Montenegro is in the South-Western corner of the former Yugoslavia occupying just 13,812-sq-km of land (smaller than Yorkshire) directly north of Albania. Among the strange but true facts about the place is that its people are apparently renowned for their striking looks - they are the second tallest people in the world - only secondary in height to the warriors of a particular African tribe its said.

Montenegro is a small country but it blends both scenic coast-line with some spectacular inland sights including the Moraca and Tara (said to be the second largest in the world) canyons which can be reached via a scenic railway which runs up to the Moraca Canyon and beyond.

Wonderful as its inland sights are, it is largely to the coast that visitors and property buyers are beginning to visit. At one time it was the endless hordes of Serbians that made their way from Belgrade to the coast in summer but now places like the Bay of Kotor, Budva and Petrovac are hosting a new crop of visitors - `westerners' -keen to enjoy the sights and stretch out willy nilly. Well, Yugoslavia was one of the first places in Europe to have a nudist beach apparently. [You can find nudist beaches in Ulcinj (at Ada Bojana) and near Budva (part of Jaz beach)].

But I digress. The coast is littered with mesmeric places to visit or live. Among them is Petrovac - an old fishing village with a small harbour, surrounded by olive trees, pine forests and vineyards. Along the coast is the Bay of Kotor, lined with numerous beaches and a few historical sites - including Risan with its fortness, the Island of Flowers near Tivat and the monastries of Petrovac.

If you follow the coast down you come to the Ulcinj, the most southerly town on the Montenegrin coast. A town with quite an interesting past. It was once a powerful pirate centre, gaining notoriety as a base for North African pirates from 1571 to 1878. There was even a slave market from which few resident black families are descended. Now its an interesting place to visit with historic ramparts that overlook the sea.

The travel and tourist industry is booming, with enormous growth in recent years. With property prices seemingly reasonably at the moment perhaps this is a place worth considering investing, or visiting.

Ask a Professional

It pays to be skeptical at all times when investigating purchasing a property abroad - get a keen eye for spotting whether people or articles are as independent as they may claim.

There may be investment prospects in Montenegro, but it is essential that you seek independent expert professional advice before undertaking any property purchase. There are lots of things to bear in mind, including local laws and regulations, taxes, surveyor's assessments of the building, financial currency exchange, dealing with interbank transfers, volatility of the housing market, etc. etc. In some countries there are various restrictions on foreigners owning land or property, so this needs to be checked out fully. Any property purchase is a major undertaking.

Surge in Interest