Hidden Gems Odyssey: Private Elaphiti Islands & Blue Cave Tour

The best part of this boat trip is simple: you get the Dubrovnik coast on your own terms. A private skipper takes you from the Old Town or Gruz Port toward the Elaphiti Islands, stopping for blue caves, quiet coves, sandy beaches, village walks, and local food.

I like the flexible route, which lets you favor swimming, island time, history, wine, or lunch instead of following a rigid clock. I also like the small comforts: towels, snorkeling gear, fruit, water, beer, wine, and sodas are included.

The main consideration is price. At $372.63 per person, this is a serious outlay for a half-day trip, especially for a couple. It becomes much better value when shared by a private group, particularly if you use the boat for a full eight hours.

Key points at a glance

• Three island stops: Kolocep, Lopud, and Sipan each offer a different style of Adriatic outing.
• Blue cave swimming: Kolocep brings the most memorable water stop, with snorkeling around blue and green caves.
• A private boat and skipper: Your group travels alone, with room to request secluded coves or longer swims.
• Šunj Beach on Lopud: This sandy beach is a welcome change from Croatia’s usual pebbled shore.
• Local food and wine options: Your skipper can arrange lunch, wine tasting, olive oil, cheese, or a monastery visit.
• Useful extras included: Fuel, beach towels, snorkeling equipment, safety gear, drinks, fruit, and hotel pickup and drop-off are covered.

Leaving Dubrovnik from the Old Town port

The meeting point is near the heart of Dubrovnik’s Old Town port, beside Lokanda restaurant. You can also request a start from Gruz Port, or provide your hotel and preferred departure point when booking.

Your local skipper meets you, explains the plan, and gives a safety briefing before you leave shore. That start matters. A private boat day works best when you and the skipper agree early on how much time should go to swimming, beaches, villages, lunch, and sightseeing.

The boat gives you a fresh view of Dubrovnik. From offshore, the city walls and the old town appear as part of the wider coast rather than as the whole show. You also avoid spending the day in the same crowded streets, a major reason this makes a good second-day activity after exploring the historic center.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, but there is an extra charge of 70 euros in cash for pickup from Sheraton, Mlini, or Cavtat. Pickup from Mlini, in particular, may be useful if your accommodation is nearby, but confirm the charge and meeting details before setting out.

Kolocep and the blue caves

Kolocep is the first island, and the trip takes about two hours here in the planned route. Its appeal is the shift in mood: Dubrovnik is close, but the pace quickly becomes quieter and more sea-focused.

The main stop is the Blue and Green caves. You can use the supplied snorkeling equipment and swim near the openings, looking into the water and rock around these natural formations. This is not a museum visit with a set viewing platform. The point is to get in the Adriatic and see the caves from the water.

Bring a secure swimsuit and expect to get wet. Towels are supplied, but you will still want sun protection and a way to keep phones dry. The boat carries life vests and safety equipment, and the skipper controls the approach to the caves.

Cave conditions depend on the day, the wind, and boat traffic. One useful part of having a private skipper is that the route can change if a cove is busy or the sea is less comfortable. Several skippers, including Ivan, Michael, Peter, Filip, and Gigi, are praised for adjusting the plan around swimming time and family preferences.

Kolocep is strongest for water time, not for a long land visit. If you want a full island walk, say so at the start. The advertised route gives this stop about two hours, and that time may include the boat ride, cave visit, snorkeling, and swimming.

Lopud, Šunj Beach, and a choice of pace

Lopud receives about three hours in the usual itinerary. This is where the day becomes more flexible. You can stay on the boat, swim, snorkel, step onto the beach, or visit the village of Lopud.

Šunj Beach is the star attraction. Its sandy shore feels different from the many stone and pebble beaches around the Adriatic. If you have children or simply want to stretch out on sand, this stop may be the most comfortable part of the day.

