Croatia Island Hopping for Backpackers
Sail Croatia
Croatia is fast becoming a tourist hotspot for island hoppers eager to spend summer relaxing amongst beautiful beaches and historical towns. With an awareness of the past and its recent turbulent history, Croatia has emerged as one of Europe's most attractive destinations where travelers can experience how the Mediterranean ‘used to be.’ I jumped on a sailboat to discover the nation that is drawing celebs from far and wide.
Meandering effortlessly between over 1,000 dazzling islands of pink sunsets, sun-kissed pebble beaches, breathtaking coastal views and ancient ruins is the winning holiday combination currently drawing stars such as Nicky Hilton, Norah Jones and Ralph Lauren.
Sailing is by far the best way to explore the Dalmatian coast, home to actor Eric Bana and tennis star Goran Ivanisevic's ancestors. If you have cash to splash grab some mates and hire a yacht, but if the budget is tight or you’re travelling solo a great way to meet new friends is through Sail Croatia's weeklong island hopping tour. Sleeping on a traditional boat at night, and waking to the gentle lapping sounds of the ocean as it cruises along. You’ll stop at a secluded paradise for morning swim, then sunbathe whilst heading to a new island –pretty much the schedule every day.
I’d heard island hopping was ‘so right now’ before even deciding on the trip - as had about 15 other travellers, mostly Antipodeans, Irish and UK folk. This was great for me travelling solo. I’d spend my days exploring and tourist shopping (Note for the girls - funky art jewellery pieced together from the ocean floor’s brightest coral,) I would have an instant group of interesting dining companions for the evening. Nothing beats sitting down to seafood al fresco in a cobblestone old town by candlelight or by the sea. Breakfast for us was on the boat, but for locals: a shot of coffee or alcohol is consumed at trendy cafes. Yes, you read alcohol for breakfast. For lunch, I recommend a cheap and cheerful traditional meat pastry called Borec, found at any of the many bakeries for the cost of your spare change. If looking to indulge, try truffles, once the food of peasants, now an acquired taste of the rich and famous and is sold for about €2500 a kilogram in Croatia.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik was my favourite destination. Actually, it’s on my list of most ambient places in the world. It is a mainland seaside town and should be on everyone’s to-do-before-I-die list. Lord Byron called Dubrovnik 'the pearl of the Adriatic' and it certainly lives up to this World Heritage-listed reputation today. Reminiscent of a hundred years ago, you walk through shimmering white sandstone and marble buildings, cobblestone alleyways covered in vines, and a series of church spires and identical red-tile roofs. Around the outskirts there is an ancient fort wall to walk over with spectacular views.
The Islands
The other islands are just as charming. There are exactly 1,185 islands to explore. Boasting dramatic cliff-lined coastlines, brightly coloured flowers are in bloom, and vineyards and olive groves in abundance. Lavender flower and oil is surplus in every direction amidst the quaint fishing villages. You will want to take your camera to Croatia.
If not booking a tour through a sail company and a nice price is needed, catch a ferry from Split to the nearby island of Brac, Hvar and Vis. Brac boasts Croatia's most famous beach Zlatni Rat, with its 500-metre-long shingle near the town of Bol. Hvar is an up market party island with a pretty Venetian Harbour. The Southern Islands of Korcula and Miljet have a more relaxed vibe. Korcula is an ancient walled town where it's believed the 13th Century Venetian explorer Marco Polo was born. Mljet is dominated by national park with pine forest covering more than 70 per cent of the island.
It's well worth stopping at one of the Brijuni Islands for a day, where you'll find a surprising collection of exotic animals roaming around. Zebras, horses and ostriches graze together in an enormous national park, which also contains dinosaur footprints. The Island once belonged to former Yugoslavian dictator Josip Broz Tito, who used it as a playground for which to entertain the rich and famous. You'll also find a gothic church, roman ruins and a golf course, plenty to do and see in a day! Not to be Missed
While in Croatia, there are two destinations not to be missed, Pula and Lake Plitvice - my tour trip didn’t cover, so I went anyway: Pula's star attraction is a massive amphitheatre, the sixth largest in the world. Built in the 1st century, it's still in remarkably good shape. There are a few stones missing from the very top and legend has the Romans once tried to move the massive construction when they lost control of the city, but otherwise grandeur and position (right on the roadside) gives a presence almost as great as Rome's great Coliseum. These days, it is used mainly for rock concerts and the Pula Film Festivals. An amazing venue.
Lake Plitvice is a tranquil world hidden away from mainstream tourism in the peaceful waterfall valley that is inland from the coast. Consisting of 16 lakes intertwined, and surrounding luscious rainforest and mountains, you can spend a weekend walking on waters edge dirt tracks, through caves, crossing bridges over aqua lakes. Here you stand on mountains kilometers high to view lakes below so crystal clear the trout swimming below are perfectly visible from such a height.
- Autumn Mooney
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