There are trips that don’t just take you from one place to another, but make you slow down and truly enjoy the journey, as Cavafy wrote in his “Ithaca.” Our sailing trip along the Dalmatian coast was exactly that: days of sailing among the incredible islands of the Adriatic, stops in nearly empty bays (even in high season), afternoons and evenings exploring charming ports, and the constant feeling of experiencing a very special side of Croatia (without having to worry about a thing—just going with the flow).
In our case, the experience with More Sailing exceeded our expectations and left us wanting more days sailing through Croatian waters. If you’d like to experience Croatia from the sea, with a well-balanced mix of relaxation, scenery, and small daily discoveries, this kind of trip might be exactly what you’re looking for.
In this guide, we’ll tell you the best time to go, what the trip includes, which company we traveled with, how to book, and even the pros and cons based on our own experience—so your sailing trip can be just as incredible as ours was.
Contents
Why take a sailing trip in Croatia
The Croatian coast is an ideal destination for a sailing trip for a multitude of reasons. Here’s a summary:
- Croatia’s coastline is perfect for a sailing trip, thanks to its vast number of islands and kilometers of coastline, with short distances between destinations, the generally calm Adriatic Sea, and the fact that most ports are well-developed and offer good facilities.
- Croatia is a very popular tourist destination, so many places are crowded, especially in the summer. Sailing will allow you to explore more remote spots that are completely free of crowds.
- The sea takes center stage: if you love the sea as much as Randomtrip does, simply spending a few days at sea is worth it in and of itself. You’ll travel “with your home on your back,” with total freedom, and you’ll always be able to sleep and eat with “ocean views.” Plus, you’ll get to see the Croatian coastline and islands from the boat, offering a whole new perspective.
- A blend of nature and charming towns: Most of the towns where you’ll dock at sunset are steeped in history and charm, making this trip an excellent way to combine a nature-filled vacation with a touch of culture to round out each day.
- Time to relax: Depending on the route, you’ll spend a few hours each day sailing—the perfect time to relax on deck, soak up the sun, read a book, and more.
- Better value for money than you might think: prices for accommodations and restaurants in Croatia, especially along the coast, have risen sharply in recent years (due to increased tourism and the adoption of the euro as the official currency), so spending a week on a sailboat isn’t much more expensive than paying for lodging, meals, and transportation on your own (More Sailing’s sailboat trips in Croatia start at €1,500 per person for 8 days, all-inclusive except for dinners)
How to plan your sailing trip in Croatia
Below, we’ve included all the information you need to know about how to plan a sailing trip in Croatia.
When to visit: best time to sail in Croatia
Without a doubt, the best time is during the middle months of the year (spring and summer, from May to October), when the weather is ideal for sailing and enjoying the sea, as well as Croatia’s islands and towns. During fall and winter, temperatures drop significantly.
In our case, we traveled in late May and had great weather except for one day. That said, the water was still pretty chilly! But we still took a dip every day.
Below is a table showing the monthly weather in Hvar, one of the islands along the coast, for your reference:
Weather table for Hvar (Croatia), with temperatures and rainy days by month:
| Month | Lowest temperature | Maximum temperature | Water temperature (average) | Days of rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7ºC | 12ºC | 14ºC | 8 |
| February | 7º | 13º | 13º | 8 |
| March | 9º | 15º | 13º | 8 |
| April | 12º | 18º | 15º | 8 |
| May | 16º | 22º | 18º | 7 |
| June | 20º | 26º | 22º | 5 |
| July | 22º | 29º | 24º | 3 |
| August | 22º | 29º | 24º | 4 |
| September | 19º | 26º | 23º | 7 |
| October | 16º | 22º | 20º | 8 |
| November | 12º | 17º | 18º | 9 |
| December | 8º | 13º | 16º | 9 |
| Month | Lowest temperature | Maximum temperature | Water temperature (average) | Days of rain |
How to get to Croatia
Croatia has several international airports and numerous connections to various European countries. The most convenient airports for a sailing trip are Split, Dubrovnik, and Zadar—all three have direct flights from several european destinations. We recommend using flight comparison sites like Skyscanner and Kiwi and being flexible with your dates to get the best possible price.
