5 Island Tour from Split

What the 5-island tour from Split actually covers

The classic five-island speedboat tour from Split is not just a marketing label: it is a specific route that has been refined over years of running it. The five islands, in order, are Biševo (for the Blue Cave), Vis (for Stiniva Beach), Budikovac (for the lagoon), Hvar (for lunch in Hvar town), and Brač (for the last swim, in a cove near Milna, reached through the Pakleni Islands). That order matters because it threads the Blue Cave's narrow lighting window in the late morning while keeping the shortest open-water crossings in the calmest parts of the day. Which five, in what order, and why takes the route apart leg by leg.

Most other operators run a four-island variant that skips either Stiniva or Budikovac. We run the genuine five because Stiniva (accessed through a 12-metre cliff passage onto a hidden white-pebble cove) is on every "most beautiful beach in Europe" list, and it would be a strange route to design around skipping it.

Stop 1 · The Blue Cave on Biševo Island

Biševo is a small island off the south coast of Vis, and the Blue Cave is on its eastern side. Entry is via a low arch you have to duck under in a small wooden dinghy, organised by the local cave authority. Inside, the cave is around 24 metres long and lit entirely by sunlight refracting through a submerged opening into the seawater: the result is a glow that genuinely looks unreal.

We aim to be in the cave in the late morning, when the light is at its strongest and the queue is still short, which is why the boat leaves Split at 07:00 in high season. The stop is about 45 minutes from the speedboat to the dinghy, the queue, the chamber and back. Tickets are paid separately to the cave authority on the spot, €18 to €24 per adult depending on the season, in cash.

Stop 2 · Stiniva Beach on Vis

Stiniva is a tiny crescent of white pebbles tucked at the end of a vertical limestone passage on Vis's south coast. From the sea it looks like the cliffs split open and revealed a hidden beach behind them, because that is essentially what happened, geologically.

On the group day Stiniva is a viewing stop of about fifteen minutes: the skipper noses the boat towards the gap so everyone sees straight through it into the cove, and nobody lands. Swimming twelve people in and out through the passage costs about an hour, which the day spends at Budikovac and in Hvar instead. On the private Blue Cave day Stiniva is a swim stop.

Stop 3 · Budikovac Lagoon

Budikovac is a small island just off Vis with a shallow turquoise lagoon between it and a smaller offshore islet. The water is sand-bottomed and stays around knee to chest deep across most of the bay: ideal for non-swimmers, families with small kids and anyone who wants a calm sun-warmed swim after the open-sea legs of the morning.

There is a small konoba on the beach if you want a Croatian draft beer or a quick grilled-fish snack. Plan about 45 minutes here, the first proper swim of the day.

Stop 4 · Hvar Old Town

Hvar is the cultural high point of the route. The marble piazza is the largest old square in Dalmatia, the 16th-century Španjola Fortress hangs over the harbour, and the backstreets behind the cathedral are lined with family-run trattorias and lavender-soap shops.

We give you two hours here, the longest stop of the day, for lunch and the town. We will recommend a specific restaurant based on what you tell us in the morning: Hvar has tourist-trap restaurants and brilliant ones in the same square. Average mains in the old town run €18–€28 for fresh fish, salad and a glass of local Pošip wine.

Stop 5 · Through the Pakleni to a cove on Brač

Leaving Hvar the boat runs west through the Pakleni Islands, the pine-fringed archipelago directly off Hvar's port, then crosses the Hvar channel to the west coast of Brač. The last swim is in a cove near Milna with no road down to it, so the only swimmers are the ones who arrived by boat: about 45 minutes in the warmest water of the day, and it is on Brač rather than in the Pakleni because Brač is on the way home.

From the cove it is about thirty minutes of sheltered water back to the Split Riva, arriving between roughly 17:15 and 18:00 depending on the season.

What is included, what is extra

The €110 per person price is genuinely all-in for the boat: fuel, two crew, harbour fees, snorkel gear, windjackets, soft drinks and bottled water, and full boat insurance. The only meaningful add-ons are the Blue Cave entry ticket (€18–€24 per person, paid in cash on the spot) and lunch in Hvar (€18–€28 mains).

• Licensed Croatian skipper + on-board sailor
• Snorkelling masks for every guest
• Windjackets for the morning legs
• Soft drinks, bottled water, biscuits on board
• Bluetooth audio · bring your own playlist
• WhatsApp support from booking through to return

How to book the 5-island tour from Split

Reservation is a 15% deposit online and the balance is settled on the day. Free cancellation up to 7 days before the trip; full deposit refund if we cancel for weather. For July and August, book at least 2–3 weeks in advance. Shoulder months (April, May, September, October) usually have last-minute availability.

What you genuinely need to bring (and what you can skip)

What you need: swimsuit and a small quick-dry towel, sun cream (SPF 30+), a hat or visor, sunglasses, a light layer for the morning leg (a hoodie or windbreaker, mornings on the open sea are cool until the sun is high), shoes you can slip off easily for the cave dinghy, a small dry-bag for your phone and wallet, and cash for the Blue Cave entry (~€18 per adult).

What you can skip: big beach bags, paperbacks (you won't have time), full-size beach towels (a small quick-dry one is all that fits), expensive watches and jewellery (anything we wear in the sea gets photographed), and absolutely any luggage larger than a small backpack. The boat has limited dry storage: keep it light.

One under-appreciated detail: bring an empty reusable water bottle. We provide bottled water free of charge but a 1-litre bottle you can refill from our cooler stays cold and is easier to carry between cave dinghies and the swim ladders. Small thing, makes the day smoother.