Mafia in Bulgaria! How bad is it???

• I’d like to go for a holiday to Bulgaria for several weeks in May – not planning on staying in any hotels or other “bourgeois” institutions. I want to travel around by hitchhiking and staying at local’s houses, and therefore meeting lots of new people (and making friends).
  
  I already visited Uzbekistan and Ukraine that way – but this time I want to be more careful and do some research before I leave. Cause sometimes it was quite a hassle getting around in Uzbekistan since EVERYTHING seems to be controlled by mafia groups – and the police is corrupt too. (I ended up bribing almost everyone almost everyday!!!)
  
  Now I heard stories that the mafia is pretty active in Bulgaria too and that it’s not wise to travel alone. I don’t mind the Mafia being around cause I know more or less how to deal with this, but it would be nice if somebody could give me some advice of the Do’s and Don’ts when travelling around in Bulgaria.
  Stories and personal experiences would be very much appreciated! Also, if you know some great places, must-sees or if you know people in Bulgaria who are open to foreigners and maybe offer a place to spend the night, let me know!
  
  Thanks a lot,
  Haune from Austria
  

  08 Mar 2007, 11:40 Haune

Replies

• Response to: shade

  "That sounds horrible! I heard this summer..."
  
  Exactly, you HEARD. Didn´t your parents teach you not to listen what people say. I promise, people use to say a LOT of shit all the time, and this cannot be your guidance in life.

  Djinghis 02 Aug 2008, 12:19 - Report

• Respons to: dimitrios

  "however civilization is far beyond your perspective".
  
  1.I know Bulgarians better than you and your comment about "civilization" and my perspective is a crap.
  2. Bulgarians are the finest people I have ever seen in whole my life. They are friendly, open and most hostpitable. If there is something called "civil" that applies to Bulgarians!! But they are wild and strong.
  3. It is a typical comment from a Greek (Dimitrios, right?). They think they are more civilized and use that word without understanding it. And in the past Romans and Byzantines were barbarians, while Bulgarians were NOBLE. I don´t think you can teach Bulgarians what words mean. Sorry. Bulgarian are more friendly and hospitable than you - and that means more civilized!

  Djinghis 02 Aug 2008, 08:23 - Report

• think about it

  there is mafia in Italy,there is mafia in Russia...there is mafia all over the world...what u gonna do about it?As for this ,that somebody has been robbed or mugged it happens in all the places where there is tourists.My husbend has been robbed in Spain,his uncle was mugged...in Portugal they kidnuped small girl,so as somebody said shit happens and it can happen anywhere!!!and by the way i have worked in a hotel and many times tourists clame to be robbed,so they can get insurance money,or they are so drunk 24-7,that don´t remember on what they have spended their money,probubly on vodka...

  proud to be bulgarian 20 Aug 2008, 01:55 - Report

• Bulgarian Mafia

  If you are the adventurous typeq not afreid of getting raped or rippied off, or killed, or all, it is a great place to visit last.

  Raped 04 Sep 2008, 07:42 - Report

• What? Bulgaria ...

  A very good film documentary was made some years back - "Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang!"

  Experiences 04 Sep 2008, 07:45 - Report

• Bulgarian Mafia...

  You see any big ugly men with muscles, shaved heads, no matter if they wear suits or not, don't stare at them too much. You shouldn't worry so much about the Mafia, I've always found mafia folks in the USA/Canada to be always nicer than regular American or Canadian folk, more friendly and more welcoming. Avoid getting into arguments with them because unlike the West where a murder is usually planned and with a motivation, in the Balkans it tends to be more impulsive since the people have shorter tempers, the mentality is different which means the two most unlikely people to get into a fight with eachother are the ones who will end up doing it, depending on the situation. Just enjoy yourself and don't worry about the mafia. They aren't like they are shown in movies where they will kidnap you for ransom or anything, they look forward to their own businesses and activities. I live in Macedonia and know plenty of people connected to Bulgarian mafia folk and see alot of cars with Bulgarian plates, especially Mercedes and BMW driving around, they just mind their own business... Don't go in gypsy/turk areas/ghettos/slums and you won't get slaughtered or pickpocketed. Don't look alot of scary looking people in the eye. Sofia is a good place to stay by, and stay where there are alot of white people around(Bulgarians) and especially in the center where you are safe. Unlike the West, people in the Balkans will always interviene when someone is in danger. Don't worry about the Mafia, it's very active but they won't bother tourists or regular people like you and me. Enjoy yourself.

