Clear water in varying shades of emerald, aqua, cyan, and royal blue. We watched fish from the back deck and the small viewing windows between the hulls. Every day we woke up and went to sleep in a watery European paradise.
But let’s start from the beginning, shall we?
Split, Croatia
After months of planning, the day to embark on the catamaran charter finally arrived. We walked off the overnight ferry from Italy and snagged a taxi across the bay to the ACI Marina.
We were several hours early and burdened with extra bags of groceries that we had purchased at the ferry terminal. Thankfully we were able to stow our items in the fleet office so we could explore downtown Split.
It was a hot day with temps in the 90s paired with excruciating humidity. Sweat dripping out of every pore. No breeze, just hot still air. We managed a nice lunch on the waterfront and a short trip around the historic town center, including a walk through the ancient Diocletian’s Palace. It was crowded so we headed back to the marina to wait in the air-conditioned office. We were able to load up the boat a little early, which was great.
The Adventure Begins
We met our captain just ahead of schedule and loaded up the yacht with bags and groceries.
Captain Filip looked like a young Tom Brady. My mom loved his accent – especially when he barked out orders to his deckhand assistants. Because it was just four of us, the only professional crew we hired was the skipper (captain). The deckhands were Corey and my dad!
We held our first meeting to discuss hopes, plans, questions, and have a safety briefing. Then we left the marina in the late afternoon. With zero wind, we motored through the busy Brac Channel, headed toward our first night’s stop: Bobovisca on the western end of Brac Island.
The Boat
We used Fair Wind Charters to book a 40-foot catamaran and the skipper. We highly recommend them for chartered rentals in Croatia. We had four cabins, each with its own bathroom. Check out our video of the boat here.
The best part of the boat was hanging out on the back deck. It’s where we had family meals, enjoyed morning coffee, and charted the course for the day. So let’s move on to where we got to sail.
Places Visited
Brac
We stopped at a lovely cove on the first evening. A few other boats were already tied up in neat rows. A man we nicknamed “the buoy boss” came alongside in a small boat demanding payment and providing instructions on where to tie up. His matter-of-fact tone was typical for Croatian hospitality, and we were surprised that a simple tie-up cost 85 euros!
We enjoyed a refreshing swim and relaxed. It felt good to float in the water after a long, hot day in the city. Dinner was prepared by me and Corey. Corey made beans and added too much of the peri-peri pepper that we brought from South Africa! Mid-meal, Captain Filip leapt from the table to get more water. He was not impressed with the spice level and we may have destroyed his palate forever. I thought they were pretty good. 4.1 stars out of 5. A little on the spicy side!
Vis
We arrived in the harbor of the town of Vis just before lunch. We dropped anchor again in the protected bay. We again met a “buoy boss” and paid 84 euros for the right to tie up in the harbor.
Filip took us ashore via the dinghy and we all lunched on a gorgeous patio. We had time to swim, relax, walk around town, and grocery shop. Vis was founded in the 4th Century BCE by the Greeks, later to be conquered by the Romans. There are some ruins excavated and visible to tourists.
The following morning we went to the Green Cave, a feature of Vis Island. We took the dinghy inside and enjoyed the eerie greenish glow of the cave, but were instantly swarmed by biting insects and left a few minutes later to cruise to our next island destination.
Biševo
The highest priority for us was to get to Biševo so that my parents could tour the Blue Cave. This popular attraction is one of the top tourist destinations in Croatia! A small boat comes around the harbor to pick up tourists and float into the cave for a few minutes to enjoy the blue glow. At the last minute Corey and I decided not to hop on the dinghy and take the tour, but my parents really enjoyed seeing the blue phenomena. At certain times of the day, the direct sunlight illuminates the cave and everything and everyone inside.
Our captain then guided us around the island. The water was a bit rough and it made me queasy. I was happy when we pulled into a calm cove on the far side of the island. We docked at a small concrete pier near Porat beach, without anyone collecting rent for the boat. There were a couple of beach bars that were showing the Croatia/Italy soccer match, making for some local excitement.
