Moldova / Republica Moldova – Let’s explore here

Moldova is a small, landlocked, hilly country close to the Black Sea. The rolling hills are often forested, and you get some wonderful views across the valleys when travelling through the country. The highest point is Bălănești Hill, in the west of the country, at 1,410 ft (430m) above sea level.

Formerly part of Romania until the 1990s, its neighbours are Romania and Ukraine. To the East of the country lies the [unrecognised] breakaway region of Transnistria (whose self-proclaimed capital is Tiraspol). The Capital of Moldova, and its largest city is Chișinău [Kee-sheen-ow].

It’s an outrageously friendly place that is definitely worth a visit, in particular the capital!

Current travels

We’ve created a blog for our visit to Moldova. You may find it helpful, and you may pick up some tips, or more likely mistakes not to make that we’ve made 😉

On our current road trip we travelled from Bucharest in Romania up the outrageously dangerous number 2 road, to Chișinău. We stayed a couple of nights in a fantastic hotel in the capital, using it as a base to explore more of Moldova, including Transnistria, before heading back into to Romania – due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

The people of Moldova are, like so many others that we’ve met on this fantastic journey, really friendly, and only too willing to help. They are also very different from those we met in Romania, especially in looks! The different really is stark!

We learned an enormous amount about this intriguing and beautiful country, and the breakaway region Transnistria. In the former, they appear very Western European in their looks, attitudes and culture. In the latter, many wear soldiers’ uniforms, and things appear very much like they did when I visited the USSR in the 1980s -aside from the Western shops and the Western clothing fashion. There are even loads of ancient Lada cars still roaming about along with the ancient farm traffic!

It also appears that Moldova wants to be part of the EU, whereas Transnistria wants to be allied with Russia – they speak Russian, and they used an unrecognised currency named the Rouble.

There clearly are large differences between the two separate regions that are yet to be resolved.

What’s it like to drive in Moldova?

On our visit the number of cars on the country roads was sparse. Many cars tended to speed and overtake wildly – funnily enough, just like in Romania. In the capital, life is very much laid back, and traffic was easy to navigate getting in to the capital on a late afternoon.

However each morning it was absolute mayhem! Akin to London rush-hour traffic really – I learned to drive in London, and I would say that it’s only because of that fact and the fact that I was willing to be bolshy, and eager to make eye contact with all cars around me, that I could traverse the roundabout chaos getting in and out of the city. Most unanticipated! There’s simply far too many cars for the road network in the capital.

Outside of the capital though, due to the small-ish size of the population, we found that traffic jams were few.

What’s it like to drive in (the unrecognised country) Transnistria?

In Transnistria, we found that there were are fewer cars and no parking charges – you could literally park in the city centre with no issues at all. There was virtually no traffic.

Getting into the area though was a bit of a farce, as there are border points and customs – on the Transnistrian side only – the Moldovans just wave you through or literally ignore you! We were made to hand over our passports and car documents, which they then returned along with an immigration slip and car registration form. We were asked to pay €5 for the privilege. However, considering the lack of parking costs in the capital, it seemed ok?!

We’ve also created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which you might find helpful 🙂

What currency do they use in Moldova?

In Moldova they use the Moldovan leu. The use of credit / debit cards is not widespread, and definitely not guaranteed, even in major hotels. You should definitely have some cash just in case, particularly outside of the capital, and even within the capital in café’s and restaurants. Traveller’s cheques are not generally accepted. There are lots of ATMs in the capital, although exchange rates are poor. 

The currency in use in Transnistria is the Transnistrian ruble. It is difficult to exchange Moldovan leu or other currencies into rubles, or rubles into other currencies outside of Transnistria. Attempting to pay for purchases in Transnistria in currencies other than the ruble is considered an illegal act by the authorities.

You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.

What language do they speak in Moldova?

They speak Romanian in Moldova, although many also speak Russian, particularly the older generations. In Transnistria they speak Russian in the main.

What time zone is Moldova in?

Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in. 

Do I need a visa to visit Moldova?

We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!

Is wild camping legal in Moldova?

Yes, wild camping is fine in Moldova, although you should avoid national parks and natural reserves.

Is it safe to drink water in Moldova?

No, it is not safe to drink tap water in Moldova. Bottled water is readily available across the country.

If you’ve got some awesome pictures, or some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know! 

And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!