  MakedonijaMakedonijaMakedonija 11 Sep 2008, 09:46 - Report

• overall thoughts

  I read everything so far in the discussion and decided to post a comment myself. I have been living in the USA (Miami, FL) for the past 5 years and used to live in Sofia. On the topic about the mafia - nobody should be worried about it visiting Bulgaria. A mafia boss will not bother mugging someone on the street for 20, 50 or 1000 leva. "Street crime" probably should have been the thing discussed. I think that if you don't cause trouble and avoid quarrels, no one will do you harm. I would say be careful riding public transportation - gypsies in Bulgaria deserve a medal for pick-pocketing - that's how good they are. A person would not notice belongings missing from a purse. Someone said above "use common sense". Well, it is common sense for us Bulgarians, but not for our dear tourists from abroad. In regards to Taxis - before you even get in the car, ask the driver through the window how much will it cost you to your destination. If you think the price is right - hop in. If not - walk away. I would recommend using "OK Supertrans" taxi service. It operates in the capital of Sofia. They are very prompt when you call them by phone (973 21 21 locally is the number if I am not mistaken). Around the towns and resorts at the Black Sea majority of taxis are independently owned and they charge an arm or a leg (or both) - so ask them again before you get in.
  
  I was in Sunny Beach last year (2007) and I didnt see anything wrong. I would say protect your belongings at the beach - do not get in the water without someone guarding your stuff. Keep an eye. There is no violence, but theft can easily occur on the beach. Clubs in Sunny Beach are amazing - go have fun, dring, dance party, release yourself! Covers are expensive (for Bulgarian standards) and they are around 20 leva. If a DJ from abroad is a guest - 20-40 leva. I love it because it excludes people who can not afford it which means more people with money and less likely for problems to occur.
  
  Mountains in Bulgaria are amazing! People are even friendlier there. Smaller villages will truly show you what Bulgarian Hospitality really is! Generally is true everywhere that the smaller the city - the more hospitable are they. Same in Bulgaria.
  
  My best advice - have a Bulgarian friend with you if possible. He will show you around, tell you of that "Bulgarian common sense", show you where to eat and shop at reasonable prices at the Black sea and give you tips on your vacation in general. If someone has any questions that think I am able to answer, please let me know. I would love to help. I study Hospitality Administration 3rd year anyways and hopefully I would accommodate you guys in my hotel in Sunny Beach one day Email is [email removed]

  tonakis 24 Sep 2008, 08:47 - Report

• You are all ignorants...

  ...as someone would expect. bulgaria came out of a destroyed communism. there was no individual and private motivation all these years as government had everything. now they are trying to rebuild the things. when a country has no economy then it will have para-economy which includes drugs, prostitutes, protection, mafia, thieves etc. since though bulgaria entered eu the mafia is lets say legalised meaning the government pays them in several ways amounts of money or gives them "extra freedoms" (e.g. run a casino with no tax penalties etc.) so they stop f***ing around killing people.
  
  so mafia touching you is out of the question except if you are carrying 1 million euros and they know it. simple people though are hungry which means they will shoot you for 10 euros if you get in such case or the girls will be teachers in the morning and prostitutes at night getting the 30% of the money since 70% goes to their "protector"
  
  black sea area is ruled by russia and things are better, rest of country may be mafia is better as well now but the individual thieves are a lot still.
  
  so in general go but go at burgas, varna and black sea holiday areas. dont drive at night, dont go over the speed limits, dont get drank, prefare a taxi that you caled through the hotel and keep his number or arrange to pick you up again, careful which and whose girl you look (they are amazingly pretty and slutty).
  
