RocktheBoat

The Croatian coast is fast earning a reputation as the hottest new sailing destination in the Mediterranean.

Croatia consists of over one thousand islands dotted along the Adriatic Sea and unlike its pricy European neighbours, is extremely affordable for holidaymakers. You wouldn’t think to look at it but only recently this lush coastline was a war zone. Today, little is left in the way of reminders – perhaps the only evidence is the stubborn resilience emanating from the Croats’ psyche. With a handful of celebrities already rumoured to have holidayed here (Brad Pitt, Robert de Niro and Gwyneth Paltrow to namedrop), the Dalmatian Coast is certainly fitting up to it’s moniker as the ‘new Riviera’. There are a number of ways to explore its archipelago of islands – ferries operate between

most – but if you’ve got any sense of luxury then make like an A-list and hire a boat. Although it may sound lavish it can be exceptionally cost-effective, our boat for 20 people for one week (including three-course meals cooked twice daily) cost 1800AED each. Our vessel was no gin palace, but it comfortably accommodated our large group and came complete with its own crew (captain, cook, and deckhand) and fully-equipped private sleeping cabins. If you’re partial to putting your feet up then this is the only way to get accustomed to the slow-paced, Dalmatian way of summer life – provided you spend most of your time on deck and not riding the porcelain bus.

Jenny Hewett jumps on board to find out why.

View of Hvar Town from the fortress.

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SplitSplit may not be the capital (that’s Zagreb), but it’s easily the largest city on the Croatia Adriatic coast and hence the base point for most travellers who pass through the town in search for island paradise (the Jadrolinja overnight ferry to Italy also departs from here daily). The city itself is an unusual mix of historical sites, nightlife and concrete jungle, cosmopolitan it is not – the industrial style inner-city concrete slab highrises eerily reminiscent of the Soviet era. Stay for a few days to explore Split, but then as the name suggests, make a break for it. The city’s biggest (some would argue only) attraction is the old town where the remains of Roman emperor Diocletian’s Palace still occupy the heart of the city centre. Dalmatia’s café culture is clearly European and for many bars and restaurants the palatial ruins in Split provide a unique backdrop. The cuisine, close to on par with its Italian neighbours, consists of cold meat and cheese platters or pizza, pasta and grilled meat or seafood, enjoyable and comforting. Like all places in Croatia, private accommodation is the most economic and hassle-free way of spending the night here. Ask around at the main

bus station, (opposite the wharf) for private lodging and negotiate a price per head (we paid 25 euros). While here invest in some rubber swimming booties. Croatian beaches are very pebbly and sea urchin injuries are a common occurrence.

DubrovnikWe organised to board our boat at the southern tip of Dubrovnik, so that we could easily access the islands off the mainland and then sail back up the coast (we would end our journey in Split a week later). An early morning bus from Split, www.ak-split.hr, is an inexpensive way of getting there and only takes five hours. On top of your ticket, pay the driver the inconvenient sum of seven kunas for your luggage. Croatian buses run on a stringent schedule and if you’re even the slightest bit late, tough. Keep your passport handy for the border stop as the coastal road passes through a tiny piece of land that is still occupied by Bosnia-Herzigova. Dubrovnik is often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ and with its impressive architecture and first-class coastal scenery it’s not hard to see why it is considered such a rarity – the Dubrovnik Old Town dates back to the 13th century and is still fully intact. Look out for well-hidden Café Buza in the old town, best visited before sunset, this hole-in-the-wall bar is located on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean – there are no railings so watch

your step after a few rounds! Take a dip mid-beverage or anxiously watch the kamikaze daredevils jumping into the water from the steep cliffs nearby. Before you set off to sea it’s a good idea to visit the local supermarket to stock up on beer and wine for your trip, both local varieties are good value for money. We just as well might have had ‘Aussie’ tattooed on our foreheads as we trotted off down the street, walking our booze-filled trolley the kilometre distance back to the boat.

Mljet

Early morning brought with it a new sensation that we would inevitably get used to as I was awoken by the comforting rock of the boat as we sailed away from the mainland towards our first slice of paradise. A few hours to the west of Dubrovnik lies the island of Mljet, famed for its beautiful national park whose main inhabitants are two aquamarine-coloured saltwater lakes. Mljet is derived from the Greek word melite nesos which means honey isle. Quite fitting,

Diocletian’s Palace, the old town Split.

