in Northern Ireland will probably still have to have third party provision for south of the border.


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[Jonathan Duke]

Policies bought in Northern Ireland will probably still have to have third party provision for south of the border.u

The "Common Travel Area" between UK/IRE (which is to be maintained post-Brexit) should ensure this covers all of the UK (not just N.I.) I expect.

 

[Amarillo]

The "Common Travel Area" between UK/IRE (which is to be maintained post-Brexit) should ensure this covers all of the UK (not just N.I.) I expect.

Does the Common Travel Area mean that every British and Irish driver has the same motor insurance cover throughout the British Isles?


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[buffo]

Thanks for the responses on Albania. I had not thought about insurance, partly because my wife and I travelled through Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina about 6 years ago. On that trip we visited Mostar which I had always wanted to do. We were en-route to the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia which we first travelled to in 1974!!! I would strongly recommend it but probably not in July and first 2 - 3 weeks August due to overcrowding which is a problem along most of Croatian coast.

I have been in touch with our insurance company and we have full insurance cover for Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia but definitely not Albania. We use the Caravan and Motorhome Club insurance and our policy is underwritten by Axa. I have just found out that parents of a colleague of mine have travelled to Albania and beyond in their converted Landrover and had full insurance cover through Scenic. My colleague's parents thoroughly enjoyed Albania and were happy with the camp sites. Buffo

 

[RichardH]

We were there for a few days in early June, travelling north from Greece on a round trip to the UK. Thanks to others on the forum who posted helpful hints. We had hoped to stay for longer but, like them, we were unable to buy insurance against more than third party risk. That was via the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s insurance. We swapped to them from Saga because they and most of the others wouldn’t even consider 3rd party. So we were uninsured against theft or other loss. We didn’t try the coast, but found a pleasant first site near Girokaster (well worth a visit). It was already full by the time we got there in the early evening, but they parked us alongside the vines and we could use the restaurant and other facilities. At Berat the nearest camp site was well out of town So we took a room in a nice but inexpensive hotel in the old town, with securish parking. We greatly enjoyed the cruise along the Komani lake from Koman to Fierza and decided to take the Cali with us on the ferry and drive the return route. Getting there is a bit of a challenge as the access road is very badly potholed, but it’s OK if taken slowly. The Natura campsite at Koman is pleasant, if basic, and is a better choice than sleeping overnight beside the dock. Driving onto the ferry was a white knuckle experience, but we and the van survived and the cruise is spectacular! I’ve posted a full description on Tripadvisor under Komani Lake: Albanian Highlight. Everyone we met in Albania was friendly and helpful. It felt safe. The main through roads we used were all fine although some of the country / mountain routes are earthquake damaged and impassable in places (at least in a 2X2 uninsured Cali). Petrol stations are everywhere. There are lots of police road blocks but we were always waved through. Just look out for the often nonsensical speed limits. The other camper vans we saw in Albania were mostly (all?) German, probably en route to Greece, so I guess they don’t have the insurance issues we do. I’d love to explore more there and a Cali is ideal. I think rough camping is OK in many places. Let’s hope that proper insurance is available soon!

 

[RichardH]

Hmm - for 2X2 read 4X2, the potholes weren’t so bad that the wheels came off! In answer to the original post, we travelled south via the overnight ferry from Bari in southern Italy to Greece (a “camping on deck” ticket allows you to park amongst the lorries in a middle deck). It’s then a short drive to the border. We drove home from Albania via Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina (full insurance for transit from c&mhc on a green card), Croatia, Slovenia etc. No problems at any of the borders.