Page 12 - Explore Magazine Spring 2016

One of the highlights of a holiday in Croatia is meeting
10
HELLOWORLD : EXPLORE : SPRING EDITION
the people. Croatian hospitality is something that
is embedded in the culture and passed on through
generations. Whatever your style of travel may be, there
are plenty of opportunities to meet and be charmed by the
locals. There will be countless “welcome” rakijas (home-
made Croatian brandy) to be drunk and much Dalmatian
cheese, olives and pršut (Croatian cured ham) to be eaten.
If you ask me or anyone who has visited Croatia what is the
best way to experience this beautiful country, the answer
you’ll often get is: by sea. One of my most memorable
experiences is the seven days I spent sailing along the
Dalmatian coastline.
Together with a group of friends, we chartered our own
catamaran and sailed from Dubrovnik to Split. Now,
before you begin to say that you could never dream of
affording this type of holiday, let me tell you that times
have changed. Between the eight of us we were able to
comfortably afford this holiday without blowing our tight
budgets.
Our charter began with a warm welcome from our skipper,
Frano, who we still keep in contact with to this day. Frano
explained to us that even if we had visited Croatia before
by land, nothing could compare to the sheer magnificence
of a sailing holiday. What he said couldn’t have been more
true. On a catamaran you are able to visit so many hidden
coves and spectacular beaches – paradises you never
thought existed.
A really beautiful stop was at Stiniva Bay on the Island of
Vis, Croatia’s farthest inhabited island. This cove is only
accessible by a 20-minute hike or by sea, which was lucky
for us. As we approached, we had to anchor because the
bay is hidden between two imposing limestone clifftops
which serve more like welcoming gates. Many of us
jumped off the catamaran (now second nature) while a few
motored toward the beach in our trusty dinghy.
A great thing about being on the catamaran – although
it was an intimate experience and yes, the cabins were
cosy but that really wasn’t an issue as the only time we
spent there was sleeping – was that we met so many new
people. We would often be mooring alongside the same
yachts from previous stops so we got to know quite a few
like-minded individuals from all over the world.
One especially wonderful evening was spent in Old
Korčula Town, which dates from the medieval period and
is almost like a mini-Dubrovnik as it too has a fortified wall
surrounding it. We visited a cocktail bar appropriately
named Sunset Cocktails, and looking over the water while
enjoying our drinks we agreed that this was the most
sensational sunset we’d ever seen.
So if you’re looking for a holiday destination that won’t
disappoint, I can highly recommend Croatia. By sea or
by land the options are plentiful and the choice is yours.
The only question I leave with you is not whether you are
coming, but when.
Top 3 Must Visit Islands in Croatia
1. Korčula – Enjoy history, culture, food and much more
2. Hvar – Croatia’s ‘Monte Carlo’, a place to be seen
3. Mljet Island National Park – For all lovers of nature