Montenegro - Facts

Montenegro FAQs

Pre-Arrival Boat: Staying at a marina for your first night will make clearance procedures much simpler. On entering Montenegro waters it's important to monitor channels 11 and 16. See Clearance for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: Some nationalities can enter visa-free, others require a visa secured in advance. See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? Click on the anchor symbol in the blue “Explore Country” drop down, to see ports of entry. Yachts coming from the south usually clear in at Bar. Yachts coming from the north may clear in at Zelenika, Tivat, or Kotor. 
Are fees high to enter by yacht? There is a cruising permit fee (by the week or month) and a per person tourist tax. See Fees for details.
What security concerns should I know about? Montenegro is a safe destination for travelers. See Security for more info.

Montenegro Facts for Sailors

• Montenegro's coastline is sandwiched between Croatia to the north and Albania to the south. Although only 300km long, the main attraction of Montenegro's coast is the spectacular Gulf of Kotor - the longest Ria in southern Europe - and long sandy beaches around the popular resorts of Budva and Ulcinj.
• Montenegro is not yet in the EU (it is a candidate) and is not in Schengen. It is therefore a good place for non-EU yachts to re-set the TI clock and for non-EU sailors to wait outside Schengen.
• Montenegro has a population of approximately 650,000. The official language is Montenegrin, but Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian are also spoken.
• In June 2006 the people of Montenegro voted to become independent and no longer be allied to the Serbian republic in the union of "Serbia and Montenegro".
• Currency is the Euro.
• The country operates on Central European Summer Time (GMT +2).
• Montenegro has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Katabatic winds are common and strong in the winter, particularly in the Gulf of Kotor. See weather for more details.
• Yachting is a major part of Montenegro's tourism strategy. There are numerous monetary advantages to visiting; for example, low VAT on many yacht services (covering materials and labour) making getting work done on your boat here very reasonable. Duty-free fuel can be purchased on departure.
• The spectacular coastline has many attractions, referred to by Lord Byron who said "The part of the Adriatic Coast belonging to Montenegro is the purest part of the Mediterranean".
• Montenegro is not just a cruising ground in its own right but an ideal place to base your boat and explore the region (Croatia, Italy, Albania, Greek Ionian). Costs are lower than in Greece and Croatia and formalities are straightforward.