Hvar Croatia: 9 Things to Know Before Going on a Sailboat Cruising (Expert Tips)

Cruising with your family is probably one of the greatest travel experiences. However, many factors have an impact on your overall satisfaction. And when it comes to your family, you for sure want something special in many ways. Stay with us and find out why family-friendly cruises on gulets in Croatia prevail over cruising on larger ships and cruise liners.

Are you fans of a solid berth within picturesque towns, anchoring in dreamy turquoise lagoons or you desire a quiet and carefree night spent in a magical bay with your boat tied to a buoy while right in front of you gastronomical specialities are being served? Want to explore island Hvar in Croatia and at the same time find the most affordable and safe mooring option for your boat? Maybe you are up for a good time in one of the many party meccas of the island? Or completely contrary, you strive to spend an intimate night in some hidden bay of this sunny island? All of this, and much more, will be revealed to you by this blog all you need to do is embark on an unforgettable sailboat cruising trip along the green outlines of island Hvar Croatia!

1. Bind yourself, time to take off!

Hvar, Stari Grad, Vrboska, Jelsa, Sucuraj five beautiful small towns of Hvar that are situated in the Middle Dalmatia in Croatia, under whose silhouettes you can find a mooring for your boat. In the heart of the season, available mooring on the seafront in the town of Hvar, as well as in Stari Grad, is much harder to find than in the much quieter Vrboska or Jelsa. On the opposite eastern side of the island, in Sucuraj a place that seems to be from another planet there is a completely different local vibe and boaters much easily secure an accessible berth for their boat.

2. Sea Approach to island Hvar Croatia

In Hvar town harbour it is almost impossible to find an available spot because the towns seafront is occupied with luxury yachts and the fifteen buoy spots are easily taken.

Due to traffic in the harbour, it is not allowed to anchor there, so usually all the boaters find their spot on the nearby Pakleni islands where ACI Marina Palmizana, one of the most beautiful marinas of the Adriatic, is situated. Although beautiful, it is expensive so, besides the high prices for mooring, you will also need to pay around 30 euro per person for a taxi boat so you can visit Hvar Croatia.

Located in the 2.5 nm distant town of Milna, Konoba Kotin offers boaters the best and cheapest option for touring this Adriatic pearl. Namely, the buoys belonging to the above-mentioned tavern are located in one of the most beautiful and intimate bays of this water area, and with prior notice, it is possible to reserve them.

You will not have to pay for a mooring at the buoy if you decide to pay homage to their first-class specialities, and you can quickly reach the medieval town walls of Hvar by taxi for 60 (a group of up to 8 people).

3. Pakleni otoci mesmerizing galaxy made of turquoise lagoons

This magical archipelago is formed from a group of 21 islets and cliffs are the most scenic but also the most visited part of Hvar Riviera in Croatia.

Sveti Klement stands out as the largest island, whose southern bays are attractive for anchoring the most beautiful with its turquoise waters is Tarsce Bay and the slightly smaller Stari Stani Bay. In the mentioned lagoons there are no restaurants and no buoys, unlike the neighbouring extremely popular Vinogradisce bay and also the well-visited Soline bay.

Further west is Marinkovac Island and Jerolim Island with a handful of beautiful anchorages and some great restaurants.

It should be remembered that during favourable weather conditions it is possible to anchor in all the bays of this magnificent archipelago and that from all these GPS positions it is possible to arrange a visit to the city of Hvar and cruise a bit trough Croatia with fast boat taxis for a change.

4. Party Mecca sailboat cruising as a warm-up for unforgettable fun on island Hvar Croatia

It is not a secret if you want to party good you will do it on Hvar! There is a reason the island is compared to and called Saint Tropez. Some of the most popular clubs are Carpe Diem, Pink Champagne and beach bar Hula Hula. Pakleni otoci, satellite islets of island Hvar Croatia, are also on the map for party lovers with guaranteed good at Carpe Diem Beach nightclub or lounge bar Laganini.

5. The most peaceful coves for anchoring

Sailboat cruising from the west to the eastern shores of the island of Hvar feels almost like travelling through dimensions from glamour and murmur to intimacy and silence.

The almost uninhabited Zukova bay, as an integral part of the indented Kabal Peninsula, to which the UNESCO-protected Starogradsko polje naturally extends, is a favourite destination for romantics. It is best to anchor at the bottom of this bay and swim and sunbathe on the stone slabs that locals like to visit.

An equally serene and enchanting is the five-bay cove Pokrivenik. It is located on the less-visited northern shores of the island, and at the very bottom of this self-effacing beauty, tucked in is a beautiful beach surrounded by white pebbles, picturesque vineyards and olive groves.

6. Sea oasis for real gourmands

Another pearl of Croatia is situated near the town of Hvar Zarace bay, where the beauty of the landscape and gastronomic highlights are perfectly intertwined.

Moor on a buoy, go for a swim, sunbathe on the perfectly fashioned white beach and taste Dalmatian specialities at the fancy beach restaurant Beach Garden. On the opposite north side of the island is a miniature Pakomina bay, which also houses a good local tavern that provides a mooring for restaurant guests.

Almost to the far east of the island, in the uninhabited Mrtinovik cove, there is no electricity nor decent roads, but, it gives an even greater charm to the family restaurant, which in addition to their hearty modest daily meal offer, also provides mooring berths.

7. The top destination for Wine lovers

On the southern side of the island of Hvar Croatia, under the steep slopes, there is a hidden gem for all the wine lovers. On the island map, it is easy to find Sveta Nedjelja with the restaurant Bilo Idro and its belonging harbour. After sailboat cruising along these picturesque hillsides of island Hvar, it is definitely worth tasting Zlatan Plenkovics wines in their unique wine cellars under the sea. Not only you will be amazed by the wines but also with the stunning view of the seabed that surrounds you.

8. Budget from frugal to luxury

Daily berth for a 15 meters boat in ACI Marina Palmizana will cost you around 140 euro, in Starigrad around 85 euro and in Vrbovska, Jelsa, and Sucuraj that cost will only be 50 euros. Like everywhere else in Croatia prices depends on other activities that towns have to offer, and this is why in Hvar town you will feel like David Copperfields magic is taking the money out of your wallet while in Sucuraj you will need the help of magic to spend some money.

9. Short and Useful

It is useful to know that you can pour oil in the Krizna Port, which is an integral part of the town of Hvar, as well as Vrboska, located on the opposite northern side of the island. The latter is much more convenient since Krizna Port is characterized by less depth and narrow manoeuvring space for docking. The island of Hvar, one of Croatias most beautiful pearls, is waiting patiently for you to discover it on your sailboat cruising and it is up to you to decide what part will become your dream spot!

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