Everything You Need to Know About Travel Safety in Montenegro: Theft, Scams, Police, and More. Find out what to watch out for as a tourist in Montenegro—pickpocketing, scams, police presence, and other important safety aspects. Learn what to avoid and where to be more cautious. But don’t worry! To put it simply, Montenegro is a very safe country. However, being aware of certain things is always a good idea. As the saying goes, “Forewarned is forearmed,” and that’s more than enough when it comes to Montenegro.
Table of contents:
- Safety in Montenegro: General Tips for tourists
- Theft, Pickpocketing, Car Break-ins, and Minor Offenses
- Police in Montenegro
- Potential Dangers: Snakes, Sharks, Jellyfish, and More
It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Montenegro without these websites
Travel safety in Montenegro: general points
Montenegro is not like some African or Latin American countries. It’s not even Paris or Milan, where illegal vendors openly sell drugs in city centers while the police turn a blind eye. Here, things are much better and significantly safer.
So, let’s go over the key points about tourist safety in Montenegro—you’ll quickly get the picture:
✅ There are virtually no illegal immigrants or refugees in Montenegro. Since it’s not part of the EU or the Schengen Zone, it’s simply not a desirable destination for them.
💡 Curious why Montenegro isn’t in the EU, Eurozone, or Schengen, yet still uses the Euro as its currency? Find out more here!
✅ No one will approach you on the main square in the evening trying to sell you anything suspicious—there’s simply no such scene here. You’ll also rarely see homeless people or individuals with antisocial behavior.
✅ You can safely walk in any neighborhood at any time of day or night. Occasional scuffles between local youths happen, but they never involve tourists. Montenegrins are generally very welcoming to visitors.
✅ Locals love children.
✅ Montenegrins are known for being calm and non-confrontational. It’s part of their national character. You’ll never see a Montenegrin raising their voice at a stranger—whether it’s a cashier, waiter, or passerby.
Theft, Pickpocketing, Car Break-ins, and Minor Offenses
In this regard, Montenegro is doing very well. No one will smash your rental car window for €2 left in the dashboard—unlike what happened to us in Barcelona. The chances of your belongings being stolen from the beach are close to zero.
That said, like anywhere in the world—especially during peak season—there are some petty thieves around. They typically target careless tourists who don’t keep an eye on their belongings.
Everything about the weather and the high season in Montenegro.
Essential Tips to Save Money and Avoid Trouble:
- Avoid flashing large sums of cash in public.
- Don’t leave your belongings unattended on the beach for hours. Keep an eye on them from time to time.
- If parking your car—even in a paid parking lot—store valuables like laptops, cameras, and bags in the trunk.
Important:
Simply following basic safety precautions is more than enough. The worst that might happen is being overcharged by €1–2 at a market or not getting €1 in change.
Police in Montenegro
To keep it brief (since you can find more details on police, traffic rules, and parking in our car rental guide), here are the essentials:
- There are relatively few traffic police officers in Montenegro.
- There are barely any speed cameras—only four in the entire country.
- Police checkpoints are rare, and random stops are even rarer.
- However, if you do get stopped, be aware that speeding fines start at €60.
Tip:
Always be polite and smile when dealing with Montenegrin police—they will respond in kind. There’s no corruption or tourist scams like you might experience elsewhere.
Montenegrin police are not particularly corrupt. If you’re stopped for a traffic violation, never attempt to offer a bribe. At most, you can express that the fine seems high and observe their reaction—sometimes they might lower it to €20 and let you go, but not always. It’s best to simply follow the rules.
Potential Dangers in Montenegro: Snakes, Sharks, Jellyfish, and More
Now that we’ve covered safety, let’s briefly discuss natural hazards in Montenegro—both in the mountains and in the sea.
Snakes – There are a few snake species in Montenegro, with only two being venomous. However, encounters are extremely rare. Only a handful of snakebite cases occur each year, and those happen far up in the mountains.
Wildlife – There are no large predators in Montenegro, apart from a few foxes and some bears in remote areas. However, tourists almost never encounter them.
Sharks – Yes, there are some small, non-dangerous sharks in Montenegrin waters, but they live at depths of 20–30 meters and far from the shore. You might spot them while diving.
Jellyfish & Sea Urchins – They don’t pose a major issue. Sea urchins are only found on very wild beaches, while jellyfish appear in Montenegrin waters for just a couple of weeks a year, depending on the weather and season.
💡 More on Travel Trends and Vacation Tips for Montenegro Here!
Final Thoughts
Montenegro offers a very high level of safety for tourists—higher than in many European cities. The police are there to help rather than hassle visitors, and while petty theft and minor scams exist, they are rare. A little attentiveness and common sense will keep you out of trouble.
Enjoy your trip to Montenegro, and stay safe!
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Montenegro
- WayAway: Cheap flights and best deals.
- Car rental in Montenegro:
- LocalRent – works with local rental companies. Leader in car rental in Montenegro.
- DiscoverCars – a large international platform.
- Budget-friendly vacation packages to Montenegro: CheapOair.
- Hotels and apartments all over the country:
- Trip.com – the most popular accommodation booking platform
- TripAdvisor compares the prices among dozens of other booking services and offer the best price
- Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
- GetYourGuide – more than 800 tours
- Viator – 1000+ excursions and activities throughout the country
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo eSIM in Montenegro
- Drimsim – universal sim card for frequent traveler
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel