Worldwide Wilbur

Belgrade. Serbia. Ask any American or Western European over 40 what they know about Serbia, and the first thing that will come to their mind is the wars that raged here in what used to be Yugoslavia in the 90’s.  Terrible wars that cost over 100,000 lives, split communities, neighbors, even families, and displaced millions. And not only was Serbia at war, it was at war…with us. That’s right. If you hail from the USA, Canada, UK, or most any Western European NATO member nation, it was your military forces that were bombing targets in this very city, only twenty years ago.  This is not ancient history. You can easily visit multiple bombed out buildings still abandoned and crumbling right here in Belgrade.

So what would it be like visiting here as an American?  What do people think about the wars of the recent past? Do they think about them?  Does any of it matter anymore? Is it even acceptable to ask? These are the questions I came to Belgrade with, hoping to get answers.

First impressions of Belgrade are mixed.  It is not an obviously beautiful city. You won’t mistake it for Prague or Budapest.  There are lots of grey apartment buildings and graffiti.  There are also beautiful Art Deco style buildings like the one above.  There is a medieval fortress with a wide grassy park around it.  A central square has the requisite “important man on a horse” sculpture.  There is a single, protected cobblestoned street with traditional restaurants.  But in general, Belgrade feels like a lived-in, businesslike city.  Busy, bustling, growing, and hustling.  It’s the kind of place that slowly grows on you, only after you acquire a favorite restaurant, a bar where they know your name, a spot in a park where you can read a book and listen to the birds chirp.  Would I rank it in the top ten “must visit” European cities?  Definitely not.  Would I consider living here?  Sure.

Serbia is not a rich country.  It’s gross national income per person is $6390, about a tenth of the USA.  But you wouldn’t necessarily pick up on that during a visit to Belgrade.  Folks in the city are attractive and well dressed.  The ladies seem to be working overtime to impress.  I saw more collagen-filled lips in Belgrade than in the entire rest of my life.  Permanent duck-face is at epidemic levels in the riverside nightclubs.  The guys aren’t slacking either.  I witnessed two Serb men street racing their Lamborghinis between stoplights downtown.  The average Serb man is 6 feet tall, third tallest in the world behind their neighbor Montenegro, and the Netherlands.  Suits and Italian shoes are their clubbing uniform.  Visitors of both genders may feel a bit… overmatched here.  

13 Awesome Things to Do in Belgrade Serbia:

Things to Do in Belgrade: #1 Start With a Walking Tour

I arrived in Belgrade with my friend Aaron, and we started our visit with the Small Group Walking Tour  For $17 we got an informative walking tour of the old town area.  Our guide was a human Wikipedia talking very quickly and spouting more dates than any person could possibly absorb.  He even had props, postcards for us, and copies of a 500 Billion Dinar note from the early 2000’s era of inflation.  We started in Republic Square, and got to see all the major sights like the National Assembly building, the New Palace where the President of Serbia lives, Nikola Pašić Square, the Hotel Moskva, the Nikola Tesla Museum, the shopping street of Knez Mihailova, and the Kalemegdan Fortress.

#2 Stroll on Knez Mihailova

This is the bustling pedestrian cafe-filled street of the old town, where the beautiful people come to see and be seen.  It is packed all hours of the day and early evening.  Certainly the best people watching spot in the city.  If you are looking for the Adidas store, to buy matching Russian mafia tracksuits, or for Guess, Lacoste or Zara, this is the place.  They even have a Starbucks.  I didn’t spend a whole lot of time here, preferring to find the backstreet bars and restaurants with some character.

#3 Hit the beach at Ada Ciganlija

Not exactly a beach, Ada Ciganlija is an island in the Sava river that was turned into a peninsula and made into a pebbly beach for swimming and outdoor activities.  It ain’t exactly Maui, but you can swim, kayak, boat, canoe, windsurf, waterski, rent a jet ski. If water isn’t your thing you can walk, bike, play volleyball, basketball, tennis, soccer, rock climb, even bungee jump.  There are lots of bars and restaurants too.  We came here nursing a terrible rakija hangover, and did not properly appreciate the place.  Of course, it was mid September as well.  I imagine on a scorching Saturday in July this place is a blast.

Things to Do in Belgrade: #4 Stuff your face in Skadarlija

Skadarska Street is home to a bunch of excellent traditional Serbian restaurants.  We made this cute cobble stoned street our home, staying in a comfy Airbnb next door to the Red Bar.  We had dinner at a different spot here every night, and didn’t have a single bad meal.  And while this street is surely a tourist draw, they serve mostly Serbian families out for a celebration, so don’t worry about falling into a tourist trap.  Evenings are packed here, and roving bands of fiddlers, trumpet players, and singers bounce from place to place serenading diners for some small bills.

Be forewarned, you will have to pass the street-side pop-up 100 Dinar Rakija Bar, and these cobblestones get awful slippery after your third shot.

#5 Have a Sundowner in Kalemegdan Park 

The park is home to the Kalemegdan fortress and a stunning statue by Ivan Meštrović.  This is the highest point in Belgrade, and it’s where locals gather with their sweetheart or a bunch of friends to sip a drink and look out over the city.  There are no laws against drinking in public , so go ahead and bring a bottle of wine or a couple of beers.  You have a lovely view of the confluence of the Sava and the Danube rivers.  After drinks, you can let your inhibitions wild in a shopping spree on Knez Mihailova street just down the hill.

Things to Do in Belgrade: #6 Get Down on the River

If your trip to Belgrade includes a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday; I recommend hopping on the Belgrade River Cruise.  For just $14, you get a 90 minute river tour with an English speaking guide.  It usually meets at 6pm (though start times vary), so the tour doubles as a sunset booze cruise, as they keep plenty of cold beer onboard! 

#7 Learn some Yugoslav History

On Day 2 you should do the Red Belgrade Communist Tour  For $21 you get a 3 hour tour.  It meets at noon Tuesday through Saturday.  You’ll see the Serbian Parliament building where Slobodan Milošević was overthrown in 2000.  Pass by the ruins of the Serbian General Staff Building (above) bombed by NATO in 1999.  The guide takes everyone onto a trolley to visit the part of the city where the Communist Party bigwigs all lived.   Possibly the best part, is visiting the Yugoslav History Museum.  This museum is co-located with the mausoleum of Josip Broz Tito, who ruled Yugoslavia from 1944 to 1980.

Things to Do in Belgrade: #8 See the Other Side of the Sava

One way to explore the other side is the Walking Tour of Zemun.  Zemun was its own city for hundreds of years.  It marked the end of Austro-Hungarian Europe, while Belgrade was the northern reach of the Ottoman Empire.   You can easily see that the architecture is totally different in Zemun then in old Belgrade.  It looks like any historic small town from central Europe.  It also survived many of the bombings that devastated Belgrade over the centuries.  The walking tour takes you all over this quaint and picturesque town, which only became incorporated into Belgrade proper finally in 1955.

#9 Get Around the City on Two Wheels

The Belgrade Bike Tour  was the most fun tour we did in our short visit.  For just $21, our young guide took us all over the city, mostly spending time pedaling in New Belgrade and Zemun.  I’ve been on bike tours that just cover a couple of miles, with lots of stopping and talking, and eating.  Not this guy!  We really covered some ground.   Towards the end of our time, I looked at the Belgrade Fortress from miles away in Zemun, and thought, “Man, we still have to ride all the way back THERE?”  We did this tour on our last day in the Belgrade, and it seemed like we covered every bit of the city.  It was especially cool to find stuff like the Genex Tower, and the “I Love Serbia” sign.  We felt like we could ask our guide anything, and we had some frank discussions about war, politics and corruption.

Stop at the Genex Tower, known as the “Western City Gate”.   Built in 1977, it is a 36-story skyscraper and a phenomenal example of brutalist architecture. The building has two 384 foot tall towers connected by a 2 floor bridge, with a rotating restaurant on top at a height of 459 feet.  Sadly, half of it is completely empty now, and the restaurant has long gone out of business.  It sits incongruently in a large open space, with no commercial activity or other buildings around it.  Just plain weird.  And awesome.

Things to Do in Belgrade: #10 Drink Rakija…if you can handle it.

Hang around Serbia long enough, and someone will offer you a shot of this locally made brandy.  Be sure to maintain eye contact with your host as you toast “Ziveli” (ZHEEE-VEH-LEE).   Sip, don’t chug.  You are meant to enjoy the various flavors of this homemade brandy.  And don’t down too many in one go, as Rakija is very high in alcohol content. 

I absolutely hated Rakija.  I tried several types, but after three or so brave attempts, I gave up and refused any more for the rest of the trip.  Now my friend Aaron on the other hand…liked it enough to buy an entire round for the bar on our visit to The Magic Garden.  That’s 24 shots of Rakija, that we distributed to the patrons near closing time, and set Aaron back around $30.  I preferred the stuff inside those brown bottles seen in the fridge behind the barman. 

#11 Ride Tram #2 Around and Around

If you want a cheap and effortless tour of the city, just hop on Tram #2.  It makes a loop of the city center. A ticket costs about a dollar, and you can get on right from Knez Mihailov street. 

Things to Do in Belgrade: #12 Risk your Life at a Soccer Match: Red Star vs Partizan

The most fierce and violent football rivalry in Europe can be found in Belgrade.  On the off chance that you happen to be in town when these two face each other, you have two choices: Pick a side and join the fun, or stay inside to avoid the tear gas, riot police, and flying fists and bottles.  They weren’t playing each other when we were in town, but we got a dose of the frenzy anyway.  On a peaceful early evening walk through the calm backstreets of Belgrade one night, we suddenly heard chanting.  And then smelled smoke, then saw some fireworks.  Eventually we turned a corner, and were face to face with a squad of fully body-armored Serbian riot police!  They were calmly pulling on elbow pads, adjusting helmet straps, and arranging their clubs and walkie-talkies.  They weren’t blocking our path, so being the idiots we are, we continued TOWARD the chanting.  We discovered a couple of hundred men in a small park chanting slogans, lighting fireworks, and drinking thousands of beers.  A bystander next to us was filming it with her phone, and we asked her what was up?  “Partizan supporter meeting.”  “What are they going to do?” we asked.  Before she could answer, the chanting suddenly stopped and the whole group started walking in our direction.  The girl stopped filming and took off in a quick stride away, saying “You should leave”.  We did.

