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Authored by Ashwini Neetan

Every time I pulled open that drawer, it would remind me of my dreams and goals. There was something in that drawer that would fire up a series of thoughts.

Back here in India, we have a habit of lining the wardrobes and drawers with old newspapers. The newspaper in that drawer would work me up every time I saw it.

It had a picture of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia with a caption ‘One of the world’s best waterfalls’. And every time I saw that picture, butterflies would fly in my stomach. Slowly, as the days passed, visiting Plitvice Lakes became my number one travel goal.

Paulo Coelho in ‘The Alchemist’ says – “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

And thus all the universe conspired me to visit Croatia on my first ever trip to Europe. And needless to say, the visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park was the highlight of the trip. I fell deeply and madly in love with Plitvice and I’m certain you will too. But in the absence of old newspaper in your sock drawer, I’ve put together 10 reasons to convince you.

10 Reasons to Visit Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

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Meet a Waterfall at Every Turn

16 cascading lakes come together to form a place so unique and gorgeous that it almost looks like heaven on Earth. These lakes are known for their cascades and the ongoing biodynamic process of Tufa, or Travertine formation, which only occurs under specific ecological and hydrological conditions.

This travertine formation is prominent in Plitvice Lakes National Park and is a constant process, so is happening even as you stroll through the National Park. It makes the soil underneath very vulnerable which creates numerous waterfalls as it flows down the path. So you’re likely to meet a waterfall at every turn!

See Waterfalls of Every Size

Plitvice is exclusive because it nests not one waterfall but a whole range of waterfalls – of various sizes and of various heights. Again, Travertine formation is one the reason for this and the other one being Plitvice’s huge sprawl of area – a massive 72,800 acres!

There are a series of small waterfalls next to the rickety wooden paths that leads you to ‘Veliki Slap’, the biggest waterfall in Plitvice. Plitvice is divided into upper lakes and lower lakes. While the lower lakes have small patches of large number of waterfalls here and there, the upper lakes consist of huge stretch of lakes that cascade down into a wonderland.

Go to Plitvice to see not one but many waterfalls.

10 Reasons to Visit Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Witness Various Hues of Blue and Green

Tranquillity reigns at Plitvice. This is a place with dreamy lakes, plump forests, mesmerising waterfalls and serene environs.

Crowds don’t deter the charm of Plitvice, but what is more surprising is the colour of the water here. As many shades as you can name you’ll find here; azure, turquoise, cyan, electric, turquoise and many more.

Get Lost in Paradise

Plitvice is a hikers paradise, with 2 entrances and 8 paths to trek. Figuring out which path to take can be a bit tricky. But jump over to this page for a perfect guide to exploring Plitvice Lakes.

Whichever path you take, you’re sure to be amazed. Apart from the standard trekking paths, there are numerous paths that vanish into woods, and those that vanish at the edge of the track (though it’s not advisable to continue hiking after the path ends!)

Plitvice National Park

Plitvice National Park

To Be Jealous of the Fish

In some parts of Plitvice, the water is so transparent and clear that the life underneath is visible to naked eye. With water as clear as crystal glass, even the scales of small fish can be seen evidently.

That these fish swim in such pure water is enough to make any one jealous. Especially as swimming for human beings is prohibited here!

This rule is an attempt to save the rich marine life of Plitvice which is home to many species of water creatures. If you really want to swim in a similar ambience, then do take a trip to Krka National Park, the little sister of Plitvice Lakes.

See Nature Bounce Back

In the early 1990’s, Plitvice Lakes National Park and the surrounding area was the target of the Yugoslav wars. This sad incident severely altered the ecological balance in Plitvice Lakes leading UNESCO to add Plitvice Lakes to the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Later, when the war ended, Croatian government took special care to bring Plitvice back to its earlier state. This move made Plitvice to bounce back to glory and in 1998, it was removed from the list of endangered sites. It is quite incredible to witness how nature manages to find its way amidst man’s selfish deeds!

10 Reasons to Visit Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Plitvice National Park

Flora and Fauna

Another striking thing about Plitvice is its huge forest bank. The thick vegetation is home to various endangered and rare species of flora and fauna. Birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, mammals and numerous species of plants – all live in perfect harmony in Plitvice.

