Croatia travel advice

• If you are camping or hiking in summer, be wary of ticks. Carry tweezers so you can remove carefully, apply a deterrent and then a reef-safe suncream afterwards.
• Tap water is top quality in Croatia, so you can ease off on the bottled stuff.
• A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows many European citizens to access Croatian public healthcare at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free. Extra insurance is always handy.
• Rabies can be found in dogs, bats, and other mammals in Croatia, so avoid touching animals.
• It gets seriously hot in summer, so ensure you stay hydrated and wear a hat. The wind is deceptive on the coast and some don’t realise how hot they are getting.

If you are sea kayaking or sailing, always wear a buoyancy aid and ensure it is fastened properly. Especially with children, who can slip out of them easily.

If you are hiking, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.

Since the end of the wars in 1995, there are still thousands of landmines in Croatia. Not in tourist areas, thankfully, and areas which are suspected to have mines are marked with mine warning signs. So, talk to a local if you are going off the beaten path.

Watch out for Bura wind warning signs, mostly in the Velebit area and in the winter months.

The coasts are very rocky, so rubber shoes are a must, and also carry antiseptic spray and plasters to the beach, as cuts do happen.

Expect adequate hotels rather than luxury. Take a travel kettle if you want an early morning cuppa – there was no tea or coffee making facilities in any of the rooms. – Nick Ward

Take time to explore the parts of Dubrovnik that the tourist masses miss – we loved the sudden quiet down at Pile bay, just metres from the noise and congestion of Pile Gate. – Sue McDonald

The only tip I would give is that the restaurants in the bay of Rukavac do not take credit cards, so we were unable to pay our restaurant bill the first night. Many places on Vis didn't take cards so you'll need to keep getting cash out. You also definitely need water shoes, as the beaches are mostly pebble. We used very high factor 50 'once' sunscreen on our upper bodies and none of us burnt. – Fiona Brenninkmeijer

Beware Hvar town is nightclub land. Seeing the town is a must but I think a stay at Starigrad town would have been better. – Sue Howles

My jaw dropped at the first view of Dubrovnik, but better was to come. The islands were absolutely beautiful, i.e. Korcula, Sipan and Mljet. But most of all I loved my experiences with the people of Croatia... they were honest, friendly, approachable and yet not in your face. I could not say enough about how much we enjoyed our experience. – Anne McCarthy