#13 Party til Sunrise on a Splav

Whoo boy, does Belgrade have nightlife. It was proclaimed best nightlife in the world by Lonely Planet in 2011.  Start your night with a Pub Crawl  We had a blast with these folks on our first night in town.  The first bar had unlimited rakija shots (yechhh), the second bar got us a round of decent Serb beers, and then some more beers in another bar that seemed to be in a random apartment complex common area.  Then finally a walk across the big bridge to Splav Shlep.  It was well worth $17 to have someone lead us around, and have the chance to meet people from all over Europe who joined.

Belgrade doesn’t just have bars and clubs like other places, in the summer they have giant clubs on permanently anchored barges on the riverside called “splavovi”.  These Splavs get going late, around midnight, and some last til 6am!  There are different styles of Splavs, so it’s worth doing some research or asking a local about them to pick one that fits your preference.  Some are like fancy Vegas clubs with go-go dancers, DJ’s, smoke machines, VIP velvet rope seating, bottle service, and snobby waiters.  Some are like frat basement American dive bars, no seating, big dance floor, and you serve yourself at the bar.

Belgrade feels like a city where anything is possible.  Where rules are only guidelines.  Smoking in restaurants, Lamborghinis street racing in downtown traffic, river barges that blast techno til 6am, unlicensed rakija from grandpa’s shed sold everywhere.  It’s kinda the opposite of Switzerland.  And I like that.

Things to Do in Belgrade: Know Before you Go

Backpacker Daily Budget

$30 a day. Belgrade is cheap!  You can get a bed at Play Hostel for just $7. Three budget meals should cost around $14. Two bus, trolley or tram rides add up to $1.50. Entry to Kalemegdan Fortress is free! Three big Jelen Pivo beers will set you back $6.

Cheap Beer Index

$1.14  On a side street in charming Zemun, you can find a draft Lav for only 120 Dinars.  But I recommend upgrading to a Niksicko Tamno dark lager.  I couldn’t get enough of these.

When to Visit Belgrade:

The best time to visit Belgrade is summertime; June through September. June and September have highs in the 70’s. July and August are in the low 80’s. Nightly lows are 50-60 in the summer. Winters are chilly, it rarely gets above 45 in December and January.

What languages are spoken in Belgrade?

Serbian is the common language, but English is a rapidly growing second (or third) language. English is a mandatory subject in all primary schools, and in most universities. It’s very likely any younger person you meet will speak English, often fluently.  We had no problem getting around with just English.

Do you need a Serbian visa?

No. USA, UK, AUS and CAN passport holders all get 90 days to visit visa-free within a six month period.

Getting to Belgrade

The quickest way to arrive is via Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG). The biggest airport in Serbia, it has flights to all over Europe, a few to the Middle East, and Air Serbia even has one flight to New York-JFK. Be sure to search for Air Serbia’s flights, as they seem to beat most other airlines on many routes to Belgrade. BEG’s busiest airlines are:

• Air Serbia (Half of all traffic to BEG)
• Wizz Air 9%
• Lufthansa 6%
• Montenegro Airlines 6%
• Swiss Air 4%

Learn how to get to Belgrade for free on my page How to Fly For Free

To get into the city center from the airport:

By bus: Near the airport exit is a bus station for “Mini Bus A1”. This operates between the airport and Slavija Square, New Belgrade (Fontana, and near Belgrade train station. Tickets can be purchased on the bus for 300 dinars ($3). Mini Bus A1 operates 7 days a week from 05:00 till 21:30. Bus leaves every 60 minutes. During peak hours (8:00 am – 18:00pm) it operates more frequently. 30min drive.  Of course, it’s unlikely yopu have chosen to stay in comparatively boring New Belgrade, so you’ll then have to figure out the city bus system to get to Old Town Belgrade.

CarGo is the Uber of Serbia. Download the app before your trip, plug in your credit card, get a local sim on arrival, and you are set.  This is what I did, and it worked like a charm.  I hailed a car on the app from the arrivals area, and he arrived within 10 minutes.  The fare to Old Town was 1261 Dinar, 30% cheaper than using a fixed-fare airport taxi.

By taxi: Inside baggage claim, right after passport control, there is a yellow and black taxi information desk, where you can order a taxi with a fixed price.  Anywhere in the Old Town is 1800 dinars ($17).  You just say the address to the (English speaking) taxi information desk officer, and they will give you a voucher you will take to the first available taxi driver. You pay when you arrive. 20-30min drive.

Getting around Belgrade

Public transportation in Belgrade is a pain in the ass for foreigners. It’s the largest city in Europe that doesn’t have a Metro. The taxi drivers are to be avoided like a raccoon with rabies. They will happily charge you 8 times the correct fare. There is a bus and trolley system, but good luck figuring it out if you don’t speak Serbian. That leaves you with one good option; CarGo.

CarGo is the Uber of Serbia. Download the app, plug in your credit card, get a local sim, and you are set.  We used this all over the city, at all hours of the day, and it worked great.  We took short rides that ended of costing just $2-3, and long rides from the Splavs that cost $9.  It’s very convenient.

Serbian Currency:

The Serbian Dinar (105RSD to $1USD) are available at ATMs.  For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when travelling, check out my post Should I Exchange Money Before I Travel?

Stay Connected in Serbia:

Be aware that Serbia is NOT part of the EU, nor the EEA, where international roaming rules are enforced. So roaming rates on European SIM cards are not capped, and can be very expensive. DO NOT rely on an EU sim card. Buy a local SIM card.  Or, better yet, skip the hassle of getting a local SIM and check out my post Get The Best International Phone Plan

Mts – Telekom Serbia holds 45% of the market . Mts sells two 30 day prepaid tourist SIM cards in their own stores, Tabac Press, and Maxim.  Their tourist SIMs are confusing and difficult to activate. Not recommended.

• Tourist SIM: This is good for a 3 day trip. 600 RSD ($5.70) including 3 x 24 hour internet sessions with unlimited 4G/LTE. The clock starts from your first data connection and lasts for 24 hrs no matter if you are online or not.
• Super Tourist SIM: This is good for a 4-30 day trip. 1,800 RSD ($17) including 10 GB data (up to 4G/LTE), 30 international voice minutes, and 120 intra-net minutes on mts.

Telenor is the #2 provider at 31% market share. Prepaid SIM cards are available in Telenor stores or from newsstands in Belgrade like Moj Kiosk or Corner shop . There are currently 2 prepaid plans.  These are easy to use, and a great bargain.

• Telenor pripejd: Good for a 7 day trip. 300 RSD ($3) for a voice and data SIM card with 30 RSD credit valid for 7 days. As a promotion they give you 3 GB data and 900 RSD for domestic calls and SMS.
• Telenor pripejd plus: Good for an 8-15 day trip. 500 RSD ($5) for a voice and data SIM card with 30 RSD credit valid for 15 days. As a promotion they give you 5 GB data and 2500 RSD for domestic calls and SMS.

Where to Stay in Belgrade:

Cheapest Good Hostel – Hostel M has dorm beds for $8.  It’s right by the central bus and train station, so easy to get to on arrival/departure, and not far from the old town.

Best Hostel – Balkan Soul Hostel has dorm beds for $12.  Its got really plush furnishings, very clean, great staff, and perfect location.

Best Cheap Hotel/Apartment – L9 Top Central Rooms and Apartments 2 has rooms with bathroom for just $26.  You get a TV, desk, A/C, mini fridge, 

Most Historic Luxury Hotel – Hotel Moscow  Open since 1908, the most historic hotel in the city has rooms for $127.  Albert Einstein stayed here.

Where to Eat

Be mentally prepared to have your meal liberally flavored with cigarette smoke.  EU rules are not in effect here, and nearly every restaurant is filled with a haze of burning cancer sticks.  Look for outdoor seating.

We enjoyed Tri Sesira on Skardarska Street.

Nightlife in Belgrade:

Whoo boy, does Belgrade have nightlife? It was proclaimed best nightlife in the world by Lonely Planet in 2011.

For excellent Serbian craft beer try:

• Black Turtle pub 3 
• Gunners Pub 
• Miners Pub 
• Samo Pivo 
• Krafter
• Kabinet
• Beerville Beer Bar

These popular bars get going around 11pm:

• Blaznavac 
• Bar Central
• Wurst Platz 
• Passengers Bar 
• Tranzit Bar

Plan to move on to the Splavs no earlier than midnight, unless you are trying to get a table at one of the snobby ones like Freestyler, then you need to be in line at opening time.  There are over a dozen splavs, and lots of info about them online.  We enjoyed Shlep and 20/44.  Hated Freestyler.  

Get a Guidebook

The Serbia Bradt Travel Guide is the best guidebook around. Lonely Planet barely touches on Serbia in their Eastern Europe compendium.

What to pack:

You can wear the same clothes you’d wear anywhere in Europe.  To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post International Travel Packing List: All In a Carry-On!

Is Belgrade Safe?

Serbia is very safe.  It has an annual murder rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people.  That puts it on par with Sweden, Denmark and the UK, and much safer than the USA’s rate of 5.3.

