Traverse turquoise water and dock on remote islands and sandy beaches when you sail Croatia with these island-hopping tours.
You can’t visit Croatia and not set eyes on its Dalmatian coastline. Practically everywhere you turn Adriatic waters and island paradises call out to you, so travelling by boat should be your transport of choice. It’s the best way to capture the country’s enchanting landscape and hop from one coastal city to another, and from island to island.
Being on board a boat also means you can dip into warm waters or sunbake on beaches pretty much anytime you like. If this sounds appealing, then check out these cool Croatian sailing tours.
Where to book Croatian sailing and island hopping tours
- Contiki
- Busabout
- Topdeck
- Intrepid Travel
- G Adventures
Popular Croatian island-hopping itineraries
The Dalmatian Coast stretches for 1,777 kilometres and is the most indented coastline in the world. It’s speckled with over 1,000 islands and inlets making a single itinerary near impossible. The best way to experience the coastline is to break it up into sections.
If you choose the southern end, you can start from the major city of Dubrovnik and make your way up through Korcula, Hvar and Wild Bay and end at the next major city, Split.
Have more time to spare? Stop by more of Hvar’s neighbouring islands on your way. These include Mljlec, Vis, Brac and Solta - or make yours a Balkan adventure by discovering the nearby countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Island-hopping tour companies comparison
Use our table below to see which tour company is most suited to your holiday needs.
| Tour company | Sailing length | Destinations | Age range/atmosphere | Cost from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contiki | 7 nights | Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar, Wild Bay, Bol, Makarska, Split, Trstenik | 18–35 year olds, party | $1,500pp |
| Busabout | 8 days | Split, Hvar, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Makarska, Omis, Slano, Stari Grad, Primosten, Krka Waterfalls, Zrce Beach, Zadar, Vodice | 18–70 year olds, budget and independent travel | $979pp |
| Topdeck | 8–15 days | Split, Hvar, Milna, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Makarska, Stari Grad, Vis, Vela Luka, Mljet, Trestenik, Pltvice Lakes. Has trips to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia | 18–39 year olds, party | $961pp |
| Intrepid Travel | 8 days | Split, Brac, Vis, Hvar, Korcula, Mljet, Elafiti Islands, Dubrovnik | 18–55 year olds, adventure and exploration | $1,989pp |
| On The Go | 7–8 days | Split, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Mljet, Trstenik, Kuna, Hvar, Zlatnir Rat, Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes, Opatija, Rab, Molat, Olib, Mali Losinj, Cres, Sepan Island, Pakleni Islands, Brac, Elephite Islands | 18–65 year olds, family tours may be available, adventure and exploration | $985pp |
| Frontier Adriatic | 8 days | Pula, Debeljak, Unje-Maracol Bay, Lubenice, Osor, Punta Kriza, Susak, Dugi otok, Vodice, Skradin, Murter Archipelago, Zadar, Sipan, Pomena, Mljet, Polace, Skrivena Luka, Korcula, Vis, Drvenik Veli, Trogir, Kastela | 4–65 year olds, family | $1,416pp |
| G Adventures | 8 days | Dubrovnik, Herceg Novi, Budva, Kotor, Bigovo, Tivat, Cavtat, Mljet, Korcula, Mlna, Hvar, Brac, Split | 16+, youthful and fun. | $1,649pp |
| Travel Talk | 8 days | Dubrovnik, Mljet, Korcula, Hvar, Makarska, Omis, Split | 18+, adventure | $498pp |
| Viator | Half a day to 8 days | 100+ tours available to various cities | 4–65 year olds, family, adventure, party | $36pp |
| Peregrine | 8 days | Sibenik, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Badija, Trpani, Opuzen, Mostar, Hvar, Jelsa, Starigrad, Skradin, Bar, Budva, Paxos, Corfu, Saranda, Kotor | 7+, adventure, family | $2,956pp |
The best Croatian sail tours between Dubrovnik and Split
These are Dubrovnik to Split options, but many tour companies offer reverse itineraries, so you can start or end in Dubrovnik or Split.
Round-trip sail tours from Split or Dubrovnik
Croatian island-hopping tours that sail further up the coast
Croatian sail tours that include trips to neighbouring countries
Which are the Croatian party islands?
Popular islands in the Adriatic Sea that don’t sleep include Hvar and Brac. Both are accessible by boat from Split, and it’s common for revellers to make their way to one of the islands on a Thursday or Friday night, and return to shore on Sunday afternoon.
When is the best time to visit Croatia?
Croatia has a Mediterranean climate of hot and cooler seasons. Winters are mild, but ferries and sailing tours tend to close during the off-season, so if you’re looking to island hop you really must go during peak or shoulder seasons. The height of summer is July and August, while shoulder seasons are May to June and September to October.
