Waking up early is sometimes hard but lately my internal clock has been right on the money – waking me up as if I’m getting up to go to work – hello 7 am!
We are off to Vis, a small island off Split, the furthest away on the out chain of the Southern Dalmatian islands. Staying in a hostel we have been to before, we thought we are in for a restful night – Emily instead has discovered numerous bites up her arm and back – highly reminiscent of bed bug bites we saw in Morocco. Bloody annoying as now a hot wash of all our clothes that touched the bed are in order.
A refund later (everyone hates a bad trip advisor review), we are off to the car ferry for the 2.5 hr ride to Vis. Vis recently served as a military base for the Yugoslav national army from the 1950s till 1989, having been occupied by nine different countries since the 1700’s. President Tito used the island as a secret military base, created a nuclear shelter and submarine bases, as well as a network of secret tunnels.

Arriving at 12pm, we set off to find our accommodation, only to find that it’s locked up, and I’ve managed to book the wrong night. After finding the guy, he shows us a different room which is coated in pink, changes the booking and we are set. As with any new place, working out what to do is important early on, an impossible task when both of us are dead hungry. This is quickly solved with a pizza (hopefully the last I eat for the next 4 months). We aim to go to the blue cave the following day; a small limestone cave eight the entrance onto the sea. Between 9 -11 am the sun shines off the sandy bottom reflecting a blue haze throughout the cave. Unfortunately since the weather has been rough for the last few days, the small metre high entrance can’t be navigated.
Instead we decide that hiring a scooter to tour the island will entertain us.
We explore a small beach, formed when a massive limestone cave collapse leaving a small picturesque inlet, we are struck by how much rubbish there seems to be on these advertised ‘ pristine beaches’. Turns out they are only cleaned just before high season.
Finding Tito’s cave is a slightly surreal experience, a small limestone cave with inscriptions all along the walls. Scootering down to the village of Komiza, we are meet by a beautiful seaside fishing village as the sun sets on the white and terracotta villages.
Dinner was amazingly good; home made bread and pasta, despite the particularly average decor and waiter who’s belly protruded somewhat from a tight sailors top.
We scootered home 10km over a massive hill, just in time as the dusk set in.

The next morning we decide to see if the weather has calmed down. Although its flat in the port, the weather apparently is too bad to go to the cave. Instead we decide to book a lunch at a local family restaurant in the hills surrounded by a vineyard. We see a few small inlets and towns along the way. Around a small cove we find a massive concrete structure, a submarine base that protrudes from the crystal clear blue water. Its a surreal experience walking down the concrete ramp into base. The secret tunnels and bunkers are a pretty amazing sight. Scooting off , we arrive at lunch at 1pm, ready for our weekly treat :). We had ordered a lamb roast cooked in a traditional style called ‘pecka’. It involves a ceramic dish covered in a ceramic cover, all covered in hot coals. It was amazing – washed down with a few wines. This was our meal treat for the week. All fuelled up we scooter home to catch the 3 pm ferry back to split.
Thanks Vis, you were great !!

Back in split we decide to check into a new hostel, given that the last one gave Emily bed bugs.
On arrival it seems tame enough, but then we find the sandpaper/curtain sheet on a fold out sofa bed (pretending to be a double). Given that we shout ourselves a private room once a week, we were in a very charitable mood at the prospect of a ‘great nights sleep’. I went to offer some helpful advice to the hostel owner, and to his credit upgraded us to an apartment. This turned out to be false blessing, as it was in the middle of nowhere, and had a random light shinning through the windows all night. Similarly I managed to blow all the fuses at 5 am when we had to get up for the bus to Bosnia – I love showering and packing in the dark. It’s at this point that we didn’t mind waking up early anyway as the bed and pillows were terrible.
Farewell Croatia, you have been amazing. We are off to Bosnia and Herzegovina !!