Day trip to Mostar from Dubrovnik

Posted By : Camper62039330198
We went as part of a Tui organised trip o 25/10/23. Mostar is a gorgeous place and very interesting. The local guide (Yasmina) was very knowledgeable and a good clear speaker. However, what marred our experience was that, unfortunately, we left presents for our children ( 2 lamps) on the bus...our fault I know....but when we tried to retrieve them we were seriously messed around by the Tui Rep at our hotel. We were told that they had been found (twice) by the rep (Kristine) at our hotel (Admiral in Slano) and would be returned before the end of our stay. They weren't, and we had to go home without them. I even tipped Kristine for her trouble, but she has ignored 2 emails I sent to her since, using her email address, kindly provided by the hotel. I know the presents were our responsibility, and don't really know who else is at fault here, but we still feel "conned" by somebody ! Thanks for listening....
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Posted On : 2023-11-16 09:12:42

Posted By : johnrA2615ZR
Tui trip from Kalamato Hotel Kolocep. 6.35 ferry and rep was late as presumably she had tracked ferry using an app - but then wouldn't we all have liked another 10 mins in bed! Told it was 3 hr coach journey with arrival in Mostar between 11 and 11.30 and this confirmed by guide as we boarded coach at 7,30. 5 other pickups later we finally left Dubrovnik area at 9.15 and arrived Mostar at 12.30. So now we are late and waited 15mins at one of stops on tour of Mostar as we were late to enter Mosque. Yes, we had full 3 hrs in Mostar, supposedly 1hr walking tour and 2 hr free time but by nearly 2pm we gave up and left tour for lunch and time for us to look around. I really enjoyed Mostar, my wife less so. Trip back had 2 very truncated stops as there was likelihood we would miss last (8pm) ferry back to Kolocep altho'tour company had plan for a charter boat. In the end the altereddropoffs so took us to harbour before dropping others at their hotels in Dubrovnik. Arrived at ferry terminal just after 7.30pm, 4 hrs after leaving g Mostar. So we spent 9 hrs on coach - NOT the 6 hrs we had been told - for 3 hrs in Mostar; definitely NOT worth it. And NO, it was the border crossings that were the issue, the issue was multiple pick ups in Dubrovnik. All-in-all a most unsatisfactory and disappointing trip, and the rep I spoke to about it the morning g after seemed unsurprised and unconcerned. BEWARE!
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Posted On : 2023-09-07 14:59:43

Posted By : David D
Saturday 11th June and we were booked on the All Day Mostar Tour. Although we booked the tour through a TUI Rep at our hotel, Tui Blue Kalamato on Kolocep, the Tour Operator was Gullivers Travels.

It was an early start as we picked up our coach in Gruz Port at 07.00, we first had to get a boat from  Kolocep to Dubrovnik which took about forty-five minutes.

Our coach driver was Joseph while our Guide was Jelena.

Along the way we stopped at the Stanica Ravno for a pit stop and coffee break. This was once a ruined railway station which was tastefully restored as a hotel and cafe.

We arrived in Mostar at around 11.00 where we met our local Guide, Dado from, Fortuna Tours. One of the features of the Tour was  guided tour of the Old Town. We visited the delightful small Hadji Kurt Mosque (Tabacica). We then made our way to Stari Most (Old Bridge) where we watched the divers plunge into the Neretva River below.

The final stop was at Kajtaz House, superb preserved example of an Ottoman House, we also tasted some Turkish coffee here.The tour lasted about ninety minutes, it was full of historical, social and useful information.

Once the tour was over we were free to explore the City on our own. We visited the beach under the Bridge and walked over the
Crooked Bridge, vusited the Mostar Peace Bell Tower and the Koskin Mehmed Pasha Mosque, entrance fee here.

Although the war ended 30 years ago, we saw lots of war ruins and buildings riddled with bullet marks, as we walked around the streets. We also visited one of the many War Grave Cemeteries around the area, it was absolutely heartbreaking, row upon row of the Graves of young men.

Our time here had soon flown by and it was time to leave this historic City

On our return journey to Dubrovnik and before crossing over the boarder into Croatia, we stopped at the ancient village of Počitelj in Bosnia Herzegovina.

All of the places mentioned above are reviewed separately on Tripadvisor.

Before we left Bosnia we arrived in Nuem at 16.50 where we stopped for twenty minutes.

From a vantage point here we had views along the Bay of Mali Ston down as far as the Peljesac bridge. It is known locally as the Chinese Bridge because it was built by the Chinese along with EU funding. The Bridge spans the Bay for 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) and links the southern coastal areas to the rest of the country. Our Guide informed us that previously Croatians had cross parts of  Bosnia and Herzegovina and  Customs to reach parts of their Country. The opening date for the Bridge was constantly being pushed back.

We were back in Dubrovnik at about 18.30 which was plenty of time to have a few beers and dinner before catching the last ferry back to Kolocep.
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Posted On : 2022-10-31 16:18:43

Posted By : Emmanadja92
fantastic trip that we loved. The guides were great and the coach ride very comfortable. Mostar was lovely and definitely worth a visit. Would recommend the trip to anyone.
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Posted On : 2019-06-19 16:47:10

Posted By : Atkinson27
16 May 2019 as part of TUI holidays my wife and I took this excursion to Mostar. The breadth and depth of knowledge from our young tour guide was immense. On arrival in Mostar we were then taken on a walking tour with a different guide and again the knowledge of both ancient history and the more recent turbulence of the 1990s was imparted in a factual and unemotional manner even though our guide had lived through terrible times. A great excursion. Even when things beyond their control went wrong, ie an accident which delayed us nearly 2 hours on return journey,our guide and driver were cheerful and helpful in ensuring our hotel restaurant stayed open for us. Many thanks.
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Posted On : 2019-05-17 03:17:18

Posted By : Stuart M
A well organised trip, collected by ferry from Kalamota island, transferred onto a mini bus straight from the boat. The guide an driver were excellent in monitoring the border traffic and chose a crossing where we had no hold up’s. The first stop at Počitelj was ok, interesting little village. Mostar itself is fantastic and the local guide used was brilliant, a visit to a 15th century Turkish house, a mosque and finally the old bridge was undertaken. We had free time to look around after the guided tour and lunch in a very pleasant restaurant. A final stop on the return journey at Blagah seemed pointless, a lot of walking to see very little unless you paid extra to see a Devish house, would have been better staying in Mostar an extra 30 minutes. The remainder of the trip ran like clockwork with the local knowledge used to find the quickest border crossing, the ferry as then waiting to ship us back to the island. A long day and overall very well organised and enjoyable.
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Posted On : 2018-10-20 04:47:12

Posted By : dancfrench
Do a small amount of homework and you will know this is going to be a very long trip. Staying in Cavtat you can look forward to a 12 hour day and that with two 35-40 minute border crossings (peak season expect even longer apparently).

Not being a trip or place we would likely visit again we went for it and were both glad we did. New passport stamps, new photos, new memories, new stories.

The good: plenty of toilet stops each way were appreciated. Antonette & the driver we’re great. The views en route, the village stop and climb to the castle, and Mostar itself obviously. Such a beautiful place and a photographer’s paradise. So much history and Antonette did a great job of explaining everything with a bit of humour thrown in. The little restaurant (Tomato) we found under the bridge for dinner - you have to try the local ‘fingers’.

The not so good but not that bad: a long, long & tiring day. The walking tour of Mostar which was good (the Guide very knowledgeable and funny) was far too long meaning only 1.5 hours of free time to explore Mostar.

Ito summarise: worth it for sure if you can cope with the coach time.
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Posted On : 2018-09-24 13:03:56

Posted By : MartineVDH
Today we did the excursion to Mostar with guide Antonella. She was really great and was a very good team with bus driver Tony. They both brought us safely to the different destinations and provided is with VERY interesting information on Mostar and the history of Bosnia Herzegovi. On our tour we stopped at a real medieval old village where we could explore real history.
Mostar was beautiful!! Antonella was really nice and funny! Really a trip to advice!