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When you tell your friends you are going to Ljubljana (pronounced “loob-lee-yah-nah”), you should expect blank looks.  Few people have heard of the capital and largest city of tiny Slovenia. This picturesque city of 300,000 dates back to at least the 12th century, but gets left off most European travel itineraries.  It doesn’t have the fame of Prague, Budapest, or Krakow yet. But once you get here you’ll see why this little city is a gem worth staying for a while.  So let’s explore the best things to do in Ljubljana:

Slovenia has both Adriatic Sea beaches and Alpine villages with stunning castles.  And charming Ljubljana sits right in between.  Americans and Western Europeans of a certain age might readily associate it as part of the former Yugoslavia, and thus arrive expecting to find an “Eastern European post-Communist vibe”.  Visitors will be quickly disabused of that idea. Slovenia was indeed part of Yugoslavia for 73 years. But for the 120 years before that, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and also part of the Venetian Empire even further back.  Slovenians are a Slavic people, but in Ljubljana you’ll feel much more influence from Austria and Italy, rather than from fellow Slavic countries further East.

Contemporary History of Ljubljana:

Slovenia escaped the violent collapse of Yugoslavia nearly unscathed.  They declared independence on June 25, 1991, the very same day that neighboring Croatia declared it’s own independence.  While Croatia suffered a devastating four year war with what today is Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia’s war for independence lasted just ten days!   The Slovenians had plans in place to capture border controls, and surround Yugoslav Army bases. The Yugoslav Army quickly realized it didn’t have any defensible positions or resources to hold Slovenia, especially when it had a much bigger war with Croatia.  After ten days of isolated battles, and 74 deaths, a cease-fire was reached, and Yugoslav troops began withdrawing from Slovenia.

Slovenia has been a model addition to the European Union, which they joined in 2004.  They are a net contributor to EU coffers, the only “Eastern European” country to achieve that so far.  Their economy is growing quickly, having passed both Portugal and Greece in GDP per capita.  For some comparison to their neighbors: The average Slovenian is half as rich as the average Austrian, and 25% poorer than the Italians, but almost twice as rich as Croatians.  Many Slovenians work across the border in Austria, and vacation on the sea in Croatia.

 They have left their communist history behind and have moved full-force into European culture, and capitalism. English is spoken by 75% of the people under the age of 35, roads are smooth, and everything is just gorgeous!

by Worldwide Wilbur September  2019

12 Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

#1 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Join a Walking Tour

One of the best things to do in Ljubljana is to start off your visit with a walking tour of the Old Town.  There are two tours by the city tourism bureau available for just $19 each.  If you arrive early, you can do the 10am Guided Walk & Funicular Ride to Ljubljana Castle.  If you arrive later in the day, try the 2pm Walking Tour and River Cruise.  Both tours have an English speaking guide, last about two hours, and include a stop for a snack.  I arrived later, so I did the River Cruise tour my first day. Our guide (in the red shirt) was full of information and jokes, and we even got to randomly meet the Mayor of Ljubljana during our visit to the Town Hall.  It was the perfect start to a visit.

We saw the Dragon Bridge, created in honor of mythical Greek hero Jason and the Argonauts arriving here and killing a dragon that was menacing the village.

And passed the Franciscan Church known as “the meeting place” to locals.

Prešeren Square is the beating heart of the city, with street musicians, fire jugglers, and people sitting on statues just watching the world go by.

Next to Preseren Square is the Triple Bridge.  Once only a single bridge, in 1929 the city wanted to add a pedestrian lane and widen it.  Architect Jože Plečnik decided it was cheaper and prettier to just add two pedestrian bridges on the sides rather than widen the existing one.  Since 2007 all three bridges are pedestrian only, as is the entire city center, which really adds to the charm of Ljubljana.  It’s so calm and walkable.

 #2 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Get on a River Cruise

At the end of our walking tour we boarded a glass tourist boat for a cruise along the Ljubljanica River.   We admired the bridges and picturesque embankments and basically got to see the city from a different perspective.  These cruises leave from several points on the river for less than 10 euros.  Easily one of the best things to do in Ljubljana.

#3 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Ride the Funicular up to the Castle

If you don’t get on the walking tour with the Ljubljana Castle, you’ll certainly want to add that on your own after your tour.  It is open 9am to 9pm in summer. Pro Tip: All castle tickets are 10% off if you book online instead of at the door.

 Castle tickets for adults are 10 Euro.  If you want to add a round trip Funicular ride, it is 13E.  If you want to also add the Time Machine Tour or the Behind Bars Tour, that gets you to 15E.  

I chose to do the Time Machine tour.   It’s an hour-long interactive tour with six costumed actors who each present a story about the history of the Castle.  In July, August and September it is presented daily at 11am, 1pm and 5pm.  I was afraid it was going to be embarrassingly hokey, but I actually enjoyed it.  The actors do a great job, and interact with the crowd to get some laughs.  It was easily worth the couple extra Euro.

The Behind Bars tour is also an hour-long an interactive tour with six costumed actors who each present a story about life in the dungeon of the castle.  In July, August and September it is presented once daily at 3pm.

There is also an audioguide tour for 15E, if you don’t want to be trapped on an hour-long tour with thespians.

#4 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Tour the City on Two Wheels

The walking tour was the perfect way to get my bearings and learn about the city’s history.  But, even more fun is a 3 Hour Cruiser Bike Tour with Roundabout Travel.  I looked at doing another 3 hour Bike Tour with Ljubljana Tourism, but they only go on Sundays and Thursdays, which didn’t work for me.  The Roundabout trip gets you a ways out of the city, and a chance to see things you probably wouldn’t find on your own.

#5 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Sample Slovenian Food

Hot Horse – Ever think about eating a horse?  Yeah, me neither.  But they do in Slovenia.  And every Slovenian I asked about it seemed to have no idea that people don’t eat horse in most of the world.  I’m not exactly recommending it, but if you are walking around lovely Tivoli Park, there is a fast food stand on the edge of the park that serves one thing only…horse.  Yep, for a few euro, you can get a horse burger.  I tried it, and it pretty much just tasted like a regular burger.  Except for the whip marks from the jockey.  Hey-Oooooo!  (It’s directly across the street from the Union Brewery too)  The old guy that runs the place seems perturbed by the tourists lining up giggling as they order.

But seriously, for real local food, try Sarajevo 1984, which serves delicious Bosnian food.  More info below.

#6 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Have a Drink with a View

The Nebotncik (Skyscraper) building is the highest in Ljubljana at 231 feet.  Back when it was completed in 1933, it was the 9th tallest building in all of Europe.   Ok, so it’s not exactly the Burj Khalifa, but it does have a restaurant at the top, and you get a great view over the city.  I stopped in at sunset and had a beer while frantically snapping photos.  You’ll find it at Štefanova ulica 1.  Bring a jacket, cause it’s often windy and cold up there.

#7 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Do a Pub Crawl

The best way to explore the nightlife is with Pub Crawl Ljubljana.  They meet at 10pm every night of the week during July and August, and every night but Sunday in May, June, and September.  It’s only $17, and you get an English speaking guide that takes you around to five different bars and clubs, with free shots at each stop.  They play some fun drinking games on the way. They keep going til at least 2am. 

#8 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana: Spend a Night Behind Bars

This could happen to you if the Pub Crawl goes off the rails.  But seriously, you can spend a night in a converted prison that now houses the Celika Hostel.  It’s been redesigned into a bright, arty, comfortable place to stay, but the bars are still intact!

#9 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Explore Metelkova Mesto Street Art

Metelkova is officially an “autonomous social and cultural centre”, but up close it appears to be a controlled anarchy of squatters, artists, and the center of Ljubljana’s counter-culture.

The area was once the military barracks of the Yugoslav National Army.  On June 25, 1991, Slovenia declared it’s independence from Yugoslavia. Within days the Yugoslav Army (now Serbia and Montenegro) pulled out of Slovenia, abandoning the barracks.  Immediately after their departure some alternative and youth groups petitioned the city for use of the abandoned buildings. At first the city agreed, but then in 1993 decided to bulldoze some buildings.  Squatters moved in and defended the destruction successfully, and have occupied the space ever since.

Today you’ll find interesting murals all over the buildings, and an art gallery aptly named “Galleria Alkatraz”.  There are several bars that open in the evening.  I wandered through around noon, and it just looked like the remnants of a giant frat party.

#10 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Shop at one of the Markets

Ljubljana has several street markets.  The biggest is the Mestna Trznica “Central Market”.  Here, you’ll find fruit, vegetables, handicrafts, souvenirs and even street musicians.  Open every day but Sunday at Pogacarjev trg 1.

On Saturdays you’ll find two Art Markets – One by  Stari and Gornji trg Square has free creative workshops for adults and children, theater performances, music concerts.  Another at Novi trg Square has painting, sculpture, design, textiles, ceramics, decor, and jewelry for sale.

If you are in town on a Sunday, be sure to catch the Flea Market on Cankarjevo Nabrezje Embarkment along by the river.  Open about 8am til noon.

#11 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Get a Green Escape in the city

Ljubljana’s Tivoli Park is five square kilometers of forest right in the city.  It has miles of paths for biking, walking, or jogging. It’s full of ponds, fountains, playgrounds, and grassy fields and flowers.  I went for a pleasant jog here one morning, and found every fit person in the city doing the same!

#12 of the Best Things to Do in Ljubljana:

Get outside the city to Lake Bled:

There is lots to see outside Ljubljana.  But if you only have time for one day-trip, you must make it a Trip to Lake Bled and Bled Castle  This is by far the number one sight in Slovenia, and for good reason.  I scoured the interwebs for the best deal on a tour, and I found Kompas Tours to have the best price at $56, and the best reviews.  

