Bunski Kanal

Useful Information

Location:	Bunski kanal most, Bačevići 88000. 15 km south of Mostar. From Mostar M17 to Buna village, after the village 500 m turn right. (43.2389744, 17.8333916)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Rimstone Pool tufa caves.
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=1600 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1970	protected by law as a natural treasure.
2014	plan to build two mini hydroelectric power plants here.
2023	Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) canceled the concession contract.

Description

Bunski Kanal is a sort of misnomer, because a canal is artificial, but this site, although it looks like someone dug a straight canal, is actually a weird natural attraction. It’s the Ušće Bune U Neretvu (mouth of the Buna into the Neretva). When two rivers meet, normally they simply flow together, sometimes there is water with different colours which needs some time to mix. Not here. Buna river comes from the northeast, Neretva from the northwest. This is karst and both rivers are rich in limestone content. Thus, it seems, the Buna has built a rimstone dam, a wall which consists of deposited limestone, which is quite straight and runs north-south. And so both rivers flow southwards in parallel, the Buna a few meters higher continually overflowing the rimstone dam. The Buna also flows north along the Neretva in the opposite direction, also parallel, continually overflowing the dam forming waterfalls. This creates a rather straight, 1,600 m long canal with an actual mouth of the Buna river at each end, which is normally dry. 100 m long waterfall on one side. It really looks artificial, because it is so straight, but as far as we understand that’s a natural result of the geometry.

The name Bunski Kanal is a misnomer in two ways, not only canal is wrong, Bunski is also wrong. The river in the canal is the Neretva, so the actual name is Neretvanski Kanal (Canal of Neretva River). It seems, google and the tourist bureau decided otherwise. Actually there are Buna Canals on site, which is the name of the numerous parallel side branches of the Buna towards the Neretva, which each creates a small waterfall. If referring to those the name is still wrong, it must be plural, as there are hundreds of them.

To see the site follow M17 south from Mostar, it’s only about 15 km. You come to the town Buna, and after the end of the town you cross the Buna river right above the confluence. On the right side you can already see the canals. 300 m further down the road is a turnoff to the right, which leads to a parking lot with barbecue area and the Bunski kanal most, a narrow road bridge across the two rivers. Here you definitely have the best view on the canals.

This natural monument is unique, there are numerous tufa rims with waterfalls, but this straight canal and sheer size is really exceptional. As a result the site was protected by law since 1970. Nevertheless, since 2014 there were plans to install two mini hydroelectric power plants in the area. The issuance of permits and concessions for the construction should never have happened as the Buna canals are a protected natural monument, they happened nevertheless. This may be carbon friendly, but would destroy unique nature, so the locals, ecological associations from Mostar fought against those plans, supported by numerous associations from the country and the region, international activists, and even some politicians. Finally, in 2023 the Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) canceled the concession contract.

Another word about the Buna, which is a quite interesting karst river. We have listed both ends of the river, but there is a lot to see inbetween, although the river is only 3 or 4 kilometer long. Only a kilometer upstream is the Ušće Bunice u Bunu (meet of Buna and Bunica rivers), again with a rimstone dam. You may enjoy the view quite comfortable from the terrace of Restoran Kolo.