Who could give me info about these two countries? Where and how did you manage to camp?? Special difficulties? Unsafe places? Can we get the visa for moldavia on the border? Is it a country you would recommend in term of landscapes, nice contact with locals, security on the road and possibility to camp (or find cheap accomodations)? Is there anybody who crossed it during wînter time and could give me his feeling?

Bonjour Dimitri,

in September I biked across the Carpats to Chisinau, and I love to stay outside. Usually in a sleeping bag only, without tent. Both Romania and Moldova are settled unlike our western countries - there the houses often are scattered throughout the landscape, making a comfortable night's rest absent of neighbors difficult to find.

Security was never a problem with me, locals generally are very friendly and helpful (f.ex. when you need to find water or bread), only the car traffic was awful, very awful, and always awful.

The Moldova visa I recommend you to apply for at your consulate at home. This is easy and fast and many questions at the borders are avoided. Quite sometimes some eager MD customs official - usually male - tries to find out what you have to declare. A convenient way to speed this up is to have a 10 euro note at hand... the females are more honest, it appeared to me.

Have fun, some places there are absolutely wonderful.

Best regards,
roland.

Hi Dimitri,

we did a 3-weeks-Tour in Romania this Summer. Especially the north and north-east is very recommendable. The Maramures and Moldovia Region are very interesting and you can get in contact with many friendly people. We met lots of people who spoke German even outside the part of Romania where the former Germans live.
Camping is no problem but at the touristic places you will find cheap guest houses. The meals they serve you there are very good and cheap. I can give you details of the route, but i think you will find much more beautiful places to go on the internet.

Greetings, Daniel

Hi dimitri,
I am from Iasi, Romania, this is a 350.000 people city in NE, near the Moldavian border.
First I have to say that in Romania the roads are not so good. Always take care, you might get surprises even on the roads you might think are in a good state.
The drivers are not so polite like in Germany.
The people are generaly friendly, you will get help for sure. English is well known in cities, hungarian and deutch in some areas (north, center, west), and italian and spanish as a result of many people working in that countries.
Campings are not expensive, but the conditions are a not so good. Anyway, a biker should be prepared for wildness, so this should not be a big problem.
You have to take care of your bike especialy in big cities.
If you camp in wildness, in a forest are in some free place, do not leave your things unguarded.
I recomand you all the mountain areas. Ask me for any details if you plan a certain route.
Good luck, if you pass around Iasi, buzz me!
Lulu

Hello Dimitri!
I don´t know, you´re still searching for any information about romania? So I´ll write not any more now, but it is possible for me, to give you more tips, if you want.
Have a look on this page , there is also an english version, but these part ist not on time (we haven´t the time to make the english part better, sorry).
We could offer also a special bicycle map, with the official bicycle route network, for "normal" bikers, and also for mountainbiker.
Good luck for your trip through romania and have attention for the vampires!

Hey

I was in Moldova in 2004. You can watch fotos in www.rower.fan.pl (enter Moldawia 2004, extra photos are in link GALERIA in Moldavia2004 page). We entered Moldavia from north, next to Soroca (castle, this is popular Gypsies city), Soldanesti, Rezina. Moldavia is one of the poorest country in Europe so prices are very friendly. It is hard to find a forest to camp a tent. One time we met a "friend" in forest.
Next we entered Pridniestrovie ( Pridniestrovie propaganda site ). This sepratistic region is highly corrupted aand is under russian influence. You must register on police every day. There was a home war in Moldavia (1991) and Pridniestrovie leaved Moldavia.
Next we went to (Ukraine) Bielhorod Dniestrovski and lovely city Izmail.
I thin monasterys in central Moldova are the most intresting places to visit and also wine making workshops. I suggest 1,5inch tires.

Hi,

I was in Romania in 2004 summer. I crossed the country from west (Arad) to the east (Constanza) and then continued to Bulgaria.
Romania was always safe exept crazy drivers on main roads.
So I would advise you to choose smaller streets although there are many potholes and it can be a bumpy ride.

Especial the carpat mountains and the region around Medias, Brasov and Sibiu is great.

I used the reise know how map from "world mapping project. see www.reise-know-how.de

it is detailed and correct.

People where very friendly and helpful.

for any specific question just ask.

Felix