As a student, I am usually spending the dregs of my student loan to go on holiday in summer, often exploiting my overdraft.
My unstable financial situation makes it impossible for me to spend £80 for a 10 minute gondola ride in Venice, or £50 on a Segway tour round Budapest to get my kicks. Instead, I seek the adrenaline rush by finding the cheapest methods possible and I think I have found the best way.
All of my life, I have sought any apparatus that can be jumped off into water, whether it is a diving board, a cliff or a wall.
If it is a raised surface, you better believe I am flinging myself off it and because of this drive I have become quite the serial cliff jumper. Whilst this activity does not promise safety, it guarantees exhilaration and the best bit is, it is absolutely free! Whilst interrailing this past summer, I have discovered Europe’s cliff jumping utopia. Croatia’s rocky shoreline creates easily accessible platforms towering over deep enough water to safely plunge into, attracting fellow adrenaleurs. The three places I visited in Croatia: Split, Dubrovnik and Pula were all perfect for this risky sport.
First off: Split’s Park Marjan. This spot was just a 15-minute walk from the city centre and offers countless opportunities, of which are easy to get to and are relatively safe. It appeared to be a hub for both tourists and Croatian youths, as there was an amicable buzz from numerous speakers, each singing a different language. The only downside to this oasis of alcohol, potential friends and of course adrenaline was the jumps were limited to 5 metres, disallowing an escape too far out of my comfort zone.
Dubrovnik was our next destination, which provided another great spot for jumps. Outside the colossal palace walls, was the Buza Bar: a notorious colony of a few tables, a bar and some of the best cliffs to jump from I had ever come across. The biggest jump was the 10-metre rock, which after much-needed encouragement from my fellow customers, I conquered. My unprofessional landing caused a worthwhile bruise, which dominated my entire lower leg.
The combination of cheap booze and the feeling of seclusion, being on the literal edge of Dubrovnik, created an unforgettable experience and we stayed there until the sun had set.
Croatia’s paradisal cliff jumps hit a peak in our final destination: Pula, in Fižela. To find this hidden haven, we had to stray from the city centre, blindly walking for an hour, following instructions to a renowned rock jumping spot from a website. It was an incredibly isolated spot and to get to it we had to walk through forests, but it was absolutely worth it! There was a colourful array of wildlife, due to the limited human impact and the jumpable rocks all towered over caves that you could swim into. Therefore, if you are looking for an adrenaline packed getaway on a budget, Croatia should be first on your list, starting with these three locations.
