Dubrovnik: Full Day Private Sail Boat tour to Elaphiti&Blue Cave

Leave Dubrovnik’s harbor behind. This private eight-hour sailing trip takes you to Koločep, Lopud, Šipan, and Sunj Beach, with time for swimming, snorkeling, island walks, and a relaxed lunch stop. I especially like the chance to learn basic sailing from skipper Dragan and the freedom of having the boat reserved for your own group.

The included snorkel gear, SUP board, coffee, tea, outdoor shower, and fuel make the day feel well prepared. I also like that the route can be adjusted for families, as one couple with two children worked with Dragan to create a more comfortable plan. The main consideration is that lunch, drinks, port transfers, and the optional dinghy cost extra, and the advertised Blue Cave is not clearly included in the detailed route.

Key Points Before You Book

• A private boat for up to eight people: Your group does not share the sailboat with strangers, which makes the day easier to shape around swimming, sailing, and lunch.
• Four island stops: Koločep, Lopud, Šipan, and Sunj Beach each offer a different kind of break, from quiet bays to a sandy beach and a village walk.
• Dragan is a hands-on skipper: He teaches basic sailing, speaks good English, and is described as kind, conversational, and helpful.
• Useful equipment is included: You get snorkeling equipment, a free SUP board, coffee, tea, an outdoor shower, and fuel at no additional charge.
• Lunch is flexible but not included: You stop at one of the islands for food, but you pay for the meal yourself. You may also bring your own nonalcoholic drinks.
• Check the Blue Cave detail: The tour name refers to the Blue Cave, but the supplied route lists only the Elaphiti Islands. Confirm this point before paying if the cave is important to you.

Why This Private Sailing Day Works So Well

The best feature here is not simply the number of islands. It is the pace. An eight-hour day gives you time to swim without watching the clock, enjoy a proper meal ashore, and spend part of the route under sail instead of rushing from one photo stop to the next.

The boat is private for your group, with a maximum of eight people. That matters in Dubrovnik, where popular boat trips can feel crowded during the warm months. If your group wants to linger at a beach, take a short walk, or give children more time in the water, you can discuss the plan with Dragan.

This is also a more active outing than a simple sightseeing cruise. You can use the snorkeling gear, try the SUP, and receive free sailing lessons. You do not need to know how to sail beforehand. The supplied experience details describe Dragan as a talented skipper who teaches guests how to handle the boat, while still keeping the day comfortable and relaxed.

That combination suits people who want a little participation. If you only want to sit in the sun while someone else handles everything, you can do that too. The boat has a rest area, and there is no requirement that you take part in the sailing lesson.

Starting at 9:30 at Lapadska Obala

The tour begins at 9:30 a.m. from Lapadska obala 4 in Dubrovnik and returns to the same meeting point. The listed duration is about eight hours, so you should expect most of your day to be devoted to the sea and islands.

Pick-up and drop-off are not included, though they may be arranged optionally. That is worth checking before the morning of your trip. Since the departure point is near public transportation, you may be able to reach it without arranging a private transfer.

The boat has a fully equipped kitchen, free coffee and tea, and an outdoor shower. Those details are practical rather than flashy. After swimming in salt water, a shower is welcome, and coffee can make the long return sail more pleasant.

Fuel is included in the quoted price. That gives you a clearer idea of the final cost, since you are not watching for a surprise fuel charge at the end. Alcoholic drinks are not included, but you may bring your own. The stated drinking age is 18.

Koločep: Your First Swim in a Quiet Bay

The first stop is Koločep, where you spend about an hour swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. This is a good opening stop because it gets you into the water early, before the day becomes too warm and before you have settled into a fixed routine on the boat.

You can use the provided snorkeling equipment or simply swim from the boat and enjoy the clear water. The description emphasizes pristine bays and attractive beaches, so this stop is more about natural scenery and water time than sightseeing in a town.

An hour goes quickly. If you like long swims or want plenty of time with the mask and fins, you may wish the stop were longer. Still, with several islands ahead, the short visit helps keep the full route moving.

Sunj Beach on Lopud: Sand, Swimming, and a Beach Club

Sunj Beach is the sandy beach stop, and it gives the day a different feel from the rocky bays around Koločep. You can swim and snorkel near the rocks, sunbathe on the sand, or swim toward shore for a drink at the beach club.

The beach is described as one of Lopud’s trademarks, and it is the kind of place where you might be tempted to cancel the rest of the schedule. That is both its appeal and its small drawback. If your ideal boat trip means staying at one beautiful beach for most of the day, the planned one-hour stop may feel too brief.

Bring a towel, swimwear, and sun protection. The boat’s outdoor shower helps after the swim, but your own dry clothes will make the later island walk more comfortable.

Lopud Village: Two Hours for Food and a Short Walk

The Lopud stop lasts about two hours, giving you the most time ashore. You can walk through the village, visit a fourteenth-century monastery, swim again, or eat at one of the local restaurants.

This is the most flexible part of the day. You can use it as your lunch stop, though food is not included in the tour price. A seafood meal here can become one of the day’s highlights. One account of the trip described the lunch as some of the best seafood of the entire vacation, served in a small beach village.

That kind of meal is exactly why it is useful that lunch is left open rather than built into the booking. You choose where and what to eat, but you also take on the cost and need to allow enough time for the meal.

The monastery adds a little cultural interest to what could otherwise be a series of swims. Do not expect a full guided history tour. The available information simply says you can visit the fourteenth-century site, so treat it as an optional stop during your walk.

