February 12, 2019 – Croatian coastal tourism is developing beyond the sun and beach. Kayaking in Croatia is now big business.
It has been fascinating to watch the trends in Croatian tourism over the last 15 years. The transformation from cities such as Split from the Gateway to the Dalmatian Islands to one of Europe’s hottest spots, for example. Or Bol on Brac reinventing itself as a family and adventure tourism destination after being the biggest party on the Adriatic.
And while the sun, sea and beach understandably remain the biggest draw, there has been a noticeable rise in different aspects of tourism. Kayaking in Croatia, for example, was an activity which barely existed 15 years ago, but is now a very popular way to explore for half-a-day for beginners, or multi-day, multi-island trips for the more experienced. So popular has kayaking in Croatia become that Rough Guides named it in their list of 17 unmissable things to do in Croatia.
I remember having a beer with one of the pioneers of sea kayaking in Croatia, Vese Huljic of And Adventure, several years ago. As a young enthusiastic local trying to develop kayaking as a tourist activity on her native Hvar, she recalled the bemused looks of locals sitting with their morning coffees watching these young kids carrying kayaks and other equipment to the waterfront. It looked like far too much work when all you had to do was enjoy the sun and think of the beach later.
Huljic and her colleagues persevered, and an exciting new adventure tourism offer was born. Half-day kayaking tours of the Pakleni Islands in front of Hvar Town, sunset kayak tours, and multi-day adventures. With the only requirement for beginners being the ability to swim, here was a new activity which was open to almost everyone. And with expert local guides to take you to the most hidden coves, there was even the chance to discover local secrets off-limits to most tourists.
From Hvar to elsewhere in Dalmatia, and kayaking is truly becoming popular. Here is the And Adventure team from their official Facebook page yesterday, exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St. Nicholas Fortress, other military tunnels and the island of Zlarin. Sibenik of course is the only town in Croatia with two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, St James Cathedral being the other, but if you are looking for UNESCO sites to kayak to, you have come to the right place.
The old town of Trogir, perhaps, as seen in the video above, or Diocletian’s Palace in Split, where the kayaking has exploded in recent years. Hvar has its own Stari Grad Plain, and further south, kayaking around the majestic walls of Dubrovnik is an experience most tourists miss.
And it is not just UNESCO of course. There are many other unforgettable holiday experiences to be had while kayaking in Croatia. Up close and personal with a donkey, for instance.
To learn more about an aspect of Croatian tourism you had perhaps not yet considered, check out the options with And Adventure.