In our case, the sailing trip with More Sailing departed from Trogir, a small historic walled town just 10 minutes from Split Airport, so we flew from Barcelona (Spain) to Split.
How many days to spend on a sailing trip
We think a week would be the ideal amount of time for a sailing trip along the Croatian coast, giving you enough time to visit several islands and places.
In our case, since it was a special trip with other travel bloggers, we stayed for 5 days, and honestly, it felt too short (in fact, we ended up staying a few more days on our own, based in Hvar—an island we’ll cover in more detail in the complete guide to Hvar).
What kind of trip/boat to choose
Depending on how many people you want to travel with, you have several options:
- Join one of More Sailing’s trips, where you can book per person and share the trip with others.
- Rent a crewed boat for your group
- Rent a bareboat for your group
In our case, we chose the first option: we had our own cabin for two people on the sailboat and traveled with six other people (two per cabin) plus the crew (two people).
This is undoubtedly one of the great advantages of More Sailing: offering the option to join a shared trip. Most sailing companies only offer the option to charter the entire boat, so if you’re traveling alone, as a couple, or in a small group, chartering the entire boat can be very expensive. With More Sailing, since you can join a shared trip, you’ll still be able to enjoy this experience at a more affordable price—and meet new people along the way.
How much does a sailing trip in Croatia cost?
The price of a sailing trip depends on a variety of factors: the type of trip you choose, the type of boat, the number of days, the services included, the time of year, and so on.
To give you an idea, a one-week trip with More Sailing starts at €1,500 per person. You can view available shared trips as well as travel options with More Sailing here.
What’s included—and what’s not—on a sailing trip
What’s included in the price will vary depending on the type of trip you choose and the specific company.
In our case, for the shared trip option with More Sailing, the following was included:
- Crew: a skipper with the appropriate qualifications and experience, and a host who handles cooking and serving the various meals
- Meals: Includes breakfast, a main meal at noon, and various snacks throughout the day. Dinners are not included.
- Drinks: Includes unlimited drinks (water, soft drinks, wine, beer, etc.)
- A cabin with clean sheets and towels and a private bathroom.
- Other expenses associated with the boat, such as port fees and fuel.
- Flights: only from certain destinations. If you’re traveling from a destination where flights aren’t included, you’ll need to subtract €320 from the price listed on the website and pay for your own flights.
In other words, everything is included except for dinners, which you’ll have off the boat wherever you choose, at the location or on the island where you’ll be spending the night.
How to plan the itinerary and which places to visit
On a sailing trip, the wind and weather conditions are crucial, so the itinerary is usually flexible depending on them.
Ideally, you should have a list of the islands or places you’d like to visit and decide along the way which route is best based on the conditions. Below, we’ll show you the itinerary we followed on Randomtrip.
Our experience with More Sailing: 5 days in the Dalmatian islands
Below, we’ll walk you through our 5-day sailing experience along the Croatian coast with More Sailing, providing all the details so you can get a sense of what such a trip is like, including the amenities, the places you can visit, and more.
Booking and pre-trip arrangements
Once we’d arranged the trip with More Sailing, they gave us access to a “Customer Portal“, where we could fill out our personal information and, among other things, specify any dietary restrictions we might have.
They also explained what the start of the trip would be like on the first day (departing from the Trogir marina).
A few days before our trip began, the crew (Zoe and Ella) created a WhatsApp group and added us to it. There, they introduced themselves, asked us again about any allergies or dietary restrictions, told us where to find the boat on the first day and the estimated departure time (around 3:00 p.m.), and gave us several recommendations on what to see and do in Trogir during the day. Communication was extremely proactive and smooth throughout.
Here’s what our sailboat was like: amenities and photos
Our sailboat was a Lagoon 42 (you can find information and photos of the model here). It had four cabins, all with a bathroom and a double bed (the two aft cabins are larger and have a more spacious bathroom, while the two forward cabins are a bit smaller):
At Randomtrip, we stayed in one of the forward cabins (the smaller ones). It had a double bed, a bathroom with a sink and toilet, several storage areas, windows on the side and in the ceiling, and a couple of electrical outlets.
Some important recommendations or rules regarding the boat’s cabins:
- Space is generally limited, so it’s best to travel light with minimal luggage. We also recommend traveling with a backpack rather than a hard-sided suitcase (or, if you do bring a hard-sided suitcase, leave it in a locker or ask the company to store it for you and carry a backpack for your days on the sailboat), since it’s easier to stow away. At Randomtrip, we brought a 42-liter Cabin Zero backpack for this 3-week trip (after the sailing trip, we continued exploring the Dalmatian coast on our own), and we recommend it for this type of trip because it holds more than it looks like it does (we call it the “Poppins” backpack, in homage to Mary Poppins), it’s flexible, and you don’t have to check it
- Standard electrical outlets work when the boat is in port and plugged into the power supply. We recommend bringing a good power bank (at Randomtrip, we bring this one, which can charge your phone about 3–4 times, and we use it to charge both our phones and cameras). The rest of the time, there are also 12V USB ports available.
- Although there’s a shower in every cabin (a regular shower in the larger ones, a small hose in the smaller ones), the amount of water on the boat is limited. It should be used only when strictly necessary, and care must be taken not to waste it. When you arrive at the respective port each day, there are usually showers where you can take a shower.
- Do not flush anything down the toilet “that hasn’t passed through your body.” In other words, do not flush toilet paper, wet wipes, or any other hygiene products down the toilet, as they can easily cause a clog.
The rest of the sailboat’s space is shared with the other passengers. In our case, we had the main area with the kitchen and living room, the aft section with a table and several areas to relax, and the forward section, which also had several areas to relax. Overall, there was plenty of space—more than enough for the eight passengers and two crew members traveling on the boat.
Our 5-day itinerary: New Day, New Bay
As we mentioned earlier, the itinerary is flexible and varies depending on the weather and the requests or preferences of the people on board.
This was the itinerary we followed during our trip:
- Day 1: We left the Trogir marina around 4:00 p.m. and arrived at 5:30 p.m. at Maslinica on the island of Šolta, where we would spend our first night
- Day 2: We set sail at 9:30 a.m., and around 1:20 p.m. we arrived at a small bay on the island of Hvar, where we had lunch, took a dip, and relaxed. At 3:30 p.m., we continued on to our overnight stop, Jelsa on the island of Hvar
- Day 3: We set out at 9:30 a.m. and arrived around 12:00 p.m. at Uvala Smrka, a bay on the island of Brač that once served as a hideout for submarines. There, we had lunch, took a dip, explored the hideout, and at 4:30 p.m. we set out for Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, where we spent the night.
- Day 4: We set sail at 9:30 a.m. and arrived around 1:00 p.m. at our stop, Stracinska Bay on the island of Šolta, where we once again took a dip and had lunch while enjoying the surroundings. Around 3:30 p.m., we set sail for tonight’s stop, Uvala Šešula, also on the island of Šolta, where we spent our last night.
- Day 5: The boat began its return to Trogir early (around 5:00 a.m.), and by about 8:00 a.m. we were back in Trogir, bringing our trip to an end.
In other words, we visited various spots on three islands off the Dalmatian coast: Šolta, Brač, and Hvar.
Here’s a brief description of the places we explored—where we anchored to enjoy a few hours or docked to spend the night—to give you an idea of the beauty we had the privilege of experiencing every time our sailboat dropped anchor in a new spot, a routine we call “New Day, New Bay“:
- Maslinica was the port that welcomed us on our first night and where we woke up for the first time at sea. It’s a small village on the island of Šolta surrounded by a quintessentially Mediterranean landscape, with pine and olive trees. Off the coast of Maslinica lies an archipelago of seven islets that make it one of the most beautiful spots in the Adriatic. In addition, Maslinica has received several tourism awards: in 2012, it was named the best tourist destination in the Adriatic with fewer than 1,000 residents; in 2017, it was named the best authentic coastal destination; and the Marinić Marchi marina was chosen as the best small marina in Croatia in 2018.
