From the 10 – 14^th April, Split will host the 21^st Croatia Boat Show where Croatia Yachting will premiere three new boats; the Hanse 458, Hanse 508 and the new flagship of the Bali brand – the Bali 5.4.

Croatia Yachting are set to attract a lot of attention at the Croatia Boat Show this year with an attractive exhibition space and as much as three Croatian premieres.

Croatia Yachting are the Croatian Authorised Dealer for Hanse, Dehler, Fjord, Sealine and Bali Catamarans. They proudly represent the most innovative brands on the market; so, it is no surprise that they often premiere new models, which showcase new trends in shipbuilding.

Being a trendsetter means having the courage to try new things; pushing the boundaries to present innovative designs and solutions, and never resting on one’s laurels. Hanse Yachts and Bali Catamarans have this courage, and prove this year after year. This time, the Hanse 458, Hanse 508 and Bali 5.4 will have their Croatian premieres.

New Hanse 458 – innovative design, exciting performance

The new 8 Series embodies quality, performance and comfort like no other sailing yacht series. Hanse invented the integrated self-tacking jib and brought all the lines to the helm, making it perfect for one-handed sailing and enjoying. The new Hanse 458 is no exception to the Hanse philosophy of innovation; ergonomic plotter pods, double anchor arm for code zero, no freestanding mast support. The main bulkhead is a composite construction with carbon reinforcement which provides sturdy and direct mast-keel connection, this creates more space inside, giving the salon a loft-like design.

The new Hanse 458 has been designed to allow for excellent sailing, without compromising on style and comfort; the user experience at the forefront of their mind. There are more windows in the aft cabins, plus ample windows in the salon to allow for natural light to flood the spaces, complemented with a dimming system to create ambience and atmosphere. The spacious and stylish interior combined with numerous creative features, place the Hanse 458 as a leader in her size range.

New Hanse 508 – distinguished in every detail, built for blue water sailing

The Hanse 508 has been designed with true, blue water sailing in mind – the incredible storage, large cockpit, elevated bulwark and the second forestay for a Genoa, combined with the self-tacking jib, all speak to this yacht’s capacity for excellent sailing performance. Just like the 458, Hanse have replaced the free-standing mast pole with the new carbon composite main bulkhead.

The interior of the Hanse 508 again, surprises with its stylish design and unique features. Take, for example, the saloon and galley, this new model is the only Hanse yacht with a longitudinal galley which creates beautiful flow. The owner’s cabin/master cabin has a king size island berth and a designer, ensuite bathroom. Above, the retractable table in the cockpit with comfortable cushions, creates another beautiful and practical space for relaxation and enjoyment. The optional wet bar with BBQ, fridge and sink creates yet another social element to this yacht. Picture summer days, anchored in the middle of a gorgeous bay, grilling fresh fish while your guests sit, dangling their legs from the bathing platform, sipping a glass of local white wine… these are the moments that sailing is really about, and this is what the Hanse 508 provides.

The subtly concealed storage features above and below deck, make the Hanse 508 practical yet she retains her stylish minimalistic design.

Potential owners and charterers are sure to be thrilled with everything these two new Hanse models offer and everyone can head to the Croatia Boat Show in Split, to see for themselves.

New Bali 5.4 – the new flagship of the brand

The new Bali 5.4 brings a wealth of innovative solutions and unique design features to create the best possible experience. There is fantastic inside-outside flow and several areas to enjoy and relax in. Thanks to the tilting door design, the rear glass wall of the saloon opens up, to create a rear cockpit entertainment area. The front cockpit, with access from the saloon, is comfortable and easily accommodates the crew; while the flybridge is a luxurious design with sunbeds to relax. The galley is U-shaped which any cook will enjoy, and the storage and fridge space is any sailor’s dream.

Owners or charterers will find all of the cabins more than ample in space, comfort and design; and the en suite bathrooms with separate shower stalls are absolute luxury. All of the cabins on Bali catamarans have been designed with plenty of windows and hatches to allow for natural light and maximum airflow.

With all of the different areas to enjoy and innovative design features, this Bali 5.4 is absolutely a home away from home for owners and charterers.

Visit Croatia Yachting at the Croatia Boat Show to see a multitude of new models for ownership or charter, and you can even chat to them about the easiest way to own a yacht with their world-class charter management program.

For more information, you can visit their websites; Hanse Yachts and Bali Catamarans, keep up-to-date with the latest news and offers on their Facebook page or check out charter yacht options here.

From the 7^th – 10^th March 2019, the PMS Žena (Povijesno Mediteranksi Skup Žena – Historical Mediterranean Gathering of Women) women's sailing regatta took place on the island of Vis. This unique women's regatta is one of a kind; supporting and promoting women in this typically male-dominated sport.

I reached out to one of the organisers, Suzi Kraljević, to ask a few more questions about the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta.

When did the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta Begin?

This unique women’s sailing regatta started in 2015, despite extreme weather conditions, with only 3 crews – all from Croatia. The second year saw it turn into an international women’s sailing regatta, with the addition of Austrian and Slovakian crews.

The racing area is the port of Vis – triangle course in Vis bay; the entire race can be observed from the coast, which gives it another unique element.

What was the motivation behind creating the PMS Women’s Sailing Regatta?

The motivation behind the regatta was quite simply to create the only, exclusively women’s sailing race. It was in an effort to promote the sport but especially women in sailing, and International Women’s Day gave great timing and motivation to make it happen. This women’s sailing regatta is also unique because it is a sporting event on the island which is totally out of season.