Lake Bled has emerald-green waters, a picture-perfect postcard church on the island in the middle, a medieval castle on the rocky cliff, and some of the highest peaks of the Slovenian Alps as the background.

Towering 330 feet above the lake, Bled Castle is the iconic image of a medieval fortress, with towers, ramparts, moats and a terrace offering magnificent views. The castle houses a reconstruction of Gutenberg’s wooden printing press, on which for a small fee, a printer will demonstrate old printing techniques using hand-made paper by stamping your name on a certification that you visited.  Be sure to try Bled’s famous cream cake, kremšnita.

For 15 Euros, you can take a Pletna boat, a traditional boat known only to this region, to the tiny tear-shaped island on the lake.  I chose instead to walk the circumference of the lake, a pleasant, shaded 4 mile path.  There are a couple of public beaches where you can jump in, and places to stop for a beer or an ice cream.

So, we’ve agreed that you are going to Lake Bled right?  Well, if you want a full day of sightseeing, you can easily add some things on to your Lake Bled Tour.

For $68, you can do a Day Trip to Bled and Vintgar Gorge.  This is the trip I chose.  We did all of the above, as well as a visit to Vintgar Gorge.   Here we walked a mile on a wooden path through a tight canyon, above the rushing waters of the River Radovna.  The walkway ends at the Šum Waterfall, and you can stop for lunch in a little cafe before making the return walk back to the start.

After that we drove to the stunningly beautiful glacial Lake Bohinj in Triglav National Park.  Here you can jump in and swim, or explore the lakeside on foot, or by kayak/canoe/paddleboard.   I opted to jump in, and it was coooooold!  But the water is so crystal clear and refreshing, I loved it.

Our last stop was a visit to the well-preserved town of Skofja Loka. We walked around the medieval town center, and learned the history of the town.  It was great to see a “real” historic town in Slovenia.  Ljubljana is very beautiful, but it is clear that lots of money has been invested to make the city center look absolutely perfect.  Skofja Loka looked like just a regular town that happened to have lovely 18th century buildings still in use after all this time.  Other popular day trips include Postojna Cave.

If you want to save some money, or just don’t wish to join a tour, there are several other options to get to Lake Bled from Ljubljana including the bus, train, or even a taxi. 

Know Before You Go:

Backpacker Daily Budget: 

$50.   $15 for a decent hostel bed.  $18 for three meals from local street food kiosks.  $6 to get into the castle. $3 for two public bus rides.  $8 for three beers.  

Cheap Beer Index:

$2.46  It is possible to get a Union or Lasko draft at the Pivnica Union Brewery for just 2.20 Euro.  This cool bar is co-located with the Union Brewery in the University section of town.  Local draft beers are usually $2.60 to $3 all over town. But, you can also get excellent Slovenian craft beers on tap in the $3 -$4 range, and the normal tap beer size here is a big 17 oz/500ml, not 12oz/330ml.

When to visit:  

The best time to visit Slovenia is in summer.  June, July, August and early September have highs in the 70s, and lows in the 50s.  December, January and February only get into the 30s. Rainfall is about the same year-round.

What languages are spoken in Slovenia?  

Slovenian is the national language, but English is also spoken as a second (or third, or fourth) language by over 60% of the population, and most of the people you’ll meet in tourism related industries.

Do you need a Slovenia visa?

Visas are not required for nationals of USA, UK, Australia, and Canada.  Slovenia is a member of the EU, and is within the Schengen Zone, where you can stay for 90 days out of a 180 day period visa-free.

How to Get to Ljubljana:

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) is 15 miles northwest of the city. It serves cities all over Europe as well as Tel Aviv, Israel and Hurghada, Egypt.  It WAS the home base of Adria Airways, which just went bankrupt on September 24, 2019.  Learn how to get to Slovenia for free on my page How to Fly For Free

From the airport to the city: 

• The cheapest option is the Public Alpetour Bus #28 for 4.10 Euro.  It leaves on the hour for a 50min ride.  4.10e payable to the driver. It drops you off at main bus station, bay #28.  From the bus station it should be walkable distance to any lodging in the city center.  Departure Schedule: From Monday to Friday:  5.00, 6.05, 7.00, 8.00, 9.00, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 13.00, 14.00, 15.00, 16.00, 17.00, 18.00, 19.00, 20.00.  Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 7.00, 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00, 20.00.  I rode the bus BACK to the airport.  It was cheap and easy.  My only issue was that “Bay 28” was a little hard to find.  Be sure to ask them to point you the right way from the ticket window.

• You can book a Shuttle Bus that drops you at your hotel for 10 euro. The main companies are GoOpti, Nomago, Markun Shuttle, MNJtransfer and ZUP Prevozi.   I chose to ride with GoOpti, as they had a booking desk right outside customs.  Despite being told a van would leave “in a few minutes”, we actually sat and waited 50 minutes to leave until the van was full, a transport practice I thought only existed in Africa.  I realized I should have just taken the bus, which was my choice on the return trip.
• A taxi from the airport should cost 25-35 Euro.  Agree to the price before stepping in the taxi.

By road or train:

You can drive into Slovenia from Austria, Hungary, Croatia, or Italy.  Vienna, Bratislava, Munich, and Budapest are 4-5 hours away. Venice is less than 3 hours, and Zagreb less than 2.  Buses are available.

How to Get Around Ljubljana:

Walking – The city is pretty small, and you can see quite a bit just by walking around.  If you are just here to stroll and experience the city, you are unlikely to need any public transport.  The city center has large areas closed off to vehicles, making Ljubljana a lovely walking city.

Cycling – Ljubljana has an amazing FREE bike share network.  There are 51 BicikeLJ stations around the city, about 500 meters apart one from another, where you can hire and return a bike. The first hour of hire is free of charge. You will just need to pay 1 € for a weekly subscription.  The city is bike-friendly and flat.

City Bus – 42 bus lines connect all parts of the city. Buses run from about 5am til Midnight, depending on the line. You’ll need an Urbana Card to ride.  One trip costs 1.30 € and allows you to change as many buses as you need in 90 minutes.  When you get on, you must hold your Urbana Card to the scanner. When you hear a beep, you have validated your ride.  Urbana Cards can be purchased at news stands, gas stations, tourist offices, and post offices.

There is no metro, Uber or Lyft in Slovenia.

Taxis are generally honest and cheap.  Flagfall is 1 to 1.5Euro, and then .9 to 1.1 Euro per kilometer.  Recommended companies are: Taxi Laguna, Taxi Metro, and Taxi Ljubljana.  Avoid taxis with no company name, often hanging out in front of tourist hotels.

Local Currency and how to get it:

Euros (0.90=$1 as of 2019) are available from numerous ATMs.   For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when travelling, check out my post Should I Exchange Money Before I Travel?

Stay Connected:

Slovenia has 3 major networks that offer prepaid SIM cards for tourists:

Telekom Slovenije is the biggest operator in the country, with a 45% market share.  Their prepaid SIM card called Mobi is sold in their stores and at service stations and post offices. It’s at 8.50 € for the SIM card including 5 € credit.  You can get the following data packages:

• • 400MB 30days 3.95 
  • 1GB 30 days 7.00
  • 5GB 30 days 10.00

A1 Slovenija is the #2 operator in the country, with a 31% market share.  Their voice and data prepaid SIM is called Simpl and available at their stores at service stations, and post offices for 6 € and contains 5 € credit valid for 30 days.  You can choose between standard SIMPL plan, SIMPL Mali and SIMPL Veliki plans:

• • Simpl: is their default plan. Data stays at 0.15 per MB all the time
  • Simpl mali: with 500 units (= mins, SMS or MB) for 30 days – 5 €
  • Simpl veliki: with 5000 units (= mins, SMS or MB*) for 30 days – 7.99 €

Telemach mob is the #3 operator in the country, with a 15% market share.  Their prepaid voice & data starter package is available at their stores, and at service stations It’s called FREE2GO and sold at 3.99 € containing 2 € valid for 90 days.  They give heavy bonuses for top-ups all valid for 30 days:

• •  2 €: 20 units (MB, mins or SMS)
  • top-up 5 €: 50 units (MB, mins or SMS)
  • 10 €: unlimited on-net mins, 100 units (MB, off-net mins, SMS)
  • top-up 20 €: unlimited on-net mins, 200 units, 20 GB (EU cap: 5.5 GB)

If you have a European SIM, you are all set.  Slovenia is part of the EU, where from June 2017 new international roaming rules are enforced.  You can now ‘roam like at home’ at domestic rates rather than excessive roaming rates.  For more info on your telecom options, check out my post Get The Best International Phone Plan

Where to stay:  

The CHEAPEST Hostel – Hostel Sleeping Beauty  For $15, you get a bed in a well reviewed, central spot.

The BEST Hostel – Kva Hostel  For $25 a night, you get a bed in a squeaky clean, centrally located, friendly facility with free breakfast and bike rental available.

The BEST CHEAP Hotel – Rooms Ambrozic  For $60 a night, you get a single room with a river view close to the old town, a TV, and a private bathroom.

Most Historic Luxury Hotel – Grand Hotel Union  Open since 1905, this Art Nouveau gem has rooms for $170.  

Where to eat: 

Sarajevo 1984 was my favorite restaurant in the city.  While technically serving Bosnian food, the staples are Slovenian traditional favorites as well.  Be sure to try cevapcici (sausages) and kajmak (a tangy soft cheese), and wash it down with a Cockta (Slovenia’s favorite soda).

Ljubljana Nightlife: 

For a small city, Ljubljana punches above its weight in nightlife.  It has an excellent craft beer scene.  I enjoyed some fine microbrews at Daktari, Pop’s Place, and Sir Williams Pub.  The riverside is loaded with al fresco restaurants and primo people watching.  This is an overpriced, but atmospheric place for dinner.

