How should travellers split time between the coast and mountains?
Do not let Montenegro become only a pretty coast stop. The mountains are where the trip changes, but they need time, wheels or patience with transfers.
Answer
The coast gives the instant reward: Kotor Bay, stone towns, swimming stops, café evenings and the Adriatic light everyone came for. The mountains give Montenegro its scale. Durmitor, Tara Canyon, Lovćen and the road above the bay make the country feel wilder and more vertical than its size suggests. A balanced trip does not need everything, but it should usually include at least one inland layer if you have more than a long weekend. The practical catch is movement. Buses cover the obvious towns; the best mountain days often ask for a car, a driver or a tour.