How has it developed over the past 5 years?

In the first year, we had only 3 crews, all from Croatia.

2016: 6 crews; 1 crew from Austria, 2 crews from Slovakia, 3 crews from Croatia

2017: we had 11 crews in total; 2 crews from Austria, 2 crews from Slovakia, 2 crews from Montenegro, 1 crew from Hungary, 1 crew from Italy, 1 crew from the Czech Republic, 2 crews from Croatia.

2018: 7 crews; 1 crew from Austria, 1 crew from Slovakia, 1 crew from Montenegro, 1 crew from Hungary, 3 crews from Croatia

2019: This year we had 9 crews; 1 crew from Austria, 1 crew from Montenegro, 2 crews from Hungary, 1 crew from Italy, 2 crews from Croatia and two mixed International crews: WOB1 - Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Croatia, Serbia and WOB2: Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia

Tell us a little about the history of sailing in Croatia, and women in sailing?

The first sailing club in Croatia was founded in 1876. The oldest regatta in Croatia is the Mrdujska Regatta, which was established in 1927. The organiser of this women’s sailing regatta (PMS Žena) is YC HOST from island Vis. The club's first regatta was the Adriatic Race (13th incarnation this year) which is one of the most challenging regattas, it is around 250 miles from Vis – Dubrovnik – Palagruža – Vis.

So, while sailing in Croatia and regattas have been here for the better part of a century; the PMS Žena women's sailing regatta promotes women in sailing because there still aren't enough women in sailing (Croatia and worldwide), but things are slowly changing. In the past, women were not welcome on a boat, but today it is normal for women to cross the ocean and circumnavigate the globe. Women are present in sailing, but we still need to do more to promote this sport and encourage more women.

Participating in the PMS Žena women's sailing regatta, are women of all ages but we are especially pleased to see new, young crews appearing every year.

What was the highlight of the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta 2019?

The highlight this year was the atmosphere of the competition, but also the mutual support between the crews and the feeling of common enjoyment in this unique women's sailing event. Maybe it was like this because for the first time we had international crews.

Have you received support for the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta?

Without the generosity of all of the past sponsors and support from the local community, it would be nearly impossible to secure the means and support of this important sports competition. A huge thanks goes out to all of the former patrons who have enabled development of this event, whether they helped in the form of food and drinks, providing accommodation, or being involved with the logistics and organisation of the event itself.

Our main sponsor is INTIMINA, but there are a lot of other sponsors like private firms, and of course, the support of the local community and people from the clubs who work voluntarily for 4 days.

What are your hopes for the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta in 2020?

We received a lot of praise for the event this year; the organisation, atmosphere, food, hospitality. So, we hope to better the women’s regatta next year. Thanks to all who were involved and see you at the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta in 2020

A few words from the only Kiwi in this International Women's Sailing Regatta

Sammie Williams, grew up sailing in NZ, she was introduced to the sport by friends and has had the bug ever since. Sammie is an accomplished sailmaker and now lives in Montenegro skippering a Hanse, she tells us her impressions as a participant of the PMS Žena women’s sailing regatta.

"I haven’t done many regattas before, more day sailing events, tall ship racing, two-handed, off-shore, inshore… My first regatta was the Hanse Cup Regatta in Croatia last year. I was the only kiwi in this international mix of women; this was the first female regatta I have ever attended, and it was amazing! I couldn’t believe how many female sailors there were, and, all in one place! The organisation was incredible and the food and housing provided were superb. I was in WOB1 (Welcome on Board International) which was Claudia’s idea to put a boat together of all different nationalities; she managed to bring together 12 women from 11 different countries! No one had met prior to the regatta, so we weren’t sure how we would go but my team placed 3^rd overall, and the other team WOB2 placed 5^th – so, we didn’t do too bad at all!

I’ve never heard of a women’s sailing regatta before and honestly, never really thought there were enough women to pull it off, but the weekend has definitely proved me wrong! As well as the atmosphere and the racing, the entire organisation was phenomenal and very affordable – around 35 euro per person, which included all accommodation, lunch and dinners. The whole island pulled together and helped to create this event which was really fantastic to see. I will definitely be back.”

Photo credit: Mate Acalinović, Sammie Williams rocking it on the bow!

2019 Results for the PMS Žena Women's Sailing Regatta

All photos courtesy of Ante Acalinović, Alenka Alujević, Adriatic Race Official, and Welcome on Board International Sailing Team.

If you would like to see more about Sailing in Croatia, you can visit our Facebook page, or find more news on Total Croatia Sailing. For more on Sports or News in Croatia, visit Total Croatia News.

ZAGREB, January 26, 2019 - Five Croatian yacht charter companies, backed by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), are among more than 600 exhibitors from over 170 countries at this year's New York Times Travel Show, the largest travel show in North America which is taking place from January 25 to 27, the HGK said on Saturday.

The five companies - Nautika centar Nava, SunLife Charter, Adriatic Cruising, Phoebus and Nauticki centar Pina i Mare - have formed the Croatia Charter Experience group to present their services on the American market and "to promote Croatia as a perfect holiday and sailing destination," said Dragana Buzdovačić of SunLife Charter.

With 20 years' experience in boating tourism, the group operates a fleet of 130 ships, yachts, catamarans and sailboats.

Some 565,000 charter visitors visited Croatia in the first eleven months of 2018, generating nearly 3.7 million bed-nights, which is an increase from 2017 when 3.2 million bed-nights and 500,000 arrivals were recorded, the HGK said.

