A Big Flop in Moldova! | Visiting a Country That Doesn’t Exist
Last Updated on February 5, 2024 by Wandering Beyond
Moldova is a country off the beaten path. It’s one of those countries least visited in Europe. So, why did we go? That’s part of the adventure!ย
After some research about Moldova, we got excited and curious to see a country that doesn’t exist. Sounds strange, right?
Have you ever visited a country that doesn’t exist?ย
Precisely, there are a lot of countries in the world that donโt exist. In other words, theyโre countries not recognized by the international community and, therefore, not members of the United Nations.
Arriving in Chiศinฤuย
Crossing the border and CoViD-19 isolation forms nearly took longer than the trip. Customs couldn’t identify Malta as a European country, so we were stuck there for a few hours, leaving a bus with over 50 people waiting for us to move on.
That wasn’t enough for our arrival. When we arrived at our destination in Chiศinฤu, tired and hungry, the taxi driver stopped us at the wrong address, so we ended up stranded trying to find the guesthouse we had booked. That took us around another hour to settle down.
TIP: Whenever you take a taxi in Moldova, ideally, ask the owners of the accommodation you’re staying at to send you a pinned location instead of the address since there are a lot of identical street names.ย
Oh, and by the way, Moldova is EXTREMELY cheap! That’s why we took a taxi!
Top 3 Must-See Attractions in Chiศinฤuย
1. Cathedral Parkย
2. The Triumphal Arch
3. The Metropolitan Cathedral “Nativity of The Lord”
An interesting fact about Moldova is that this country went nearly three years without a president!
Visiting Transnistria, The Country That Doesn’t Existย
We had been waiting for this day since we arrived in Moldova BUT, we made a huge mistake that almost ruined our day!ย
At first, everything was running smoothly, apart from getting stuck again at the border. Before exploring Transnistria with its capital, Tiraspol, we decided to get some cash as we didnโt take any with us as we thought we could pay with cards like we usually doโhowever, a local told us that ATMs in Transnistria donโt accept cards from non-Transnistrian banks.
What Did We Do?
Being in Tiraspol without money, food, and only a bottle of water wasnโt a good idea. We ran around the street markets, checking all ATMs, hoping for a miracle. We even went to the bank to try and find a solution, but unfortunately, our problem remained the same. No luck! At least we refilled our bottles from a water dispenser at the bank!
We spent half of our day in Tiraspol, thinking of ideas, hoping we could take cash from somewhere, which was all in vain. Eventually, we started considering walking or hitchhiking back to Moldova, which was quite difficult from Tiraspol.
When we were almost hopeless, we decided to go back next to the bank to use some WIFI and tried to contact some people through CouchSurfing. Fortunately, we got an instant reply from a local, Victoria, with whom we told our situation.
It was hard to believe she lived precisely behind this bank, so she met us in no time! After listening to us, she understood our situation and tried EVERYTHING possible to help us. We felt as if she was an angel sent to us from heaven.
Unexpectedly, she invited us to her home, where we spent some time getting to know each other and later took us around Tiraspol. She made sure we had a good time. Apart from buying us food, she also bought us tickets so we could return to Moldova!
Sometimes mistakes are meant to happen; as they say, everything happens for a reason. We wouldn’t have met Victoria if it werenโt for our mistake. =)
TIP: ALWAYS take cash with you when visiting Transnistria.
The currency used is the Transnistrian ruble. Itโs impossible to exchange Moldovan Leu or other currencies into ruble or ruble into other currencies outside Transnistria. Itโs considered illegal by the authorities to try to pay in currencies that arenโt ruble.
Another Flop in Moldovaย
In the evening, when we arrived back at the guesthouse in Moldova, we still couldnโt believe what had happened to us that day. It was our mistake as we didnโt research that much about Transnistria.
Getting stuck at borders and the cash thing wasn’t enough! From Moldova, we planned a second visit to Romania. One of the reasons for going from Moldova was to experience the 13-hour journey in a Soviet-era train which takes you straight to Bucharest.ย
This train journey has been on our bucket list for a long time, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen! All Moldavian train systems were suspended indefinitely from February 2021, so we had to move on to plan B and bought bus tickets that led us to a 10.5-hour ride!
Where To Stay in Moldovaย
While some travellers feel anxious visiting former Communist countries, remember thereโs nothing to worry about. Moldova is a beautiful country with so many friendly and helpful people.
The Central District is the best area to stay in Chiศinฤu, as it offers most of the attractions. However, there are many other options for staying in Moldova and Tiraspol with accommodations that cost nothing.ย
Although Moldova didnโt go as planned, we still loved every second in this beautiful country. So many things failed during our stay, but as a matter of fact, itโs another good excuse for us to go back. Also, we canโt wait to meet Victoria once again! So Moldova, until next time!
If you ever visit Moldova, donโt repeat our mistakes! It is simple: if you need more information about this beautiful country! Get in touch with us. =)
Mark
Very interesting article. I also want to visit Moldova and Transniestra but was it safe there when you went because of the neighbouring war in Ukraine?
Wandering Beyond
Hey Mark ๐ Thank you for your comment. Yes, it was very safe since we visited Moldova and Ukraine last year, before the war started. However, we want to visit both countries again!