I enjoyed walking on the cool sandy beach alone and taking in the peacefulness of our surroundings.
Palmizana, Paklinski islands
This night was spent at the ACI Marina, which meant a surprising return to crowds. Much of the marina was occupied by “Yacht Week,” a program where youthful partiers spend a week sailing around Croatia in a flotilla of boats. The program is generally similar to what we chartered, but includes more partying and less effort (and at a greater cost). At the marina, there was plenty of day drinking and merriment, but then at night folks grabbed water taxis and the party scene moved to the town of Hvar on nearby Hvar Island.
The night at the marina cost 252 euros, but allowed us connections to electrical and water. The electrical allowed us to run the air conditioning overnight, which was a relief from the heat. All things considered, we all got peaceful sleep and enjoyed dinner and a night at the marina.
Vrboska, Hvar Island
Toward the end of the week, we maneuvered into a gorgeous secluded bay just outside of Vrboska, on the north coast of Hvar Island. This was another free anchor spot. Corey was literally on deck to help us tie up. As a high school swimmer, we nominated him to be our swimmer and take our line out to a large rock. He did such a good job that when we left he got to untie as well. Check out this video to see him in action!
Hvar has a reputation for being a party scene, but that is only Hvar town. The island itself is large and the town of Vrboska is lively and homey. We loved the short walk into town from our cove. We grabbed dinner and ice cream and meandered past all the boats lined up right in town.
This was my mom’s favorite spot of the week. Honestly, we could have stayed here multiple days and spent time cycling around, swimming on the sandy beach, and sampling mixed-grill plates from the cute restaurants in town. But there were more islands to explore!
Rogac, Solta Island
Our final stop on the itinerary was an island quite close to Split. This spot was the highlight of my week! Capt. Filip had phoned ahead to secure us a spot on the dock of Restaurant Pasarela, a lovely establishment in Rogac that offers free moorage with dinner.
We arrived in the afternoon which gave us time to swim and walk around the small bay before dinner. The water was stunningly clear with fish swimming around and under our boat.
We enjoyed fresh and tasty seafood and liked the restaurant so much that we had lunch there the following day before departing. This was a perfect spot for a Croatian island journey: swimming opportunities, good food and drink, and a cute area to walk around. If I was coming back to Split, I’d make a side trip over to Solta.
Return to Split
We headed back to Split on sail power, with the heavy wind pushing the boat as fast as the engines would. Our charter agreement allowed us one final night to sleep on the boat, and we said goodbye to Captain Filip, who returned to his home and family in Zagreb.
As it was Friday night, we walked across the marina back to the historic center. After sunset, Split was a happening scene. Large boats had their lights on and flags out, and teens posed and mingled. We appreciated the juxtaposition between daytime Split and nighttime Split: both touristy in their own way.
Conclusion
The Dalmation Coast of Croatia has hundreds of islands, and a week-long trip requires being selective on the route. But one also cannot be too rigid: the wind and weather help dictate what the next day’s stop will be! The water was warm, so early July was a great time for swimming. And we enjoyed daily dips in the Adriatic Sea!
Island hopping on a private charter was a lot of work and it was a lot of fun. We grocery shopped, prepared meals, and even helped out with the ropes and sails.
Overall, our budget for the trip was around $8,300 USD, not including food/drinks. The amount you pay will vary greatly depending on the size and type of the boat, whether additional crew is included, and how and where you choose to stay.
To save money, it is possible to visit many of these islands via a combination of ferries and water taxis, but it would be difficult to coordinate, especially with lodging. If you book set dates for lodging, you risk no-showing due to the unreliability of boat schedules. But if you are completely flexible, you risk showing up in a small island village without any place to stay the night. If we do end up back on the Dalmatian Coast, we will give this a try to be able to stay a little longer on our favorite islands.
We had a fun week boating, where each day in Croatia offered new sights and experiences. The island villages certainly see their share of tourists during the summer, but they have not lost their charm. There are many options for a Croatian sailing trip, and a good skipper will help provide you with the trip you desire. Ours certainly did!