  as for greece, you can go freely with no problems there is noone to steal you to rob you or anything like that. though taxi drivers are a bunch of f***ing retards so prefer a radio taxi like "radio taxi mercedes" who wil behave to you like a king. again careful whose girl you might look or talk cause in general if she is with her greek bf probably you will be beaten to death and thrown in the garbage if she is alone feel free to flirt. beautiful places to see all over greece. in case you get in athens avoid the place called "omonia"

  firstlearnthentalk 17 Oct 2008, 01:38 - Report

• funny comments

  Really funny comments here.Only because that something happened to someone in Bulgaria it doesn't mean that it's a dangerous country.Come on,crimes are everywhere. Bulgarian Mafia doesn't care about tourists at all.It's like asking a question should I go to Italy because there's the Italian Mafia!

  Chris 30 Oct 2008, 07:20 - Report

• re

  Hey, wake up! The word "Mafia" here is much more serious than you think. You can have a problem if you bring here drugs for 1 million euro and so on ) but not for a tourist. The only problem is that you have to keep all of your personal things close to you, and just as reminder this is all over the world. Bulgaria is nice place to travel, the best way is to have a friend in Bulgaria to organize and if possible to travel with you!

  Bulgarian citizen 06 Nov 2008, 12:02 - Report

• In truth...

  Dont act tough, don't get into ANY arguments, and don't flash money around. If you do that you'll get beaten SEVERELY and robbed. If you don't do that and just act normal you will have the time of ur life. Go to the sea.
  The worst thing that can happen to you if you ACT NORMAL is get ripped off at some resturant or club due to ur own ignorance...

  Иво 20 Nov 2008, 08:39 - Report

• caravan /camp site

  We want to start a farm - campside in Bulgaria.
  Is there anyone that has started a campside there already and would like to give us some advice/ideas. (Specially regarding Bulgarian laws?)

  Linda-Maria 24 Nov 2008, 11:58 - Report

• Abdullahs Massive Wealth

  Hi My Friend will email You My Bank account number directly, It is so strange I too have Large amount of Money that I give away to total strangers what tiny world We live in!! am currently typing this on mobile phone while rescue services try and remove fire engine which toppled on top of me while collecting wild flowers from side of road to give to homeless orphan polish plumber who uses it to plug leak in drippy tap to make sound repair for much profit.

  Lenny Goldenstein Israel 04 Dec 2008, 04:39 - Report

• Mafia Smafia

  Have Enjoy Much Fun readings of comical Mafia Gypia and will be heading to Bulgaria soon to enjoy refreshing mountain air!! do i need bring baseball bat or Uzi when i come need to know in advance so to make room in My bag, also do Bulgarian Gypsy sell Lucky heather an if I am buying it will it protect from robbing taxi driver

  Lenny Goldenstein Israel 04 Dec 2008, 05:05 - Report

• corruption & mafia

  I am from South Africa and we have a guy at our company that immigrated to South Africa (10 yrs ago) because of the mafia and the corruption in Bulgaria..

  T 18 Dec 2008, 03:12 - Report

• Mafia?

  4 years I have been working and living in Bulgaria, in that time I have created a hotel directly in the centre of Ruse, have submitted and have had approved plans for the creation of a holiday village, facilities to include;
  English tavern, entertainment complex, swimming complex, restaurant, equestrian centre, outdorr entertainment music venue, shops, caravan park, garden centre, and the list goes on.
  
  Apart from petty criminals I have never experienced anything that could be construed as Mafia activity or interest in any of my businesses.
  
  I have noticed that this thread is one of the longest and most replied to on here.
  
  Sure proves a bad story is better than a good one.
  
  Bulgaria has its share of crooks, some people you first meet and decide are lovely are greedy little parasites, so what? its the same in the UK.
  
  If anyone is truly worried and has any problems we can help with, be it moral support and just lovely accommodation in a beautiful city let me know.
  
  But try and relax guys, its just the same anywhere else.
  
  Regards,
  
  Steve

  Steve 05 Jan 2009, 01:13 - Report

• Bulgaria?

  im 18 and am goin 2 bulgaria with about 8 friends iv been 2 spain every year since i was a child i had a horrible experience over there last year and decided its time for a change! People are telling me alot of mixed storys i dnt no wat to think,m whats this about the mafia and is it safe over there??
  im not dissin bulgaria i would jus lyk to no if its a safe place??

