3 Islands Boat Tour in Dubrovnik: Is it Worth it?

A day trip to Elaphiti Islands in Dubrovnik is one of the most popular ones. But is it worth it? I took a 3 islands boat tour when I was in Dubrovnik and spent a whole day exploring Lopud, Sipan and Kolocep. In this blog post I am sharing with you the overview of the boat tour, its pros and cons, so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you should book that tour.

Spoiler alert: I loved it!

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Where are Elaphiti Islands

Elaphiti Islands consist of several islands, but the most popular are Lopud, Sipan and Kolocep (which you’d be visiting on this tour).

They are northwest of Dubrovnik, with Kolocep being the closest one.

How to Get to Elaphiti Islands

You can only reach Elaphiti Islands by boat or ferry.

If you want to visit independently, then head to Gruz Port in Dubrovnik and get the tickets for the local ferry. The ferry stops at all 3 islands, which should be manageable for island hopping.

You can also consider staying on one of the 3 islands, if you prefer slow-pace travel (my favourite is Lopud).

But, if you are limited on time (which we all are at times) and you want to save yourself from hustle and bustle and leave organisation to someone else, then taking a 3 islands tour is the best option. It is how I’ve done it and loved it.

✅ I booked this boat tour and I cannot recommend it more!

📖 Read my Is Croatia Expensive to Visit? (+My Cost Breakdown) blog post.

The 3 Islands Boat Tour Dubrovnik Overview

Okay, let’s see now what the 3 islands tour that I booked includes, what’s the itinerary and what kind of onboard experience you can expect.

Booking & Package Options

Firstly, there are 3 different booking options, depending on what package you would like to have included. The more extras you get, the higher the price.

The first and cheapest option is to book a tour only with no lunch nor hotel pickup included. You will have the free drinks though! It’s a good option if you’d love to eat on the islands, or if you prefer bringing your own food, and if arriving at the meeting point is manageable on your own.

Second choice is with the lunch and drinks included but no hotel pickup. If it’s easy for you to get to the meeting point by yourself, then this is a good choice for you. Meeting points both for option 1 and 2 are mentioned during booking, so you’ll know in advance if you can get there on your own.

And lastly, the third choice is with lunch & drinks and a hotel pickup included in the price. Please bear in mind that the pickup is available only if you’re staying in the Dubrovnik area (it’s shown during the booking what they mean by it).

Me and my husband went with the third option which I am glad we took. While you can eat on the islands, you will have a limited free time though, and if you’re in the high season, I’m quite sure you’d rather spend it at the beach.

We sailed for an hour or so during lunch and it was a great experience. The food was really delicious too (more about it in the chapter below).

Onboard Experience

What I loved about this tour is that we onboarded a wooden boat. There was no A/C, nothing was super fancy about it, but the experience was really authentic and very Croatian.

The music was loud, the crew was so funny, constantly making jokes and it was so laid back. Nothing better than the fresh breeze coming from the Adriatic Sea while outside air is in the 30s C (90s F).

As mentioned, no matter what booking option you choose, the unlimited drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, will be included. Needless to say that we drank a lot of homemade Croatian wine.

In terms of lunch options, you can choose between meat, fish and vegetarian + salad and bread as a side. We went with fish because we were on the Dalmatian coast, which was a great choice. You will sail for about an hour during lunch, so nothing will be rushed. Lunch with the views indeed.

After the lunch was finished, the crew got all the leftovers and started throwing them in the sea, to attract seagulls. Ofc they came, so it was a fun experience to watch them eat. I love how nothing went to waste, but was instead given to the local animals!

The boat is on two stories and there’s a WC of course. Everything was very clean and hygienic.

Overall, we loved the onboard experience. Given that you’d spend a few hours on the boat only, they really made sure you have a good time while sailing!

📖 Check my Croatia Bucket List: 15 Best Things to Do in Croatia blog post.

Boat Trip Itinerary

So, this below was our itinerary, but I see they change it from time to time. Mainly the order of the islands, but everything else is quite the same. Therefore, I will mention how it was organised for us, but bear in mind that your itinerary could have some slight tweaks!

Lopud

Our first stop was the island of Lopud, which was also my favourite one. There we had about 2h of free time, which we spent at the Beach Sunj. The beach is among the most beautiful beaches in Croatia. It’s sandy (which is not that common in Croatia) and situated on a quiet bay.

There are sunbeds you can rent, or just lay a towel.

From the port where your boat will leave you, you can either walk for about 30 minutes to the beach, or you can take a tuk-tuk (there would be many of those waiting for tourists).

We decided to walk on our way to the beach, but we took the ride back to save us some time.

If you’re visiting in summer, I definitely recommend spending all of your free time in Lopud at the beach. Otherwise, you can also sightsee the island (there are quite a few interesting churches there).

Sipan

Next on the itinerary was Sipan island.

We spent our time there having coffee and drinks because we had a shorter free time (about 30 min).

Kolocep

And our last stop was Kolocep.

We spent our free time at the sandy Lower Forehead Beach (5 min walk from the port), but you can also sightsee if you’d like. We had about an hour of free time in Kolocep.

Kolocep is mainly famous for its Blue Cave, but you won’t be able to check it out on this tour.

If you’d love to explore the Blue Cave, then consider booking this tour.

My Review of the 3 Islands Tour in Dubrovnik

Okay, let’s now discuss some pros & cons of this boat trip alongside my final conclusion to help you make a decision.

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

The 3 Islands Boat Tour Dubrovnik turned out to be a great way to spend a day. We visited some of the most beautiful islands for an affordable price, enjoyed its beaches and swam in crystal clear water.

The sailing was fun, the food was good and the wine even better. Even though I would have liked to spend a bit more time on other islands, we still managed to do a lot.

It’s definitely one of the best day trips you can do in Dubrovnik and I honestly recommend you to book the same tour.

📖 Check my 15 Best Things to do in Dubrovnik: Travel Guide blog post for more.

Top Tips for the 3 Islands Tour in Dubrovnik

Here are some of my main tips for the 3 islands tour.

What to Pack

📖 For more, check my Europe Summer Outfits Ideas: What to Wear in Mediterranean blog post.

When is the Best Time to Visit Elaphiti Islands

Personally, the best time to visit Elaphiti Islands is in summer because they are a perfect place for swimming and beach activities. While you can sightsee and enjoy nature at any time of the year, for me, there’s nothing better than to enjoy the Adriatic Sea in summer.

Where to Stay in Dubrovnik

📖 Additionally, check my Top 10 Dubrovnik Hotels with Pool for a Perfect Stay blog post.

Are Elaphiti Islands worth Visiting

Elaphiti Islands are so close to Dubrovnik that it would be a pity not to visit if only for their location!

But even more so because they are a beautiful gem of the Dubrovnik area where life seems like it stopped a century or two before. You will get that feeling especially if you visit during the off season.

If you’re coming to Dubrovnik, I definitely recommend you to add Elaphiti Islands to your itinerary!

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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