Top destinations for Croatia are definitely Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar and Plitvice; plus a side trip to Montenegro. Some people prefer to go through Zagreb as it’s a closer drive to Plitvice, but the city is similar to many metropolitan capitals and may not be worth spending an extra night. We flew through Munich on Lufthansa for an easier connection back to Asia.

DUBROVNIK

Sights: The town of Dubrovnik is so charming. The old city is small and it gets extremely crowded when the mega cruises dock here in the summer months. Best way to enjoy the city is on a guided tour (http://www.dubrovnikwalks.com/), take the combo session which is a 1.5h city tour, 1.5h wall tour (feels more like 2h each in the heat!). Would suggest to split the 2 sessions out; go around the city in the morning, and come back for the wall tour at sunset which gives you the best photos. In between, grab a lunch and a ride of the cable car for a great panoramic view of the city from the hills. You can even see across to the mountains of Montenegro from there. You can find the Dubrovnik Walks guide standing in plaza right outside the Old Town entrance and buy tickets there. As part of the wall tour, you will also be asked to buy a separate 100kn entry ticket to the wall – if you buy that ahead you can use it as a pass to hike the St Lawrence fortress for a different view. Its truly a beautiful hidden spot from the crowds.

Souvenirs: Pay attention to shops with a blue tick in the window. This certifies that their products are made in Croatia. There is also a nice morning market in the Gundulceva square open 7am-1pm during the summer where you can buy food based souvenirs. Croatia is very famous for its olive oil and salt – they sell some homemade flavoured oils that I still use to top off my salads.

Food: We kicked off with a comfort meal at Lokanda Peskarija on the waterfront for mussels and fabulous seafood risotto. Be sure to also try out Mea Culpa for a light lunch of pizza and salad. Tovjerna Sesame is the perfect spot for a date night, located across from the Hilton Imperial. Be sure to make a reservation (+385 20 412 910  http://www.sesame.hr/) for the 2^nd floor terrace and order the fish tartar appetizer! Seafood remains to be star in Croatia, can also try Orhan (+385 20 411 918  www.restaurant-orhan.com/) more hidden and near the path up to St Lawrence fortress. Also definitely have an afternoon drink at Buza I & II which are secret Cliffside bars you should show up in your swimsuit in case you want to jump into the ocean along with the rest.

Stay: Unless you are planning to stay for more than 3 days, would suggest to stay within the Old Town. The only 5 star hotel near it is the Hilton Imperial. There are plenty of nice beach or cliffside resorts further off which are accessible with a car, however there is basically no parking available near the Old Town (pedestrian only) so it would be inconvenient to do sightseeing from there.

MONTENEGRO

Black Mountain! Take a day tour from Dubrovnik, more convenient than driving as some driving to Montenegro brings you across the Serbian border back into Croatia before into Montenegro. Road signs are very direct but easier than having to handle customs yourself. If you are going free and easy, be sure to visit Risan (old Roman town), Bay of Kotor (great seaside town in a fortress), Perast and The Lady of the Rocks cathedral. http://www.viator.com/tours/Dubrovnik/Ancient-Montenegro-Day-Trip-from-Dubrovnik/d904-5360DBVMONTENEGRO

SPLIT

How to get there? We took one of many buses from the Dubrovnik terminal, making sure to pack a couple of sandwiches with excellent deli meats and cheese from the Old Town Market. 

Sights: Be sure to check which days things are open; very peculiar working hours. The museums are not really worth your time, but definitely find a walking tour guide in the main square of the Diocletan palace to bring you around on your first day. This will help you get bearings around the city and make it easier to enjoy the old town after. Loved just eat and hanging out by the Riviera and soak in the atmosphere. The World Cup was on when we were there – awesome atmosphere watching Neymar on huge TV screens with a glass of cold Chardonnay. The live concerts along the Riviera on summer nights are enjoyable too!

Food: Everything here is centered around seafood, and they definitely mark up to charge tourists at a premium. Would recommend to check out hole in the wall local option Villa Spiza. Also definitely do not miss Uje Oil Bar – we had the olive oil tasting menu with 5 different olive oil choices! Our apartment host recommended us to dine at Konoba Leut for better value for money fresh fish, but honestly in Split might be worth it just to pay up and dine by the water for the view not the food. You can enjoy better food in Dubrovnik & Hvar.

Stay: The Riviera is where all the action is, you want to be within the old Diocletan palace walls for the cultural flavour. Hotel Vestibul Palace is a central option but only has a few rooms so book in advance. We booked a high floor at the Luxury Apartments Riva which were comfortable and the hosts were attentive – would recommend if you like the buzz but don’t mind the music of the Riviera.

PLITVICE

Top destination! A national park famed for 16 crystal blue-green terraced lakes that tumble into each other in a series of waterfalls. Often compared to Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan, although the latter unfortunately had its sights badly damaged in the recent earthquake.  The hiking trails interlock, and it its easy to get lost (be sure to stick close to your guide!). We booked a day trip via Split Excursions who picked us up from our hotel at 7:45am and it was a roughly 2-3 hour drive each way.

HVAR

Party island! Definitely overpopulated with frat boys but there are beautiful views and clear waters you can see sea urchin at the bottom of the ocean. Bring a towel to enjoy the beaches and tide pools all around the coast. Find a nice beach resort to enjoy a margherita and the sunset.

How to get there: The most frustrating thing about ferries to Hvar is that tickets cannot be bought in advance, nor are the schedules always the same! Worth it to take the nicer operator Krilo – go to the pier before 8am to buy your tickets as they sell out fast.

Sights: This is the party island of Croatia. Find a nice resort and relax! There is a nice fort at the top of the hill, very nice walk on the way up with many souvenir stores. Better to buy here than along the water front, and I felt the handiwork was far better than in any of the other cities. The island is famous for its lavender fields, there is a Singaporean lady (married a local) who runs a small stall along the way up the fort selling the best quality lavender body butter! If you are staying overnight, try taking a trip to Stari Grad.