From Makarska:Hvar and Brač Island : Day Tour with speedboat

The best part of this trip is the freedom to move between three islands in one day without being tied to a large excursion boat. You can snorkel at quiet coves, swim into a small blue cave, leap from the rocks at Mala Stiniva, and finish with lunch in Vrboska.

I like the choice between the Golden and Blue routes, and I like that the skipper can alter the plan around your group. The boats are in very good condition, with shade, a shower, an ice box, music, and snorkeling gear. The catch is the real price: the advertised $236 covers the boat, but skipper and fuel cost another €200 or €320 in cash.

Key points at a glance

• Two distinct routes: Choose the Golden route for Brač’s famous Golden Horn or the Blue route for Pokrivenik and the small Blue Cave.
• Private boat for up to 6 or 10 people: The smaller Quicksilver Activ 605 suits groups of six, while the Cap Camarat 7.5 gives a larger group more room.
• Best swimming stop: Mala Stiniva on Hvar offers clear water and cliff-jumping, with quieter coves available along the way.
• Lunch in Vrboska: The small Hvar town, often called Little Venice, is the main town stop and a chance to order fresh fish, seafood, or meat.
• Skipper quality matters: Emil, Borna, Matija, and Maria are praised for being friendly, flexible, and good at finding pleasant swimming spots.
• Budget carefully: Skipper and fuel are paid separately in cash on the day, and lunch is not included.

Why a private speedboat makes sense from Makarska

Makarska is a useful base for reaching the islands, but the best coves are scattered across a wide patch of sea. A private speedboat lets you combine several places without spending the whole day at one port or beach.

This is not a slow sightseeing cruise. The boat is used to cover distance quickly, then pause for swimming, snorkeling, photos, and lunch. That rhythm suits you if you would rather enjoy several short island visits than settle into one resort beach.

The tour runs for about nine hours, normally from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is a full day, but the stops break it up well. You get time on land in Vrboska, as well as repeated chances to get into the water.

The private format is the real selling point. Your skipper can respond to weather, sea conditions, and your priorities. If your group wants more swimming and less sightseeing, say so early. If you want the famous Golden Horn and more time for photos, the Golden route makes sense.

Golden route: Brač’s beaches and Hvar’s old town

The Golden route begins at Makarska Harbour at 9 a.m. The first stop is Biskup Beach on Brač, reached at about 9:45. This is described as a quiet beach with clear water, and it is the strongest early stop for snorkeling, swimming, and a relaxed start.

Biskup works well because you can get into the water before the day feels rushed. Bring your mask and fins from the boat, or use the supplied snorkeling equipment. The tour includes life vests, but you should still tell the skipper if you are not a confident swimmer.

At 11 a.m., the boat continues to Bol and the Golden Horn. This is Brač’s famous pointed beach, one of the Adriatic’s best-known coastal views. It is a photo stop as much as a swimming stop, and its shape can change with the wind and sea currents.

The appeal is clear: Golden Horn is one of those places worth seeing once. The drawback is that it is the least secluded part of this route. If your ideal day means empty coves and no crowds, enjoy the view, take your photos, and let your skipper know you would prefer more time at the quieter beaches.

Around noon, you reach Lantina Beach on Zečevo Island. Zečevo is a small island near Hvar, and this stop adds a welcome sense of space after Bol. You can swim, sunbathe, and enjoy the change from a famous beach to a much smaller setting.

The main town stop comes at about 1:45 p.m. in Vrboska on Hvar. The town is known as Little Venice because of its narrow waterways and small bridges. It gives the day a useful change of pace: after several open-water stops, you can walk around, sit down, and eat a proper lunch.

Lunch is not included, so budget for it separately. The available choices include local fish, seafood, meat, and other dishes. One particularly useful tip is to ask the skipper for a restaurant recommendation. Maria guided one group to a beautiful restaurant where the food was a highlight of the day.

