Plitvice is one of the best parks I’ve visited. It is so quiet and beautiful that it is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe.
After getting long rest, I am on the road again. To feel this freedom and wind has been a long time.
While I cycle beside the sea, the weather is hot although it is only May. When I am under the shade, it is a bit chilly. I have lunch which is mixed of whole grain and mushrooms from yesterday night under the tree.
There are many camping sites in Croatia.
I go up from 15 m above sea level to 700 m above sea level for 15 km. I try not to stop often although it is too hot and hard. I can see every mount and sea from the top. Bye…. Sea..
After a hard uphill, there is a flat for hours.
Yugoslavia has civil war from 1991 to 1995. After that every country got independent.
I can see still trace of shooting. It is so sad to see the tragic trace on the road.
Actually it is my first time to see war’s trace on the road in my life that it is shocking thing.
I didn’t know when I stayed in a big city about which Croatian’s life is hard. As passing many villages with my bicycle, I finally see everything of Croatia.
Only touristic and big cities look nice.
Today I started on 5:20am. These days the sun goes up so early. Today I finish cycling on 7:20pm. I’ve been on the road today over 14 hours, but total distance is only 117 km (73 mi) because of one big hill.
I got a permit to set up my tent at their yard. But they said with a body language I should sleep at the inside. I really didn’t want to stay alone in a tent today and when I heard that from them, I touched so much.
The French cyclist whom I cycled for a few days told me some small road to Plitvice national park. It is so fresh morning.
Next to lake.
It looks like a ball
The photo for congratulation of 27,000 km (16,875 mi)
I feel so fresh to face this calming morning.
The entrance fee is here.
http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/plan-your-visit/operating-hours-and-prices/
Right now it is 110 kuna ($20)
There are three courses.
E+F=H
There are free boat and bus.
H course takes four hours to six hours.
Today I start cycling at 7 am and arrive at 10 am in the park. I change clothes and put my luggage on the lock, which is for free.
Then it is 11 am, which I start touring.
From the first, it is so impressing. It is much better than passing with cycling.
I can see fish from the outside.
The water flows through tree’s holes.
I feel so good that I can walk next to small falls.
There are many falls. My pictures look everything is similar, but actually every falls has difference face. At this time I really take worse picture. It is much better to see with bare eyes!
Many fish swim in the lake.
It is hot, but when I am under the shade I feel cool. There are many trees that I can have a good rest during walking.
The most amazing thing in the Plitvice national park is I feel so close to the nature, because I walk on the wood bridge and there is water on my feet.
I really want to come again with family or friend or other people here.
One of good things in the park is there are many seat around the tree. If you bring some snack, sandwich, and garbage bag, it would be so good.
To walk on the water and next to falls makes me so thank to the nature.
Although there are so many tourists like me, I feel so peaceful and calming.
After walking over two or three hours, I reach to a small port. It takes 15 minutes to move another place. The boat is not that one which is on the picture. It is a bigger one.
Plitvice Lakes National Park contains a series of beautiful lakes, caves and waterfalls. These have been formed by processes typical of karst landscapes such as the deposition of travertine barriers, creating natural dams. These geological processes continue today.
The Plitvice Lakes basin is a geomorphologic formation of biological origin, a karst river basin of limestone and dolomite, with approximately 20 lakes, created by the deposition of calcium carbonate precipitated in water through the agency of moss, algae and aquatic bacteria.
The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals in the water and the angle of sunlight.
The lakes are divided into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes.
I’ve been some national parks, and every park has different face. But Plitvice is really one of the best parks in my heart.
Some cave around station one.
When I try to cycle again around 6 pm, I find my front tire has less air. Actually I saw it in the morning, but it is still the same. When I try to find some tool to fix, I find some special tool which I got from a local French guy who helped me on the road.
I am afraid that I press for three seconds. It is so interesting that actually some white bubbles come out and it makes my tire bigger.
I am wondering what this one is.
After getting out of park, there are so many expensive hotels. I try to get out of this expensive area to get permit easily for setting my tent at local people’s yard.
After hard pedaling, I reach some small village.
The local guy starts making body language first than me about tent and sleeping and points at his yard. It is my first time which a local guy tries to offer camping before I ask.
Many young Croatian speak English well, but older ages don’t speak at all.
These days the sun rises too early. I usually start cycling after 30 minutes to one hour from the sun rising. Thanks to early sun, I start cycling from 5:45 am. Some part is under the construction. It reminds me of Swaziland which is one of African country. It is similar scenery.
