Bulgaria

FoxyVixen

Hope I've this in the right place.

Thinking of heading to Bulgaria for a week in August to Sunny Beach. Seem to have a decent hotel in mind which has plenty good reviews. Meridian hotel I think it's called. Few bad reports on it but if paying for the sun loungers at the pool is the only real bad report I can deal with that

Already have sourced Nesebar as a nice wee town to stroll through and it's nearby. Behind the hotel a bus runs there and it's only about 50c charge for the bus. There's a water park too nearby so that's another thing to check out.

I've heard of day trips running from Nesebar to Istanbul but haven't managed to get much info on it - things like cost, if it's by boat, how long in Istanbul, etc. Does anybody have any info on it at all?

Also any other things to see or do that ya might have found entertaing? I'm not the kind of person to sit about the pool all day and love photography so any ideas of anywhere cool to photograph or see. Oh and there's some Khan evening dinner where there's a Bulgarian dance or something with a four course meal and wine, anybody got any details of that?

So pretty much I've sourced fligths, hotel and water park details to my satisfaction. Anybody with anything to add on what would be nice to see and do about here would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance

double GG

Nessebar is well worth a visit. 50cent for the bus from Sunny Beach to Nessebar. Old traditional cobble like streets for most of it so bring appropriate footwear! Items and gifts bought in Nessebar tend to be cheaper than in Sunny Beach. I highly recommend a visit to Nessebar. Very historic city which is absolutely breath-taking. Some lovely restaurants there too.

The excursion to Istanbul is a bus ride. 6 hours on a bus may not be too appealing however. It costs around 70-100 euro for a 2day return including accommodation to Istanbul from Sunny Beach. I was tempted to go on it but didn't really fancy the 6 hours by bus

Here's a link to a website on excursions from Sunny Beach-http://www.bgholidayrentals.com/TripsExcursions.aspx?myPL=1&Page=100


http://www.beachbulgaria.com/sunnybeach/excursions.html (Day trip here)


However book at travel agents in Sunny Beach as you will get better prices.



You say you like photography, In Nessebar you will have some lovely old buildings to take pictures off, great coastlines, sun-sets. Look again at the excrsions and you will see some great monasteries etc. you can visit for some photographic memories of your visit.

I'm flying out again in August after spending the entire summer in Sunny Beach working last summer. Heading to Sofia for 3 weeks this summer but flying to Burgas and then busing to Sofia.

If you need any more info PM me or heck out my thread here- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68293969


I hope this helps somewhat.

Double GG

FoxyVixen

Thanks so much for that. Great website for the day trips, been having trouble locating things online. Harder country than I anticipated on for researching!!

Hoping to head in August myself. Ten days there should be more than enough

double GG

No problem glad I could help!

What date are you planning to fly on?

The Davestator

Sunny beach is a bit meh in my opinion, but the Khan dinner tent thing is actually good craic so you should try it.

enjoy.

Cookie33

only problem I found with Bulgaria was the taxi's, esp from the airport. Always get a price before you get in the car

Break all ties

Taxis should be metered if they are not, do not get in.

Sunny beach is just a place full of brits and russians and is a complete rip off place. There are much better places like Varna to go to.

irish_goat

Any tips for Sofia?

Break all ties

irish_goat wrote: »

Any tips for Sofia?

What do you want to know?

irish_goat

Nice bars to go to, museums, anything particularly worth seeing or whatever.

E.E.T

I'v been to Sofia for two days.
Nothing major going on to be honest.
We just strolled around the place each day looking at buildings/monuments Got a magners in the Irish bar to quench our thirst.
Footpaths are so dangerous..you actually have to look at where you're walking, kerbs crumbling/open man holes..crazy!
Then we got the train all the way over to the east coast..so warm in the trains, no air con! There were fields and fields full of sunflowers to look at however, ha.

double GG

E.E.T wrote: »

Got a magners in the Irish bar to quench our thirst.
.

Whereabouts is the Irish bar? Heading there for a few weeks in the summer so I wouldn't mind dropping in.

yerraya

Hi guys just a quick question on currency.....I'm heading tomorrow and have nothing sorted out!!!!! How easy/expensive will it be to change euros or should I try and get my hands on some Lev before I leave Ireland?

thanks!