- Jelsa, where we moored the sailboat and spent our second night, is a small town in the center of the island of Hvar that began to develop in the Middle Ages. Its historic layout (documented in the Statute of Hvar from 1331), wide promenade, and local heritage make it more than just a pretty postcard. In addition, Jelsa is part of the Hvar Island region associated with several UNESCO designations, including the Za Križen procession, inscribed in 2009, and the cultural landscape of the Stari Grad plain, inscribed in 2008.
- Uvala Smrka is a secluded cove on the island of Brač where we had lunch on board and enjoyed the afternoon of our third day. In addition to its crystal-clear waters, it’s known for its old military tunnel for submarines and other vessels from the Yugoslav era, so you could say it was a day of swimming steeped in history.
- Stari Grad, where we docked on the third night, became our favorite port on this sailing trip. It’s also one of the oldest towns in Croatia, with a history dating back to the Greek colony of Pharos, founded around 384 B.C. by settlers from the Greek island of Paros, making it a key place for understanding the history of Hvar. It has a beautiful historic district where you can lose yourself wandering the streets and/or enjoying a drink. At Randomtrip, we decided to climb up to the Glavica Hill (or White Cross) viewpoint, and we highly recommend it if you’re in the area. The panoramic view from above of Stari Grad’s historic center, the harbor, the vineyards of the Stari Grad plain (an agricultural landscape protected by UNESCO since 2008), and the Adriatic Sea surrounding Hvar (with a glimpse of the Pakleni Islands) is breathtaking. Stari Grad is, without a doubt, a place that makes you want to stay longer than planned.
- Stracinska Bay is the peaceful cove with crystal-clear waters where we anchored, enjoyed a delicious meal on board, and went for a swim on the fourth day of sailing
- Uvala Šešula was where we anchored and spent our last night. Beyond being a sheltered cove on the island of Šolta—known for being a good refuge for boats and for its peaceful atmosphere as a sheltered bay near Maslinica (where we spent our first night)—the main reason we came here was the Konoba Šešula restaurant, where we enjoyed our last dinner of the sailing trip.
- Trogir was the final stop on our sailing trip, and it was at the Trogir marina where we said goodbye to the group and the More Sailing crew. In our opinion, it’s also a city you shouldn’t miss and one that deserves at least half a day to explore. It’s a compact city that’s very easy to explore, and it has been protected by UNESCO since 1997 for its incredible urban continuity and its blend of Hellenistic ruins with Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. Its historic center has rightly earned the reputation of beinga “museum city,” because it packs a tremendous amount of history into a very small space. Strolling through Trogir is one of those experiences best savored at a leisurely pace, without the need to make an endless to-do list, because the city itself carries such rich historical and aesthetic significance. The plan here can be as simple as taking a walk, sitting down for a drink, and letting Trogir work its magic.
Here’s a map of our route:
What daily life was like on the boat
In our case, we shared the boat with other travel bloggers: Letizia from MangiaViaggiaAma, Valentina from Pimp My Trip (Grazie!), Katri and Ilkka from Netammelat, Cilla from Cilla Maria Travel, and Eve from Reissukuume (Kiitos!), who made the trip even more special!
To sum it up, every day on the boat went something like this:
- 8:00 a.m. buffet breakfast with a view and a little time to explore our surroundings
- 9:30 a.m. departure for today’s stop
- 12:00 PM/1:00 PM to 3:30 PM/4:00 PM : Stop for a dip, lunch, and to enjoy the views and surroundings
- 5:00 PM/6:00 PM: Arrival at the evening port/marina; time to explore, take a shower, have dinner, etc., and then off to sleep
While sailing, they usually served us snacks and drinks, and gave us the chance to learn about sailing: hoisting the sails, steering the ship, tying sailor’s knots, and so on.
The rest of the time, we were sunbathing, reading, chatting with our fellow travelers, taking photos and videos, or simply enjoying the sea and the views.
