Croatia · ISLAND HOPPING TOURS IN HVAR
Good island hopping tours in Hvar fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend about eight hours on a speedboat from Hvar, visiting the Green Cave, Stiniva Cove, Blue Cave, Vis, and Palmižana. Your skipper sets the route around weather and crowds. Expect swimming, snorkeling, open-sea views, extra cave fees, and a group of up to 12 people.
“People working on board the boat could not have been better. Boat was one of the best on the water. Would do it again.”
Join a small-group half-day sail from Hvar with a skipper such as Vítor, Alexander, or Peter. Cruise around the Pakleni Islands, stop in two clear-water bays for swimming and snorkeling, and bring your own food and drinks for the yacht’s fridge. The route changes with the weather.
“Amazing day! Viktor and Sara were awesome, extremely friendly and helpful! The swimming spots were beautiful and the entire trip was spotless! Small group, great conversation and the best experience we’ve had in Croatia so far! I will always recommend this tour!”
Spend 7.5 to 8 hours on a private Hvar boat for up to nine people, visiting Red Rocks, Lucisca Beach, Dubovica, and the Pakleni Islands. Your skipper, such as Simon, Harris, or Nino, can adjust the day around swimming, snorkeling, beach time, and lunch at your own expense.
“We had a wonderful tour Nino, our skipper, is very caring and supportive The spots he has taken us were very special Thanks for this special moments”
Start at Bonj Beach with Marcus, Marco, Reno, Lun, or another English-speaking staff member. After a safety briefing, map talk, and equipment fitting, paddle a single or tandem kayak toward Hvar’s bays and the Pakleni Islands, stopping to swim, snorkel, eat, and rest at your own pace.
“We had so much fun! We did the self tour and the map and instructions were very helpful. It was not easy however! Lots of swells and thank goodness for waterproof bags. Getting the snorkels was an added bonus and they even gave us some sunscreen as ours was running low.”
Set out from Hvar with your private skipper for Vis, Stiniva Cove, Budikovac’s blue lagoon, the Blue and Green caves, and Palmizana. You get snorkeling gear, water, fuel, and a boat for up to nine. Vlad is one skipper praised for arranging lunch and adding Bluetooth music.
“Amazing experience! We had Vlad as our skipper , he was incredibly accommodating and took us to so many beautiful spots around the island. He even got us a reservation to a lovely lunch spot with a view and great local sea food. You could also connect your phone to the Bluetooth speaker on the boat which was an added bonus. This tour was certainly one of the highlights on our trip to Croatia. Highly recommend”
Set out from Hvar with a private skipper such as Luka, Domi, or Ivan for a flexible boat day around Red Rocks, Dubovica Beach, Velo Borče, and the Pakleni Islands. Snorkel gear, water, fuel, and port transfers are included. Lunch is not, so plan where you want to eat.
“We loved our boat tour and skipper Dom. He took us to some breathtaking spots and was very knowledgeable about each spot and the history behind some of the destinations.”
Join local skipper Joško for an 8 to 10-hour private boat day from Hvar to Budikovac, the Green Cave, Stiniva Cove, the Blue Cave, and Pakleni Islands. You can adjust the pace, swim with included snorkel gear, and stop for a seaside Croatian lunch.
“Josko was a fantastic skipper and guide! We opted in for the private tour because we wanted to maximize our time and have the flexibility to pivot as needed. Josko was great - he was flexible with our pick up and drop off times, and was able to pick us up in front of our hotel. Being from Hvar, he had fantastic insight into all the nooks and crannies around the islands. His deep family history was super interesting as well. He provided us great insights into the history of Croatia and the local area, which our group found very interesting. In addition to all that, he was super friendly…”
Set out from Bonj Beach in Hvar with a sit-on-top kayak, map, dry bag, snorkeling mask, and safety briefing. Paddle independently toward the Pakleni Islands, stopping at beaches, bays, bars, and snorkeling spots. Staff adjust advice to the weather, and may escort you back when wind or waves make the crossing harder.
