USEFUL TIPS

When you come in Romania is better to know some useful tips:

1. if someone ask you to change money on the border or inside the city, avoided without any explanation. Don't change the money on the street - is illegal!

2. is better to be careful to protect your luggage's in special in bus or railway station.

3. if someone ask you for entrance tickets, any taxes and fines, politely ask for his identity card or authorization.

4. when in your way, want to take a car from the road, you must to pay to the driver (about. 5 Euro for 100km, or ask about the price, before the driving start.

5. don't visit the gipsy community or marginal streets from the big cities alone.

6. if you come with your car is better to respect the rules and to use all most national or European roads. Communal roads are poor!

7. be careful where you parking. Is hard to find a parking place in the centre of the cities and you must to pay for that place.

8. if you want to visit a town for a day you can preserve your luggage's in special place in railway station for a modest price...but don't forget to lock them.

9. the prices in hotels of three, four and five stars are all most similar to the West. If you have a low budget try to sleep in guest houses.

10. you can use your tent only in special places around touristy towns and resorts for a accessible prices. Not every town has special places for camp tents.

11. for entrance in these areas you must to pay a ticket: Retazat National park, Ceahlau National park, Turzii Gorges Reservation, Danube Delta Reservation.

12. in the mountains you can put your tent in special and recommended places.

13. don't leave the tent all the day. I know some shepherds specialized to steal everything.

14. A very big problem in the mountain are the shepherd's dogs - very aggressive with travelers. Sometime I saw shepherds urged their dogs to me. Some shepherds have more then 10 dogs. (only three dogs for 100 sheep's are legally)

15. in Bucegi, Postavaru, Munceii Predealului, Piatra Craiului, Iezer and Ciucas mountains are domestic bears sometime, when you don't take their any food and they are hungry can be aggressive and to tear tents, finding food. I don't recommended to put your tent alone in these areas.

16. you need a good map or a good professional guide for trekking, hiking or climbing in Romania. In some areas the touristy marks are very old and invaded by vegetation. Is not so funny to spend a night lost in large and wild Romanian woods. I  recommended you my guide service. Is more secure and affordable.

17. ...also for rock climbing is more important to have a good guide with you. many climbing routes are old full of vegetation and insecure. I renamed that route "kamikaze". Some tops are dangerous made. Also in Romania are a lot of very beautiful and secure route, but you need someone to show you those routes and to help you in difficult moments.

18. in winter the avalanche danger is present in all the mountains higher then 1800m. If you don't have any experience I recommend you do not go alone or without someone experienced.

19. when you visit a monastery you must to have your legs cover. The shorts aren't recommended and are considerate immoral.

20. When you visit an important cultural sight, is a ticket for entrance very affordable and a special ticket for photos and shootings. This last ticket can be expensive, much more then entrance ticket. After you pay will be surprised when you will see inside the monument a sign with "no photo and shooting".

21. the Romanian wine is very good and cheap, don't drink to much! Try to by certified wine bottles.

22. in the villages and in small towns majority people speak only Romanian.

23. Romania is full of dogs without owner land. Every were you are, somewhere must to be a dog. Some are pretty some are aggressive...depended about your luck.

23. many Romanian maps are old, poor and inaccurate. Don't trust 100% in maps.

24. in remote villages all the people salute! Is better if you use a salute like: "Buna ziua!", (Good afternoon!) or "Doamne' ajuta" (God help us!).

25. Romania is a very beautiful country with nice and friendly people. Be cautious but friendly and open hard and I assure you will not be disappointed.

Valeriu (Vali) Catargiu - national tour guide from Romania

for any other questions ask me at: contact@activtravel.ro or activtravel@yahoo.com

If you want to solve all the problems of your trip, try to book from one of our active holidays and you will find and visit more then if you come alone.