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Posted On : 2018-08-21 16:15:48

Posted By : jonoddy
A well-organised day trip - made special by a terrific tour guide in Toni. We had already enjoyed his company on another trip to Montenegro, so were delighted to see him again for this trip. Toni is a caring, amusing and enthusiastic guide whose English is fantastic and depth of knowledge amazing! Our driver was great too!
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Posted On : 2018-08-11 02:35:11

Posted By : James R
The TUI Collection Mostar: The Old Bridge Tour excursion is not one to celebrate, or, if lucky, to remember.

This one is actually provided by Gulliver Travel and sounds exactly the same as outlined here. Note that TUI rather than Gulliver may be responsible for the pre and post coach pickup.

Let’s get the positives out the way. Mostar is unique, caught in the Yugoslavian war, and steeped in history. It’s hot, but a great cultural mix of religion and past. The guide there was loud enough for most of the big coach load of passengers, and efficient - quick visit to a traditional house and a mosque, before going over the famous bridge. You’re left with just under 90 mins to get lunch and explore - not long enough to really value this wonderful place. The coach guide was informative and the driver skilled (see below)

So, what could negate this experience? Well, maybe the bone crunching ride across narrow roads with potholes and frequent excursions in to the rough road edges to avoid oncoming traffic. Photos attached from the seat of our full sized coach - you spend over 20 minutes on this type of road, and at least another hour on slightly wider roads. Apparently worth it as it shortens the journey by avoiding the main highway.

But is it worth it for the 3 hour plus journey each way from the outskirts of Dubrovnik? Not so sure as any time saved is lost with a 30 - 40 minute stop at two local “villages”. Uummm, nice idea I hear you say; no, not really, as the villages are actually just a cafe/hotel where, yep you guessed it, you can buy a drink or some souvenirs (see photos). No village, no experience. But someone making money, possibly? A nice way to help the locals if you’re more generous. Expect about an additional 30 to 45 minutes each way at border control in addition to all this.

Oh, and remember that the promised visit to Blagaj never even happened - too much in a rush to get us to the service stations called villages.

Can that be it? Well, unfortunately not. We were staying on an island at the TUI Sensimar Kalomata resort. Departure at 0635. That’s right, an early start. But not for our boat that must have had a lie in that we soon became envious of.

In fact, TUI didn’t tell us we had to join the hoards of other guests who were going home and our boat was actually their transfer boat. We therefore had the delight of waiting for all their luggage to be loaded plus boarding passengers, leaving 45 minutes later than we had been told. If you do this trip on a Thursday expect a lot of people going home - London airports, Manchester, and Scotland - so many they have two boats.

After the slowest journey over to the mainland we have had, we were then sent to a coach only to be told it would be dual language guide as we had a German group on board. Not what we expected. However, turns out they’d got it wrong and after a short ride, we then waited parked up for 20 minutes before we were asked to board another coach of mainly English, but a handful of American and Belgium passengers. These passengers looked fed up too. It was only 0855.

After a short stop at another hotel (the passengers had given up and decided not to bother), another hotel to pick up a bag that someone who had left on another coach after all the transfers between coaches chaos, we finally set off. It was exactly 150 minutes (you read that right) when we finally could not see our island port from the mainland. Would you believe it is actually quicker flying London to Dubrovnik.

Thankfully, TUI has arranged the boat back to be waiting for us. From border control to the new harbour took about 60 minutes. Ride back okay, although we all enjoyed inhaling the captain’s cigarette on our small boat.

In summary, all this for a maximum of two and a half hours in Mostar. Think if you believe it worth a full 13 to 14 hours out of your holiday and the value for experience price TUI / Gulliver are asking.
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Posted On : 2018-06-22 11:29:43