Some of the uncommon species of Flora and Fauna found in Plitvice include the Siberian Leopard plant, the common sundew, butterwort, bladderwort, brown bear, zooplankton, hedgehogs and dormouse – to name a few.

Go to Plitvice to find rare flora and fauna nestled in the deep woods.

An Experience to Last a Lifetime

Often appearing in the list of top 10 waterfalls to see in a lifetime, Plitvice deserves every bit of attention. Undeterred by the tourism haul, Plitvice retains its virginity amidst the crowds that flock here in every season.

The ground staff do an amazing job of keeping the National Park clean and organised. A visit to Plitvice is like a hangover you can’t get rid off. Go to Plitvice to have an experience that lasts for a lifetime and beyond!

Plitvice National Park

The Drive is Mesmerizing

If anything can give offer stiff competition to the beauty of Plitvice, it’s the drive there. It was drizzling when we drove to Plitvice that made the experience even better.

Large stretches of tiny flowers with yellow and purple colors were heavily sprinkled across the fields that never seem to end. The roads that snake in between the thick woods with electric green leaves together with the splatter of raindrops hitting the windows made a heavenly drive to Plitvice.

Go to Plitvice to drive one of the beautiful stretch of roads in the world.

Ever Beautiful Throughout the Seasons

Plitvice is ever beautiful, though changes its looks for every season. If the Autumn colors of the foliage in Plitvice entice the eyes, the cheerful green vegetation of the Spring invites for a treat.

While Autumn and Spring boast off their beauty in glory, Winter doesn’t hold back and shows off its frozen lakes and waterfalls while trees are covered with fresh snowfall. Go to Plitvice to come back again!

Now that you are impressed with Plitvice Lakes National Park, get to work and book your next flight to Croatia!

CAMERA GEAR WE RECOMMEND FOR SHOOTING WATERFALLS ↓

Nikon D5300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 12MP Digital Camera

ZoMei Z818 Light Weight Heavy Duty Portable Travel Tripod

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Ashwini and Neetan are a wanderlust bitten couple who love to crunch miles through their road trips. For them, traveling is not just about seeing a place like a tourist, it is about feeling and experiencing it like a traveler. Experiences are what they vouch for and swear by.

On Hopping Miles, they share their itineraries, experiences, know-hows, what to and what not to do, those little secrets and everything else that can save you a fortune! They hop to places unseen and you too are bound to hop with them.

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    38 Comments

  1. Cool! Man, those waterfalls look incredible and with what sounds like a beautiful drive getting there doesn’t sound too bad either. Now… getting to Croatia from Montana is a different story.

    • Definitely! The whole experience from start to finish sounds amazing, even before you arrive! With every guest post I publish my bucketlist seems to grow longer too :D!

  2. I’ve never been to Croatia – OK, I’m lying, I was there, but only by car, on the highway, on the route to another country. I have so many places I want to visit there, and Plitvice Lakes is on the top of my list. It is simply spectacular!

    • Hope you have the chance to head back soon! Definitely a country which requires some dedicated itinerary time :D

  3. The views are stunning! Love your reference to the alchemist, it’s one of my favorite books.I hope to visit Croatia soon.

    • Aren’t they just!! Hope you have the chance to visit soon :)

  4. Wow! I’ve never heard of Plitvice and now, I know I must go! While I know I must make my way to Europe soon, I don’t know when I’ll get to Croatia. Maybe sooner than I think!

    • So glad that we could collaborate with Ashwini to introduce you! Croatia should definitely be on the Europe list :) Happy travels!

  5. Awesome!! I’m planing a trip in Europe for the summer and I was looking for countries to visit!! Croatia is now on my must see list, I loved the pictures and would definitely visit the Plitvice Lakes, the waterfalls look amazing!! Also thanks for the advice on camaras… I always take pics with my iphone so I need to upgrade to something more professional so will have a look at the Nikon D5300! :D

    • Glad we could collaborate with Ashwini to inspire you Pily! Croatia is a beautiful country, I know you’ll have a great time!

      iPhones do take great photos nowdays, I’m amazed by the quality of the camera in the most recent smart phones. But yes, if you’re looking to upgrade to a DSLR we use the Nikon D5300 and it’s a great entry level camera I can personally recommend :)

      Have a great time in Europe! (and at Plitvice :D!)