Of the 565,000 charter visitors last year, 26,000 came from the United States, generating 174,000 bed-nights. US charter visitors ranked ninth in terms of bed-nights, accounting for 4 percent.

Paško Klisović, the head of the HGK's association of providers of boat charter services and CEO of Nauticki centar Pina i Mare, said that their aim is to keep the traditional markets, such as Germany and Austria, and make a stronger inroad into the US market which, along with the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Australia, has huge growth potential.

The New York show is expected to draw about 35,000 visitors.

More news on the Croatian yachting industry can be found in the Travel section.

Less than a month before sending his Fleet Rent-a-Car company to bankruptcy, and a few months after he ended Compass Zagreb travel agency’s operations in the same way, Matko Bolanča left the Kompas Cruise project, leaving it to his former partner Roman Reicher, who is determined to develop a business with luxury cruises in the Adriatic Sea. One of his partners is DIV Cruises, owned by Tomislav Debeljak, reports Poslovni.hr on January 7, 2019.

Reicher admits that such a start to doing business is not easy, which is why he is thinking about changing the name of the company. Still, he believes that eight Kompas Cruise employees can launch projects they have planned. “We have founded Kompas Cruise with the intention of developing the incoming segment in the luxury cruise business. From the very beginning, we started open communication with partners who have shown understanding, and the start of the 2019 booking gives us reasons to be optimistic. Of course, every start is difficult, especially in the circumstances in which we find ourselves, but I hope we can justify the trust of all our partners,” explained Reicher.

In a few weeks, the new website of Kompas Cruise will be launched, offering luxury cruises in the Adriatic. Reicher revealed that they would be the first Croatian company to operate international tours through four or five countries, from Venice to Kotor and Albania.

They will sail from April to October with a total of six ships with guaranteed departures, including three vessels owned by Debeljak. The tours will be sold to distant markets in the United States, New Zealand, Australia.

DIV Cruises is a relatively young company, resulting from the desire of the DIV Group to expand its operations in the sector of luxury cruise ships. The partnership agreement with Kompas Cruise will be implemented in such a way that both companies will sell and book their partner’s ships. "In this way, both our and their ships will be booked faster. Because of the synergy and the fact that ships will reach a larger number of potential customers, this will bring a win-win effect,” explained Robert Sedlar, the CEO of DIV Cruises.

His company cooperates with numerous other Croatian companies like Katarina Line, Amathus Travel and Unlimited Croatia. “Almost all of our agencies which deal with the incoming side of the business have all our ships in their offer. We are particularly pleased to see that they have all recognized the uniqueness of our ships. Another reason for satisfaction is the fact that we have managed to enter the offer of most serious foreign partners in 2019, which was very difficult because such deals are usually made a year or two in advance,” explained Sedlar. They have also fulfilled the goal of having year-round operations of their ships in 2020 and 2021.

More news about sailing in Croatia can be found in our Travel section.

Translated from Poslovni.hr (reported by Marija Crnjak).

November 28, 2018 — Croatia’s crystal-clear Adriatic Sea remains one of the country’s bigger selling points come tourism season, sending the nautical tourism sector into overdrive. But governmental oversight and hygienic controls have not grown in tandem, according to Slobodna Dalmacija, which begs the question:

How many tourists can empty their bowels into the Croatia’s Adriatic before it becomes a feculent cesspool?

Feces technically are classified as biodegradable waste which can be released into the open waters under certain conditions: 12 nautical miles from the nearest shoreline for boats without a purification system, or three nautical miles for those that have one, according to the MARPOL Convention

Burgeoning hotspots for nautical tourism, such as Makarska, have seen a boom in overnight stays among the well-heeled guests renting yachts of 50 meters or more, according to Harbor Manager Ivan Rašić. The nautical renaissance started when it installed a new breakwater. Since then, Rašić says the marina is nearly filled to capacity at least four days per week during the summer season — Wednesday and Thursday, as well as weekends.

The boom has seen the usual positive economic effects, with an increase in anchorage fees and residual spending by guests who disembark and start ambling along the shoreline.

Yet harder to quantify but also increasing is the amount of waste and noise created by the upsurge in guests. The characteristic “stains” and floating garbage visible in the port's waters have become something of a public secret, according to the paper, along with its inadequate waste collection system.

The problems are myriad, and begin with a lackluster system which charges per disposal, as well as lagging oversight of every boat’s own waste control system. Every boat must have an oil book and garbage book chronicling its waste disposal schedule. The records are not inspected by the usual agency meant to oversea nautical activities, Port Authority. Instead, they fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Environmental Protection — which has little to no inspectors at smaller ports such as Makarska’s.

Not all vessels have septic tanks capable of retaining or refining waste water before releasing it into the sea. Tourists on charter cruises and smaller sailing boats with hand-crank pumps that send waste water directly into the sea have little recourse but to eliminate their feces into the water. 

Smaller harbors such as Makarska’s don’t have the infrastructure to collect waste water off of vessels. Rašić depicts the system as a Pandora’s Box, which makes it very difficult to penalize offenders who may dump their septic tanks into the harbor’s waters, or too close to the shore.

Authorities’ hands are tied by a tight bureaucratic knot as well, even when skippers or boat owners release their poo into coastal waters. Evidence like video footage or photos — some of readily available — isn't enough; samples must be taken from the offending vessel and compared to what was dumped into the sea. Mobile or fixed machines meant to collect waste and refuse exist, and are in use at larger marinas along the Adriatic but are a rare sight in smaller ports.

