Bajina Bašta lies on the Drina in western Serbia, at the point where the river leaves the deep canyons of the upper valley and begins to widen, and it is the main town at the edge of Tara National Park. The mountain of Tara rises directly behind it, covered in dark spruce and fir, and on a clear day the contrast between the green forest and the pale cliffs of the canyon is striking. The town itself is modest, with about eight thousand people, a long main street and a river promenade, and it has a relaxed, small-town character.
The most unusual sight in the area is the little wooden house that stands on a rock in the middle of the Drina, seemingly stranded in the river. It was built by a group of swimmers in the 1960s and has since been rebuilt several times, becoming a symbol of the region and a favourite picture stop for people coming from the lake. Upstream, the Perućac reservoir, created by a dam, holds a long stretch of green water, and the Drina canyon beyond it is among the deepest in Europe. The area is also associated with the monastery of Rača, a medieval foundation with a fine church, a short distance away.
For motorcyclists, Bajina Bašta is a perfect hinge between canyon and mountain. The road upstream along the lake is carved into the gorge, with tunnels, lookouts and views across the water, and the climb up into Tara national park offers long forested bends and high pastures. Surfaces are generally good, but in the national park there are narrow sections, wet shade and sometimes gravel. Traffic increases in summer, especially at weekends, and fog can sit in the valley in the early morning. Autumn colours in the forests are famous, and spring is fresh and green.
With its eight thousand inhabitants, the town has fuel stations, supermarkets, cafés and restaurants, so you can fill up and eat well before climbing. Try grilled meat, cream and the sort of dense homemade bread that appears in mountain houses. Finish with a walk by the river and, if the light is good, a long look at the little house on the rock before you turn back toward the heights.