Balkan is really mountain, but these days I start enjoying cycling on the mountain because I can see so beautiful scenery like it.
I feel I have enough time to cook. So, I decide to cook, which I’ve never done on the trip. I bought many things a few days ago almost over 40$! It is crazy thing I’ve done. I usually buy only cheap food.
It is so interesting that I don’t miss meat. Hahaha. If there is some reason to stop a vegan, it would be because of MONEY and being hard to deny people’s inviting.
I’ve never cooked on middle of the way, and even when I cook on a tent, I usually only made a noodle.
But today I cut onions and garlics. Wow… fantastic experience.
The place I find is so good that I can feel the nature during cooking.
I made also Korean miso soup. I put some left pasta on a bag for later.
Actually to cook takes two and half hours. I think next time I will cook on less time than now.
There is some shower after amazing lunch, so I hide on a bus station.
And again there is a strong sun, which makes me sweat too much on the uphill.
Here downhill is. The picture looks it is not steep, but it is 8% downhill!!! It is really steep downhill!!
There are no cars and people, so I shout and scream out. YEAH!!!!!!!!!! THIS ONE!!!!! I miss this freedom and wind!!!!!!!!!!!!
I miss this wind………. This is the reason why I cycle.
After long downhill, I arrive in Zadar which is a touristic city. An old town is very small that I see some tourists again and again. Later I remember a few of tourists. Hahaha.
In front of the sea park
It is a sea organ which was built a few years ago. When the wave comes, it goes to fife and makes sound. Actually there is no such a melody, but anyway it is interesting.
I try to record the sound, but I fail.. haha. I can’t hear organ sound well.
I will cycle a little big at the next to the sea, and then I will turn left to Bosnia, which is mountain.
There are many Islands in Croatia; even you can see it on the picture.
I have seen the photo of BBQ many times in Croatia. I though one is a pig and the other one is a duck, but actually it is lamb.
Finally I see a real one! It looks a bit brutal. But I see at the restaurant that it is served after cutting.
I meet some Korean cyclist. We keep in touch on a messenger. He is going opposite way, so we arrange to see on the road. Lucky that we didn’t miss each other, so we have a coffee together.
http://captkwon.tistory.com/
Actually his way is to Zadar, but he is going to Plitvice as well. He said he can go there on my route. So, we cycle today. I keep in touch with a few of Korean world cyclists, but it is my first time to meet and even cycle together! It is good for me to have Korean company!
These days there are many scary clouds.
There are still many trace of war in a small road.
I am cycling slowly. Thanks that he tries to cycle slowly for my speed.
He is very brave that he doesn’t care any place to sleep. He said there are many abandoned houses in Balkan that he slept at an empty house as well.
Thanks to him, I could try wild camping at the empty house.
We cook some Korean food with my seasonings I bought from Slovenia and have beer. It is awesome to have Korean food during wild camping. Hahaha.
At the next day, even we have a coffee. I’ve never boiled coffee or tea after sleeping on a tent. What a new experience! Hhaha.
On our way, it looks some ruins.
He will join to a marathon on Plitvice, so next day we separate. Although it is short riding together, it is enough fun!
A water tank made of wood
I though it is grasshopper, so I just passed. And then I suddenly stop and go back, because it is bees!!! After a few minutes, they move.
I was not sure there is an exchange shop, so I bought foods. It is different from past that I bought more fruit, bean, and salad. Fruits’ price is less than snack, but the problem is it doesn’t make me full.
Salad, tomatoes, bean, and Olive oil! It is my lunch.. yummy!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn’t find a small bottle of apple vinegar. If I put apple vinegar, the taste will be the perfect!
There are many war traces in small roads. Many people abandon their house after war. It is shocking to see these things which I’ve never seen. Around touristic place, everything looks clear, but in a mountain I see many sad histories.
Anyway Croatia is beautiful with a mount and sea that I enjoy cycling.
It is time to cross the border!
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Route
Days in Croatia = 62Days
Distance of cycling in Croatia = 1,023.89 km (639.93 mi)
Cities I stayed in Croatia = 6 Cities
Opatija, Gorski Kotar, Gornji, Jezerce, Zadar,Kistanje
Expenditure in Croatia = $520.88
$1=5.5 Kuna
[14/05/24~30 (D+1003) Croatia/(to Strmica)]
Amazing pictures, Jin!
Thanks, Derek 🙂