The resulting flotillas of feces and garbage have been known to migrate with the wind and current, often ending up on beaches — a familiar site to many who’ve been on the shore long enough.

Until the oversight and inspection system is fixed, little will change, according to Rašić. In the meantime, the Adriatic may see an increase in cloudy brown splotches interrupting its crystalline blue.

To read more about nautical tourism, check out our dedicated page.

After more than five years working on various motor yachts and gulets sailing Croatia, my husband and I wanted a change; the winds of the Adriatic were beckoning and we wanted to answer their call by hoisting our sails - sailing Croatia as it should be, and our season did not disappoint.

The boat was everything we had hoped for and there is absolutely no comparison between motoring and sailing (maybe I will go into the differences another day) but what we didn’t expect was the type of clientele we would get aboard.

There was a vast price difference between the boats we used to crew and Sinbadsan, so we assumed that this would reflect on the type of guests we attracted. Turns out, quite the opposite was true. We had very affluent guests, from people topping rich-lists to a celebrity with his family.

And the best part? Everyone was so damn humble and down-to-earth. I put it down to a sailing yacht attracting a certain kind of people. While the Scorpio 72 is gorgeous and a very unique sailing yacht with her beautiful wooden interior and detailing, she is not a luxury motor yacht with a 4 – 8-person crew and all of the bells and whistles. Sinbadsan is humble and so it seems like attracts like.

Our guests’ interests in sailing Croatia also varied; some wanted to explore the highlight destinations, some wanted a mixture of active activities and relaxing, others were interested in the gastronomy scene in Croatia – creating an entire itinerary based solely on which restaurants they wanted to visit along the Dalmatian coast. We even had two groups that didn’t actually care where we went, they simply wanted to follow the wind – these were seasoned travellers who deeply understood that it isn’t always about the destination but rather the journey.

This should answer a question we always get asked – “doesn’t it get boring doing the same thing every week?” No. Not on this yacht anyway, no two weeks are ever alike. We adapted to all of our guests’ wishes, creating personalised itineraries depending on what they wanted.

When sailing Croatia, one of the first few decisions you will need to make is – what region? Most first-timers choose to sail in Central Dalmatia, as this is where most of the highlight destinations that flood your news feed are. Images like the lavender fields in Hvar, Stari Grad – the oldest town in Europe, the blue cave (Biševo/Vis), Zlatni Rat beach (Brač), the gorgeous fortressed town of Korčula, the blues and greens of Mljet National Park to the grandeur of Dubrovnik. The majority of iconic images associated with sailing Croatia, you can find along the Dalmatian coast – though don't let this fool you, sailing a Northern route has plenty of its own charms and fewer crowds.

 A typical sailing Croatia itinerary goes something like: Split – Šolta – Brač – Hvar – Vis – Korčula – Mljet – Elaphiti – Dubrovnik (a central Dalmatia highlight itinerary)

Even so, each of these islands and destinations has a number of towns, villages and paradise-like bays to drop anchor. Exploring the main towns or simply relaxing in nature, all of our guests had their own idea of what a holiday meant to them.

Now, with all of these picturesque destinations and centuries of history, coupled with some incredible gastronomical highlights (read our Sailing in Croatia Michelin Guide here), you would think that the highlight moments of sailing Croatia would be obvious. On the luxury yachts we worked on, I could have said an easy and emphatic – yes. But again, the setting of our sailing yacht Sinbadsan created something that money can’t buy and brochures can’t sell.

The simple pleasures.

As humble and grounded as our guests were, they were all still very well-travelled yet it was all of the ‘simple pleasures’ from our week at sea that they all quoted as moments that will stay with them. These are the top 5 highlights mentioned from our charter guests.

Top 5 Surprising Highlights Sailing Croatia

1. Sitting beneath the sails

This is where the difference between a motor yacht and sailing yacht comes into play, there is nothing that comes close to that moment when you hoist the sails and switch the engine off. Sitting beneath full white sails, pitched against a bright blue sky, watching the sunlight dance across the azure blue Adriatic, outlines of islands in the distance (destination unknown)… with nothing but the sound of gently lapping waves against the yacht’s hull and lines rhythmically tapping against the mast, while the sails sing their own song with each gust of wind – filling and folding, propelling a 40-tonne yacht along the water with ease and grace.

In the fast-paced world we live, there are very few moments which allow us to sit and be without a multitude of tasks at hand and on our minds. This. This is what the sea gives, a chance to fully immerse ourselves in our surroundings, succumbing to nature’s charm and total presence.

I feel more connected and present at sea and I watched each of our guests find this for themselves.

Sailing Croatia, Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

2. A day spent anchored in a bay

Cobblestone streets well-worn by thousands of feet over centuries of history, every town has its own unique charm and many winding alleys to explore. It’s truly a shame not to. And while our guests were taken with Croatia’s beauty and history – more so than the glossy images do justice, some of their favourite moments were spending an entire day anchored in a bay.

It makes sense. Think back to your favourite travel memory of when you were the most relaxed – was in when you were heel-to-toe with tourists lining up to see Michelangelo’s David in Florence, shopping on Oxford Street in London, bartering in the Bazar in Turkey? My guess is none of the above.

 Don’t get me wrong, I loved these experiences during my travels but I can hardly describe them as relaxing. Besides the incredible sights, sounds, smells and tastes our senses encounter in travel, my favourite memories from travelling were always the ‘in-between’ moments and they were always related to nature (and generally very little human contact).

