Sailing Croatia's Dalmatia Coast to explore one of the many islands is one of the most popular things to do in Croatia during the summer time. As you plan your summer vacation to Croatia, I am sure island hopping aboard a sailing boat, yacht or catamaran is at the top of your list for things to do. But sailing can come with a steep price that may not be in the budget. But what if I told you, there is a way to experience Croatia's many beautiful islands aboard a sail boat on a budget? You may think sailing is only for the rich, but Croatia now offers many affordable day sails and organized multi-day tours.
Now that I have your attention, I want to share with you one of the BEST and ONLY DAY TRIPS from Split Croatia that you need to experience and that is a day sail to the islands of Brač and Šolta aboard the Polaris Split. Sailing Croatia's Dalmatia Coast with Polaris Split is one of the top rated sailing trips you can book. The Polaris not only has 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor but it also comes highly recommended by locals. In fact, if you book this day sail, you may be surprised to notice that many of the guests aboard are locals. Yes, you read that right! Locals love this tour and say it is the best boat tour that Split offers and gives locals and tourists a like a way to see Croatia's islands on a budget.
Everything You Need to Know About Polaris Split
Polaris Split is a family owned business who were one of the first in the region, who started readjusting old wine-transport sailboats into modern cruising boats. They helped pioneer the business of day sailing to what it is today in the region. The Polaris has been passed down from generation and to this day, they continue to follow the family tradition of sailing.
The Polaris Yacht has a very unique history. Did you know that this legendary boat was originally used in World War II during the invasion of Normandy? The history of this boat alone makes it a really cool boat for a day sail to Croatia's islands. The Polaris has since been reconstructed to the beautiful yacht that it is today that provides an air-conditioned lounge, spacious open decks, superb food made with local ingredients, excellent service and a friendly crew!
Polaris Split Tour Options
Polaris Split provides different all-inclusive sailing day trips from Split to the most beautiful destinations of Dalmatia. From sunset cruises to half day and full day sails to the islands of Brač and Šolta, the Polaris offers different options to fit any budget. The most popular tour and the one that every one raves about is the day sail called Two Islands Swimming Tour, which is an all-inclusive day tour to Brač and Šolta for 80€.
The Two Islands Swimming Tour, in my opinion is the tour with the best value and the one that I choose. So before I get into why I choose this exact company for my day sail, the day sail itinerary and why I think you need to book this tour, I first want to talk about what's included with the Two Islands Swimming Tour.
What's Included with the Two Islands Swimming Tour?
The main goal for this tour is for you to sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful views of Croatia. During this tour, you will visit the islands of Brač and Šolta, which are two islands located closest to Split but do not see the number of tourists like the more popular island of Hvar. So if you are looking to explore lesser known and visited islands this tour is perfect for you!
Since this tour includes the option for swimming in the crystal clear turquoise waters in a hidden bay off the island of Brač, the Polaris provides snorkel gear and swimming floats. This all-inclusive tour also includes a freshly prepped lunch with local ingredients and drinks, including water, soft drinks, beer and wine. After lunch, your afternoon is yours to explore the picturesque village of Stomorska on the island of Šolta.
Why I Think You NEED to Book a Day Sail Aboard the Polaris
I feel like the best way to experience the Dalmatia Coast is by boat. When I was researching my trip to Croatia, I knew I wanted to do a sailing trip to one of the islands off the coast of Split but was unsure of which company to book with. There are so many options to choose from when you walk the Riva, that it may be overwhelming. Most of these boat tours have a party vibe where you sail to 5 different islands but I knew I wanted something a little more relaxing. I searched the internet and the Polaris Split never popped up in my search results. It wasn't until I joined a Split Travel Facebook Group where I was introduced to Polaris Split.
There were many people who were asking for the best day sailing tours and it was unanimous that Polaris Split was the company of choice from tourists and locals alike. I immediately booked this tour for my last day in Split and it was the BEST decision that I made and I think you NEED to book this tour as well.
What did my day aboard the Polaris look like?
My day sailing trip started bright and early in the morning. Upon arrival to the Polaris, I was greeted with a warm welcome and breakfast. Breakfast included an assortment of pastries and my choice of water, coffee or juice. We promptly departed the Split port at 9:30am. During our sail to our first stop of the day, I enjoyed my breakfast and getting to know the fellow guests on the boat.
The first stop of the day is to a beautiful hidden bay off the island of Brač. The captain of the boat will choose a bay with no other tour boats, which is a nice element to elevate your sailing experience. Our time along the coast of Brač was spent enjoying the beautiful views of the crystal clear turquoise blue waters, where we had 3 hours to spend time in the water swimming and snorkeling, or simply relaxing aboard the boat sunbathing. I decided to spend my time doing both.
I really enjoyed the first stop of the day. Swimming in the beautiful Croatian waters was a nice way to cool down and enjoy the surrounding scenery. In addition to enjoying the waters and scenery, I mingled with the other guests on the boat. One of the cool things about this boat is you will meet both tourists and locals. There were a lot of local families with children on the boat, as well as tourists of varying ages and group sizes.
After our time in Brač, we departed to our next stop of the day but before we arrived to our next destination we were served lunch. At time of booking, you have three lunch options that include: grilled fish, meat or vegetables. I choose the meat option which was a chicken dish. The grilled fish was a large tuna steak and the veggie option was loaded with local vegetables. In addition too the main dish, we were served a salad and dessert! The food was delicious and everyone on the boat agreed.
After lunch, your afternoon is yours to explore the picturesque village of Stomorska on the island of Šolta. The island of Šolta is only 9 miles from Split but has escaped the crowds of tourists. Being one of the least visited islands, I don't know if I would have visited this island if it was not included in the tour and that is honestly what made this tour even more enticing. A lot of the daily boat tours include the more popular islands such as Hvar and Trogir. As beautiful as these islands are and I highly encourage you to visit these islands, it was nice being able to visit an island that very few tourists visit.
The island of Šolta has it all. The close proximity to Split, the crystal clear Croatian waters, unspoiled beaches and the lack of crowds is definitely a perk when traveling to this island. I spent my afternoon walking around the town and dipping my toes in one of the many beaches. It is locations like this that make me fall in love with a country. I love being transported to destinations that tourists do not flock to and I love to share these destinations with others to hopefully show that Croatia is more than just Hvar, Split and Dubrovnik.
So why do I think you NEED to book a day sail with Polaris Split? This answer is easy. It is all about the experience. The boat is beautiful, the food is delicious and this tour takes you away from the tourist crowds and shows you a more local side of the Croatian islands which I think is a bonus! Island hopping and sailing the Dalmatia Coast is one of the most popular things to do in Croatia during the summer months and is the top thing to do when visiting this region. I felt like this experience was well worth the money and if it is popular among locals, than you know this is the perfect day trip sailing the Adriatic Sea!
So as you can see, there is a way to sail Croatia's Dalmatia Coast on a budget! Booking a day sail with Polaris Split is the perfect combination of luxury and budget. You receive a luxury experience that can fit your budget all while enjoying some of Croatia's least visited islands. I believe this is the perfect and BEST boat tour you can take if you are staying in Split. It comes highly recommended by me, other tourists and locals.
If you are planning a summer vacation to Split Croatia and looking for other day trips from Split and things to do along the Dalmatia Coast, please check out my other blog posts included below:
As always, I hope my experience has helped you decide if a day sailing trip can fit your budget. If you are still not convinced, check out my YouTube video below to see what a full day aboard the Polaris looks like!
See you in my next adventure, where ever in this world that may be!
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