Later on you can hit some more hopping bars like: Captain’s Cabin, Cutty Sark, and Parlament.

And finally, if you really stay up late, you can end up at the clubs such as Cirkus, Club K4, or Orto 

Get a guidebook:

I really liked the Rick Steves Croatia and Slovenia guidebook.  Rick knows Europe.  And he knows budget travel.  He makes very specific itinerary recommendations and isn’t afraid to tell you what stuff is worth skipping.  He helps me cut to the chase and lays out an itinerary to make the best use of your time.

What to pack:

You can wear the same clothes you’d wear anywhere in Europe.  To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post International Travel Packing List: All In a Carry-On!

Is Ljubljana safe?

Slovenia is very safe, one of the safest countries in Europe.  It has an annual murder rate of 0.9 per 100,000 people. That puts it on par with Iceland and Ireland, and much safer than the USA’s rate of 5.3. 

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“Iceland on a Budget” saves you money while you tour staggering waterfalls, explosive geysers, massive glaciers, and geothermal baths.

Iceland is the hottest chilly travel destination on Earth right now.  It seems like everyone’s going.  And that popularity has ratcheted up already expensive hotels, restaurants, and tours into the stratosphere.  Iceland is seriously, crazy, alternate-universe expensive.  It is very important that you are fully aware of what things cost here before you visit.  If you show up expecting the same prices as back home in Des Moines, Iowa, you are going to have a miserable trip.  “Iceland on a Budget” will show you what the costs are, so you can make some decisions about what fits within your budget.  If you want or need to make some cutbacks, where do you want to make them?  Maybe you don’t really care about where you sleep, as long as you get good food.  Or maybe you are happy to eat just from the grocery store, as long as you can afford to do some awesome adventures.

To help you bring down all those costs, travel to Iceland on a budget will tell you all the tips and tricks to save money and still have fun in Iceland.  We’ll share ways to cut costs on flights, accommodation, getting around, food, alcohol, and sightseeing.  We’ll let you decide which budget cuts work best for your travel style.

by Worldwide Wilbur July 2019

Iceland on a Budget – Ways to Save in Reykjavik:

I extensively research all my trips, and search high and low to find the cheapest deals on all the best tickets and tours.  Following are the most interesting activities, at the best possible prices.  If you find anything cheaper, please let me know in the comments!

Start your visit with a walk around historic Old Reykjavik, and window shop on the main street of Laugavegur.  The Free Walking Tour, gets you a couple hours of history and stories about Reykjavik.  Meet at the green clock in Lækjartorg square every day at 12:00 and 2:00 PM during the summer.  Look for the tour guide in a green jacket.  Make a donation of your choice at the end.  I really enjoyed this tour, and learned a lot about Icelandic culture.  And the price is right too!

Reykjavik is not a huge city, and most of the top points of interest are easily reached on foot.  But, if your feet start to fail you, you can get everywhere via the City Sightseeing Reykjavik Hop On Hop Off Bus.  A 24 hour ticket is $39.  This is a great choice for older folks, or anyone that doesn’t feel like walking miles and miles.

Explore the interesting street art of Reykjavik (free).

Visit the National Museum of Iceland   The best way to discover the rich history of Iceland.  Plenty of swords, drinking horns, and viking regalia to keep the kids happy.  Open Tues – Sun 10am-5pm.  Entry includes and audioguide and is $17 for adults, $8.50 for seniors 67+, free for kids 17 and under.  This is a great way to keep everyone entertained for several hours.

Get on a whale watching tour from the Old Harbour to see puffins, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises and humpback whales on a three hour sail.  Adults $91,  kids 7-15 $45, kids 0-6 are free.  This is a pricey trip, but if you’ve never seen a whale, it might be well worth it.

See the iconic Hallgrimskirkja Church.  The largest church in the country, it towers over the center of Reykjavík at 240 feet high.  Entry to the church is free.  If you want to go up to the top of the tower, there is an elevator and it costs $8 for adults, and $1 for children.  Open 9-5 daily in summer.  I skipped the elevator.  All those great photos you’ll see on the interwebs of the colorful houses of Reykjavik from above, they were all taken from the top of the church.

Penetrate the mysteries of the Phallological Museum.  The what?  The Penis Museum.  This fascinating museum was first erected in 1997.   It’s not hard to see why people are stimulated by the size of the collection.  You’d be nuts to miss it.  Best museum gift shop ever.  Open 9am to 6pm in summer.  Entry is $15 for everyone 14+, kids under 13 free.  This was one of the BIG highlights of my visit to Reykjavik.  I considered bringing along my boys (age 6 and 9), but thought the better of it, as their explosions of laughter would have ruined the library-like silence inside the museum.  The owner takes it all very seriously, and has many, many animal species represented.  But really, everyone is there to see this piece de resistance, the sperm whale.  For perspective, I’m 6’1″ and 180.  Yikes!

Visit the Tales from Iceland Museum, a cool little museum with 14 different 5 minute videos on Icelandic culture.  Coffee and cookies served while you watch.  A great way to spend an hour learning about the country.  Open 9-5 daily.  Entry: Adults $18, Children $9, Whole family $42.

Iceland on a Budget -Ways to Save Outside the city:

Bathe in the warmth of the Blue Lagoon. 

Hours vary by season, but it is open at least from 8am to 9pm.  Entry starts at $57 for people 14 and over.  It goes up to $97 during peak hours (basically anytime you’d really want to be there).  Children 2-13 are free with an adult.  Babies are not allowed.

We went to the Blue Lagoon solely because Lonely Planet lists it as the 93rd greatest sight on Earth.  Would I agree?  No.

It is very pleasant.  Lovely, in fact.  It is a top notch facility with friendly and helpful staff, and a modern pool well-integrated into a natural volcanic rock background.  But is it one of the 100 greatest sights on Earth?  Or worth $70-$90 just to soak in a glorified hot tub?  Absolutely not.  I have to mark it down as one of the top tourist traps I’ve ever been to worldwide.  It’s right up there with Times Square New York, and the Blarney Stone in Ireland.  It’s one of those places that capitalized on a catchy name, premium service, and Instagram worthy scenery.  A place that no locals ever go to.  But, I am an obsessive list-checker-offer, so I had to go.  If you are visiting Iceland on a budget, let me urge you to NOT feel like it is a must-do.

A good alternative would be to plunge into the Laugardalur geothermal pools.  One of the largest pools in Iceland, it has Olympic size indoor and outdoor pools, seven geothermal hot tubs, a gym, beach volleyball, running tracks, and a 300 foot water slide.  Open 630am to 10pm daily.  Entry is $8 for adults, $1.33 for kids 6-17, free 0-5 and 67+.

Take a full-day Golden Circle Tour

If you only do one tour in your time in Iceland, it should be this one.  See the Geysir area, where geysers bubble and explode, the thunderous Gullfoss waterfall, and visit Thingvellir National Park.  Grey Line Tours can take you to all three sites on a 7 hour tour with an English speaking guide for just $56.

If i was traveling alone, I would have been on the tour bus, but since I was traveling as a family of four, the math said a rental car was the way to go.  None of these sites charge an entrance fee, but the DO charge for parking.  So, if you were traveling alone in a rental car, you’d be paying for the car – $45, and gas – $15, and two parking fees of $4 and $6, for a total of $70.

The Golden Circle is really a fantastic day of sightseeing.  Not just for the three main sights, but getting out and seeing the countryside’s mixture of electric green grass, and jet-black volcanic rock is lovely.  If you do the drive clockwise, you’ll reach Thingvellir National Park first.  It’s quite amazing to think that you can walk in between the North American and European tectonic plates in this narrow canyon.  And then when you learn the history of the location, as the first meeting place of an Icelandic government a thousand years ago, you can almost feel the ghosts of the past.  There is a scenic path to a waterfall, and lots of placards explaining the history.

The next stop is Geysir, which is a…geyser that shoots steaming water 50 feet into the air every ten minutes.  This area is the the home of the “original” geyser (long since extinct).  Europeans had never seen a geyser before the Vikings came to Iceland.  Their word for the phenomenon is now the standard word for it all over the world.

If you’ve never seen a geyser, it is certainly an amazing thing to witness.  If you’ve been to Yellowstone National Park and seen Old Faithful, well, it’s about the same.

The final main stop on the tour is Gulfoss waterfall.  This did not disappoint!  This huge waterfall blasts through several levels culminating in a deep drop into a canyon.  It’s right up there with the best waterfalls I’ve ever seen.  This was the highlight of the Golden Circle.  We stayed here quite a while just watching the water crash onto the rocks.

Some tours also stop at the Kerio Crater, a colorful remnant of a volcanic explosion.  Entry is just 400 krona for folks 12 and older.  You can walk all the way around the rim on a little trail.

Iceland on a Budget – Tour The South Coast of Iceland

After the Kerio Crater, instead of turning back to Reykjavik, we continued to the coast, via Selfoss.  Selfoss is a decent sized town of 8000, with a Kronor grocery store, which we used to stock up on food for the next few days.  We did not eat out at a single restaurant the entire time we spent in Iceland, but we made excellent dinners at the AirBnB’s we stayed at, with reasonably priced food from Kronor and Bonus stores.

We spent our second night in Iceland at a gorgeous horse farm in the sleepy seaside fishing village of Eyrarbakki.  Our AirBnB here was $260 for the night, and that was actually the cheapest place in the region with enough beds for four!

I bundled up in the 49 degree afternoon summer weather, and enjoyed a Viking Stout on the porch.  I listened to the thunder of horses hooves, while I caught up on what Rick Steves says we should do next.  Rick is always right.

Lindso attempted to get through a $10 bottle of Brennivin mixed with Sprite.  Brennivin is just awful.