Instagram stories from our trip with More Sailing
You can check out the highlighted Stories on our Instagram profile for videos and photos from our boat trip with More Sailing, featuring images of the boat, the food, the sailing, the stops, and more: Stories from our trip with More Sailing
Our thoughts on the experience with More Sailing
After enjoying this 5-day sailing trip through Croatia with More Sailing, we can’t help but highly recommending the company. We finished the trip wanting to spend even more days on Croatian waters, and the service we received was excellent.
The crew (Zoe and Ella) were incredible—they sailed us safely every day, prepared delicious meals, explained the route and taught us about sailing, gave us plenty of tips on restaurants and places to visit, and were always available and ready with a smile.
The boat itself was spacious and comfortable. The cabins, despite having limited space, were comfortable, and we slept very well. The outdoor areas were spacious, with enough room for everyone to enjoy the experience at the same time.
The islands and places we visited were incredible: during the day, we always stopped at bays where there were hardly any other boats (and which were inaccessible by car), so we were practically alone; in the afternoons, we’d arrive at the port where we’d spend the night around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., giving us time to explore the area for a couple of hours before dark, grab a drink, have dinner, etc.
Communication was seamless at all times—both before and during the trip, on board the boat, and in the WhatsApp group created for that purpose.
Finally, we loved meeting other people and sharing this trip with them; we were lucky with the group we ended up with and were able to share many moments, conversations, and dinners.
Overall, based on our experience, we highly recommend More Sailing for this type of trip. In addition to Croatia, they also offer shared trips to other destinations such as Greece, Italy, and the Caribbean. You can find more information about destinations, dates, and prices on their website
Pros and cons of More Sailing
Below is a summary of the pros and cons of sailing with More Sailing on a shared trip like the one we took with Randomtrip, to help you decide if this type of trip is right for you:
Pros
- Access to secluded spots with hardly anyone around , even during peak season
- Small groups (in our case, 8 people)
- No planning required: More Sailing takes care of everything, so you can focus on enjoying the trip
- Suitable for everyone: you don’t need to know how to sail or have any kind of license
- Since it’s a shared trip, prices are more affordable, and you’ll get to meet other people
- Flexible itinerary: depending on your group’s preferences and the weather, the next destination will be decided each day.
- Safety: You’ll travel with a trained and experienced crew.
Cons
- Limited space: You’ll need to pack light and adapt to the available space. The comfort level won’t be comparable to staying in a hotel or apartment.
- The travel experience may vary depending on the group you’re assigned to and how well you get along with the other people
- Consensus: You’ll need to agree on the itinerary with the rest of the group
- Limited time at each destination: Don’t expect to explore the islands or coastal destinations in depth, since you’ll only spend a few hours at each port
- This trip is heavily influenced by the weather; if you’re unlucky and it’s very windy or raining, it will affect your experience
- If you get seasick easily , this might not be a good option for you.
Internet: How to get internet connection on the boat
The best way to get internet on the sailboat during your trip is through your smartphone, using a SIM card—whether European, local, or an eSIM.
Croatia is part of the EU, so if you have a European carrier, you can probably use your data plan there at no extra cost (check the terms with your carrier).
If that’s not the case, and if your phone supports eSIM and you want to keep things simple, we recommend the Holafly eSIM (unlimited data, 5% off with the code RANDOMTRIP) or the Sim Local eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 10% off with the code RANDOMTRIP).
More information on how to get an eSIM for your trip to Croatia here:
Checklist: what to pack in your suitcase or backpack
As mentioned earlier, for a boat trip we recommend “soft” luggage (a backpack or a bag), since space in the cabin is limited and it’s easier to organize your belongings with something flexible. Here’s what we recommend packing:
- A reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
- Water Shoes like these ones, ideal for not hurting your feet when entering the water or not touching the ground.Keep in mind that most beaches in Croatia are rocky, so they’re a must-have.
- Snorkel kit (mask and tube) like this one, a must to take on this trip to contemplate the seabed.
- Waterproof dry bag like this one, very useful for keeping your camera equipment, cell phone and wallet safe from getting wet on any boat trip (or even if the tide comes in on the beach).
