Official travel advice regarding visas is available by calling 04 439 8000 or visiting their website www.safetravel.govt.nz

People stand close to one another and talk loudly. Strangers stare openly at one another. Formality is maintained in language and behavior when people do not know each other well. Strangers nod their heads in passing. In stores, offices, and places of business, people use formal language for greetings and good-byes. Failure to greet someone in a context that requires a greeting and an overly familiar greeting are serious breaches of etiquette. People who are on friendly terms greet each other more informally and usually kiss on both cheeks. Men and women kiss, women and women kiss, and men kiss other men who are family members or very close associates. Young people are expected to offer the first greeting to older people, and women to men. The formal "you" is used unless people are age mates, good friends, or coworkers or have reached a stage where the dominant person invites the person of lesser status to address him or her informally.

The following information is intended as a guide only and in no way should it be used as a substitute for professional medical advice relative to a travellers individual needs and vaccination history. No guarantee is made as to its accuracy or thoroughness. For further information, please contact The Travel Doctor on (+64) 9 373 3531.Vaccination against Hepatitis A is recommended for travellers to Croatia. Vaccination against Hepatitis B and Rabies (particularly if working with animals) should be considered by frequent or long stay travellers. Tick-borne  ncephalitis is present throughout many areas in Europe, predominately in forested regions. Whilst no vaccine is available in New Zealand, travellers visiting risk areas and planning outdoor activities during summer might consider vaccination once in Europe. Regardless of destination, all travellers should be up-to-date with their routine "background" vaccinations, including a recent annual Influenza vaccination. Please consult a medical practitioner or contact The Travel Doctor for your specific risk to these preventable diseases and the appropriate avoidance  measures. New Zealanders travelling to Croatia should ensure that they have adequate travel insurance to cover the length of their stay.

Electrical Socket type: European Voltage: 220-240 volts (same as New Zealand, no voltage/frequency converter required). Modem Plug: US (Croatia also uses the Yugoslav telephone system). Source: Korjo Travel Products. To purchase electrical/modem adapters, or for further information on this matter, please view the Korjo adapter guide at www.korjo.com.

Country Code for Croatia: +385 Directory Assistance: Domestic - 11888 / International - 11802 Offical Travel Advice: Visit www.safetravel.govt.nz Emergency Services: 112 (General - operators should be able to speak English. ) Fire: 93, Ambulance: 94, Police: (1)92 

Shopping hours in Croatia are currently unregulated after the Constitutional Court struck down a ban on Sunday shopping, which had been in effect from mid-2008 until mid-2009. Most large out-of-town supermarkets are open between 07:30/08:00-21:00/22:00, Monday to Sunday. Shopping malls usually open at 09:00 and also close at 22:00, every day. Smaller supermarkets close earlier on Sundays, typically at 13:00. Other shops in urban areas are generally closed on Sundays. Bakeries and newspaper kiosks often open very early in the morning, at 05:30 or 06:00, and open every day but not 24 h. Gas stations and convenience stores along major roads as well as some pharmacies (at least one in each major city, five in Zagreb) operate 24 h.

Tips (napojnica, manča, tip) are sometimes expected, mostly in restaurants – but they are not mandatory. Restaurant tip is around 3-5%[12] (or more if you are really satisfied with overall dining experience). In clubs or cafe bars, on the other hand, it is common to "round up the bill". It is not common to tip taxi drivers or hairdressers, but it's up to you.

Getting around Croatia can be tricky and definitely requires careful planning, largely because of Croatia's unusual geography. First: Croatian islands are a large part of its appeal but getting to them means paying careful attention to local ferry schedules. Island-hopping sounds like a breeze but can be extremely complicated to plan. Second: unmissable Dubrovnik is perched awkwardly on the country's tip; getting anywhere else in  Croatia involves either backtracking along the coast, driving up through  Bosnia or taking a flight to Zagreb. Nevertheless, the quality of the transport infrastructure is generally good: ferries are reliable, buses are remarkably comfortable and efficient, trains connect major towns, flights are cheap, and driving is made easier by the modern and well-maintained road network.

Croatian (official) 96%, Serbian 1%.