Why rent a boat in Croatia?

Why sail in Croatia?

Have an amazing vacation in Croatia with lots of sailing on the Adriatic Sea. Croatia has more than 1700 kilometers of coastline, and the Croatian archipelago has more than 700 islands. Here you will find the most beautiful, emerald green waters which, combined with the view to the islands, creates unique sailing experiences for you in Croatia.

If you rent a boat in Croatia, you will have endless possibilities to get more from your vacation in the picturesque country. Whether you are a sailing family or not, we have the perfect solution for you, since you can rent boats to sail on your own (bareboat) or get a skippered charter, where an experienced captain will ensure that you get safely around the Adriatic Sea.

The waters off Croatia lend themselves to both longer sailing trips and to short sailing distances between the charming and historic maritime towns that you find on the mainland and on the many islands. By sailing around, you get to the areas that the regular holiday experience does not offer, and puts you one on one with the real Croatia and everything it contains.

Out on the water, you can look forward to relaxing under the southern sun as the boat cuts through the Adriatic Sea. If you are a family, a couple or a group of friends who love swimming, great experiences await you. Sailing among Croatia's islands is a wonder of bathing opportunities in water that always invites you to jump in, and if you are into snorkeling, the water offers a myriad of colorful fish for you to explore.

After swimming, you can look forward to sailing to the Croatian harbor towns and disembarking at the quay. Here you will find plenty of small local restaurants that offer Croatia's delicious Mediterranean cuisine. If you like fish dishes and shellfish well prepared with herbs and spices, you have come ashore in the right place. Every little town has restaurants where you can eat fresh fish that has just been caught from the sea. On your way towards the coast, you will also already be greeted by the sizzling scent of meat cooked on the grill, leading you on the way to Croatia's great dining experiences.

Where to sail in Croatia?

The Croatian archipelago offers a lot of lovely areas for sailing. Sail for example to Pula, Split, Dubrovnik or Biograd for city experiences, or enjoy how the entire coast of Croatia offers wonderful experiences right out to the Adriatic Sea, where you'll find UNESCO World Heritage cities, plenty of architectural marvels and islands characterized by magnificent nature that you can wander around when the boat is at anchor.

Croatia's long coastline and the archipelago’s more than 700 islands create the perfect opportunity to have a real sailing holiday on a sailboat or to rent boats for specific destinations. You won’t experience all of Croatia without going on the water, so do yourself a huge favor by renting a boat and sailing out between the islands.

Off the coast you will find the optimal areas for the majority of all the sailing experiences you could wish for on a holiday by the Adriatic Sea. In some places, special permits are required, such as a purchased sailing permit if you want to sail through the national park at the Kornati Islands, but otherwise Croatia is easily accessible by water. Sailing around the archipelago is the best way to experience Croatia on your holiday.

Go island hopping

Croatia's incredible archipelago gives you an obvious opportunity to go island hopping when you rent a boat. 

If you want to sail to an island that offers it all, rent a motorboat and go to Brač. The island is located just off the coast of Split, so you quickly sail out to Brač where you can set foot on the 369 square kilometer island. Brač is the largest island in Dalmatia and the third largest in the Adriatic Sea, and it harbors both cozy towns and beautiful sandy beaches.

Brač offers everything from nature experiences such as the dragon cave near Murvica to the Hermitage of Blaca, which is an impressive monastery. The island also has experiences for those who love museums, just as the waters off Brač are ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing. In the evening, you can look forward to wonderful dining experiences and a cozy atmosphere, where you will have the opportunity to taste the island's local wines and spirits. Try for example Bolski Plavac, which is Brač's most famous wine.

If you are into the cozy towns but wish for a less populated area, you should try a boat trip to Korčula. Korčula's charming old town lets you into a mini-version of Dubrovnik, offering you rustic buildings and the quiet life without the same amount of tourists that you find in the bigger cities.

If you wish for quiet areas where you can really relax by yourself, try going to Kornat, the largest island in the Kornati archipelago. The archipelago is known for extraordinarily beautiful nature and landscape with lots of ​​nature parks, and the islands are largely uninhabited. There are, however, a few houses on a couple of the islands, while Kornat offers a wonderful restaurant where you can moor the boat right outside.

How to rent a boat in Croatia?

Croatia offers a large array of rental ​​boats, and at the vast majority of Croatia's many ports you will be able to find boats ready for rent. Therefore, it can also quickly become a bit overwhelming to find your way around all the opportunities.

Boatflex collects the best boats in Croatia that you can rent and gives you an easy overview so that you can find the boat that best suits your needs. If you are a family or a couple, we have the right boat for a pleasant trip where you can go island hopping, and if you are a group of friends, we have larger boats that are suitable for parties and fun on the water.

Through Boatflex, you have the opportunity to sail yourself (bareboat) or book a boat with a captain (skippered charter). Sailing yourself requires a sailing certificate, while you do not need to have any sailing experience if you book a boat with a captain. With a captain, you can just sit back and enjoy the trip, the water, the warm breeze and the beautiful view.

If you want to experience the whole of Croatia, you cannot avoid taking a trip on the water. Find your rental boat the easy way through Boatflex and get safely on the water for a trip that creates memories for a lifetime.