Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

There are many tourist attractions in Croatia, with Dubrovnik and the Adriatic coast as it's undisputed highlights. For a national park junkie though, the highlight would undoubtedly be Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's biggest national park, and is also recognized as a UNESCO Heritage site. The park is well organized and set up, with a range of walking trails and interesting boardwalks, all intertwined within a rich verdant stage of trees, lakes and waterfalls. In particular, the boardwalks and all built such that one would be literally immersed within the park's impressive collection of lakes and waterfalls. The walking trails are all marked, and maps placed at various points within the park. One could easily spend a whole day on the trails, which is what I did - a whole 9 hours inside the park. There is also a short ferry ride on one of its lakes, all included in your ticket to the park.

I went to Plitvice Lakes in early spring, and as such, there were less greenery from the vegetation. The colour of the lakes though, were mesmerizing turquoise green. One could imagine then, that during summer, the place would be stunning, if it is not already. I'm sure the winter and autumn sceneries are pretty impressive as well.

The park has 2 entrances, and within the park itself, there are a couple of hotels, all from Entrance 2. For those who are driving, there are some villages near the park where there are plenty of homestays and guesthouses available. For those who are taking buses, and did not want to pay for the hotel prices, the best bet is the small village of Rastovaca, just 800m from Entrance 1. Almost every household in the village provide rooms for rent.

The bus from Zagreb takes just 2.5 hours, while the bus to/from Split takes about 6 hours. Plitvice Lakes National Park can be easily fitted into your itinerary as it's on the way from Zagreb to the Adriatic coast and vice versa. For those who love greenery, lakes, and waterfalls, the national park is a must-visit!!

Ayder & The Kaçkars

Situated in northeastern Turkey, the Kaçkar Mountains is a mountain range that separates the Black Sea coast from the Anatolia region. One of the easiest visit to these mountains is the summer resort town of Ayder.

Ayder in the Kaçkar mountains

Misty day in Ayder

Ayder may be considered 'touristy' as many local tourists come over for weekend holidays, and for good reason. Surrounded by lush green forests, and cool mountain air, it is such a pleasant place for an outdoor break from the city. I visited just off-season, and there was virtually no crowd. However, it was very drizzly and very very misty, though it does give the place an idyllic charm.

There are plenty of hiking trails, streams and waterfalls in the region that cater to various levels of participation - from hiking daytrips to multi-day treks to Mt Kaçkar at almost 4000m. I had contemplated about a trekking trip to another village Yaylalar, reputed to be even prettier, but the weather was just not cooperative. I had to settle for simple hikes, which was really quite enjoyable as well. With the cool mountain air, I could also just relax in the many comfortable resort guesthouses and pansiyons (pensions).

Ayder can be reached by dolmush (minivan) from the town of Pazar. To Pazar, there are buses from the major towns like Trabzon and Rize, and even from Batumi Georgia, which was what I did! I had too much humid heat in the city, and Ayder provided much relief for me. For those who are traveling to eastern Turkey, and love mountain greenery, check out Ayder (and probably Yaylalar as well)!

Stolby Nature Reserve, Krasnoyarsk

For travellers planning their Trans-Siberian journey, here's a tip. Besides your obligatory stop at Lake Baikal, do check out Krasnoyarsk. Or more pointedly,  check out Stolby Nature Reserve, especially if you're doing it in autumn!

The Stolby Nature Reserve is set in a taiga forest, and amidst this forest, rock cliffs of various shapes and sizes rise up majestically. These rocks are called 'stolby' and hence its name. 'Stolby' is actually the plural for 'stolb' which is Russian for 'pillar'. Naturally, some of the more uniquely shaped or prominent rocks would have names bestowed upon them, like 'Grandmother', 'Grandfather' etc.

Aside from hikes and walks, many of the locals also come here for another sporting activity - rock climbing! In fact, it is a very popular spot for 'free climbing', both for leisure as well as for training! I was lucky that I befriended some Russians who guided and helped me with some climbing. And atop some of the high stolby, the views are just spectacular! In summer, the expanse would be undoubtedly a sea of green (which can be nice), but in autumn, the ocean of yellow, splashed with pockets of green is one of the more impressive autumn scenes I've seen! And I would love to witness what it's like in winter!!

The nature reserve can be reached via public bus number 50 from Krasnoyarsk city (but do confirm again as bus number routes can easily change). There is also a ski resort area easily accessible by bus (no. 37), but I hear that the stolby there are limited. So I highly recommend a visit to the Stolby Nature Reserve as one of your stops on the Trans-Siberian rail!