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Welcome back to the final country of my Balkan trip, Bosnia and Herzegovina! If you’ve decided to skip my last few blogs, well, that’s a shame. I’m slightly offended, but I’ll survive. Anyway, I took a bus from Croatia to Mostar, where I spent two nights. As usual, Croatia has pretty strict border control, so everyone had to get off the bus and queue up for passport checks. Between the border checks and being stuck in traffic, the whole ordeal took almost two hours. We eventually arrived in Mostar late at night, which meant I didn’t get the chance to enjoy the scenery along the way because it was pitch black. Absolutely stunning views of nothingness. To make things even better, the bus driver was, as usual, operating on vibes rather than traffic regulations. At this point, I’m convinced questionable driving skills are part of the job requirements for Balkan bus drivers.

I booked a room right in the middle of the city, which made it super convenient to get around. Even better, there was a halal restaurant just downstairs! Honestly, what more could a hungry man ask for? Accommodation sorted, food sorted, and my remaining brain cells barely functioning after that long bus ride. We grabbed dinner and headed straight to bed because, at that point, sightseeing was the least of my concerns. My only ambition in life was to lie horizontally and temporarily cease to exist.

The next morning, we headed out to explore the city. Mostar is home to several beautiful Ottoman style bridges, but one of the most famous is Stari Most, also known as the Old Bridge. Interestingly, the bridge was destroyed during the Bosnian War in 1993 and was later reconstructed with financial support from several international organisations and countries. Imagine surviving for more than 400 years, only to get blown up during a war. Absolutely tragic. Fortunately, the bridge was eventually rebuilt and reopened in 2004, restoring one of Mostar’s most iconic landmarks. I suppose even bridges deserve a second chance in life.

A few other highlights of Mostar that are worth mentioning:

• Crooked Bridge: A smaller and less crowded version of Stari Most. It’s a charming little stone bridge that looks like its more famous sibling, just without all the attention.

• Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque: A beautiful Ottoman mosque located near Stari Most, offering a lovely view of the old town and the river.
• Karađoz Bey Mosque: Another beautiful Ottoman mosque with impressive architecture. Honestly, Mostar has no shortage of stunning mosques!

• Bosnian Coffee: Now, this deserves a special mention. I personally think Bosnian coffee tastes way better than Turkish coffee. Sorry, Turkish people! Please don’t revoke my future entry into Türkiye. I still love your kebabs.

• Mostar Old Bazaar: One of my favourite places to wander around! There were so many local artisans selling beautiful handmade copper decorations and souvenirs. The craftsmanship was genuinely impressive, and I even ended up buying one myself. Did I need it? Probably not. Did I convince myself it was an essential purchase? Absolutely.

In the afternoon, we took a cab to Blagaj, specifically to visit Blagaj Tekke. It’s a historic Sufi monastery and prayer complex situated right next to the Buna River, at the foot of a towering limestone cliff. Honestly, the location is absolutely stunning! The crystal clear water, the massive cliff towering above, and the peaceful surroundings make it feel like a place where all your worldly problems would simply disappear. I genuinely think I could memorise the entire Quran if I stayed here for a few months. Who am I kidding? That’s a blatant lie. My Imaan is currently as thin as an onion skin, and I’d probably spend half the time taking photos instead. Jokes aside, the whole place is incredibly serene and tranquil. It’s definitely one of those places where you could just sit for hours, admire the scenery, and temporarily forget that you have responsibilities waiting for you back home.

Next, we headed to Fortica Hill in Mostar. And no, before you start thinking that we hiked all the way up, absolutely not. We took a cab that conveniently dropped us off right at the top of the hill. I’ve done enough hiking throughout this Balkan trip, and my legs have officially submitted their resignation letters. Anyway, the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking! There’s even a viewpoint with a glass floor, where you can admire the entire city of Mostar and the surrounding mountains beneath your feet. A perfect spot for anyone who enjoys stunning views with a complimentary dose of fear of heights. There’s also a cafe at the top, which was just perfect for us to grab some cold drinks, relax, and take in the magnificent scenery. Honestly, it was one of those moments where you just want to sit quietly and imprint the view into your memory. Preferably while sipping something cold and pretending that life has absolutely no responsibilities.

The next day, we took a bus to Konjic, a small town located between Mostar and Sarajevo. Yes, another bus journey, because apparently I hadn’t suffered enough from public transport throughout this Balkan trip. And once again, it was a rather traumatising experience. Despite buying our tickets in advance, we discovered that having a ticket didn’t necessarily guarantee us a seat. How lovely! So, we ended up standing for the entire journey. To make things even more ridiculous, despite the bus already being packed with passengers, the driver somehow thought it was a brilliant idea to pick up even more people along the way. Like, what the actual fuck? At this point, I’m convinced Balkan bus drivers operate under a completely different set of physical laws where the capacity of a bus is merely a suggestion. The scenery along the way was absolutely stunning, but unfortunately, taking photos was practically impossible while standing and trying not to lose my balance. So, you’ll just have to take my word for it.

After approximately 1.5 hours, we finally arrived in Konjic. Honestly, there’s not much to do here apart from admiring its beautiful old stone bridge. I went for a short hike in the evening, mainly to get a panoramic view of Konjic from above. And when I say short, I mean very short. My legs were already threatening to file a formal complaint against me after almost two weeks of nonstop walking. To be fair, Konjic is a lovely little town, but there’s really not much to keep you occupied for an entire day, so I’d personally recommend visiting it as a day trip instead. Since I’d already booked a hotel here, we decided to just chill in our room for the rest of the day. We were nearing the end of our two week Balkan adventure, and honestly, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. At this point, even the thought of walking to the nearest supermarket felt like an extreme sport. So, having a little break from all the sightseeing and endless walking was actually quite nice. Sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is exactly what you need, especially when your legs have been carrying you across half of Europe against their will.

Finally, we took another bloody damn bus to Sarajevo, our final destination of this Balkan adventure. Yes, another bus. At this point, I think I’ve developed some form of PTSD from Balkan public transport. Anyway, we arrived in Sarajevo and, as usual, I headed straight to explore the Old Town. It was quite lively and packed with tourists, which was somewhat expected considering Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We tried quite a variety of local food, and surprisingly, there were so many Malaysians around! Honestly, I felt like I was back in Kuala Lumpur for a moment, just with slightly different architecture and significantly better weather.

In the evening, we took a cable car up Mount Trebević. The cable car ride felt ridiculously long, and we were suspended so high above the ground that I had plenty of time to contemplate my life choices. Surprisingly, it was quite chilly at the top, which was a refreshing change after all the walking and sweating we’d done throughout the trip. The panoramic view of Sarajevo was absolutely stunning, with the entire city stretching out beneath us and surrounded by beautiful mountains. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end our two week Balkan adventure. A peaceful moment above the city, admiring the scenery and pretending that I wasn’t about to return to reality and my never ending responsibilities.

And with that, we’ve officially reached the end of my Balkan Travel Diaries! A massive thank you to everyone who has been following along and reading my questionable travel decisions throughout these past few blog posts. If you’ve somehow stumbled upon this post without reading the previous ones, first of all, how dare you? Secondly, you can start from my Izzlan Travel 35 blog post and work your way through the entire adventure. I promise there are plenty of beautiful places, ridiculous bus journeys, and occasional moments where I question my own intelligence. Anyway, I’ve got another trip coming up at the end of this month because apparently staying at home and saving money are two concepts my brain refuses to comprehend. So, stay tuned for more travel adventures, and I’ll see ya around!