After lunch, the boat heads to Mala Stiniva Beach on Hvar at about 4 p.m. This is the key stop for cliff-jumping. The rocks offer a natural place for a leap into the clear sea, but you should treat this as an optional activity, not a requirement.

You can simply swim or sit by the water if jumping is not for you. The combination is what makes Mala Stiniva work for mixed groups. More adventurous members can jump, while others can enjoy the cove without feeling left out.

The boat returns to Makarska around 6 p.m. That gives you a long day, but not an unreasonable one for a private island trip. The Golden route is the better choice if Golden Horn is high on your list and you want Brač to play a larger part in the day.

Blue route: the cave, Pokrivenik, and quieter water

The Blue route also leaves Makarska at 9 a.m., with the first stop at Pokrivenik Beach at about 9:50. This is a Hvar stop and gives you an early chance to swim in a more sheltered setting.

The small Blue Cave follows at around 11 a.m. This is not the large, famous cave experience associated with other Adriatic islands. It is a smaller place that you can swim into and explore from the inside.

That detail matters. You are not simply looking at the cave from a boat. You may be able to enter the water and see the cave at close range, depending on conditions and the skipper’s judgment. The space is small, so do not expect a long cave visit. Its appeal is the unusual setting and the short swim inside.

Mala Stiniva comes next at about 11:40 a.m. The timing makes this the Blue route’s main action stop. If you want to jump from cliffs, this is the place to do it. If you prefer a quiet swim, the beach is still worthwhile, and there is no need to jump to enjoy the stop.

At 12:30 p.m., the boat goes to Lantina Beach on Zečevo Island. This repeats a stop from the Golden route, but it fits naturally here. Zečevo gives you another small-island swimming break before lunch.

Vrboska is scheduled for about 2 p.m. The town is a good midpoint because it offers shade, food, and a chance to walk. You can order fresh seafood, fish, meat, or another meal, but lunch is at your own cost.

The final stop is Puntica Beach on Brač at around 4:30 p.m. It is described as a calm bay with a swing. This is a softer ending than cliff-jumping, and it gives you one last swim before returning to Makarska at 6 p.m.

Choose the Blue route if the cave sounds more appealing than Golden Horn. It also suits you if you want the day to include more Hvar and a calm Brač stop at the end.

What the boats are like on a full day at sea

The smaller boat is a Quicksilver Activ 605 Open, with room for up to six people. The larger boat is a Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5, designed for up to ten.

Boat size affects comfort more than most people expect. Six people on the Quicksilver keeps the group compact and social. If you have fewer than six people but want extra room, you can book the larger boat, provided the option you choose allows it.

Both boats include a Bimini top for sun protection. That is important on a nine-hour trip, especially during the middle of the day when there may be little shade at the beaches. There is also a water shower, an ice box, a good audio system, snorkeling equipment, and life vests.

The condition of the boat is another plus. The equipment is described as being in excellent shape, and one group found the boat just the right size for six people. I would still advise you to confirm the exact boat before paying, since the maximum group sizes and extra costs differ.

The boats are open rather than enclosed. You get better views and a direct connection with the sea, but you also get sun and wind. Use the Bimini shade, bring sun protection, and keep valuables secure in the boat.

The skipper can make or break the day

A private boat trip depends heavily on the person at the helm. Here, the most praised quality is flexibility. Emil is described as friendly, capable, and willing to shape the day around the group. Borna is praised for knowing the best quiet bays while giving guests space rather than talking constantly.

Matija is noted for adjusting the route to suit the group, and Maria is credited with combining good local advice with a strong restaurant recommendation. These details matter because the published route is a suggested plan, not a rigid timetable.

You should tell the skipper what matters to you at the start. Say if you want more snorkeling, more cliff-jumping, more time in Vrboska, or fewer crowded stops. The route can be adjusted around your wishes, though changes will still depend on conditions and practical travel time.

