Recommendation

Montenegro is great for motorcycle travel. Along the coast I ride all year round, in the north it is cool even in summer. In general, at any time you can find an opportunity to ride. The roads are the most beautiful. Don’t limit yourself to the fairly typical coast – the real thrill is in the north. If you think you can get around everything interesting in Montenegro in a couple of hours or even days, you are very, very wrong. I have itineraries for more than a week only in Montenegro alone, and if you add BiH, south of Serbia, and  Albania – you can drive all season, then turn around and go in the opposite direction and everything will be different.

Having traveled several tens of thousands of kilometers on a motorbike in this tiny country, I am still not satiated and not bored.

The suggested route descriptions only cover the places you can visit in Montenegro. The itineraries should depend a lot on your skills, preferences, and driving pace. We share recommendations about roads that should not be missed. But whether to explore Montenegro only for a couple of days or a week, or even more, is up to you. That’s why we decided to avoid rigid day-by-day itineraries.

Since we drive ourselves all the time, we know a lot about all the new roads and places. Write to us and we will help you to make a route based on your preferences.

Quality and type of roads

Montenegro has many beautiful asphalt roads. Almost every village is paved, even if there are only a few houses left. There are paved roads to many beautiful places. But the southern motorway Jadranske Highway can be congested during the peak season. The asphalt is not always of good quality. In the south, it can be extremely slippery, especially in the heat or rain. On secondary narrow roads, beware of closed corners and rocks/sand.

In general, the roads are safe and the people are welcoming and helpful.

Do not plan on traveling more than 200-300km per day in Montenegro. The roads are slow, with lots of serpentines, and narrow switchbacks, the views are beautiful and make you stop and savor them. The service is not rushed.  The average speed is slow and you get physically tired quickly. There are roads where you don’t drive even a minute in a straight line and usually, all the most beautiful things are there.

Montenegro has a lovely section of the TET route linking Bosnia, going through scenic countryside and leading into Albania. It can be ridden on medium/heavy touring enduros, but even in good weather without rain, it could be challenging. In general, I would recommend more specialised motorbikes for this. The surface of the off-road roads is mostly coarse rocky, with few soft-ground running areas. Falls can be fatal to a motorbike. Our motorbikes are not insured for off-road riding and you are fully responsible for all damage.

Best time and weather

You can ride a motorbike all year round in Montenegro. On the coast, even in winter, temperatures can stay between 14-16 degrees Celsius. However, the tarmac cools overnight and care should be taken during this time.

Usually, from 15 November to 15 March, there is a ban on the use of summer tires on roads north of the coast. Use suitable rubber even on your motorbike. This will not only save you from fines but also protect your health and equipment.

It is most comfortable to ride from April to June and from the end of August to mid-October. However, some roads may be covered in snow even at the end of May. If you want to fully immerse yourself in Montenegro, it is better not to plan a trip before this time. 

Midsummer is really hot and the coast is overloaded with tourists. Walking around Kotor or old Budva in tourist gear is hard. Choose either northern areas or a style that allows you to walk in hot weather.

Temperature differences from the coast to the mountain passes can be up to 20-25 degrees in a couple of hours. Be prepared for that. 
The weather is difficult to predict and weather forecasts tend to be wrong here especially often. Sometimes it is even difficult to understand forecasts for a couple of hours ahead, much less days. I don’t trust fortnightly forecasts almost completely. This is a peculiarity of the climate of the mountain and sea area.

Visas, Motorcycle insurance, Temporary import, Vignette, pay roads in Montenegro

EU, West/North European, US, and Canadian citizens are allowed to stay up to 30 days in Montenegro without a visa.

EU insurance usually covers Montenegro. Just check this before departing. It would be cheaper to pay to your InCo than buy at the border.
We rent out motorcycles with insurance covering the entire region around except Kosovo.
There are no vignettes Montenegro. But there is one tunnel, one highway, and one ferry crossing that will require payment. You can always pay them by card or cash on the spot, no prior action is required.

Vehicles can stay in Montenegro for up to six months by law, without the requirement for clearance. But in fact, at the moment they can stay for an unlimited amount of time without restrictions from the authorities and fines.

Money

The currency used in Montenegro is EURO. On the whole coast, you will be accepted to pay by card. In the remote areas of the north, especially small places of accommodation or cafes, you may be asked to pay in cash. ATMs are not common in the north, even in towns. You can use google.maps, but not all of them are displayed there, you can ask locals. 

It is always better to have at least 100-200 euros in cash.

Mobile Data

We advise you to buy a tourist SIM card of any local operator. One, T-Mobile, Telecom. They all have similar tariffs. Connection for 7-14 days will cost you 10-15 euros. This will include about 500 GB of mobile traffic. Coverage across the country is not bad, but it can disappear for a while in remote areas of national parks or if you follow off-road routes.

Petrol

Petrol stations in Montenegro are located quite frequently. There are no distances of more than 50 km without the possibility to find a petrol station. The quality of fuel is good. Almost all petrol stations have shops and you can pay by card.

Montenegrian food

The cuisine in Montenegro is essentially simple, even ascetic, and is built around a lot of meat. Often a large amount of salt may be used. Places that could be recommended are rather absent. The service is not rushed and in high season you may have to wait a long time for your order. There is a Montenegrin vibe to it. Try to relax and enjoy yourself. You can be guided by reviews on google.maps, but this does not guarantee a good result. The further north you go from the coast, the bigger the portions and less the cost. Try to pay attention to the size of the dish on the menu, often 600-800 grams will be problematic for one person to eat. 

Security and interaction with the police

In general, you can feel safe in Montenegro. The crime rate is not high. People are ready to help. 

The police are favorable to tourists and do not look for ways to spoil your vacation. You should not neglect the rules of the road. 

Speed on the highway 80 km / h, in populated areas – 50. Especially carefully drive past schools. You will not be forgiven for violations near them.

Be friendly and you are likely to be released even without checking your documents. If you commit a violation, it is better to admit your guilt immediately and pay the fine. Many crews now have terminals for card payment, so it is not difficult. In this case, there will be no withholding of your license/passport until the moment of payment at the post office. And the more so the court case in case of disagreement. 

Montenegro does not yet have automatic speed cameras, but police crews are equipped with them.

Important telephone 

Emergency: 112
Police: 122
Roadside assistance of Montenegro: 19807
Montenegro Customer Care Centre: 0 8000 1300

Accommodation

IMPORTANT: in Montenegro, tourists are obliged to register within 24 hours at the place of their stay and pay the tourist tax for each day of stay. Payment of the tax may be checked when you leave the country. Most hotels and accommodations automatically submit your data to the system and pay this tax (it varies depending on the territory). The fine is around 200 euros.

However, sometimes those who accommodate you take the money but do not pay it. Keep proof of your stay and your reservation. This should not be your headache, but the welcoming party’s. In case you are staying wild (e.g. in a tent) it is worth contacting the Tourist Organization. There is one in every region.Montenegro has plenty of options for accommodation, but quite a lot of old stock. The approach can be very simple, but a lot has been changing recently. Booking works fine, you can be guided by its estimates. Airbnb is common too.

There is no strict ban on tents except in national parks. Be respectful of people and other people’s belongings and property and you will generally have no problems. There will be difficulties on the coast where every meter of good land is trying to be used. There are campsites where you can camp safely and even with facilities.