Break all ties

Euros are universally accepted by hotels and many quote prices in Euros. They do this to try and rip people off as locals will always be quoted prices in Lev.

Euros can be easily exchanged at the airport and at exchange offices everywhere. The exchange rate is fixed at 1.95 Leva to the Euro. Make sure the rate is not far off of that. Do not accept any 50 or 100 Lev notes as these can be a bastard to get change for and they mark you out as a rich person and make you a target for robbers etc.

You won't find any Levs in Ireland. Don't waste any time looking.

yerraya

cheers thanks for the info...seems similar to Turkey so in respect to the currency. Best finish my packing! thanks again!

Dublinstiofán

Break all ties wrote: »

Euros are universally accepted by hotels and many quote prices in Euros. They do this to try and rip people off as locals will always be quoted prices in Lev.

Euros can be easily exchanged at the airport and at exchange offices everywhere. The exchange rate is fixed at 1.95 Leva to the Euro. Make sure the rate is not far off of that. Do not accept any 50 or 100 Lev notes as these can be a bastard to get change for and they mark you out as a rich person and make you a target for robbers etc.

You won't find any Levs in Ireland. Don't waste any time looking.

Euros are not universally accepted by hotels

The exchange rate is most commonly 1.91, any higher and your probably going to be ripped off. Be careful of dodgy change booths with 1.95 as they probably have 'buy 1.95' rather than 'sell 1.95'. Crown currency exchange are the safest and are situated on the main street.

Leva are available to order in Ulster Bank but the waiting time is a few days and the rate is usually not as good. Should get around 1.89 for ever euro.

Break all ties

Many hotels demand Euros when they figure out you are a foreigner. They are quite cheeky about it too. I tell them to feck off with themselves and ask for the rate in Levs as I throw my Bulgarian ID card on the counter. They soon back down and charge the correct local rate.

The exchange rate is fixed by the NBB and the ECB at 1.95 Lev to the Euro. If anyone says the rate changes daily they are pulling your leg. If you use your Irish ATM card to get Levs you will get the correct exchange rate of 1.95. Honestly I see no advantage obtaining Levs in advance as ATMs are very common here.

For the record, I live here full time and do not live in Sunny Beach or any similar tourist trap. I would recommend people see the real Bulgaria, the rural areas, the villages and not the those Black Sea eyesore resorts that everyone seems to go to.

RoyalMarine

feel terrible saying this after reading the thread,

me and a few mates are heading to sunny beach...

regular lad's holiday etc, any suggestions on things NOT to do?

ive travelled a lot, and im wise to most scams and shoddy tricks, but anything strongly suggested not to do or be aware of?

Break all ties

Beware of dodgy ATMs i.e. ones that are setup to steal your card details. All the rage in Sunny Beach these days.

Also be very careful of taxis. Make sure of the rate they charge before you get in. The proper rate is 0.60 Lev per KM. Some dodgy ones charge up to 6 Lev a KM. This is legal so long as they have the rate in the window. So if you get done you will have to pay up. If a taxi man wants Euros tell him to feck off and get another cab.

curry-muff

RoyalMarine wrote: »

feel terrible saying this after reading the thread,

me and a few mates are heading to sunny beach...

regular lad's holiday etc, any suggestions on things NOT to do?

ive travelled a lot, and im wise to most scams and shoddy tricks, but anything strongly suggested not to do or be aware of?

Im heading over on Monday myself, its not all doom and gloom though, this is the 'review' a friend of mine that was over 2 weeks ago gave:

your gonna have fun.


dont accept fruit from folks in the street they try to sell you fruit agressively after taste, theres loads of PR guys that dont take no for an answer, dont go on down to the beach by yourself after dark as youll get robbed. thats all the bad stuff

the good stuff is most places open till 5 and our hotel bar didnt shut at all the supermarkets are everywhere(like our express stores) and most are 24 hour, taxis are cheap dont pay more the 15 to 20 lev.

best bars are valhallah, viking club, mexo beach bar. most offer free shots to get a group in and at valhallah we got free beers with our meals and a free shot. its all on the strip so cant really get lost.

theres a few strip clubs the best one is go go girls its 10 lev for a dance or 40 for private dance or about 100lev for everything in a room round back. theres usaully a 10lev entry fee to some places but at viking for eaxmple 10lev in but free bar from 10-11 which just rocks. the food tends to be mainly chicken and pototoes kind of thing, they dont do pig well, they dont understand what bacon is.

theres loads of finish irish dutch and german girls there its great.

theres some intel if you want any more let me know

Anybody here got anything to add?

