Enjoy a trouble-free summer music festival season in Montenegro
Read our essential advice for festival goers this year - how to stay safe so you can have a good time.
Montenegro is a popular music festival destination. Southern Soul Festival is a boutique festival in Ulcinj and Sea Dance Festival is the coastal sister of EXIT music festival in Budva, organised this year from 26 June to 2 July and from 30 August to 1 September 2019 respectively. Other music festivals run from June to September throughout Montenegro.
Whilst the majority of thousands of British festival goers have a great time in Montenegro with no problems, some might require assistance from Embassy’s consular section.
Getting a replacement passport from us, if yours got lost, damaged or stolen, is not the kind of trouble you wish to deal with when you come to the seaside to enjoy a festival. Replacing can be a hassle. It means reporting the loss to the police, it is expensive and could mean you might miss some on the festival events. So take care of your belongings, but first read the top 10 summer travel tips and pieces of advice below:
Before you set off for Montenegro, do these six simple things:
- get travel insurance and check what it covers – European health insurance is not valid in Montenegro
- leave a photocopy of your passport with your family in the UK
- fill in the last page of your passport with your emergency contacts
- check with the festival organisers if you can pre-book a safety locker at the festival
- check our travel advice page
- follow us on Facebook and Twitter
When you arrive, make sure you:
- register with the police, local tourist organisation or accommodation provider within 24 hours of arriving
- keep your valuables safe – do not leave your belongings unattended and lock them away if you have the possibility to do so
- carry a photocopy of your passport with you and leave the original locked away
- be extra careful in large crowds, keep your cash in a zipped pocket or bag
- have one of your cash cards and some cash separate from the rest of your valuables just in case
- do not get involved in any way with drugs as penalties are high in Montenegro
- follow the instructions of the event organisers and the Montenegrin Police whenever necessary
- temperatures in Montenegro can be high, so take extra care, especially if swimming under the influence of alcohol
After it’s over, continue to be vigilant:
- bear in mind you will be tired, which makes you less cautious
- don’t fall asleep on the beach if you have your valuables on you. Crime levels are low, but street crime can sometimes occur, particularly in larger towns. Watch out for pickpockets in public places like tourist hot spots, beaches, airports and on public transport
- local traffic around the festival location will be overcrowded, so give yourself plenty of time to get back to the airport or to get to your bus or train
If something goes wrong:
- you can always reach the local emergency services (ambulance, police, fire brigade) by calling 112 from any mobile or landline
- the Embassy is available to offer help and support, especially if you have been hospitalised, arrested or are a victim of crime. Read about what we can and cannot do to assist you. You can always call us on +382 (0)20 420 100 if you need help, advice or an Emergency Passport. Our full contact details are on the GOV.UK website, directions to the Embassy can be found using the Google map
- don’t forget that the festival organisers can also support you. Go to one of the information points at the campsite. For more information on the festival itself, visit their website
Further information
For further guidance on overseas travel visit FCO’s travel advice for British nationals and our services page.
Updates to this page
Published 1 June 2015Last updated 24 June 2019 + show all updates
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Update of festival related information, including dates and location.
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Updated information about the festivals and Embassy's contact details.
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Minor update of content and dates of festivals.
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Minor update of content and dates of festivals.
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First published.