Dubrovnik Private Speedboat Tour to Elaphite Islands

Skip the crowded streets for a few hours. This private speedboat tour gives you sweeping views of Dubrovnik’s walls, a close look at Fort Lovrijenac, and time to swim in the Blue and Green caves around Koločep. I especially like the private format, which lets you shape the outing around your group, and the friendly skippers, including Ivo, Ivan, Luka, Maro, and Marko, who have been praised for good timing and thoughtful local suggestions.

I also like the practical extras: towels, snorkeling gear, water, beer, wine, and soft drinks are included. The main drawback is the short four-hour schedule. You can visit Koločep and Lopud comfortably, but the longer island route, including Šipan and Sikirica Blue Lagoon, belongs to the eight-hour option. The speedboat can also be a poor fit if you have back or heart problems, are pregnant, or use a wheelchair.

Key points to know before booking

• Fort Lovrijenac from the sea: See the fortress rising from its steep 37-meter rock, then look back toward Dubrovnik’s famous walls.
• Blue and Green cave swimming: Koločep provides the tour’s most memorable water stop, with time for snorkeling and swimming.
• A genuinely private outing: Your skipper can adjust the pace, music, swim stops, and beach time for your group.
• Lopud’s Šunj Beach: The island offers the biggest sandy beach in the Elaphites, plus beach bars and an easygoing break.
• Drinks and gear included: Towels, masks, snorkeling equipment, and several drinks mean less packing and fewer extra costs.
• Fuel is extra: The four-hour tour has a €60 fuel charge, paid in cash on board, in addition to the listed $388 price for up to two people.

What This Private Dubrovnik Boat Tour Is Like

This is a coastal outing rather than a formal history tour. You get a live English-speaking skipper, but the main attraction is the sea, the islands, and the freedom to stop for a swim when conditions and timing allow.

The four-hour version costs $388 for a group of up to two, before the €60 fuel charge. For two people, that works out to $194 each, plus half of the fuel cost. That is not a bargain boat ride, but it is a fairer deal if you value privacy, flexible timing, and a skipper who can adapt the route instead of moving a large group from one fixed stop to another.

The eight-hour option gives you much more breathing room. It can include Koločep, Lopud, Šipan, and Sikirica Blue Lagoon. If you want wine tasting, a longer lunch, a walk on Šipan, or several unhurried swim stops, the full-day outing makes more sense than trying to squeeze everything into four hours.

The tour has earned a 5 out of 5 rating from 46 ratings, and 97 percent of ratings give the transport a perfect score. The strongest praise centers on the skippers, the clean boat, flexible planning, and relaxed pace.

Meeting Your Skipper at Dubrovnik’s Old Town Port

The standard starting point is Grudska ul. 1a, with departures also available from Dubrovnik’s Old Town Port, Gruž Harbour, or Lapadska Obala. After booking, the team contacts you to arrange the most suitable dock near your accommodation.

At the Old Town Port, there are two docks. The meeting point is the smaller dock directly across from Restaurant Lokanda. One day before departure, you receive more precise instructions to help you identify the skipper.

This is worth taking seriously. Dubrovnik’s waterfront can be busy, and a clear meeting point saves needless searching with beach bags and sunscreen in hand. If you are staying outside the Old Town, ask about pickup from Gruž or Lapadska Obala rather than assuming you need to cross town.

The boat is private, and the skipper meets you at a location where the speedboat can safely dock. That arrangement is convenient, though the exact pickup spot depends on your accommodation and the boat’s access.

Cruising Past Fort Lovrijenac and the City Walls

One of the first rewards comes before the islands. The boat passes Fort Lovrijenac, the rugged fortress built on a steep rock 37 meters above the sea. From the water, its defensive position makes immediate sense. The fort seems to grow directly out of the cliff, and you get a fresh angle on Dubrovnik that is hard to appreciate from the crowded landward paths.

Allow about ten minutes for this scenic pass and photo stop. It is not a full fortress visit, so you will not go inside or hear an extended military history talk. Think of it as a visual introduction to Dubrovnik’s walls and shoreline.

This short section is also a good reason to sit where you can look back toward the city. The view of the stone walls from offshore is one of the tour’s strongest photo opportunities, especially when the boat has cleared the immediate harbor.

Koločep and the Blue Cave Swim

Koločep is the heart of the half-day trip. The island is known for its quiet harbor, walking paths, clear water, and the Blue and Green caves. The main stop lasts about an hour and a half, giving you enough time to swim, snorkel, and take in the cave formations without treating the visit like a rushed photo stop.

The Blue Cave is the signature attraction. Light filtering into the cave gives the water its blue glow, but the effect depends on the sun, sea conditions, and the angle of entry. It is beautiful, but nature does not work on a timetable, so keep your expectations flexible.