Spending one full day anchored in a bay away from crowds is exactly what the doctor ordered to nourish your soul. During the 7 day charter sailing Croatia, this was the day that no one anticipated or planned for, yet it is precisely what everyone needed and appreciated above all else.

Sailing Croatia, anchored in a bay; Photo credit: Tash Pericic

3. No-frills restaurants

Croatia has an incredible gastronomy scene, even endorsed by Anthony Bourdain in 2012 on his series ‘No Reservations’; on Croatia and its cuisine, Bourdain had this to say:

“I’ve had no idea what Croatian cuisine was. Zero! I’ve had no picture in my mind. This is world-class food, world-class wine, world-class cheese. The next big thing is Croatia! If you haven’t been here yet, you are an idiot! I’m an idiot!”

This was six years again and it seems people are still just clueing-on to this fact. Sailing Croatia offers you the best possible way to explore the coast AND indulge in some of Croatia’s best restaurants – many of which are only accessible by boat.

Like I said, many of our guests came here with the sole intent of wining and dining along the Dalmatian coast, with their entire sailing Croatia itinerary based on which restaurants and wineries to visit – the foodie in me adored these trips, especially as Croatia is now on the Michelin map.

Yet still, it was the ‘no-frills’ restaurants that our guests quoted as their favourite dining experiences ashore (I will get to dining aboard next). For example, one restaurant we started frequenting this past year is not only unassuming but being tucked away in a small bay, if you don’t know the coast you would sail right past it and there is no chance of 'stumbling upon it' without a yacht. This is one of the many reasons we love it but that’s barely scratching the surface.

The restaurant itself is made up of a few wooden tables, scattered around a quaint stone beach – no tables crammed so near to each other that you can feel your neighbour’s breath… One table even stands alone at the water’s edge, inside an old wooden boat! It is run by a father, mother and son; the mother stays tucked away in the kitchen inside, taking care of all of the sides – fresh vegetables grown from their garden, while the father (who has the most exceptional moustache I have ever seen) mans the grill and the son – a giant man with a wicked sense of humour and contagious bellowing laugh, takes orders. There is no music, there is hardly a menu – the son will you lead you to the grill to show you their fresh catch from the day, which will be placed immediately on the grill. To je to. Sides are simple – salad, vegetables, potatoes, the wine is homemade and the rakija will blow your top off. It is heaven.

I am not even going to mention the name of this restaurant or where it is because quite frankly, I do not want to ruin this tiny piece of paradise. Those who know, know. (Another reason an experienced, local crew is important to your sailing Croatia holiday).

Many of our guests, especially our USA guests professed never having dined anywhere like this in their lives and that it topped any Michelin restaurant they have ever dined in. Now, to be fair, there is no comparison to between this restaurant and a Michelin-starred restaurant, they are in completely different categories but it just goes to show that an authentic, no-frills experience is sometimes all we need.

Sailing Croatia, no bells, no whistles, just fresh local goodness - "od mora do stola". Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

4. Simple, fresh, domestic food aboard

Along the same lines as above, our guests who were all well-travelled and have dined in some of the best restaurants around the world, raved about the food we served aboard, particularly the dishes which were the simplest.

On our yacht, we do half-board – which is breakfast and lunch served aboard. Now, when chartering and sailing Croatia, the difference in the food you will be served aboard varies dramatically depending on the style of yacht. Mini-cruisers serve good food, but considering it is prepared for 30 - 50 people daily, it is not necessarily the best or freshest cuisine - let's call it hearty, pub-style food. Gulets and motor yachts have full-time chefs aboard to prepare all meals with care and attention, transforming some boats into a floating fine dining restaurant! Bareboats – well, are bare unless you request a cook, and smaller crewed sailing yachts come with a skipper and cook but this can be a mixed bag as to what you will be served; if they are local you are bound to get traditional dishes and seafood – I know one skipper who is everything, she sails, dives, cooks and serves gorgeous, fresh cuisine aboard for her guests – a one-woman show! While some keep it super-basic, serving up sandwiches, wraps, simple plates of pasta etc. If food is important to you, this is an aspect worth researching before you book.

This was our first year working together aboard Sinbadsan as a 2-person crew, before this we always had a chef onboard with us. Cooking for guests was actually an area we were most nervous about because neither of us is a chef but we both know how important food is to travel and an overall experience. So, we cooked what we know – fresh seafood, traditional Dalmatian dishes and ‘simple’ dishes with the best ingredients.

We bought high-quality beef fillets, excellent pieces of fish for a traditional stew (brujet), truffles from Istria for a pancetta and truffle pasta, cuttlefish for black risotto (crni rižot) and while the guests were wowed with these dishes, one of the meals that really surprised them was our ‘cheap and cheery’, very local dish of sardines and anchovies.

We do the fish two-ways, the sardines are lightly dusted in flour and grilled, while the anchovies are cooked ‘lešo-style’ – in a vegetable and white wine broth.

Our American guests were always the most apprehensive about this dish because a) anchovies and sardines are considered cheap catch (which they are) and b) Customarily, Americans aren’t used to being served the whole fish – seeing the eyes and all, they are used to seeing everything as fillets. But once they got over these reservations and tried it, they were all wowed. Drown it all in olive oil, mop it up with bread and wash it down with wine (this is the meaning behind the dalmatian saying – a fish should swim 3 times in its life).

One of our guests describes it as ‘a tiny, bite-sized piece of heaven’. “The best thing I have ever eaten”. “I will never look at sardines and anchovies the same”. “The greatest surprise, sailing in Croatia”.