Iceland on a Budget – Visit the Westmann Islands

After a day in Reykjavik, and a day doing the Golden Circle, we headed east on day three to visit the Westmann Islands.  Our first stop, an hour into the drive, is the excellent Seljalandsfoss waterfall.  You can walk BEHIND the falls if you don’t mind getting soaked.  It’s a really beautiful waterfall, and easy to get to.  It’s just a mile or so off the Ring Road.  The parking fee is 700 krona ($6)

After the waterfall, it’s just a short drive to the ferry port at Landeyjahöfn.  The Westman Islands ferry is surprisingly cheap by Icelandic standards.  For $91, we got round-trip tickets for two adults, two children, AND could take our car on board!  The ferry is big and comfortable.  You can sit up top in the open air and see the steep cliffs of the islands as they pass.  Or, you can sit below in a dark movie theater and watch Friends re-runs.  There is a cafe with beer and burgers.  The ride only takes 35 minutes.  Be sure to go up top to see the stunning entry into Vestmannaeyjar harbor.

We absolutely LOVED the island of Heimaey.  After driving off the ferry, we walked around the tiny town.  There’s not a whole lot going on.  Only 4,500 people live on the island, but 8 million puffins!

We spent two days here, just driving around the island, and stopping at every photo opportunity, of which there were soooo many.  We stopped to pet sheep, to walk on black sand beaches, and to pick wildflowers.  It’s a mountainous, volcanic island, with a high point of 700 feet, so there are lots of amazing views.  It’s like a mini-Iceland, where you can do a little bit of everything within ten miles.

In 1973, a volcanic eruption began on Heimaey.   The ground split open and lava shot into the sky.  Lava headed toward the harbor, and threatened to close it forever.  During the night, all 5,000 inhabitants of the island had to be evacuated.  A few remaining townspeople sprayed the lava with cold seawater, causing some to solidify and be diverted, thus saving the harbor.   Half of the town’s houses were crushed and the island expanded in length.   Today, you can visit the excellent Volcano Museum and see how it all happened.  My boys really enjoyed seeing an actual house covered by ash.  It’s $19 for adults, and free for kids under 10.

On Heimaey Island we stayed in yet another AirBnB.  This one was a tiny cabin outside of the town, with a million dollar view.  It had three comfy bunk beds wedged perfectly into one tiny bedroom.  At $200 a night it wasn’t a bargain, but it was our favorite place of the trip.

Iceland on a Budget- Drive out to the Jokulsarlon Glacier

On day five, we left the lovely Westman Islands behind for the long drive out to the Jokulsarlon Glacier.  And it really is a loooong drive.  Iceland only has 340,000 people, and 140,000 of those are in or around Reykjavik.  That leaves only 200,000 people for a large island the size of the state of Maine.  Now, for reference,  Maine is far from urban, but it packs 1.3 million people into its hinterlands.  Iceland feels very empty.  You can drive an hour without passing a single village or gas station, or anything.  And Jokulsarlon is a good 5-6 hours drive from Reykjavik.

We passed several waterfalls early on in the drive, some little ones, and some big ones, like the stunning Skogafoss.

Not much further along is the unusual Reynisfjara Beach, and its basalt columns.

And we stopped in the tiny town of Vik for lunch.

Finally we reached the glacier!  Jokulsarlon is a glacier melting into a large lake, which opens to the ocean.  Icebergs the size of houses float towards the sea and break into smaller chunks.

The main tour everyone does here is an Amphibious Boat Tour.  You climb onto this contraption, and it drives straight into the glacial lake.  You motor around, and the guide grabs a tiny iceberg from the water for everyone to hold, and even taste.  The boat doesn’t get too close to the big icebergs for safety reasons.  The whole thing only lasts about 20 minutes.  For my family of four it cost $130.  Pricey, but the kids enjoyed it.

After your boat tour, there are food trucks lined up where you can get soup, seafood, fish n chips, burgers.  There isn’t a town nearby, so you better fill up here if you are heading back to Reykjavik.

At the opening of the glacial lake to the ocean is Diamond Beach.  It’s called that because the smaller chunks of icebergs float up onto this black sand beach like little diamonds.  What an amazing sight!  Seals were cavorting just offshore as the ice washed up.  The kids had fun chucking the ice back into the ocean, and calling out to the seals.

After a long day of driving, we opted for a nearby place to sleep, before heading back to the airport on our last day.  There are VERY few lodging options around Jokulsarlon, and what there is, is VERY expensive.  The only reasonable deal we could find was the Hvoll Hostel.  It was clean, comfortable, and located in an open field with mountain views.  We paid an outrageous $230 for a tiny “family room” with 4 beds, and a shared bathroom.  But, hey, what can you do, that’s Iceland for you.

We really enjoyed the whole trip out to Jokulsarlon, but it was one heck of a tiring drive.  It took up the better part of two days stuck in a little car.  It might be worth considering the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Full-Day Tour, which takes you to all these sights, and includes the boat tour for $136.  If I had it to do over again, I would not have done the drive, it was just too much for a five day trip.

Iceland on a Budget – Know Before You Go:

Backpacker Daily Budget: 

$95.  Gulp.  Really.  Reykjavik is among the ten most expensive cities in the world to visit.  Everything here is downright PAINFULLY expensive.  $32 for a hostel bed.  $20 for a hamburger.  $10 beers.  It’s the perfect place to go on that diet you’ve been considering, or to finally take up camping.

Cheap Beer Index:

$6.02  It is possible to get a beer for as little as 750 kroner in some places at happy hour.  Download the Appy Hour app which lists active happy hour times and prices at over 30 locations.  It’s not 100% accurate, but it will give you a general idea of what’s on offer.  Sadly, a more usual price for a beer is at least 1200kr or $10US!

Many Icelanders opt to “pre-game” by drinking at home before going out to the bars and clubs late.  You can do the same by hitting the duty free shop in the airport on your way in, or visiting the government owned liquor stores “Vin Budin”.  There is a Vin Budin in any major town, and prices are the same countrywide.  They are closed on Sundays, and in small towns often open only a few hours a day, so check ahead of time.  Here you can get a 12oz can of local beer for $2-3, and  a bottle of wine starts at $10.

Iceland on a Budget – When to visit: 

Iceland is a completely different destination in summer than in winter.

Reykjavik summers are short, cool, and cloudy. July and August are the warmest months with average highs peaking at only 57 degrees.  June and September are still nice, getting into the 50’s.  You’ll have amazing amounts of daylight each day, with a sunset at midnight, and a 3am sunrise, for over 21 hours of sun on June 21!  Of course everyone else also wants to be here in summer, so prices are at their peak, and booking lodging ahead is essential.

Late May or early September are excellent times to come if you need to save money.  Lodging prices drop a little, but the weather is still pretty good with highs of 50.

Winters are long, dark, cold, wet, and windy. The coldest average high in the winter is 36 for all of December, January and February.  Not too much snow sticks around, more rain.  It’s going to be dark.  On December 22, you’ll only have 4 hours of daylight!  The one big draw for coming here in winter is the Northern Lights.  They can be visible October through April, with the best opportunity in December and January.  Another plus is that lodging is much cheaper.  If you are on a really tight budget, and don’t mind cold, you can save a lot in winter.

What languages are spoken?  

Icelandic is the national language, but English is also spoken by literally everyone.

Do you need a visa?

Visas are not required for nationals of USA, UK, Australia, and Canada.  You can stay for 90 days visa-free.

How to Travel to Iceland on a Budget – Getting in, getting out:

There are two ways to get to Reykjavik, by air and by sea:

By Airplane: 99% of visitors fly into Iceland.  Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport (KEF) has flights to cities all over Europe and North America.  Airfare might be the only thing that is cheap about your Icelandic vacation.  The best option for cheap flights to Iceland is Icelandair, now that WOW Air has gone bankrupt.  You can also get a FREE stopover here on Icelandair.  That way you can incorporate a few days in Iceland into a longer European trip.  This saves you a separate dedicated round-trip flight.

But even if you are buying a ticket just to Iceland, the fares are quite reasonable, usually cheaper than any other European destination.  Last I checked, fares were going for as low as $220 from Boston, $250 from Newark, $378 from Washington.  Consider booking with a cheap direct flight with one of these two airlines, and then booking a separate domestic fare to get to the Icelandair departure city from your home airport.  Learn how to get to Iceland for free on my page:  Nine Steps to Free Flights Worldwide.

Pro Tip:  Keflavik has a duty free store right in baggage claim!  It has the cheapest prices on alcohol of anywhere in Iceland.  If you can juggle any extra bags, you should shop here.  There is also a legit ATM after you exit customs, and a coffee shop/convenience store.  Avoid the airside ATMs!!  They are the dreaded Euronet rip-off exchange rate ATMs.

By Smyril Line Ferry: A passenger & car ferry called the Norröna sails from Hirtshals in northern Denmark to Torshavn in the Faeroe Islands & Seydisfjördur in Iceland, roughly once a week between April & October.  The voyage from Denmark to Iceland aboard the Norröna takes 2 or 3 nights depending on the sailing schedule.  Note: The port of call is Seydisfjördur, on the west end of Iceland, a 9 hour drive from Rekjavik.  The ship has bunk beds, cabins and restaurants.

How to Travel to Iceland on a Budget – Getting around:

Keflavik Airport Shuttle It is a 45 minute drive from Keflavik Airport into the city.  Do NOT just hop in a taxi, unless you want to be presented with a $200+ bill at the end!  There are transfer buses available:

Flybus shuttles depart 35-40 minutes after the arrival of each flight.  If your flight is delayed, the bus will wait for it.  Your ticket is valid on any bus, so if you do somehow miss a bus, you just take the next one. There is no luggage restriction.  When you purchase your ticket online, you want to choose a drop-off at your hotel.  A one-way transfer from Keflavik direct to your hotel is $33 for adults 16+, $17 for kids 12-15, and free for kids 11 and under.  You can get a cheaper ticket for $24, but that only gets you to the BSI bus station on the edge of the city, and then you’ll still have to spring for an expensive taxi ride.