Crystal clear waters, Malo Lake, Mljet National Park.

Main street, Dubrovnik Old Town.

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I thought, as we anchored en route for a splash in the sea and were plagued with a visit from some tiny pirates – dozens of bees, the aggressive type. Of our large group only three walked away with small battle wounds but the whole fiasco provided entertainment for our deckhand, Jere, who’d probably never seen so many bikini-clad women doing the chicken dance in hysterics. Screams of ‘bee!’ drove most of us to the edge, hurling ourselves into the water for safety – most preferring to walk the plank than risk the chance of surrendering to a sting. Nevertheless, once on shore, we were free of any flying, buzzing insurgents and could discover the national park in peace. Hire bicycles from your dock at Pomena and ride to Malo and Veliko lakes (small and big). The bike ride takes about half an hour each way and is well worth the initial up-hill cycle. Once there, you can swim in the serene lakes and the water is fresh on your skin after the brief exercise.

KorculaA couple of hours and a rather large dent in my book later we had arrived at the island of Korcula (kor-chu-la). The island’s quaint medieval-style old town sits out from the mainland, a tiny peninsula surrounded by sapphire blue waters. Korcula is the reputed birthplace of legendary explorer Marco Polo and we could have used his hand to find our way back to the port after dinner in the old town. We weren’t the only ones. In summer, boatloads of young party revellers arrive here in relaxation mode and so the vibe is very chilled during

the day and picks up a notch during the night. It seems the perks of seeing Croatia via boat are certainly no secret to the posse down under. We arrived to hordes of brightly-clothed twenty somethings, dancing on their boat decks, hands raised... their eighties style RayBans bouncing the sun’s reflection off the water – a complete mirror image of the day-parties that headline

Australian summers. With each boat fiercely continuing to pump out tunes louder than the next, the result was an unrecognisable symphony of musical mush. Although not the peace we had in mind, the vibrant atmosphere was welcomed with arms well wide open and so the next day we went in search of the world’s best hangover cure – a swim in the ocean. There are many swimming coves surrounding the old town and the water is refreshingly brisk even in summer.

HvarCroatia’s infamous party island, Hvar is playground to the region’s nouveau riche and bares striking resemblance to the French Riviera. Terracotta-roofed houses, a pedestrian piazza, pine-covered slopes to one side and intense clear blue waters to the other. Hvar Town is home to some of country’s best clubs and chic Euro-style lounge bars which are dotted along its rocky coast. Croatians love their electronic beats (our deckhand’s mobile phone screensaver proclaimed ‘I love techno’ – only too true) and you won’t need to go far to hear it

here. Close to the port is the town’s most well-known hang, Carpe Diem, carpe-diem-hvar.com, somewhat expensive but guaranteed to please. Up on the western hill is Veneranda, veneranda.hr ,a spacious club set in an old fort with its own party pool, pavilion and numerous bars. But nightlife is not all this picturesque town has to offer, the renaissance architecture is a sight in itself and the Venetian-built fortress overlooking the marina offers amazing views of the port and the small islands off shore. During the day, we anchored off the small islands to soak up the sun in the water on blow-up beds. These smaller islands off Hvar are naturist, so dare to bare or not, we decided to keep our kit on and take a modest plunge from the boat. Stay in Hvar for a few nights, from here your sailing itinerary should include a visit to the island of Brac (with its slender, finger-like Bol beach) and Vis Island which is home to village winegrowers and fishermen.

The biggest draw to seeing Croatia via boat is the value for money, but what is perhaps the more exciting journey is learning how to handle a dozen personalities in close living quarters. Think of it as starring in your own Big Brother, at sea. Except you know the people and no one is getting thrown overboard. Some will rock the boat, some won’t. Make of it what you will and remember – whatever happens on board, stays on board.

FAST FACTSKunas are the local currency, although euros are commonly used to pay for accomodation.

Visit during the Croatian summer from June through August.

Austrian Airlines fly to Split via Frankfurt, visit aua.com.

Hvar Town marina with fortress in distance.

Korcula Old Town.

The boat, our home for one week.