All of this for a dish that is so simple, yet the epitome of Croatian cuisine and the simple, “po malo” lifestyle we live here. It is actually our favourite meal too. You can keep your foi gras in the likeness of a mandarin, give me fresh grilled sardines or lešo anchovies any day! And it seems, our guests felt the same way.

Sailing Croatia - fresh-caught sardines at a local fish market. Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

5. A good crew

At the risk of sounding conceited, this is still something that needs to be mentioned and it comes from years’ of experience. Ask most charterers what their highlights of sailing Croatia were and among the list of highlights, they will undoubtedly mention the importance of a good crew. For better or worse, the crew can make or break your sailing Croatia holiday. Last year I interviewed more than a dozen return charterers to Croatia, to ask them not only why they choose to sail Croatia again, but also why they choose to return to the same boat. They all listed the usual suspects when it comes to Croatia highlights - nature, history, gastronomy... but without exception, they all mentioned how important the crew was to their sailing Croatia holiday (read the full story here).

Our personal experience also attests to this. Every year, we made lasting connections with our guests and this year aboard Sinbadsan, even more so. We put it down to the intimacy that a sailing yacht creates. On Sinbadsan, even though we are professional in every aspect and are there for their every request, there is still a closeness that is formed by shared moments sitting in the cockpit versus standing to attention in the peripheries of a larger luxury yacht.

I will share one quote from one of our guests this year; it was touching for us but I think it also sums up the crew-guest experience:

“I had many expectations for this sailing Croatia trip and I could have anticipated anything, except for you two. We will remember the coast and our fabulous sailing days but most of all, we will remember you, you’ve made this holiday a trip we will remember forever.”

It’s enough to make you choke up and because I am an emotional human, I did and still do. But the point is – in life, it’s the connections we make with others that stay with us long after the photos have faded.

So, don’t underestimate the difference a great crew will make to your experience. I would almost say, this should be the first thing to consider when choosing a charter yacht.

Sailing Croatia on yacht Sinbadsan, one of our wonderful groups from the season. Photo credit: Tash Pericic

So, when are you booking your sailing Croatia holiday?

There you have it, these are the 5 surprising highlights from sailing Croatia but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Recently, a journalist from Elite Daily wrote about how her sailing Croatia experience changed her life - quoting the food, living a simpler life and having time to clear her head as some of the reasons. Take it from someone who has now spent six years sailing Croatia (and still not sick of it) - it really is all this and so much more. So, when are you booking your sailing Croatia holiday? 

From where you'd rather be... Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

With autumn colours being dusted across the country, it seemed a perfect time to sit and reflect over the past summer and in particular, a very unique travel itinerary of sailing in Croatia.  

There has been a lot of talk lately about whether Croatia is still a worthwhile travel destination, with many stating that the inflated prices, no longer match the offer and service. The frustrations from the summer – from visitors and vendors alike are interestingly being held alongside conversations of whether Croatia can be a 365 Destination.

Working in the travel industry, my experience of summer and of Croatia as a travel destination has shown me both sides. In various experiences, I have witnessed the immense potential of Croatia, marred by some ‘usual suspects’ when it comes to tourism frustrations – from mass tourism to a lack of infrastructure and service.

However, I still deeply believe in the potential of tourism in Croatia. This past summer, myself and Daniela Rogulj were lucky enough to be involved in an incredible luxury itinerary, which only reiterated and inspired our thoughts on the potential of luxury tourism in Croatia.

In the peak of the summer, 34 Americans plus one token Brit, arrived in Croatia for the “trip of a lifetime”; a biennial event put together by one of their friends, the secretive and very detail-oriented ‘Kernal Angus’. Over 12 days, they travelled from Zagreb through Slovenia and Istria, then down the Dalmatian coast, with a host of incredible activities and very out-of-the-ordinary ‘surprises’ organised along the way. Believe it or not, none of the participants knew the extensive itinerary in advance.  They simply knew what cities to fly in and out of, and when.  A travel innovation dubbed “surprise travel” by Kernal Angus – a future trend of the luxury travel market perhaps?

I first spoke to Kernal Angus around December 2017, when he excitedly told me of his plans for their upcoming trip to Croatia. I agreed to help organise the second-leg of the trip when they would be sailing the Dalmatian coast on a gorgeous luxury yacht. Daniela hosted this aspect of the trip so she was on-hand to ensure that everything was executed as it should be – a requirement of Kernal Angus, and very important when the itinerary is so detailed and unusual.  “I’m here to have fun with my friends and watch the plan unfold, not deal with problems and changes along the way, so a competent on-the-ground organiser is a must”, he said.” Working in the tourism industry and knowing Croatia, this was a sentiment I easily agreed with. Daniela’s presence and skills proved invaluable over the course of the trip with the expected and unexpected changes that occur in travel.

 The trip was called the “Croatian Tongue Darting Championship”, complete with logos, uniforms and press releases but before you urban dictionary ‘tongue darting’ and freak out (like I did), it was literally just a little ‘tongue in cheek’ for the name of their group – who all happened to be close friends and amazing humans.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, The CTDC 2018

They arrived in Zagreb with a bang, where a scavenger hunt had been set up for them, complete with clues and actors which would lead them around the city’s highlights, finishing at a rooftop bar for a gorgeous sunset – the first of many over the coming days. Local photographer Dragan Novaković joined them for the first few days to capture every moment.