Public bus #55 goes from KEF to the city, but on an infrequent schedule that might not match up with your flight.  A ticket is $16.

Rental Car: if you don’t mind driving, a rental car is almost certainly the way to go.  Tiny micro-compact cars start at about $40 a day.  Gas is the same price at every gas station in Iceland, currently a shocking $7.20 per US gallon!   However, a Golden Circle bus tour is $56 x 2 people = $112, so you can rent a car, with gas, for cheaper than that.  Rentalcars.com has the best deals for rentals in Iceland.  I found this little Hyundai i10 with manual transmission for $200 for five days.  Not cheap, but not too far off what you’d pay elsewhere. The thing had only 66 horsepower, and couldn’t make it up hills except in 3rd gear, BUT it got 48 miles per gallon, which was VERY appreciated with Iceland’s gas prices. I ended up going with ACErebsjwd

• • You should be aware of some special insurance situations in Iceland, they’ll try to sell you sandstorm insurance, which I guess happens a lot on the South Coast.  I declined it and lucked out.
  • Speed limits throughout Iceland are lower than in many other countries.  The fastest limit is 90kph (56mph).  I only ever saw 2 or 3 police cars my whole trip.
  • Headlights must be on at all times.
  • No right turns on a red light.
  • You must yield to the driver on the right at four-way intersections.
  • You must give way to drivers in the inside lane in roundabouts.  This will happen often in Reykjavik.
  • Seatbelts are required for all passengers, even those in the back seat.
  • Cell phones cannot be used without a hands-free headset.
  • Iceland has a very low accepted drunk driving blood alcohol level; .05 per cent. If you’re caught above that, you’ll have your drivers lisence confiscated, and be forced to pay a $600 fine.  Police who are suspicious of a driver give a breathalyzer test, followed by a blood test, which cannot be refused.

Uber and all other ride sharing companies are banned in Iceland.

Public buses will get you to all the towns of Iceland, but they won’t get you to any of the geysers, waterfalls, or fjords.  They aren’t really a viable option for tourists with no other form of transport.

Tour buses are the best option for single travelers, or any folks who really don’t want to get behind the wheel.

Local Currency and how to get it:

Icelandic Krona (124 ISK = $1 as of July 2019) are available at numerous ATMs.   However, Iceland is a cashless economy, so there is no need to withdraw much (or any) Krona.  Credit cards can be used for all purchases.  In fact, many purchases can ONLY be done by credit or debit card.  I sat at a bar and watched customer after customer order a single drink and pay by simply holding a contactless credit card up to a purchase point.  No tipping.  No signatures.  Not even a pin entry.  Iceland is a bit ahead of the US.  For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when travelling, check out my post on How to Access your Money in Foreign Countries.

Stay Connected:

Iceland has three telecom operators:

• Síminn – priciest and best coverage countrywide.  They sell a voice & data starter called Síminn Prepaid Starter Pack for 2900 ISK ($24). It contains 50 domestic minutes, 50 domestic SMS and 5 GB of data.  Available at the duty-free shop close to the baggage claim in Keflavík airport.
• Vodafone – cheaper but still sufficient if you stick mainly to populated areas.  Their voice & data prepaid SIM is sold for 2,000 ISK ($17) containing unlimited domestic calls plus 1 GB of data for 30 days.  You can get it in Keflavik airport at the 10-11 shop in the arrival hall, and the Elko stores.
• Nova – cheapest and good if you only stay around Reykjavik.  No shop at the airport.

If you have a European SIM, you are all set.  Iceland is not part of the EU, but IS in the larger EEA, where from June 2017 new international roaming rules are enforced. In most European countries you can now ‘roam like at home’ at domestic rates rather than excessive roaming rates.

Free Wi-fi is readily available all over Iceland.  Try downloading the app Wiman to find it.  For more info on your telecom options, check out my post on How to Get Cheap Mobile Phone Service Worldwide.

How to Travel to Iceland on a Budget – Where to stay in Reykjavik:  

When dorm beds start at $32 a night (and go up to $95), you know you are in a pricey place.  Icelandic hostels don’t even include sheets, usually charging $10 extra for them!  Bringing a sleeping bag could save you the price of the bag within a week.  Breakfast is almost never included, but may be offered for $10 to $20.   Camping is a cheaper option, even right in Reykjavik.

If there are more than two of you, you should look into AirBnB options.  AirBnB has really taken off here, as locals are getting in on the tourism bonanza (much to the consternation of their neighbors).  Book early.  Iceland is a hot destination now, and things fill up months ahead of time.

Here are the absolute cheapest places to sleep in Reykjavik (with one insane $95 hostel thrown in for comparison.)

• Reykjavik Campsite is the cheapest option in the city at $20 per person, per night.  Children under 13 stay free with adult supervision. Reservations are not required in advance and space can not be reserved.  This massive field is just a mile out of the city center, can hold 900 people, and is next door to one of Iceland’s largest and most popular geothermal swimming pools.  You get free WIFI in the hostel lounge, hot showers 24hrs, access to kitchen and hot water, bookings and pick up for excursions and car rentals.
• Bus Hostel is located next to the main bus station, which is actually very convenient for going on tours.  They provide bikes so you can ride into downtown in 15 minutes.  They have dorm beds for $32.
• Reykjavík Hostel Village dorm rooms have a mini fridge, desk and shared bathroom. Dorm beds are $33.
• Retro Hostel is in the East Reykjavik neighborhood and has dorm beds for $39.
• Galaxy Pod Hostel is a futuristic hostel with Japanese-style pod sleeping capsules.  The pods have flat screen tv’s, wi-ri, locking curtains for privacy.  Pods are $60.
• At Reykjavik Downtown Hostel bed linen is included and an organic breakfast buffet is served every day.  Fair-trade coffee is available in the bar.  Dorm beds are a steal at just $95 a night!!!!  Seriously.  Hostel beds.  For $95. (I’m including this just for laughs)

How to Do an Iceland Trip on a Budget – Where to eat: 

All restaurants are going to be ludicrously expensive by most standards.  A meal for two with appetizers and no alcohol can easily run you $100, killing your Iceland budget.  Your best bet for budget travel is to stock up in a supermarket and do some home cooking.  Among the store options, two chains stand out for value and selection.  The Bonus supermarket chain with the pink pig sign has the cheapest prices, and even has the same prices out in the smaller towns.  The other option is Kronan chain with the dancing coin mascot, which has less stores nationwide.  Expect to pay twice as much for anything from the ubiquitous 10/11 convenience stores.

We ended up shopping at Kronan several twice, and found everything we needed for snacks and dinners at reasonable prices.

While any sit-down restaurant bill is going to dent your wallet, there are some fast-food options that are tasty but reasonably priced.  Here are some of the most popular:

• Subway – You can get a 12 inch sub starting at $11 for a veggie.
• Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, which means “the best hot dog in town”. Icelanders love hot dogs.  Bill Clinton ate one here.  Ask for the ‘the works’ and get ketchup, sweet mustard, onions, and remolaði, a mayonnaise-based sweet relish.  A hot dog and coke combo is $6.  With all the interesting sauces they have here, it was delicious.
• Noodle Station  a noodle soup dish with vegetables costs $12
• Hlölla bátar makes the best subs for $5 to $8, and burgers for $12-$14.
• Aktu Taktu sells good fast food burgers for $10.
• Mandi has cheap middle eastern food.  You can get kebabs, falafel and hummus for under $10
• Vöffluvagninn sells belgian waffles with whipped cream for $5-$8.
• Grocery stores such as Bonus, Netto, Kronan sell pre-made sandwiches, wraps and Skyr yogurt for cheaper than anywhere else.
• IKEA – Yes, the furniture store!  It has a cheap and popular diner inside that even serves beer.

How to Travel Iceland on a Budget – Nightlife: 

Reykjavik has loads of nightlife.  You’ll find bars with craft beer, wine bars, cocktail bars, and many clubs that pump until 5am.  (Be sure to try Brennivin!)  There is ZERO nightlife outside of the capitol.  Don’t be fooled into thinking the city is dead because the bars are empty at 11pm.  Many people “pre-game” by drinking at home, and don’t hit the bars until midnight.  It’s common for bars and clubs to still be packed at 4 am on Friday and Saturday, with most closing around 5-6am.   Sunday to Thursday bars will close around 1am.  I wished I had been in town on the days that the Beer Tasting and Tapas Tour is offered, but I missed it.

There are far too many great venues to list, but here are a few that i visited on my own personal pub crawl:

Bravó at Laugavegur 22 has a small bar seating area, and lots of cushiony table seating along big windows facing the main street.  I really enjoyed sitting here with a couple of Viking Stout beers for 800 krona during happy hour.

Kaffibarinn  on Bergstaðastræti 1  I had an excellent Kaldi Dark Lager here for 800 kroner.  It’s a bright, friendly place with a DJ spinning subdued house music.

Lebowski Bar has happy hour from 4-7, where I got a pint of Guinness for 850 krona and watched some Women’s World Cup soccer on their massive TV in the back.  The entire bar is decked out in The Big Lebowski movie themed memorabilia.

Dillon Whiskey Bar has happy hour from 4-8.  For 850 krona I got a tasteless Gull lager, and sat outside in their backyard.

The Dubliner has an endless happy hour from Noon til 10pm.  In this boisterous bar with a pool table and lots of TV’s, I got another crummy Gull Lager for 750 Krona.

My last stop was the Drunk Rabbit. They had excellent live music in a packed little space, and I enjoyed a fantastic Einstok Toasted Porter for a painful 1200 krona.