“Excellent day! The vendor is a sort walk along the dock from the cruise ship so easy to find. There are restrooms nearby and you might bring cash to buy drinks before going out. Staff are as very friendly and professional. There was a place to store personal items and a dry bag was provided to take things along the trip. Great safety briefing and map provided. There is a current so we battled that a bit bit had a blast. Great way to see the other islands or go along the coast. A GPS tracker was on the boat so never worried I am 76 and went with my…”
Set out from Hvar at 9:00 am with local skipper Flash, also called Gordon, for a private seven-hour boat trip. Swim at Red Rocks, Lucisca, Dubovica, and Zaraće, cruise the Pakleni Islands, and stop for optional Dalmatian lunch at Mlini Bay. Snorkeling gear and water are included.
“We booked this trip after seeing all the reviews and now after having gone on this amazing boat tour, we can confirm it is 200% worth it, Flash is amazing and makes your day absolutely incredible and you will not regret booking this private boat tour. Five stars is not enough!!”
Set out from Hvar Town with a private skipper such as Franco or Marko for a 5 to 8 hour speedboat day. Visit Dubovica, Zaraće, Red Rock caves, Pakleni beaches, Palmižana Botanical Garden, and optional wine and seafood stops at your own pace.
“Amazing way to see Hvar and the surrounding waters. Our guide Franko was great and the entire experience is great for both families and discerning travellers. Apart from the outdoors and swim spots, the stopovers in a local winery and seafood restaurant were very meaningful. Will definitely recommend to our friends and family.”
Set out from Bonj Beach near Hvar’s Amfora Hotel for a 4 to 6-hour guided kayak trip to the Pakleni Islands. You’ll use stable sit-on-top kayaks, stop to swim and snorkel, and have time for a restaurant meal. Guides such as Marko, Steve, Esteban, and Ti may lead the outing.
“Excellent day out. Our guide was really patient and took it at our own speed. He showed us some great spots and we also got to experience our first ever snorkel. 100% would recommend and certainly an experience I won’t forget.”
Join skipper Prošper for an eight-hour private cruise from Hvar, limited to your group of up to seven. Swim at Red Rocks, taste Hvar wine in Sveta Nedjelja, stop at quiet bays, and visit Palmižana. Snorkeling gear, water, pickup, fuel, and an icebox are included. Lunch costs extra.
“This was a great day, saw some beautiful sights, drank some local wine, ate some local food. The girls (13 & 15) had a great day swimming. Prosper is a great guide.”
Set out from Hvar at 10 a.m. on a private speedboat for up to 12 people. Your skipper takes you to the Green Cave, Budikovac, Blue Cave, Stiniva, and Pakleni, with time to swim, snorkel, eat, and adjust the plan.
“Fabulous!!!! The boat was clean and super comfortable, stocked with waters sudas and fresh fruit. Our captain and skipper, Dario and Antonio were wonderful —relaxed capable fun and helpful! They played us Croatian music and shared about their lives on Hvar. They took us to great swimming spots, the red cliffs and a quaint wine tasting place with great appetizers and an underwater wine cave, then a fabulous seaside lunch before a final swimming stop. We stayed all around Hvar and that was plenty for us. They even did a pick up and drop off in Stari Grad for an extra 100 euros, which we appreciated. Great day!!! Thank you!”
Spend about 7.5 hours on a small speedboat from Hvar, visiting the Green Cave, Stiniva Cove, Blue Cave, Budikovac, and Palmižana. You’ll swim, snorkel, ride a cave shuttle, and have time for lunch. The group is capped at 12, with fuel, water, gear, and an ice box included.
“Great boat ride Full of wonderful landscapes and beaches Too bad we couldn't see the green cellar and the blue cellar Very pleasant boat staff It was very good 😍Auto-translated”
Spend 5 to 8 hours with a private captain exploring Hvar’s south shore and Pakleni islands. Swim at Red Rocks, relax at Dubovica, stop at Palmizana Botanical Garden, and ask Nicolai or Johnny Marino to shape the day around your group.
“Awesome experience! We had a private booking for the four of us. We cruised around and went to several beautiful beaches and bays. Our captain Nicolai was very accommodating and catered our trip to our requests. Would highly recommend”
Pick a harbour, a rampart or a waterfall.