Lopud is likely the best place to discuss the rest of the route with Dragan. Families may prefer more swimming and less walking, while adults may want to spend longer at lunch or in the village.

Šipan: A Quieter Final Island Stop

The final island stop is Šipan, with about an hour for walking around town, swimming in clear water, enjoying nature, or sitting at a restaurant with a cold drink.

The plan may change depending on where you eat lunch. If you have already eaten on Lopud, the Šipan visit becomes more about a gentle walk, another swim, or a drink. This flexibility is helpful, but the exact shape of the afternoon depends on your group and the skipper’s route decisions.

An hour is enough for a taste of the island, not an extensive visit. If you want to explore Šipan in depth, this is not the right format. The strength of the trip is variety: you see several islands in one day rather than spending all your time in one place.

The Sailing Time Between Islands

About two hours of the outing is set aside for sailing and cruising around the Elaphiti Islands. This is not dead time. It is the part of the trip that allows you to appreciate the boat itself and the open-water setting.

Dragan offers free sailing lessons, and the strongest praise for the experience centers on his role as both skipper and teacher. He is described as conversational, accommodating, and highly capable at finding the wind. His English is also described as very good, which helps if you want to ask questions or take part in handling the boat.

The sailing time can feel especially pleasant for families and small groups because you are not packed into a large excursion boat. One family with two children found it easy to agree on a route that suited the children, and they preferred the sailing trip to a motorboat outing.

The trade-off is speed. A sailboat is not the fastest way to cover the islands, especially when the wind is light. That slower rhythm is the point for some people, but anyone focused on fitting in as many sights as possible may prefer a motorboat.

What Is Included, and What You Still Pay For

The package includes fuel, sailing lessons, coffee, tea, snorkeling equipment, and use of the SUP board. There is also a rest area, an outdoor shower, and a fully equipped kitchen.

These inclusions make the price easier to assess. You are not paying only for transport. You are paying for a private boat, a skipper, water equipment, and a full day with a flexible route.

Lunch is not included. Alcoholic beverages are also excluded, though you can bring your own drinks. Gratuities are not included either, and pick-up or drop-off may cost extra.

A dinghy with an outboard motor is available on request for 40 euros per day. The information does not explain exactly when you would need it, so ask before booking if your group expects to use it for shore access or another purpose.

Is $744.61 a Good Price for Eight People?

The listed price is $744.61 per group of up to eight people. At a full group of eight, that works out to about $93 per person for eight hours. For four people, the cost is about $186 per person, so the value changes sharply with group size.

For a large family or group of friends, the price is reasonable for a private boat day with fuel and equipment included. You also gain control over the pace and avoid sharing the boat with people you do not know.

For only two people, this is a much more expensive outing. It may still be worthwhile if privacy, sailing instruction, and a custom day matter more to you than the lowest price. If your main goal is simply to reach a beach and swim, a shared excursion may cost less.

The experience is recommended by all recorded ratings and carries a five-star average from 13 reviews. The praise is unusually consistent around Dragan’s friendliness, sailing ability, communication, and willingness to adjust the route. That does not remove the normal weather risk, but it does suggest that the skipper is a major part of the value.

Who Will Enjoy This Day Most?

I would choose this trip for a group that wants time on the water rather than a tightly scheduled sightseeing program. It is a good match for:

• Families who want a private route and easy communication with the skipper
• Couples traveling with friends
• Small groups interested in learning a little sailing
• Swimmers and snorkelers who want several water stops
• People who enjoy choosing their own lunch
• Anyone who prefers a quiet sailboat to a faster motorboat

The trip may be less suitable if you dislike swimming, want extensive historic touring, or need every meal and transfer included. You should also think carefully about the eight-hour length. There is plenty to do, but most of the day is spent on or near the water.

The route depends on good weather. If poor weather cancels the trip, 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 changes or cancellations made later are not accepted.

One Important Question About the Blue Cave

The experience title refers to the Elaphiti Islands and Blue Cave, but the detailed route names Koločep, Sunj Beach, Lopud, Šipan, and general sailing around the islands. It does not clearly list a Blue Cave stop.

That could simply reflect a route variation, but you should ask Diamond Sailing Service to confirm whether the cave is included on your date. Do not assume that a title guarantees a particular stop when the detailed schedule does not mention it.

This is especially important if the Blue Cave is the main reason you are considering the trip. If your priority is a private sailing day through the Elaphiti Islands, the listed route provides plenty of material. If the cave is essential, get a clear answer before booking.

Should You Book This Dubrovnik Sailing Tour?

Book it if you have at least four people, enjoy swimming and unhurried sailing, and want a skipper who can adjust the day to your group. Dragan’s personal service, free sailing lessons, and the boat’s included equipment give this outing more character than a basic transfer between beaches.

Before you commit, confirm the Blue Cave route, ask about optional transfers, and set aside money for lunch and drinks. With those points clear, this is a strong full-day choice for combining Dubrovnik’s coast with the beaches and villages of the Elaphiti Islands.

FAQ

How long is the private sailing tour?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours. It begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends back at the meeting point in Dubrovnik.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is Lapadska obala 4, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia. Pick-up and drop-off are not included, though they may be arranged optionally.

How many people can join the private boat?

The boat is reserved for your group, with up to eight people included in the group price.

Is lunch included?

No. The route includes a lunch stop on one of the islands, but you pay for lunch yourself. Alcoholic beverages are also not included, though you may bring your own drinks.

What equipment is provided?

Snorkeling equipment and a SUP board are included. The boat also has an outdoor shower, a rest area, a fully equipped kitchen, and free coffee and tea.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor conditions, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. You can also cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.