- Fast drying towel like this one which doesn’t take a lot of space in your luggage
- A hat or a cap (like this one) and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun
- Windbreaker waterproof jacket: like this one, to protect yourself from the sudden weather changes in Azores
- A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero13 Black (for underwater pictures)
- A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
- Sun screen: always look for a Coral Friendly Sunscreen, i.e. one that protects your skin without harming marine ecosystems by avoiding ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to corals. Nor that it has been tested on animals.
- Mosquito repellent: like this one, it should have at least 15% deet
- First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics
- Travel insurance: always travel with travel insurance. We collaborate with different travel insurance companies so that you can get a discount with some of them:
Croatia travel insurance
Do you know what you should always have in your backpack? Good travel insurance! On our trip to Croatia, we purchased Heymondo Travel Premium. Beyond medical assistance in case something happens to you, the insurance also covers you for adventure sports. Plus, if anything happens to your luggage—damage, theft, delayed delivery, or loss—the insurance has your back. We use and partner with various insurance providers, and as a reader, you can enjoy the following discounts:
Carefully read the terms and conditions of each policy and hire the insurance that best suits your needs.
In addition to the above, we also recommend bringing a book (or e-reader) for when you’re out sailing.
Frequently asked questions about sailing in Croatia
Here’s a short list of questions we asked ourselves before embarking on this multi-day sailing trip:
No, it’s not necessary—you can choose More Sailing’s shared trips or even rent the entire boat with a crew
It’s possible! It depends on the weather conditions and how prone you are to seasickness. Bring some medicine just in case (they always have some on hand on the boat, too).
The truth is, we slept great, despite the limited space. One night Chris didn’t sleep as well because the sea was rougher, but the rest of the time we slept very well
The route and stops are decided based on the group’s preferences and weather conditions, with safety always being the top priority. If the weather is bad, the crew will let you know what your options are.
In our case, all the rooms had private toilets that worked perfectly (it’s essential to be careful not to flush toilet paper or any other hygiene products, as they can cause clogs). Shower use should be kept to a minimum on the boat since the water supply is limited (you can use the showers at each port when you arrive).
It depends on the boat. On ours, you could charge your phone using regular outlets at night while in port—since we were connected to the power grid—and during the day using USB ports. It’s best to bring a good power bank.
Prices for shared trips with More Sailing start at 1,500€ per person for a one-week trip.
The price per person includes the sailing trip in a double cabin with a private bathroom, all meals on board (breakfast, lunch, and other snacks) except for dinner, unlimited drinks, the crew (captain/skipper and host/chef), all expenses related to the boat (fuel, port fees, etc.), and, in some cases, even flights to Croatia from your home country.
If you’ve ever thought about exploring Croatia in a different way, this sailing trip through Dalmatia is one of those experiences that’s truly worth it: the sea, islands, stops in nearly deserted bays, charming villages at sunset, and the constant feeling of taking your time to savor the journey. For Randomtrip, it was precisely that mix of freedom, comfort, and disconnect that made the experience work so well.
As two people who always travel independently and organize everything ourselves, we really enjoyed experiencing the feeling that (almost) everything was taken care of so that all we had to do was enjoy ourselves—from the crew and the food to the logistics and even communication before and during the trip—and simply agree on the route with the rest of the crew and decide, each night in a new port waiting to be discovered, where to have dinner. And while it’s important to keep in mind that space on a sailboat is limited, that the weather can change plans, and that getting along depends on the group, precisely that is also part of the charm of this kind of trip.
Thank you, More Sailing, for helping us at Randomtrip discover a new passion: sailing, literally, through ports we’ve never seen before.
“When you set out on your journey to Ithaca
, pray that the road be long,
full of adventures, full of experiences.
(…)
May there be many summer mornings
when you arrive—with what pleasure and joy!—
at ports you’ve never seen before.
(…)
Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your destiny.
But never rush the journey.
Better that it last many years
and that you dock, now an old man, on the island,
enriched by all you gained along the way
without waiting for Ithaca to enrich you.“
Excerpt from “Ithaca,” written by the great Greek poet Constantine Cavafy
Disclaimer: More Sailing invited us to participate in this trip alongside other travel bloggers, but all opinions and information expressed in this post are our own