  Irish Gal 13 Jan 2009, 12:15 - Report

• Bulgaria mafia and crime

  Irish Gal; Sorry to hear that you had a bad time in Spain. I live here in Sofia, Bulgaria and like others have said on here, apart from the occasional petty crime, I have never had any problems with Mafia. They are not concerned with the likes of you and I. As for the petty crime, I'm sure its just the same in resorts in Spain and many other places around the world. Bulgaria is part of the EU now and is changing. I am sure you will enjoy your holiday.

  Sarah 04 Feb 2009, 05:05 - Report

• bulgaria

  try going to eleinite to my apartment we have had no trouble with mafia we didnt even nno it exsisted in bulgaria

  karen smith 02 Mar 2009, 03:08 - Report

• Stop talking bullshit.

  I know this topic is old but... ARE YOU ALRIGHT? People who have never been to Bulgaria, please stop talking bullshit. People from other continents who have heard something.. what the fuck?! I've been living here since I'm born. And no one can say better but me anything about Bulgaria. I'll try to explain what you are arguing here but I must say my English is not so good so I may have mistakes.
  This is something like "guide letter" for everybody who want to know anything about Bulgaria or at least if you're going to come here.
  So....
  There is mafia in Bulgaria. But not that mafia everyone knows from the Hollywood movies. Bulgarian mafia are 3-4 people who have a lot of money and try to be "something in this world". They play with BIG money (and politics) so don't hestitate that "Bulgarian mafia" will rob you. If you don't want to be robbed you must: First - hide your money and documents in pockets (eg in jeans) and Second - if police stops you, ask them for their ID (i dont know if it's the right word, you must ask for their police documents so you can be sure they are real policements). If a policeman wants to give him money on the street - that is a fake! No one from real institutions will ask you to give them money on the street. Do not show your documents or give money to ANYONE. Also for better, don't use taxi because they are too expensive for tourists. If a Bulgarian pays 3 levs (1,5 euro) , for you it will cost you 10 levs (5 euro). They lie and it is legal but there is going to be change in the constitution soon. I believe you will not have problems if you follow what I told you above but you must know that out from the bigger towns and cities there are villages where live gipsies and FOR GOD'S SAKE if you see any of them (they have black skin, like people from Arabia, Iran.. and very old clothes) run as fast as you can. Don't talk with them, don't ask them anything. Everything they want is to steal your money and expensive things like clocks, cameras, GSM...
  If you go to Bulgaria with a car and if it's nesessary to leave it somewhere - leave it in paid car parks.
  If you go to Bulgaria with caravans and if you have to stop for the night search for places where there is light and for better around police stations. Don't stop in the field, woods or something.
  Also if it's night don't walk alone in the dark. I think there is small chance to be kidnapped but some skins, nationalists or hooligans may fight with you.
  If you must buy something you have to know that in sea resorts and mountain resorts the price is higher. Pay what's written on the label. It it's 2 levs (1 euro) pay 2 levs and no more. If they start to argue and want more money, say that you are going to call the police and leave the place as soon as you can ( btw it's not nesessary to call the police because if you say "police" and they will stop arguing).
  That is all the badness you can see from Bulgaria but I believe you won't be so lucky to see it.
  By the way.. if you need help, don't ask for help people with expensive cars, big golden or silver clocks or people from the near cafe who stay there all the day. Ask someone who looks normal.
  For more info write me: [email removed] i''l be glad to help!!

  Ellena from Bulgaria 10 Mar 2009, 04:29 - Report

• Bulgaria is not really a good idea

  It is a lovely place and most people are decent but there are too many nasties out to rip you off and with this economic recession they actually seem to feel that they have the right to rob you. I have just come back and quite frankly was glad to get out of it and I feel that crimes against foreigners will escalate in the near future.
  Those of you who are so defensive should look at the reality. Crime and corruption are keeping people in Bulgaria poor and at the mercy of scum. Denying this is not really helping.

