Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Croatia, visited by thousands of people each year. For that very reason, visiting the park can be trying one our nerves, especially in the high season (June to September) when the number of visitors, as well as the temperatures, are at their highest. It goes without saying that all visitors go to the park to relax and enjoy its beautiful and wild nature. Nevertheless, people sometimes tend to forget how to be responsible when they are spending time in nature. So, here are some things you should not do during your visit to Plitvice Lakes:
- Wear unsuitable clothes and shoes. We all want to look good on our social media content, but Plitvice Lakes is, first and foremost, an outdoor area with earthen, wooden, stone and water terrain. There is a lot of walking, and some hiking included, so comfortable shoes, at least, are a must.
- Sit or climb on railings — or behind them — especially above precipices. They are there for a reason — to ensure your safety. Let them do their job.
- Ignore warning panels in the park and choose just any place to take a photo without considering possible dangers (slippery rocks, precipices, edges of paths above the lakes, closed paths). Safety first!
- Ignore your guide’s warnings and recommendations, and stay too far behind or advance too far ahead of your group. Finding a lost person in the park can be complicated.
- Jump/swim in the lakes, dip your feet in them (especially with shoes on), or let your children or your four-legged friends play in the water. The Plitvice Lakes ecosystem is protected for a reason, and it is our responsibility to keep it safe, while still enjoying our time there. Swimming is strictly forbidden and punishable by law.
- Take the baby carriage with you in the park. Some parts of the terrain and paths are just not suitable for it, and you will have a hard time getting through. Also, you will prevent other visitors from enjoying their time in the park.
- Let you children climb the trees and tree roots, and hang from tree branches or climb the trees yourself. Those trees have been in the park for hundreds of years, and they have endured all kinds of weather, more or less successfully. Let us give our best to ensure they stay there so that our future generations can enjoy them, too.
- Feed the duck and the fish in the park. They have their own diet and find sufficient suitable food in their habitat.
- Throw coins into the lakes or carve your name(s) into the tree barks. The park’s ecosystem is beautiful, but fragile. Let’s preserve it instead of destroying it.
- Leave your trash and waste around the park. From empty water bottles to soaked-through baby carriages and suitcases – we have seen it all.
You might find some of these examples hard to believe, but they are situations my colleagues and I have experienced, or witnessed first-hand, during our guided tours of the Lakes. We love our job, nonetheless, and we want to make sure that you get the best possible experience during your visit, but we need you to do your part. Enjoy yourself, but remember to be responsible.
Welcome to Croatia! Have a great time!
