Dubrovnik and the south by yacht
Dubrovnik, the car-free Elaphites, Mljet's national park, Korčula and Pelješac: Croatia's greener, slower south. June to September is the season; late May and early October are quieter. It suits couples and families most.
South of the Neretva Croatia's coast turns greener and slower. Dubrovnik is the famous start. Within a short sail are the car-free Elaphite islands, the national park on Mljet, Korčula's walled town and the long Pelješac peninsula with its vineyards and oysters. Montenegro is an hour or two further south.
Why go, and whom it suits
Families
Lopud's sandy bay at Šunj is one of the few on this coast. Mljet's lakes can be cycled round, and the hops between the Elaphites are short.
Couples and honeymoons
This is the most romantic part of Croatia. Dinner on Šipan, a night at anchor off Mljet, and Korčula's walls at sunset make for slow days with good food.
Friends and celebrations
The area is quieter than Hvar, but good for a group that likes wine and long lunches: Pelješac's Dingač and Postup, and Korčula's Grk.
Less suited to people who mainly want nightlife: it is here, but Central Dalmatia does it better.
What's there
Dubrovnik and Cavtat
The walled old town, best walked early or in the evening when the cruise-ship visitors have gone. Cavtat is a calmer harbour town a short way south.
The Elaphite islands
Koločep, Lopud and Šipan: car-free or nearly, with stone villages and summer houses of old Dubrovnik families.
Mljet
Almost a third of the island is a national park, with two lakes of seawater, the Great and the Small Lake, and a twelfth-century Benedictine monastery on a small island in the Great Lake. Polače and Pomena are the anchorages. Visitors pay per person for the lakes, and the yacht has her own ticket.
Korčula
A walled town on a peninsula, and the white wines of Lumbarda.
Pelješac and Ston
Ston's old town walls are worth a walk. Mali Ston is known for its oysters, and the south-facing slopes of Pelješac for Dingač red wine.
Lastovo
A remote nature park west of Korčula with few visitors, for those who want somewhere far.
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When to go
June to September. Late May and early October are quieter, and Dubrovnik is easier then. In July and August, plan Dubrovnik's old town for early morning or evening. The summer breeze here is usually lighter than in the centre; on the days a jugo blows from the south-east, the captain will choose sheltered water.
What it costs
The charter fee is each yacht's weekly rate, shown "from" on her page. VAT of 13% is added for a crewed charter in Croatia, and so is a tourist tax per guest per night, collected by the yacht's operator and shown in your quote. APA is on top; budget up to 40% of the charter fee for it, and whatever is not spent is returned to you. Mljet's park entry and Dubrovnik's berths are paid from the APA. A week that ends in Montenegro can add a delivery fee. For what a crewed charter costs, line by line, see our guide.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
Round trip from Dubrovnik
- Day 1: Dubrovnik to Koločep. Board in the afternoon and make a short passage to Koločep for a swim and a quiet first night.
- Day 2: Lopud and Šipan. The morning on Šunj beach, a long lunch on Šipan, and the night in Šipanska Luka.
- Day 3: Mljet. Polače or Pomena. Bicycles round the lakes, and the boat to the monastery.
- Day 4: Korčula. The old town in the late afternoon, and dinner ashore.
- Day 5: Lumbarda and Pelješac. A swim at Lumbarda, lunch ashore on Pelješac, the peninsula of Dingač and Postup, and a night at anchor.
- Day 6: Back through the Elaphites. A slow day of bays and lunch on board.
- Day 7: Cavtat, then Dubrovnik. A morning in Cavtat, the walls of Dubrovnik before disembarking.
The yacht and the weather decide the real route. The same week can run one-way from Split, or end in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro.
The yachts
Most of the yachts we show in Croatia are motor yachts, many of them over 40 metres; a few are sailing yachts and catamarans.
Many of them also cruise Montenegro, which makes one-way and two-country weeks easy to arrange. The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
How do we avoid the crowds in Dubrovnik?
Walk the walls when they open, or in the evening. Your yacht can wait off the old harbour or at the marina at Komolac, at the head of the Rijeka Dubrovačka inlet.
Can we end the week in Montenegro?
Often, yes. The Bay of Kotor is a short passage south. You clear out of Croatia and into Montenegro on the way, and the yacht's return may add a delivery fee.
Is Mljet worth a whole day?
Yes, for most people. The lakes, the monastery and a night at anchor in Polače are among the best of the south.
Are there sandy beaches?
A few. Šunj on Lopud is the best known. Most bays have pebbles or rock and very clear water.
Is this area good with children?
Yes. The passages are short, Lopud's sand is shallow, and Mljet's lakes are good for bicycles. Tell us the ages, and we propose yachts with the right cabins and toys.
Can we eat oysters in Ston?
The Ston area is known for its farmed European flat oysters. Your captain can plan a lunch there.
How long is the transfer from Dubrovnik airport?
It is a short drive to the old town or the marina.
Is Lastovo worth the detour?
For a couple or a group who want somewhere far from other yachts, yes. It adds a longer passage west of Korčula.
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the week is for: a family summer, a honeymoon, a birthday with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
Dubrovnik and the south.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.