  Margie 12 Mar 2009, 06:21 - Report

• Lenny Goldenstein, you should be on the stage

  My partner and I have just sat here and nearly wet ourselves. It is the best laugh we have had for ages. Thank you Lenny. Are you touring soon? We'll come and see your show.
  
  Seriously, however many good things we say about Bulgaria there will always be someone who has a bad story to tell. Suffice it to say that we have hoidayed and lived in many countries in the world and, apart from the real estate agents, there is no one that you have to worry about here, any more than anywhere else.

  Sunnybrook 15 Mar 2009, 04:05 - Report

• reply to Djinjghis

  Your claims to why bulgaria have one of the lowest crime rates in europe are a more than likely true through eu and government statistics but them alone are a joke.... do you really think they are going to report and promote the level or corruptness within their own country when the economy is so poor already? seriously guys... believing those statistics is just dillusional and comical

  Common sense 18 Mar 2009, 01:37 - Report

• huh..

  Poor economy?! Are you kidding, it's not developed like in Germany and England but we don't live in The Third World...

  Ellena 19 Mar 2009, 01:30 - Report

• The Bulgarian bully

  i live next door to a Bulgarian family in usa. the women is nice and daughter. However, the husband is very big know it all ass hole who cannot accept america capitolism ways because he can't fit into any job and no friends . we got into fight over a hose sprayer and he sucker punched me in throat. he is at least 250 lbs.i held him off as best as i could then i called police and he left seen. now , here in america he fucked with the wrong hillbilly. he is a bully, and i hope to make his life more miserable than it was growing up in Bulgaria.

  revenge 03 Apr 2009, 05:42 - Report

• oioi dumb ass

  ok i am bulgarian but live in u.s ur friend got what he needed to get first of all u cant pay 200 lev for a taxi ride trust me and learn how to pay for ur shit and dont mouth off on a bulgarian please not a good idea. and ur buddy most likely messed with a guy who is apart of the mafia TRUST ME I KNOW. but bulgaria is the shit party all u want do what u want not like america here u cant even have a alcoholic drink under the age off 21 bull shit stay in europe guys

  Ivo 15 Apr 2009, 07:20 - Report

• Erasmus

  Hi,
  
  I'm from Portugal and i expect to attend 1 semester @ UNME in Sofia starting in September. I can only talk English and Portuguese, is that going to be a problem ?
  I heard that taxi's stories and got a little worried about my way from the airport to the students residence with all my stuff. Is that a REAL problem ?
  I'm really looking forward for this abroad experience!

  Rui Costa 21 Apr 2009, 06:20 - Report

• a beautiful country

  I HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF BULGARIA FOR MANY YEARS AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT IS ONE OF THE NICEST AND MOST PLESANT COUNTRIES THAT I HAVE EVER VISITED . GREAT FOOD AND PEOPLE AND EXCELLENT VALUE . NO CRIME OR VISIBILITY AND WHATEVER THE MAFIA DO I DONT KNOW BUT THEY DONT BOTHER ANYONE . YOU CAN WALK AROUND ANY DAY OR TIME WITHOUT ANY HASSLE OF ANY DESCRIPTION .I RECKON BULGARIA IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE SAFEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD .

  JOHN MORGAN 21 Apr 2009, 09:09 - Report

• bulgaria is safe :)

  hey guys i just looking about the internet and found this i moved to bulgaria last year after living in england all my life. i am only 15 but i love it over here. we live in burgas about 2houses away from a 999 mafia person called marcorca judulle he is a leader of a realy big hotel and has alot of followers on his side (all over mafia look up to him). he is real nice to us and treats us like family. nothing to worry about out in bulgaira just be careful who you harrass for there terrible driving its bad. lol sorry i cant spell :P getting my english mixed up with bulgarian.
  
  hope i helped

  keiren 28 Apr 2009, 09:28 - Report

• Bulgaria mafia

  Hi All I have been living and working as an estate agent in Bulgaria for a lttle over 2 years. I find the comments in this thread ill informed.
  The Mafia here is Bulgarian and they are mostly involved with drugs, prostitution and protection. They do not bother the tourists or in fact anyone else. Sunny beach is a resort and an attraction for petty criminals who want to rip of tourists. Do not clasify Sunny Beach as Bulgaria, it is a tourist resort and there is little Bulgarian about it. As for Gypsies, I'm married to one and I have found that the average Bulgarian is a racist and blame the Gypsies for all petty crime even if a Bulgarian has done the crime.
  You will find a lot of Gypsy girls (the dregs of the Gsy culture he bottom of the main pedestrian street working as prostitutes and pick pocketing the drunks) BEWARE!
  