Get a guidebook:

I really liked the Rick Steves Iceland guidebook.  Rick knows Europe.  And he knows budget travel.  He makes very specific itinerary recommendations and isn’t afraid to tell you what stuff is worth skipping.  I appreciate the honesty.

How to Travel to Iceland on a Budget – What to pack:

Here is what to wear in Iceland:  You are going to need some extra layers for the cold and rain, and you REALLY don’t want to have to buy them in Iceland at crazy prices.

• A rain jacket.
• A sweater or coat
• Some decent hiking shoes.  Flip flops aren’t going to cut it here.
• A knit hat for windy cold days.
• swimwear and a towel for thermal baths
• a drybag or waterproof cover for your electronics that are going to be around waterfalls, rain, or ocean.
• An eye mask for trying to sleep when its very bright out at 4am.

To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post The Worldwide Travel Packing List.

Is it safe?

Yes, Iceland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Be sensible around geysers, which erupt and can burn you.  Avoid stepping or falling into a hot spring or boiling mud pool which can burn or kill you.

People have slipped to their death near rocky waterfalls, and have been swept into the ocean trying to get wave selfies at rough beaches.

Traveling Iceland on a Budget – Roundup of Top Travel Tips:

• Consider visiting in the shoulder season: May or September.
• Look for cheap flights on Icelandair.
• Pack everything you’ll need, so you don’t have to buy anything in Iceland.
• If there are two of you, rent a car rather than paying for multiple tours.
• Consider camping, check out hostels, try AirBnB.
• Buy your food and alcohol at Bonus or Kronor grocery stores.
• Try some good fast-food options.
• Bring a water bottle, to refill for free and save 10, 000 ISK on drinks
• Download the Appy Hour app which lists active happy hour times and prices at over 30 locations.

THANKS FOR READING

Full Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.  This means that if you buy anything, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to stuff I use, love, and recommend.  I don’t accept bribes to endorse garbage. Your clicks help keep this site alive.

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“The Best Maui Nightlife” will take you bar-hopping for mai-tai’s and microbrews in the fun and funky bars of the Kihei Kalama Village!

Kihei Kalama Village is THE best spot for Maui nightlife.

As a longtime resident of Kihei, I can state this with certainty.  Folks looking for the best Maui nightlife drive in to Kihei from Kahului, Wailuku, and Wailea on Friday and Saturday nights to enjoy it.  The action is centered around the Kihei Kalama Village, which is more commonly known as the “Barmuda Triangle” or to locals just “The Triangle.”  This place has eight bars that are all just a short walk apart, with plenty of parking available onsite. The crowd will be a mix of locals and tourists depending on the bar and the time of night.

When to go?

From 4pm til around 10pm, the bars and restaurants are full of tourists fresh off their whale watching tours.  Every night, but especially Friday and Saturday nights, a huge wave of locals take over from 10pm til closing time at 130am.   The area is safe, with many bouncers and private security guards onsite. You can easily hop from bar to bar to bar, until you find just the right spot.  Which bar is best?  That’s really up to you.  Each offers something a little different.  Just take a walk and check ’em all out!  All the bars listed below are at 1913 South Kihei Road.

Which bar has the best Maui nightlife for your style?

What Ales You is a craft beer bar with over a dozen really excellent beers on tap.  It is unquestionably the best place for microbrews.  Closes “early” at 10pm, so this is the place to start your night with some great IPA’s or saisons or stouts, before downgrading to Bud Lite somewhere else.  They have a cold air-conditioned bar section, and also a hip open air section with couches.   Tues-Sun 11:00AM – 10:00PM; Mon 3:00PM – 10:00PM

Three’s Bar and Grill This restaurant/bar has the best food in the Triangle.  It has become VERY popular and the wait list to get a seat can be long.  I really love the food here, and I’m sad that their secret is out, so I can rarely get a seat here anymore.  Also closes “early” at 10pm, so eat here, then party elsewhere.  Mon-Fri 8:30AM – 10:00PM; Sat-Sun 8:00AM – 10:00PM; They also have the best happy hour (3-6PM & 9-10PM) for food in Kihei with their delicious appetizers half off, and $4 14oz / $6.50 20oz microbrew draft beers, $3.75 for well drinks, house margarita, or house mai tai.

Dog and Duck Irish Pub  This cozy Irish bar has multiple TVs tuned to ESPN, with a full menu and bar. It has great drink specials. 16oz Bud Lite draft is always $3.  Service is fast and friendly.  This bar feels like home to me.  Always my first stop for some rocking Kihei Kalama Village nightlife. Thursday night at 7pm is their very popular Trivia Night.  If you go, my team is gonna beat you.  Mon-Fri 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Sat-Sun 8:00AM – 2:00AM; Happy Hour 3-7PM

South Shore Tiki Lounge  This tiki-themed restaurant/bar has the best pizza in Kihei, and a live guitar/singer every day 4-6pm. Their small open air dance floor gets packed around midnight on weekends, with local DJs spinning top 40 club jams.  Probably the hottest party spot late night on weekends.  Everyday 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Happy Hour 11AM-6PM has $3 Primo draft, and $4 for Pacifico drafts, Sauza Margaraitas, premium well drinks, and Bloody Marys.

Haui’s Life’s a Beach Locally known as the LAB.  Has a nice patio right in South Kihei Road where you can watch the world go by.  Lots of big TV’s tuned to sports, a Golden Tee golf game, and a pool table.  They have a super-cheap happy hour, and lots of LOUD live music. Amongst all the Kihei Kalama Village nightlife, LAB is THE place for karaoke.  The place fills up on Thursday nights after 10pm with wanna-be rock stars.  Hosts a budget-conscious local crowd. Everyday 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Open early for NFL games.

Lava Rock Bar and Grill is a huge open air bar/restaurant on the second floor at the back of the Triangle.  The only bar with ocean views.  Biggest dance floor in the Triangle, and two pool tables.  Sixteen 55″ TV’s showing sports.  16 beers on tap.  Everyday 8:00AM – 1:30AM;  Happy Hour 3-6PM AND 9-11pm has $3 beer specials, $4 drafts.

Kahale’s “Maui’s Local Dive Bar” is sort of a biker bar, but not in an unfriendly way. Hosts an older, local crowd age 30-60.  Most tourists give Kahale’s a pass, but it’s worth a stop.  Serves inexpensive microwavable bar food.  Lots of live music playing 70s and 80s covers.  Everyday 10:00AM – 2:00AM

VIBE Bar and Nightclub is a dark bar with a tiny dance floor and comfy couches. Hosts a mixture of young LGBT and straight clientele.  This is a great place to get some dancing in, or just enjoy some cold air conditioning and comfy seating.  Friendly service and just an all-around positive “vibe” in here.  Open everyday 7:00PM – 1:30AM  “Power Hour” from 7pm to 8pm on Sunday thru Thursday has 50% off all drinks.

More awesome nightlife spots NOT in the Triangle:

Sansei – Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar is the king of sushi in Kihei, but it is also is a bit of a nightlife spot.  They have a late-night happy hour from 10pm til closing that offers 50% off sushi.  And they have karaoke on Saturdays.  Folks that have worked up an appetite across the parking lot at “The Triangle” will pop over to Sansei for some sake bombs, kick-ass sushi, and a turn on the microphone.  Open 5:30pm to 10pm nightly.  On Thursday-Friday-Saturday nights they stay open til 1am-ish.

Maui Brewing Company – This place probably needs no introduction.  What started out as a small craft brewery with a good restaurant over on the West Side, has grown into The Behemoth of All Maui Beer.  Its Kihei tasting room opens at 11am, gets packed with tourists at sunset, and closes early at 10pm.  The beers are great, but you won’t find many deals here, with Wailea prices starting at $6.75 a pint.  Happy hour from 3-6pm drops the price to $5.75.  You won’t find many locals here.

Diamonds – This place feels like your friendly neighborhood bar.  Located in the Azeka Plaza, it’s the northernmost nightlife spot in Kihei.  Under the same ownership as the Dog and Duck, they have good beer specials, great DJs and live bands, and just a mellow place to hang out.  They do a roaring business once a month for Kihei Fourth Friday.

Freds/Moose McGillicuddy’s – These two bar/restaurants are literally on top of each other, Fred’s on the ground floor, and Moose’s on the second floor.  Both are under the same ownership, and both have good food, and a great view of Kamaole II Beach.  Both have lots of TVs for watching the big game.   Just the other day I had the best margarita in Kihei from Freds, and some nachos, and then walked across the street to swim at Kam II and take in the sunset.

The Best Maui Nightlife Spots OUTSIDE of Kihei:

If you’ve chosen to stay on the west side in Lahaina or Kaanapali, there are still a couple of good options for Maui nightlife.  Most locals from the west side are making road trips to Kihei when they really want to party.  But, a huge number of Maui hotels and condos are located over in Kaanapali, and there are a couple of fun places worth checking out.

The Old Lahaina Luau – This is the best Luau on Maui for real Hawaiian cultural performances AND great food.  Come here first, and then head a mile south to downtown Front Street.

The Dirty Monkey – The only really hopping bar in Lahaina, it packs in the tourists and gets a reliable contingent of locals, especially young folks getting off work in the restaurant/hotel industry.  They have DJ’s, a dance floor, and a view of Front Street.

What is your favorite Maui Nightlife location?  Let us know in the comments!

Want to learn more about Maui and the surrounding islands?  Check out Things to Do in Kihei,  Things to do in Lanai, or Things to Do in Molokai.

THANKS FOR READING

Full Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you buy anything, I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you. I only link to stuff I use, love, and recommend. I don’t accept bribes to endorse garbage. Your clicks help keep this site alive.

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