Break all ties

15 Lev for a taxi is daylight robbery. Unless you are travelling over 30km the fare should be no where near that. I can get a taxi to anywhere in the city here for 2 lev. 5 Lev will get me to the next village (8 km). Check the fare before you get in and you won't get done.

mantaraver

RoyalMarine wrote: »

feel terrible saying this after reading the thread,

me and a few mates are heading to sunny beach...

regular lad's holiday etc, any suggestions on things NOT to do?

ive travelled a lot, and im wise to most scams and shoddy tricks, but anything strongly suggested not to do or be aware of?

If you are walking later on at night, beware of the gypsy girls. Their usual M.O. is to crowd around a few guys with the pretence of offering a "good time" whilst giving you a grope with one hand and picking your pocket with the other.
I saw them comming and kept my hands firmly in my pockets while telling them to "feck off from about me". My mate wasn't so streetwise though and got robbed of his wallet. This happened right in the main strip with plenty of other people around but the girls dissapeer so quick, before you notice anything missing.

Other than that I find the place quite safe and friendly and I've been there half a dozen times over the last few years.

ps. re taxies. if you see a yellow merc cls AMG500 taxi driven by a local by the name of Joseff, don't get in it unless you like being driven by a feckin' looney that redlines the v8 in every gear and drifts around the roundabout sideways like he's Ken Block or something. Me, well I actually gave him a tip cos it was a wild ride and I enjoyed it. Besides, he had to have used up way more than the fare covered in petrol :rolleyes:

calex71

double GG wrote: »

Whereabouts is the Irish bar? Heading there for a few weeks in the summer so I wouldn't mind dropping in.

If you haven't gone already Flanigans is in the Radison Hotel right in the middle of the city, across the road from the big church and square (Sveta Nedelya church i think). It's ok.

JJ Murphys is on Karnigradska Ulica St, about a 5 minute walk from the other one if you are heading back towards the large park away from city center there.

Break all ties wrote: »

You won't find any Levs in Ireland. Don't waste any time looking.

Maybe 20 years ago, you will have no problem getting them these days once you don;t turn up to a bank expecting them to have them there and then. Most Bank Of Ireland branches will order them in for you.

You were absolutely correct re: 50's and 100's notes, the only place you would be able to change them is in the hotel, a cab driver would have a heart attack if you offered him one

Another tip re: Taxi's in Sofia is to use the "OK" cab company, they are yellow. But be very careful , check it has a meter and check it is actually an OK company taxi, as there are several operators with very similar looking cabs !!! And do not accept a cab offer in the arrivals area of the airport these are nearly all rip off merchants, there is a cab stand right outside the main exit from arrivals. Be prepared for a white knuckle ride, they drive like maniacs there :eek:

Nobody has mentioned the nodding for No and the shaking of the head for yes

If going out in Sofia head out to Studentski grad, not very good in summer as its very quiet but picks up once the students are back and there are a variety of good places to go out in , and being students most will have a good level of English I found, and were every willing to chat and curious about my Irishness

Break all ties

Hello again folks.

I don't live in the big cities, I live in Targovishte province and in some places you would have trouble getting change of a 20 Leva note. Seriously, it is a right pain in the arse. My heart sinks when the ATM gives me 50 Leva notes. The only place I can get rid of them is the big supermarkets.

calex71

Break all ties wrote: »

Hello again folks.

I don't live in the big cities, I live in Targovishte province and in some places you would have trouble getting change of a 20 Leva note. Seriously, it is a right pain in the arse. My heart sinks when the ATM gives me 50 Leva notes. The only place I can get rid of them is the big supermarkets.

Ha I know the feeling, I found after a month learning the hard way and getting 50's every second time it was better just not to request any amount that it was possible to get a 50 from, If all you wanted to buy was a snack or some smokes and a few bears in a smaller shop or worse still a kiosk you would be taking all their change, and would likely tell you no. 50 Leva goes a hell of a long way I found for ordinary day to day things. A lot further than 50 euro note goes back here thats for sure.

Targovishte town is nice, stopped off there once for a day once on my way to Shumen, god I'd kill for for a cold pint of Shumensko now