  Ending on a good note Bulgaria is a very good place to livem outside of the tourist areas it is very very cheap and he people are very friendly.
  
  Les
  http://www.bpi-bulgarianpropertyinvestments.com/index.php

  Les Hartney 04 May 2009, 05:14 - Report

• crime

  As another season starts potential tourist to Bg will probably read this thread again and be concerend. Have been many times the only comment I can make from experience is the most attacks or robbings happen in the very early hours and not during the day or evening. Of coarse it can happen anytime but usally to people in most cases who have gone out got very drunk and claim to have been attacked for no reason. For most cases this is a Fact as seen by myself

  bg09 23 May 2009, 11:49 - Report

• Mafia

  just back fron Sunny Beach,great holiday;everything is mob financed,but they want to make money ,which equals keeping the tourists happy(hence no more beggars on the streets...etc).Frankly the Police are more of a worry!

  Kenny B 26 May 2009, 12:53 - Report

• Bulgaria

  Hi there.
  I've been to Bulgaria twice for holidays because it is such a beautiful place so you should go for the beauty but be warned it has some negatives. The Bulgarian police are horrendous they cannot speak a word of English and at the police station in Sunny Beach there is only one English translator. We rung the emergency number for the police, due to a car accident and they just hung up on us cos we spoke English and they didn't understand. I was glad to be with my boyfriend on both holidays because if anything bad would have happened to me I'd have been screwed because they emergency services wouldn't have a clue or care. Theres alot of dodgy drug dealing etc going on but I don't know who or what but it was pretty obvious due to the massive houses and expensive cars some people drive in comparison to the rest of the people in towns who are scrapping by with very little.
  I also know that the Mafia own a series of hotels in Bulgaria mainly within sunny beach as we stayed in one of them and I think some members of the mafia were at our hotel when we were but they caused us no trouble and just acted like normal tourists.
  We only had one bad sitaution with a taxi driver who charged us twice the taxi fare once we got there luckily only 40 rather than 20 lev even though we had strictly stated a price before we got in, so you have to make it very clear, but even tho they can still con you later, but except for that time the taxi drivers were very good and cheap. The buses are quite good in Bulgaria but they are very much like what you see on Borat everyone and everything is on there!

  Helen 28 May 2009, 04:32 - Report

• never going back

  ive just got back from sunny beach this morning and to be quite honest im never to return to the country full off theiving gypsies,every nite i got approached by some girl on the street asking if i want suckie suckie whilst trying her best to get her hands in my pockets,ive never been with a whore and never will,the 3rd night of my hols 1 girl actually manage to nick my brand new nokia mobile phone from my pocket so the next day i reported at the local police station only to find many other english tourists there that had been robbed 1 way or another and so every day for the rest of my hols i had to return to the cop shop 2 fill in 1 form or another and you dont need that on your hols do you but evry day i went back to the cop shop there was many different tourists that had been robbed either entering the hotel room or by pick pockets so i strongly recommend choose somewhere else for your summer vacation

  dont bother 09 Jun 2009, 02:08 - Report

• Response To Djinghis

  Djinghis, I'm an English woman who's managing a bar/restaurant in sunny beach and i can honestly say that i will never come back here again. I've travelled the world and worked in over 20 countries both inside and outside of the EU and not once have i been to a place as corrupt as Bulgaria. I have to pay the police money to be allowed to have music in my bar, (which is NOT a legal requirement)if i dont pay, my bar is closed down and my customers are beaten. I have evidence and witnesses of this occuring but obviously - who do i take them to???!?!? Not the police as they're the ones beating innocent people. Ive watched an Irish tourist hand over 200 bulgarian levs to the police because he fell over and and broke a glass, and then they beat him up anyway!! Not in the middle of the street, always on back streets. I'm an open-minded woman and i come from the town with the highest gun crime in europe so i'm not "naive to the world" or "easily offended". The reason that bulgaria has one of the lowest crime rates in the EU is because the police wont let you report anything and if they do, then you have to pay them to make a report - not very easy to do when youve just been mugged!!!
  
