One of the fasting growing water activities in Croatia in recent years has been sea kayaking, and Hvar is arguably the top destination for sea kayaking on the Adriatic. 

I remember talking to one of the founders of AndAdventure back in 2005, and how the locals on the benches and in the cafes watched these crazy young enthusiasts running around in the early morning putting their kayaks into the water.

How times have changed! Rough Guides included sea kayaking in its 17 unmissable things in Croatia a couple of years ago, and the Hvar sea kayaking story has gone from strength since then. 

It is not perhaps an activity that everyone considers when they come for a beach holiday, but sea kayaking is growing in popularity. With a range of tours, from island hopping to the half-day Pakleni Islands sunset tour (a truly fabulous way to experience Paradise), there is something for everyone. 

The And Adventure team have almost 15 years of kayaking experience. Safety and sensibility are at the core of everything they do. 

But so too is exploring off the beaten path, taking you to those hidden covers and magical bays that only local knowledge can find. 

The And Adventure team last night pronounced the 2019 Hvar Sea Kayaking season open! So why not take a look at Hvar from a very different angle this summer? To learn more, check out the And Adventure website. 

February 12, 2019 - Croatian coastal tourism is developing beyond the sun and beach. Kayaking in Croatia is now big business. 

It has been fascinating to watch the trends in Croatian tourism over the last 15 years. The transformation from cities such as Split from the Gateway to the Dalmatian Islands to one of Europe's hottest spots, for example. Or Bol on Brac reinventing itself as a family and adventure tourism destination after being the biggest party on the Adriatic. 

And while the sun, sea and beach understandably remain the biggest draw, there has been a noticeable rise in different aspects of tourism. Kayaking in Croatia, for example, was an activity which barely existed 15 years ago, but is now a very popular way to explore for half-a-day for beginners, or multi-day, multi-island trips for the more experienced. So popular has kayaking in Croatia become that Rough Guides named it in their list of 17 unmissable things to do in Croatia.

I remember having a beer with one of the pioneers of sea kayaking in Croatia, Vese Huljic of And Adventure, several years ago. As a young enthusiastic local trying to develop kayaking as a tourist activity on her native Hvar, she recalled the bemused looks of locals sitting with their morning coffees watching these young kids carrying kayaks and other equipment to the waterfront. It looked like far too much work when all you had to do was enjoy the sun and think of the beach later. 

Huljic and her colleagues persevered, and an exciting new adventure tourism offer was born. Half-day kayaking tours of the Pakleni Islands in front of Hvar Town, sunset kayak tours, and multi-day adventures. With the only requirement for beginners being the ability to swim, here was a new activity which was open to almost everyone. And with expert local guides to take you to the most hidden coves, there was even the chance to discover local secrets off-limits to most tourists.  

From Hvar to elsewhere in Dalmatia, and kayaking is truly becoming popular. Here is the And Adventure team from their official Facebook page yesterday, exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St. Nicholas Fortress, other military tunnels and the island of Zlarin. Sibenik of course is the only town in Croatia with two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, St James Cathedral being the other, but if you are looking for UNESCO sites to kayak to, you have come to the right place.  

The old town of Trogir, perhaps, as seen in the video above, or Diocletian's Palace in Split, where the kayaking has exploded in recent years. Hvar has its own Stari Grad Plain, and further south, kayaking around the majestic walls of Dubrovnik is an experience most tourists miss.  

And it is not just UNESCO of course. There are many other unforgettable holiday experiences to be had while kayaking in Croatia. Up close and personal with a donkey, for instance. 

To learn more about an aspect of Croatian tourism you had perhaps not yet considered, check out the options with And Adventure.  

Adventure tourism is defined as exploration or travel with perceived (and possibly actual) risk, potentially requiring specialized skills and physical exertion. This type of tourism can include anything from kayaking to canyoning, mountain climbing to white water rafting, and essentially any thrill seeking activity in between. One particularly wonderful thing about Dalmatia is our terrain, with rocky cliffs, a smooth Adriatic sea, gushing rivers, and makeshift hiking and cycling trails galore. Lucky for you, we've got one particularly perfect company to suit your stimulated appetite, and it’s &adventure.