Plitvicka Jezera National Park Off The Beaten Path

Easter 1991 was the "Bloody Easter" in Croatia, and is usually referred to as the start of the war in Croatia in the 1990s.

On Easter morning, March 31st 1991 a bus of Croatian policemen was sent to deal with Serbian rebelion in Knin. It was here in Plitvice where they were caught in fire and it was here where the first causalty fell. Josip Jovic was 22-years old policeman killed on this spot, and what will follow is five years of Serbian rebellion that caused thousands of killed, thousands refugees, hundreds of destroyed towns and villages and five years of broken communications, including this road.

For five years Plitvice lakes were occupied, and what was found afterwards were destroyed hotels and doubts about possible landmines. No mines were found, but all paths had to be examined centimeter by centimeter and in fact there are still some paths that are not opened because the Park authority wants to be sure they are OK.

At the place where Josip Jovic was killed, next to the Entrance 2, a small monuments is erected to the memory of the first victim of war in Croatia.

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The last time I have visited this spot (this picture is from April 2003) there was a plenty of water creating huge and very noisy "water-curtain".
I am regularly visiting Plitvice, at least two or three times each year.

Returning from the main waterfall, the path gets to its narrowest, and stunned by the beauty of what you saw, if you will keep turning back the head to the big waterfall, you might get distracted and put your foot wrong and possible slip. I saw one female tourist doing that and being caught by the hand in time.

I know this tip shoul have been placed in the Warning and Dangers area, but because it would have been the only one I guess it wouldn't been visited.

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This is Burget again, a part of the Upper Lakes. Take your time here and explore it well because it worth to see the combination of still water, stunning cascades and thundering waterfalls. There are many wooden paths in this part of the Park, any one you choose it lead you in the right direction..

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The colour of the water and the plants at the lower part of Sastavci are just amazing. One should come here again and again traying to take the morning and afternoon pictures under the different daily light.

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The picture of the lower part of the Burgeti taken from the boat in approaching the Upper Lakes area. The very attractive area of Burgeti belongs to the Gradinsko Lake, in fact it is a complex of numerous waterfalls and cascades

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The area of Burget, which is situated in between Kozjak and Gradinsko lakes, is probably the most beautiful part of National Park. It certainly is to me. There are plenty of stunning cascades in this area.

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When visiting Plitvice, I never follow the crowd guided by local cicerones. I find it unappropriate way to explore this natural beauty. Usually, the cicerones have to make the tour of the lakes running from one spot to another, on the other hand, I like to take my time and stop frequantly.