The beach can also be the busiest stop, so do not expect complete solitude. The private arrangement gives you control over how long you stay, but it does not remove the popularity of a well-known beach. If quiet water matters more than sand, ask the skipper about a less crowded cove.

Fresh fruit and local drinks are available on board. Unlimited local beer, wine, water, sodas, and fruit are included, so you do not need to plan the day around buying every cold drink at each stop. Still, lunch is not included, and beachside food costs extra.

An optional visit to Lopud village adds a little culture to a day otherwise centered on swimming. The village stop is useful for anyone who wants more than sun and sea, but you should not expect a long guided walking tour unless you arrange it with the skipper.

Sipan and the quieter side of island life

Sipan is the largest and most populated of the three Elaphiti Islands. The planned visit lasts about three hours and begins in Sudurad, a seaside settlement with two Renaissance palaces once owned by the Skocibuha family.

This stop gives the tour more local character. You might see homemade wine, olive oil, marmalade, fruit, and vegetables, with tastings arranged on request. A more formal option is a winery visit with wine, cheese, and olive oil.

I would discuss tasting plans before departure, especially if you want to fit in lunch as well. The skipper can arrange a restaurant reservation, and this has been a strong part of the experience for many groups. Past itineraries have included waterfront meals, fresh fish such as sea bass, and carefully arranged tables at restaurants on Lopud or Sipan.

Lunch remains your responsibility. That is not a flaw, but it is an important price detail. You get choice and flexibility rather than a fixed meal, and a private skipper can help you choose a local place. Ask for menu prices if you are watching your budget.

Sudurad suits people who want a break from beach time. The palaces, village setting, local produce, and possible winery visit make Sipan the most rounded stop. It also gives you a chance to slow down before the final swim.

Sikirica and the last swim

The route ends with a stop at Sikirica, a small islet with pebble beaches. This is a good counterpoint to Šunj Beach. Lopud gives you sand and shore time, while Sikirica offers a smaller, simpler place to swim.

The final stop is also a reminder that this is a sea day first. You are not racing from monument to monument. You are choosing places to swim, rest, eat, and take in the coast.

An underwater scooter is available for 70 euros in cash if you want extra help moving through the water while snorkeling. It is not included, and you should treat it as an optional add-on rather than a necessary part of the tour.

The skippers make the private format work

The boat and route matter, but the skipper shapes the day. The named skippers associated with this experience include Ivan, Michael, Gigi, Marko, Peter, Paulo, and Filip.

Ivan is a particularly strong choice for people who want local context along with swimming. He has been praised for explaining Dubrovnik and the islands, adjusting stops to the weather, and arranging lunch. Michael is a good fit for groups that want a highly customized day, including secluded coves and a relaxed waterfront meal.

Gigi is described as lively and attentive, with a strong focus on safety and service during a long eight-hour outing. Peter has been noted for arriving early, explaining the plan, and changing the itinerary when children wanted more cave and swimming time. Filip and Paulo are also associated with careful guiding and local commentary.

You cannot necessarily choose a particular skipper, so think of these names as examples of the service style rather than a guarantee. The consistent pattern is a friendly captain who drives the boat, explains local places, watches the conditions, and helps organize extras.

Some trips have included a GoPro, photos sent afterward, a USB, a Polaroid keepsake, or paddleboard use. These details appear in individual experiences and may not be guaranteed on every departure, so ask before counting on them.

What is included, and what you still pay for

The package includes:

• Private boat charter
• Fuel
• Local skipper
• Snorkeling equipment
• Beach towels
• Life vests and safety gear
• Unlimited local beer, wine, water, sodas, and fruit
• Hotel pickup and drop-off, with stated exceptions

Lunch is not included. Wine tastings, winery visits, monastery tours, and other special arrangements may also cost extra. The underwater scooter costs 70 euros in cash, and pickup or drop-off from Sheraton, Mlini, or Cavtat costs 70 euros in cash.