  Rant over

  Laura 20 Jul 2009, 07:22 - Report

• Sunny Beach Resort

  Ok - its not exactly related to the original post about hitch hiking - but I took my wife and young kids to Sunny Beach and it was great.
  
  I talked a lot with a guy who had married a Bulgarian girl and spent every summer there and he was able to tell me that the owners of the hotel we stayed in were 'Mafia' - but even if they built the (great) hotel with black market money they still want to turn profit - so the facilities, security, staff etc were all top class. We were however asked to vacate the choice seats around the pool bar when the 'big guys' decided to come downstairs from their top floor apartments with their young 'nieces' and armed bodyguards It was all very amusing to watch though!
  
  Yes - after 10pm the street girls and their not very far away pimps appear in the central town area and beach - but again they wont bother you at all if you are with your girlfriend/wife/kids .... and if you are male and alone a firm 'No Thanks' and keep moving will be enough. It is not a big problem and I heard of no other people having problems. The girls looked like they came in from the countryside - I watched some taking their guys down to the beach and later they approached one of the shadowy figures that I thought were beach security - but obviously were pimps - so they were probably handing over money. It was like a cartoon life cliche - no big dangerous scam - just locals taking easy money from drunk young idiots.
  
  There are some clubs in the town that are frequented by the locals - I did hear of one tourist who got beat up by the local guys there - but he was being drunk and persistently obnoxious towards girls - so he got the same treatment anyone would get from young males protecting their girlfriends anywhere.
  
  I usually walked into the centre most nights alone - I'm early thirties -there was nothing I couldn't handle just by being semi-intelligent.
  
  The Bulgarian Black Sea resorts are perfectly safe!! If you are a tourist travelling there to look for the rougher edge of life you might find you have to look harder than you think

  Sunny Jim 05 Aug 2009, 07:50 - Report

• Sunny Beach Resort

  Ok - its not exactly related to the original post about hitch hiking - but I took my wife and young kids to Sunny Beach and it was great.
  
  I talked a lot with a guy who had married a Bulgarian girl and spent every summer there and he was able to tell me that the owners of the hotel we stayed in were 'Mafia' - but even if they built the (great) hotel with black market money they still want to turn profit - so the facilities, security, staff etc were all top class. We were however asked to vacate the choice seats around the pool bar when the 'big guys' decided to come downstairs from their top floor apartments with their young 'nieces' and armed bodyguards It was all very amusing to watch though!
  
  Yes - after 10pm the street girls and their not very far away pimps appear in the central town area and beach - but again they wont bother you at all if you are with your girlfriend/wife/kids .... and if you are male and alone a firm 'No Thanks' and keep moving will be enough. It is not a big problem and I heard of no other people having problems. The girls looked like they came in from the countryside - I watched some taking their guys down to the beach and later they approached one of the shadowy figures that I thought were beach security - but obviously were pimps - so they were probably handing over money. It was like a cartoon life cliche - no big dangerous scam - just locals taking easy money from drunk young idiots.
  
  There are some clubs in the town that are frequented by the locals - I did hear of one tourist who got beat up by the local guys there - but he was being drunk and persistently obnoxious towards girls - so he got the same treatment anyone would get from young males protecting their girlfriends anywhere.
  
  I usually walked into the centre most nights alone - I'm early thirties -there was nothing I couldn't handle just by being semi-intelligent.
  
  The Bulgarian Black Sea resorts are perfectly safe!! If you are a tourist travelling there to look for the rougher edge of life you might find you have to look harder than you think

  Tourist 05 Aug 2009, 07:58 - Report