Want to experience a sailing holiday in Croatia but don’t have a full-week or you aren’t travelling with a large group of friends? AndAdventure has the answer for you.
I feel a bit ridiculous repeating myself sometimes but it is always relevant; I first visited Croatia five years ago and ended up working as a guide on mini-cruisers before I eventually moved here, married my Croatian husband and worked as a hostess on luxury sailing yachts for a few years.
Precisely because of my experience and the fact that I am a foreigner now living in Croatia, I have a lot of people reach out to me basically to act as their (free) travel agent or ask for local suggestions and advice. It makes sense, I always want the inside info when I am travelling too; among many others, two questions I am asked time-again, are:
- “I want to go sailing in Croatia but I only have 3 – 5 days, what are the options?”
- “We are travelling as a couple and want to go sailing, what company do you recommend?”
The last question usually comes with a footnote: p.s. we are 30+ and while we are adventurous and fun, we really don’t want to be stuck on a booze cruise…
For a while, I really didn’t know where to point people, particularly for the 3 – 5-day sailing options as I come from a world of 7-day charter, like the majority of tours here. Then, I met Veselka Huljić from AndAdventure (thanks to a mutual friend) and I found a person and company I would happily recommend.
AndAdventure are more than a decade in the adventure tourism business, a local company founded by experienced guides, all with a mutual passion of sharing the best Croatia has to offer from the specialised angle of adventure tourism. Their many unique day and multi-day tours include everything from hiking, biking, kayaking and sailing – or a combination, like this fantastic sail and kayak tour!
But today, I am going to focus on sailing. When I met with the team from AndAdventure, they explained that they specialise in the shorter sailing tours because 1) there are very few operators offering this experience and 2) they believe it is a great way for people to ‘ease’ themselves into sailing, particularly if they have never done it before.
“Even with a skipper, if you haven’t spent much time on a boat, signing up to spend a whole week at sea can be a little daunting for a lot of people but they still want to get a taste of the sailing experience; so, 3 – 5-day tours are perfect.
Also, when travelling, many people take a month or even more to travel all around Europe but they can’t set aside an entire week just for Croatia, 7 days can really cut into a travel itinerary, whereas 3 – 5-days is a lot more manageable and they still get to experience Croatia from this wonderful perspective.” – Veselka Huljić
Two unique private tours that AndAdventure offer are:
3 Islands, 2 Caves, 3 Days (Private Sailing for 2 – 8 persons)
Sails from Split to the island of Brač, where guests can enjoy sailing, then anchoring in a secluded bay to enjoy swimming and water activities like snorkelling (gear included) before moving to the island of Hvar (one of the world’s top 10 island destinations). Day 2 is a wonderful itinerary which includes sailing around the gorgeous Pakleni island archipelago before making their way to Vis and the blue and green caves. The night is spent in the darling town of Komiža on Vis island before a leisurely sail back to Split the following day.
Split to Dubrovnik, 5 days (Private Sailing for 2 – 8 persons)
A central Dalmatian highlights tour, this 5-days sailing takes you from Split to Brač, Hvar, Vis (blue cave), Korčula, Mljet, Pelješač Peninsula where a car is waiting to transport guests directly to Dubrovnik at the end of the sailing tour. There is far too much that can be written about this route but you better believe it is filled with gastronomic highlights, incredible nature, centuries of history and plenty of opportunities for adventure!
The fact is, this 5-day does basically the same route as what you will achieve on a 7-day sailing, so guests don’t miss a thing.
But what if you aren’t travelling with a large group of friends or family and can’t afford to charter an entire yacht to yourself? Fear not, there is a shared sailing option:
Split, Brač, Hvar, 3 Days (Shared Sailing, for the individual travellers)
In shared sailing, you book the time and you will be on a yacht with other adventurous or independent travellers. 3 days, 3 islands, the perfect taste of the Adriatic. This tour takes guests from Split – Brač where there is ample opportunity for swimming and exploring; on day 2, the sunniest island – Hvar awaits, as too does the history, gastronomy and nightlife. The final day there is still time to sail around and enjoy the pristine waters and many bays of the Pakleni archipelago before making your way back to Split.
Experience sailing in Croatia
I truly believe that a sailing holiday in Croatia will be one of your best holidays (confirmed by EVERY single guest I have ever had); I also believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience sailing once in their life – especially to explore Croatia.
Thankfully, AndAdventure has made it more accessible to everyone and now you know. You’re welcome.
To see more from AndAdventure, visit their official page here or stop by and LIKE their Facebook page.
All photos copyright and courtesy of AndAdventure