 Photo credit: Dragan Novakovic: Solving a clue in the backstreets of Zagreb,

Hunting down more clues in Zagreb at the Museum of Illusions, Photo Credit: Dragan Novakovic

The following days had them jeep-jumping on a dirt track in Slovenia, staying overnight in a former military prison – turned hostel, taking a tour of the Illy factory in Trieste before they reached the full Croatian part of their itinerary. It is worth noting that one of these days purposefully saw them having breakfast in Slovenia, lunch in Italy and dinner in Croatia – oh, the joy and the possibilities of European travel!

Photo Credit: Dragan Novakovic, Jeep jumping in Slovenia, Hostel Celica Ljubljana, Tour of Illy Factory in Trieste

To showcase some of Croatia’s unique gastronomical offer, a sunset truffle hunt in Motovun was organised, followed by a truffle dinner at the Kukuriku Restaurant which lies in the heart of Kastav and is overseen by Nenad Kukurin, an esteemed Croatian chef.

Dragan Novakovic: Truffle Hunting in Motovun; photo credit

The following day had them staying at two boutique hotels – The Almayer Art Hotel and The Bastion, in the heart of Zadar, where they were welcomed with champagne and canapes while they got ready for a ‘very special wedding’.

Ten couples were to renew their wedding vows and, in yet another surprise to everyone – two couples really got married!

Damira Kalajzic: Wedding in Zadar, photo credit

The night had many more surprises and finishing touches, including a local acapella group – AKA Crescendo – who were ‘hiding out’ in the Garden Lounge and slowly came forward to sing each of the couples down the aisle. A destination which Alfred Hitchcock declared “has the most beautiful sunset in the world”, could there be a better setting to declare your love? No wonder destination weddings in Croatia are on the rise.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, Acapella AKA Crescendo Group

On day 6, they had an early morning start to visit the Krka Waterfalls, before arriving at the UNESCO heritage town of Trogir to board their gorgeous luxury yacht for 7 days sailing the Dalmatian coast.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, exploring Krka

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, Krka Waterfalls

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, the view from aboard their luxury yacht

Just as everyone was relaxing into their new home for the week and thought life couldn’t get any better… a few speed boats pulled up alongside to ‘take them to a beach bar’ – little did everyone know that these were rib-racing boats, capable of going 50+ knots and they were really being whisked off to race into the sunset. Thanks to the team from Waterworld, the (well-travelled) group experienced, what the majority described as “the best sunset of my life”. Just take in these spectacular photos, captured by the very talented Damira Kalajžić, who was their fulltime photographer for the Dalmatian aspect of the trip.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic: Rib Racing with Waterworld Croatia

The adrenaline continued into the next morning as half the group went canyoning in Omiš before sailing to Hvar island, to experience their first real taste of nightlife in Croatia – they were impressed with the setting of Carpe Diem nightclub but not at all with the music. This is a fair critique and comes up frequently with my own clients year after year, that there is a real lack of quality entertainment – from DJs, to live music venues; if Croatia wants to position itself as a luxury travel destination, this area needs serious attention.

Thankfully, this group had organised a full DJ set-up of equipment aboard their yacht, so two of their very own talented DJs kept the right vibe going all week, they also had a very talented fire-breather in the group!

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, private parties with DJ Big Daddy and DJ Goodwood aboard their luxury yacht, and 'Smiley' a world-class firebreather. 

 The next day was more about chilling but we still managed to surprise them by taking them to the idyllic setting of the Pakleni islands for oysters and cocktails at Laganini Lounge bar followed by dinner at the magical Meneghellos Restaurant. Many from the group confessed that they had never seen a setting quite like Laganinis or Meneghellos, which came as a surprise to Daniela and I but it seems that even we may take the beauty of Croatia for granted at times.

After their chill day, it was time for another surprise activity – how about learning to free dive with World Champions in the ‘big blue’? Well, that’s exactly what they did. World Champion Lidija Lijić and athlete Vitomir Maričić, came to their yacht which was anchored just outside the island of Vis, to deliver a private, half-day freediving workshop for the entire group. The session was part: theory, breathing techniques, then in the water to put it all in practice. The group did extraordinarily well, one guy managed to hold his breath for 4 minutes and many reached depths of 17 – 20 metres in their first attempts.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, Freediving workshop with Lidija Lijic and Vitomir Maricic

The group’s reaction to the session was overwhelmingly positive, one telling me that he felt “extremely humbled to be taught freediving by world champions”, another saying that he was “tempted to take it up back home” or if he ever returns to Croatia would love to do another full workshop. Another example of a unique offer available in Croatia thanks to the pristine water and talent like Lidija and Vitomir.

Photo credit: Vitomir Maricic, freediving workshop

With no time to rest on laurels, after lunch, the group disembarked to find scooters and guides waiting to show them the true beauty and charm of island Vis. They stopped at Aerodrom Gastionica – situated near the ex-Military airfield, for a wine tasting where they were served very generous glasses of the local white – Vugava, and red – Plavac Mali, alongside the traditional Viška Pogača. They finished in the picturesque town of Komiža just before a power-out of the entire island occurred – welcome to island life, it doesn’t get more authentic than this.

