Visiting Mostar, Bosnia and Kotor, Montenegro from Croatia
 

We will be in Split and would like to visit both Mostar in Bosnia and then go to Dubrovnik and visit Kotor in Montenegro from there. Obviously day trips/tours are an option, but Ideally I would like to overnight in both Mostar and Kotor (or another town nearby).

How is the driving to both of these places ( in terms of difficulty and safety) if we hire a car?
Is it feasible to drive from Split to Mostar, then to Dubrovnik?

If we stay in the Kotor area, what would be a good base given we don't need beaches, but are interested in scenic towns and views, and would like to see views of Sveti Stefan - not visit there.
Would be grateful for input from those who have done this.

I did the drive from Split to Dubrovnik via Mostar a few years ago. I wrote about it here...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...llet-holes.cfm

Driving over there is easy, the roads are good. There is now the super highway from Split most of the way south. I've driven in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina several times now, and have recently returned from a road-trip through North Croatia and NW Bosnia.

By the way, Mostar is in Herzegovina, not Bosnia.

(Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country made up of two regions, separated by the Dinaric Alps, with Bosnia to the north and Herzegovina to the south. They each have their own unique cultural histories but share many similarities in language, ethnicity, culture and identity. Also confusing is the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a single country consisting of two 'Entities', one of which is The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the other is the Republic of Srpska. Each of these entities includes part of Bosnia and part of Herzegovina.)

There are also buses from Split to Mostar and from Mostar to Dubrovnik.

The old town of Kotor IS one of the most scenic places in the Kotor area.

There are tons of rooms to rent along the slope in front of Sveti Stefan.

I definitely recommend staying overnight in Mostar -- it is absolutely lovely after daytrippers leave. I'm sure the roads are fine, but was very glad to take public transportation so I could watch the scenery without having to pay attention to the road.

I used a rental car from Dubrovnik for a day trip to Kotor; roads were fine -- I just wish I could have spent more time seeing some of that scenery!

If possible, time your transportation during daylit hours.

I agree with the recommendation to stay overnight in Mostar if at all possible. We really enjoyed a stay at the Muslibegovic House Museum.
There are two main routes you could take to Dubrovnik from Mostar. I described the one we took in my TR from 2010 (Day 3). The drive is lovely but please do note the info on land mines.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-october-2010.

We had a car that we drove from Zagreb down the coast to Dubrovnik
We did a day trip to koror and all around there and back to Dubrovnik

Didn't make it to Mostar
It was three hours
each way

Trip to motor safe
Just bring euros cos the border check point takes only euros

We just got back and my husband (67) drove to Mostar from Dubrovnik, no problems. Stayed at Villa Fortuna--very nice and great people. Also drove to Kotor for a day trip from Dub. Then we drove easily from Mostar to Split. Worst part was navigating to our hotel in Split to park! I'll start my trip report soon.

I meant to add that another route between Mostar and Split (shorter than the one julia_t describes) is to drive via Medjugorje and Ljubuski, then take the highway. The Restaurant Most in Ljubuski is very good, and the owner makes good rakija.