Jump to content

Bulgaria? Anyone been? Hints tips?

Recommended Posts

Anyone any advice on taking money? Hypothetically, lets say I wanted to spend £1,000 (unlikely, but it's a nice round figure)...How much Bulgarian Lev would I need to order here to take with me? Can my normal Visa debit card be used over there to withdraw money at ATM machines?...Is it even safe to use a local ATM?

 

Obviously I wouldn't want to be carrying too much actual cash around...

 

Anyone?

 

Why wouldn't it be safe to use a local ATM?,thousands of people use them everyday.Check with your card issuer and see what you will be charged to use your card abroad.

Exchange rate in SB might not be as high as in non tourist areas,but at the moment you can expect around 2.28 Lev to the pound.

As to how much to take with you,enough to see you for taxi fares from the airport and food and drink while you get your bearings as to where ATM is or use a bank,I would say 100 Lev to be on the safe side.

There are plenty of money exchanges that are not banks,but you have to find a reliable one,all the rates are displayed outside,but you might get a rip off one where they attempt to short change you,or have some small print that you are not aware of.

 

 

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g499086-i9527-Sunny_Beach_Burgas_Province.html

 

Have a look at the forum here,you might pick up a few tips from it.

Edited by chalga

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Pete I think you are worrying about safety unnecessarily. Yes be vigilant. No don't panic. The crime rate in Bulgarian resorts is probably less than Sheffield city centre.

 

Notify your bank. Take money out on a credit card if you are worried about people scamming or cloning the card (so it's the card companies money that goes missing not your bank accounts) and enjoy the holiday.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Pete I think you are worrying about safety unnecessarily. Yes be vigilant. No don't panic. The crime rate in Bulgarian resorts is probably less than Sheffield city centre.

 

Notify your bank. Take money out on a credit card if you are worried about people scamming or cloning the card (so it's the card companies money that goes missing not your bank accounts) and enjoy the holiday.

 

Yep, you're probably right...Maybe I'm just overthinking it.

 

I just checked with my bank, there's an online facility to let them know my travel plans...Just so they are aware....

 

---------- Post added 18-05-2017 at 10:53 ----------

 

Why wouldn't it be safe to use a local ATM?,thousands of people use them everyday.Check with your card issuer and see what you will be charged to use your card abroad.

Exchange rate in SB might not be as high as in non tourist areas,but at the moment you can expect around 2.28 Lev to the pound.

As to how much to take with you,enough to see you for taxi fares from the airport and food and drink while you get your bearings as to where ATM is or use a bank,I would say 100 Lev to be on the safe side.

There are plenty of money exchanges that are not banks,but you have to find a reliable one,all the rates are displayed outside,but you might get a rip off one where they attempt to short change you,or have some small print that you are not aware of.

 

 

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g499086-i9527-Sunny_Beach_Burgas_Province.html

 

Have a look at the forum here,you might pick up a few tips from it.

 

Thanks for the link Chalga...Some useful stuff on there...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We loved Bulgaria. The centre of SB is wild and very 18-30 but the outer edges are great. Really cheap food and drink and some lovely restaurants.

Also yes to St Vlas and Nessebar and our kids loved the water park.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sunny Beach is very Benidorm

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Make sure you read up on FCO advice on Sunny Beach.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bulgaria/safety-and-security

 

Thanks...But I did check the Government advice before I booked. Some of it 'sounds' a bit scary, but I'd say much of it would apply to any other destination.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2017 at 12:40 ----------

 

Sunny Beach is very Benidorm

 

Yes, I realise that, but only if you 'want' to get involved in the club 18-30 scene, and apparently there are alternatives...Which are a bit quieter.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2017 at 12:41 ----------

 

We loved Bulgaria. The centre of SB is wild and very 18-30 but the outer edges are great. Really cheap food and drink and some lovely restaurants.

Also yes to St Vlas and Nessebar and our kids loved the water park.

 

Yes virtually everyone advises a trip to Nessebar (supposed to be very pretty)...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks...But I did check the Government advice before I booked. Some of it 'sounds' a bit scary, but I'd say much of it would apply to any other destination.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2017 at 12:40 ----------

 

 

Yes, I realise that, but only if you 'want' to get involved in the club 18-30 scene, and apparently there are alternatives...Which are a bit quieter.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2017 at 12:41 ----------

 

 

Yes virtually everyone advises a trip to Nessebar (supposed to be very pretty)...