Dolphin sightings are possible, but they are not promised. The trip includes dolphin watching and marine-life viewing as possible activities, so keep your expectations sensible. Enjoy the sight if you are lucky, but do not book this as a dedicated dolphin safari.

The real cost and what you receive

The listed price is $236 per private group of up to ten people. That can be good value when divided among a full group, especially since you are not sharing the boat with strangers.

But the advertised price is not the complete cost. Skipper and fuel are paid separately in cash:

• The six-person Quicksilver option adds €200.
• The ten-person Cap Camarat option adds €320.
• Lunch is separate.

For a group of ten, the larger boat’s skipper and fuel charge works out to €32 per person, before the base price and lunch. For a group of six, the smaller option adds about €33 per person. The final total depends on the exchange rate and the number of people in your group, but the extra charge is reasonable for a full day with a private skipper and boat.

The important point is to calculate the full amount before booking. The extra cash payment should not come as a surprise. Also confirm the meeting point, since it can vary between Poseidon Rent a Boat and IvaMare Boats.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would recommend this trip to families and friend groups who want control over the day. The private boat format also works well for couples who prefer space, though the cost is easier to justify with several people sharing it.

It suits confident swimmers, snorkelers, and anyone who enjoys short active stops. Cliff-jumping is available, not compulsory, so mixed groups can still have a good time.

You should think twice if you dislike speedboats, long days in the sun, or frequent changes of location. This is not a slow beach holiday. You will spend much of the day moving between islands, and the open boat means exposure to sun and wind.

It may also be less suitable if your main goal is a long cultural visit. Vrboska is the only scheduled town stop, and most of the day is built around coves, sea views, and swimming.

Booking tips for a smoother day

Choose the Golden route for Golden Horn and the Blue route for the small Blue Cave. If both sound equally good, ask about current sea conditions and which route gives your group more time in the water.

Book the smaller boat only if your group has six people or fewer and you are comfortable with a more compact setup. Choose the larger boat for up to ten people, or for extra space with a smaller group.

Bring swimwear, a towel, sun protection, and cash for the skipper, fuel, and lunch. The boat has an ice box and a water shower, but you should not assume that food or drinks are included.

The activity allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later for the booking itself. That helps if your island day depends on the weather, though the cash payment details still need to be settled on the day.

Should you book the Makarska island speedboat tour?

Book it if you want a private, active day rather than a standard sightseeing cruise. The strongest reasons are the flexible skipper, the chance to visit several islands, and the mix of quiet bays, a cave, a historic town, and cliff-jumping.

I would choose the Blue route for a first visit if the small cave and Mala Stiniva appeal to you more than the famous Golden Horn. Choose Golden if seeing Brač’s signature beach is essential.

The main caution is pricing. Add the skipper and fuel charge before deciding, then include lunch. Once you understand the full cost, this is a strong option for groups that value privacy, a well-kept boat, and the freedom to adjust the day.

FAQ

How long is the speedboat tour?

The tour lasts nine hours, generally from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Which islands does the tour visit?

The suggested routes include Brač, Hvar, and Zečevo Island. The exact stops depend on whether you choose the Golden or Blue route and whether the route is adjusted for your group.

What is the difference between the Golden and Blue routes?

The Golden route includes Biskup Beach, Bol and Golden Horn, Lantina Beach, Vrboska, and Mala Stiniva. The Blue route includes Pokrivenik, the small Blue Cave, Mala Stiniva, Lantina Beach, Vrboska, and Puntica Beach on Brač.

Is the skipper included in the advertised price?

No. Skipper and fuel cost €200 in cash for the boat carrying up to six people, or €320 in cash for the boat carrying up to ten people.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch in Vrboska is not included. You can order fish, seafood, meat, or another meal at your own expense.

What equipment is provided on the boat?

The boats include snorkeling equipment, life vests, a water shower, an ice box, a Bimini sunshade, and an audio system.