The drink package improves the value for a group that plans to spend much of the day on the boat. It also removes the nuisance of carrying enough water for hours in the sun. The value is lower if you do not drink alcohol, though water, sodas, and fruit are included too.

At $372.63 per person, compare the price with the cost of several separate activities: transport, a cave trip, beach access, snorkeling equipment, and a private guide. The strongest value comes when several people share the boat and use the flexibility. For two people taking only four hours, the price may feel steep. For a family or friend group booking eight hours, it is easier to justify.

How long should you book?

The tour runs for about four to eight hours. A four-hour version can cover the blue caves, a swim, and one or two island stops. It suits a packed Dubrovnik schedule or a first taste of the coast.

Choose eight hours if you want all three islands, a proper lunch, village time, a tasting, and several swims without constantly checking the clock. The longer option also gives the skipper more room to respond to your preferences and the weather.

The itinerary lists roughly two hours at Kolocep, three at Lopud, and three at Sipan. These are useful planning figures, not a promise that every minute will be spent ashore. Boat travel and changing sea conditions affect the final rhythm.

Who will enjoy this boat day most?

I would recommend it to families, couples who value privacy, and small groups of friends who want a relaxed day at sea. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and most people can participate, but you should be comfortable boarding a boat and swimming from it if you want the full experience.

It is also a good choice for people who dislike fixed group tours. You can ask for more swimming, less beach time, a local meal, a winery, or quieter coves. The skipper can adjust the day rather than simply announcing the next stop.

It is less suitable if you want a fully scheduled sightseeing tour with extensive walking and formal historical commentary. The focus is water, scenery, beaches, food, and personal choice. The islands offer culture, but this is not primarily an architecture tour.

Service animals are allowed, and the activity is near public transportation. The boat is private, so only your own group takes part.

Weather, cancellation, and practical planning

The experience needs good weather. If poor conditions force a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time, but cancellations or changes inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

Book ahead if your Dubrovnik dates are fixed. The experience is booked about 50 days in advance on average, and private boats have fewer spaces than large group excursions.

Wear swimwear, bring sunscreen, and pack a dry bag for valuables. Ask about pickup, lunch prices, tasting fees, the underwater scooter, and any photo equipment before leaving the port. A quick conversation at the start can turn a standard route into the kind of day you actually want.

Should you book the Elaphiti Islands private tour?

Book this tour if you want the freedom to shape a Dubrovnik boat day around your group. The blue caves at Kolocep, sandy Šunj Beach, the village and food options on Sipan, and the final swim at Sikirica create a varied route.

The price makes the most sense for families and groups sharing a private boat, especially for the full eight-hour version. Solo couples should compare the cost with a shared cruise unless privacy and flexibility are worth paying for.

I would choose the longer trip, ask for a mix of swimming and island time, and request a lunch reservation if local seafood appeals to you. With a responsive skipper such as Ivan, Michael, Gigi, or Peter, this can be one of the easiest ways to trade Dubrovnik’s crowded streets for a full day on the Adriatic.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The usual meeting point is at Dubrovnik’s Old Town port near Lokanda restaurant. You can also request Gruz Port or provide your accommodation as a preferred starting point.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, with an extra 70 euro cash charge for pickup or drop-off at Sheraton, Mlini, or Cavtat.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately four to eight hours. The shorter option suits a half-day schedule, while the longer option allows more time for all three islands, lunch, tastings, and swimming.

Which islands does the boat visit?

The planned route includes Kolocep, Lopud, and Sipan. It also includes a final stop at the small islet of Sikirica.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included, but the skipper can arrange a restaurant reservation. Wine, cheese, and olive oil tastings can also be arranged.

Are snorkeling equipment and towels provided?

Yes. Snorkeling gear and beach towels are included, along with life vests and other safety equipment.

Are drinks included?

Yes. Unlimited local beer, wine, water, sodas, and fruit are included during the tour.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The tour requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor conditions, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.