South Africans are using
Montenegro to avoid UK red list – here’s why it’s a great option
Business Insider SA – 29 Jul 2021
- South Africans have been
among the most restricted travellers in the world during the pandemic.
- And restrictions for those
wanting to travel or return to the United Kingdom have been particularly
onerous.
- But wily travellers have
found loopholes in the system - mostly by choosing to stop over in
countries not on the UK's red list.
- Mexico and West Africa
quickly emerged as viable options.
- But it's the Balkans, and in
particular Montenegro, that seem to be winning out at the moment.
- Here's why Montenegro is
worth a visit - whether or not you're planning on using it to dodge red list
restrictions.
South
Africans have been among the most restricted
travellers in the world since the creation of Covid-19 travel
"red lists".
Although most African countries have remained open for leisure
travel with no quarantine restrictions, those wishing to visit Europe - or even
return home to countries such as the UK - often face at least 11 days of
self-funded isolation on arrival.
But those
wanting to avoid lengthy and expensive quarantine hotel stays on arrival in
England - often in tiny airport hotel rooms -
have been looking for loopholes almost since the restrictions began.
Mexico,
the Maldives, and a handful of countries in West Africa have all allowed
travellers to holiday for several days without quarantining on arrival in the
United Kingdom at various stages in the pandemic. And although governments have
been playing a game of whack-a-mole trying to shut these loopholes down,
Montenegro has emerged as one of the most popular and reliable stepping
stones.
With its
sparkling Adriatic coastline, fjord-like natural features, fascinating history,
reasonable prices, and easy access, the Balkan country is also a viable tourism
destination in its own right.
Although
South Africans with valid Schengen visas can enter Montenegro for 30 days
visa-free, it's a destination that has flown under the radar for local
travellers - often losing out to more popular coastal destinations like Greece,
and even neighbouring Croatia.
But time
it right, and it's a destination that ticks several travel boxes - including
one of the most spectacular train rides in Europe that costs just a handful of
coins.
Although
not the capital (that title belongs to inland Podgorica), Kotor is the primary
attraction for most visitors to Montenegro.
Its old
town is defined by stone buildings and cobbled streets that hide cosy bars and
decent restaurants. The town fronts directly onto a shimmering bay, and small
harbour, that's popular among cruise ships.
Rising up
above it all is an old defensive wall, built by the Illyrians, that offers
spectacular views of the city and bay.
A short -
and cheap - bus ride away from Kotor is photogenic Perast. It has made its way
into many Instagram feeds and tourism brochures, and for good reason. There
you'll find a selection of tourist-centric restaurants and boats waiting to
take you out into the bay.
One of
the key attractions in the bay is the artificial islet Our Lady of the Rocks,
where you'll find a 17th-century Roman Catholic church.
A walk up
the switchback path opposite the old town of Kotor also delivers constantly
shifting views - most notably of the fjord-like mountains.
Although
often called Europe's southernmost fjord, the Bay of Kotor is instead an
ancient drowned river valley that geomorphologists call a ria.
fascinating
front - that of its turbulent past. The abandoned Fort Vrmac, built in the late
1800s during the reign of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is beautifully
preserved. Although officially closed to the public, entry points exist for
those brave enough to explore its dark, damp, and at times, treacherous
labyrinthine interior.
Further
down the Montenegrin coast are several other resort towns worth visiting - if
not for an extended stay, at least for a day trip. Many come to life during the
warmer summer months when tourists, most notably from Russia, come to enjoy the
sparkling waters and a sense of opulence. At other times, towns like Budva are
understated and all but abandoned.
The town
of Bar is famous mostly for its train station that is the starting or ending
point for one of the country's - and continent's - most sensational train
rides. But a day there delivers several underrated attractions, such as an
olive tree purported more than 2,000 years old.
From Bar,
it's possible to take perhaps one of Europe's most dramatic train journeys
inland to the capital, or further into neighbouring Serbia. Often ironically
called the Montenegro Express it's not a journey for those in a rush, nor for
those concerned about heights, stuffy carriages, and the occasional rusted
bridge strut. But for just a handful of coins, the train ride delivers some of
the most incredible high-altitude railway scenery imaginable - particularly if
you time it during Autumn.
The train
route was initially built to run Tito's Blue Train,
which now languishes in a storage facility in Belgrade. Over the course of
the journey between Bar and Belgrade, the train goes through 254 tunnels and
crosses 435 bridges, including the Mala Rijeka Viaduct, which at the time
was the highest of its kind in the world.
Getting into Montenegro
South
Africans need a passport valid for at least three months after arrival in
Montenegro. A visa is required for entry - which can be obtained at the Serbian
consulate in Pretoria. But holders of a valid visa issued by Ireland, the
United Kingdom, the United States, or any Schengen member state, are allowed 30
days of visa-free entry.
British
nationals are allowed a visa-free stay of up to 90 days.
At the
time of publication, arriving travellers in Montenegro must have a negative PCR
test taken within 72 hours or travel or have been fully vaccinated 14 days
prior to arrival.
Getting to Montenegro
There is
no direct flight from South Africa to Montenegro.
Several
airlines route via European hubs, but the fastest route between the two countries
is on Turkish Airlines. The best option departs Johannesburg on Saturday
evening, requires a connection in Istanbul, and arrives in Podgorica before 9AM
the next morning.
Depending
on dates and routes, flights cost between R10,000 and R14,000 return to South
Africa - and roughly the same if you continue on to the United Kingdom with no
South African return leg.
Avoiding quarantine
Montenegro
is currently on the United Kingdom's Amber
List. Provided travellers remain in this region for 10 days, it
should be enough to avoid South Africa's red list status.
According
to UK government regulations, prior
to travel unvaccinated travellers arriving in England must have booked and paid
for two future Covid-19 tests. On arrival in England unvaccinated travellers
must present a negative Covid test.
Travellers
from Amber regions do not have to quarantine at a government-mandated facility
- but must quarantine in the place they are staying for 10 days - and take the
Covid-19 tests on days two and eight.
www.samigration.com.