  6. I’m so impressed that you made your dream trip after being inspired by a newspaper; I may have to try you draw-lining technique. I’ve been wanting to visit Croatia and now I have another reason to go. The waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes look absolutely stunning and I love the winding boardwalks. Great pics too!

    • The draw lining is a pretty great technique right! No better way to inspire a trip than to stare at a photo of paradise each day!

      Hope you have the chance to visit Croatia soon :)

  7. Plitvice National Park has long been on my wishlist too. The color of the water is just mesmerizing.

    • Isn’t the color just incredible! Screams paradise!! Hope you have the opportunity to visit soon :)

  8. My husband traveled to Croatia for work and I was able to join him for a few days. Plitvice Lakes was the highlight of the trip. We couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. It was almost more than we could take in. Highly recommend.

    • Fantastic Lisa! I can’t wait to travel myself, with every guest post we publish our list grows that little bit longer!! So glad you had a fabulous time too :)

  9. Croatia has no dearth for beautiful nature wonders and Plitvice Lakes National Park is no exception. The abundance of flora and fauna and those hues of water makes it a traveler’s paradise. It is high on our list too though we do not have a newspaper to remind us of it. :)

    • Hope you have the chance to travel soon! I agree, it’s one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Europe, an incredible representation of Mother Nature’s work :)

  10. Your photos are so beautifully captured. I really love this kind of scenery with water and mountain at the backdrop!

    • So glad you enjoyed the post Chloe :) Ashwini has a wonderful way with both photos and words!!

  11. Wow, my jaw literally dropped when I saw your photos! I am now putting this on my list to visit. It is totally amazing view, indeed it is a oaradise! Thank you for sharing!

    • It has that effect doesn’t it! And I’m sure the photos are only a fraction of how beautiful it is in person! :)

  12. Great view and sceneries and seems there are a lot of things to see for one trip to the waterfalls. Thanks for introducing this place to us and hopefully I will be visiting there soon. @ knycx.journeying

    • Glad you enjoyed the post Kenny … definitely a lot to see for a trip to the waterfalls! Hope you have the chance to travel soon :)

  13. These photos are beautiful! Makes me want to go there! I hope I get invited to speak there!

    • Aren’t they! Ashwini took some incredible shots!

  14. I love Plitvice Lakes! But your photos definitely look a lot better than mine. I really want to return during the autumn/winter and see the whole thing in the different colors. Lovely blog.

    • One of those destinations where you could definitely plan return trips to experience the differences of season. So glad you enjoyed the post Anf! Thanks for stopping by the blog :)

  15. How lucky you are to have visited this beautiful place. All from a newspaper article! Life is a thread, and we never know who pulls it or from which direction.
    Amazing.

    • Absolutely agree Cheryl, it’s incredible to think back to the small things, like Ashwini’s newspaper article, which have such a profound affect on our lives :)

  16. I have never seen lake like this.This one is amazing, can’t express my feelings . Very thanks for sharing this.

    • So lad we could introduce you John :) I hope you have the opportunity to visit Croatia soon!

  17. I’ve visited Croatia 9 times – and Plitvice 5 times. I still hope to visit at least one time more in my life.
    It’s simply beautiful, and I call it “Heaven on Earth”!

    • Wow, awesome Soren! It’s definitely one of those places you can just keep returning to time and time again – I hope you do have the opportunity to visit again :)

  18. I would love to visit Croatia one day and see Plitvice Falls. They look so beautiful. Thank you for sharing the info and the great pictures. Happy travels.

    • So glad you enjoyed the post Samantha :) Hope you have the opportunity to visit at some stage soon!

  19. I was fortunate to visit them 4-5 years ago and loved them. Though to be honest, Niagara Falls are my favourite

    • Fabulous that you’ve had the opportunity to visit both! Glad to hear you enjoyed your time in Croatia – yes, Niagara is pretty special too though :)

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