Photo Credit, Damira Kalajzic, exploring Vis by scooters

Korčula, the home of Marco Polo was up next where bikes were ready and waiting for the group and a couple of mystery stops plotted along the way. The first being the Papagalo Animal Shelter, which is established and run by local volunteers. Our group helped water, feed, wash, walk the animals and even helped with a few repairs around the property. From the initial stages of planning, Kernal Angus had been adamant that one activity needed to include a volunteer aspect – a beautiful sentiment from visitors to a foreign country.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic: Volunteering at Papagalo Animal Shelter in Korcula

After the shelter, they biked to Eko Škoj in Žrnovo just outside of Korčula town. Eko Škoj is an eco farm run by the Marović family and here, we had organised for the group to learn how to make traditional Žrnovski Makaruni with locals, before tasting the ’40 flavours of Eko Škoj' – a selection of all of their homegrown products, from olive oils and cheeses, to the traditional macaroni and local sweets. This was a beautiful touch, I believe they really got a taste of the Croatian way of life.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, Visiting Eko Skoj and learning to make traditional macaroni

The next two days were a little more relaxed, they visited islands Mljet and Šipan – some took advantage and went scuba diving around Mljet, while the rest chilled and chose to enjoy water-sports and swimming in gorgeous, secluded bays.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, enjoying the gorgeous Adriatic

The final day, saw the group disembark in Dubrovnik where they stayed at the luxury Dubrovnik Hilton as the ‘piece de resistance’ of their trip. Some had already spent a night in Dubrovnik, opting to skip Šipan and instead get private tours of Dubrovnik by land and sea, then indulge at the Michelin-starred Restaurant 360. The remaining group had a private Game of Thrones tour of Dubrovnik and it is worth mentioning that not all were avid GoT fans but the tour wasn't solely based on the series, it was a great combination of history, taking in some of the highlight locations and of course, a compulsory trip to the Iron Throne. Though the ethos of this trip aimed to be as unique as possible, sometimes there is no refuting a couple of 'touristy' attractions along the way – especially when you can pose like this on the Iron Throne.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic. exploring Dubrovnik

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, the compulsory photo on the Iron Throne, done very well!

For the last evening, we decided to opt for something a little different, we whisked them across to Lokrum island, away from the peak-August crowds where a gourment picnic, set in amongst the olive grove was waiting for them thanks to Piknik Dubrovnik. Cold drinks  (local wines and craft beers), with a selection of fresh summer dishes sourced from local markets, accompanied by acoustic music... a perfect way to end an extraordinary itinerary.

Photo Credit: Damira Kalajzic, picnic on Lokrum island set amongst the olive grove and away from the crowds

Reliving all of this, I am once again inspired and in awe of everything Croatia has to offer – gastronomy, history, entertainment, adrenaline and activities… this is exactly the sort of quality tourism that Croatia needs more of. There is also no reason that an itinerary like this can only take place in July and August either, pre and post-season are perfect for this with beautiful temperatures (so you can still swim and sail if wanted) and fewer crowds. In fact, Kernal Angus had originally wanted June but couldn’t find an adequate yacht available in this time.

And this is only just skimming the surface; while this group had a taste of almost every element that Croatia has to offer, an entire itinerary could be made up just for gastronomy – visiting gorgeous restaurants and unique wineries, then there is the plethora of activities available – rock climbing, hiking, biking, kayak, sailing, kite surfing… the list goes on. Many of these aspects DO have the potential for 365 Tourism.

Just to round off the picture, a few of the difficulties we came across in organising and executing this itinerary should be mentioned, here are some comments from the Kernal Angus:

It’s important for Croatians in the tourism industry to understand that there are higher standards of service elsewhere in the world. In regards to great service, there is a fine line between going above and beyond versus honesty when the situation dictates. For example, sometimes a relaxed Croatian “yes” when the answer clearly should be “no” or a lack of attention-to-detail has the potential to derail an entire itinerary. During our trip, when dealing with another supplier, the travel times were drastically underestimated, most likely to appease but this created a lot of upset when we experienced the ‘real’ travel times firsthand.

In other areas, some vendors were quick to say no, before hearing us out. While honesty is appreciated (like above), sometimes the attitude needs to be “how can we make this happen?” rather than an outright “we can’t do that” – with no consideration or thinking outside the box. More demanding/upscale travellers can distinguish and appreciate the difference between the two.

I think our trip represented the next level of tourism for Croatia which is finding unique activities which aren’t offered on Viator. Still, many activities fell-through because the vendors were being difficult to deal with. For example, we had booked a Military Paintball adventure on the island Vis, and with no real explanation, the supplier organising this aspect said it had to be dropped… So, last-minute we booked scooters and guides to take us around the island (less unique than the originally planned activity).

Tash and Daniela overcame a lot of these issues for us, but I can’t imagine if they weren’t there to help us during the process or on-the-spot.

I found similar frustrations during the planning process; I had many difficulties dealing with vendors, some not responding in time, some losing booking information, being passed from person to person and needing to explain our situation repeatedly… One venue didn’t want to respond during winter because it was ‘off-season’ (January) but said they would lock in the dates, then once I contacted them in March to touch base, they said that they were fully booked… We resolved it in the end but it was a little ridiculous – you can’t book during the off-season but then it’s fully booked?... Many were high-end or well-established businesses which left me quite baffled at their lack of responsiveness or unprofessional attitude.

In the same breath, there were individuals and businesses which blew us away with their professionalism and ability to adapt on the spot – from the hotels in Zadar and the Acapella group, rib-racing into the sunset, freediving with Lidija and Vitomir, the last-minute magic of Vis Special in organising 34 scooters in the peak of season, finishing with the logistical challenge of a gourmet picnic on Lokrum thanks to Piknik Dubrovnik and many moments in between.

Itineraries like this are proof that Croatia has much to offer, with a little more fine-tuning, it could (and should) stand out as a quality destination.

All photos copyright to the stated photographers and Kernal Angus.

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