 

If you want to take the bus to get around,all your info is here:

 

http://www.sbavto.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45

 

Pomorie is a very nice traditional fishing village that doubles up as a resort as well,a lot quieter than SB and less crowded than Nessebur,it's worth a day trip and it's a very short bus ride away.

Edited by chalga

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
If you want to take the bus to get around,all your info is here:

 

http://www.sbavto.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45

 

Pomorie is a very nice traditional fishing village that doubles up as a resort as well,a lot quieter than SB and less crowded than Nessebur,it's worth a day trip and it's a very short bus ride away.

 

Ooooh...Thanks Chalga...Very useful...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have some friends who have a place in St Vlas and go regularly from photos it looks very nice and they say its very cheap to drink/eat.

 

They often have a trip to Sunny Beach but are never overly keen, it does sound a bit "Benidorm".

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I've booked a 7 day holiday in Bulgaria...With some trepidation.

 

I found a thread on here from 2008, saying it wasn't altogether that nice...But that was 9 years ago!

 

Does anyone have any more recent experience?

 

We've booked just B&B in a hotel in 'Sunny Beach'...How much is it to dine out?...How much are drinks?....

 

Any (apart from the obvious) Do's and Don'ts?

 

We came back last night Pete. Is that recent enough? :D

 

We have been going twice a year since 2004. We have seen a lot of changes during that time. We have been to Sunny Beach, stayed there once, stayed in Burgas (Bourgas) once but other than that in Sveti (St) Vlas. Vlas is the next place on to Sunny Beach. The two resorts are almost joined up now. They are chalk and cheese.

 

Sunny Beach isn't our cup of tea. Its far too commercialised and too many people pushing you to go in their places to eat. I would say its more for the party animal type people who like things very commercialised, noisy bars, strip clubs, night clubs. The noise ramps up after about 11pm and we can hear it in the distance until the early hours, sometimes as late as 5am!

 

Be careful Pete, we almost sat down in a road side bar before realising that specific one was a bit shady. Its price list was for services such as French kissing etc.

 

A lot of Brits like Sunny Beach, depends what you want out of a holiday.

 

The food is cheaper and more traditional in Vlas. There is a nice marina if you want to see how the other half live. The nest resort on from Vlas is Elenite. Both of these places attract rich Russians and Bulgarians. We found there were quite a few Polish in Vlas this year too.

 

---------- Post added 01-09-2017 at 10:47 ----------

 

I have some friends who have a place in St Vlas and go regularly from photos it looks very nice and they say its very cheap to drink/eat.

 

They often have a trip to Sunny Beach but are never overly keen, it does sound a bit "Benidorm".

 

You are correct there. Even the 'quieter' parts of Sunny Beach are very commercialised. The noise travels right round the bay, we can hear it from the ofther end of Vlas late night / early morning if we have our windows open or sit out on our balcony.

 

---------- Post added 01-09-2017 at 10:51 ----------

 

Take say £400 worth with you that you get from the PO - best rates that way. Draw the rest if faily large chunks from the cash machines so you minimise the transaction costs.

 

Romania and Bulgaria are both more cash oriented than we are so I wouldn't bet on having card accepted all places but I bet in a proper resort you just set a tab up on a card and settle it once a week or evening.

 

Do you mean withdraw with your regular ATM card? We use a Caxton card to be safer. We preload this with Sterling and withdraw at local ATMs. There are no annual charges for this, its the best we have found for Bulgaria. We need Euros to pay our bills but local currency Leva is used in the shops.

 

Most restaurants do accept debit or credit cards now, even the smaller ones but we prefer to use cash and the Caxton cards as an extra level of protection.

 

Edit - Pete, forgot to add that there is a sewage treatment plant in Vlas, just past the edge of the old boundary but the area beyond that is still called Vlas though. Its not far beyond the large complex called "The Garden of Eden". The area around there smells really bad from at least the end of May until mid September. I know which areas to avoid staying in if you need to ask.

Edited by Chez2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.