You should be comfortable getting into the water from the boat. Snorkeling equipment is provided, and the skipper can help make the stop easier for people who are not confident swimmers. One particularly useful detail from past outings is that Maro sometimes got into the water with less experienced swimmers and helped guide them through the caves. That sort of personal help is valuable, but you should still judge the conditions and your own ability honestly.

The Green Cave offers a different mood, with darker rock and a more enclosed feel. You may have time for both caves, though the skipper may change the order or substitute another swimming spot if the sea is rough or a cave is too crowded.

Bring sunscreen and use it generously. The boat provides drinks and towels, but sun protection is your responsibility. A swimsuit, dry change of clothes, and secure footwear are sensible additions, even though only sunscreen is specifically required.

Lopud and Šunj Beach

After Koločep, the boat continues to Lopud for roughly an hour and a half. This is your chance to leave the boat, walk around, take photographs, swim from shore, or settle in for a slower break.

Lopud is best known here for Šunj Beach, described as the largest sandy beach in the Elaphiti Islands. That matters in a region where many swimming spots are rocky or made up of pebbles. If you prefer wading into sand rather than stepping over stones, this is likely to be your favorite stop.

You can also use the time for a beach bar or a local restaurant. Lunch is not included, but one skipper, Luka, arranged a restaurant table for a group, which shows how the private format can help with practical details. Do not count on that as a guaranteed service, but it is reasonable to ask your skipper for a recommendation or help calling ahead.

The island also offers a botanical garden and quiet walking paths. On the four-hour outing, you will need to choose between a substantial walk, a long swim, and lunch. You cannot do everything properly in a short stop, so tell the skipper your priority as soon as the tour begins.

The Secret Swimming Stop

The route includes an additional stop described simply as a secret spot, with about an hour for swimming and scenery. The lack of a fixed name is part of the appeal, since the skipper can choose a place based on the day’s conditions and your interests.

It is also the least predictable part of the tour. You should not expect a famous landmark or a signed attraction. Instead, think of it as extra time in a quieter cove, away from the main sights. The captain may use this stop to replace a cave visit, add another swim, or give you a peaceful pause before returning to Dubrovnik.

This is where a private boat earns its keep. On a large excursion, the schedule rarely changes for one family or couple. Here, you can say that you would rather swim than take another photo stop, or that you want a calm place to sit with a drink.

Why Šipan and Sikirica Belong to the Full Day

Šipan is included only on the full-day route. It is the most peaceful and rural-feeling island in the planned circuit, with a relaxed atmosphere and a reputation for good wine and olive oil. A wine tasting can be arranged as part of the longer outing.

The island suits you if you want more than swimming. You can walk, take photographs, spend free time by the shore, and make the visit about local food and drink. It is not the best use of a rushed four-hour tour, which is why the shorter option focuses on Koločep and Lopud.

Sikirica Blue Lagoon is also reserved for the full-day trip. It offers calm water for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. The lagoon sounds ideal for people who want a slow afternoon rather than a string of brief stops.

If your dream day includes three islands, multiple caves, a lagoon, lunch, and wine, book eight hours. If you mainly want the city views, one excellent cave stop, and a sandy beach, four hours is enough.

Skippers Make the Difference

The boat itself is only part of this experience. The skipper controls the pace, chooses sensible stops, and turns a simple transfer into a pleasant day on the water.

Ivo has been praised for arriving on time, explaining the plan clearly, and suggesting the best times for swimming and cave visits. Ivan received similar praise for combining local advice with the freedom of a private family outing. Maro is repeatedly associated with good humor, flexibility, help in the water, and careful attention to guests who felt nervous about swimming.

Luka is noted for finding alternative beaches when a group did not want to enter the caves and for helping arrange lunch. Marko was praised for a clean boat, polite service, good refreshments, and patient advice when a group had no firm plan.

Names can change depending on the date, so you cannot choose a particular skipper unless the operator confirms it. Still, the pattern is clear: the human side of the tour is one of its greatest strengths.

Music can also be part of the fun. One group enjoyed choosing its own playlist while swimming and having beers on board. That may sound like a small detail, but it captures the informal feel of a private outing better than a fixed sightseeing script.

What Is Included, and What Will You Pay Extra?

The boat includes the skipper, towels, snorkeling equipment, water, wine, beer, and soft drinks. Those inclusions are useful because a half-day at sea can otherwise become a series of small rental and refreshment charges.

Food is not included. Plan to buy lunch on Lopud or ask for help with a restaurant reservation if you choose the longer route. The four-hour tour also has a €60 fuel cost, paid in cash on board.

At $388 for up to two people, the price favors couples or two friends who want privacy. It becomes less attractive if you are happy to join a shared boat and follow a set timetable. The value improves if flexibility matters to you, if you want personal help in the water, or if you would rather spend four hours swimming than waiting for a large group to gather.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. You can also reserve and pay later, which helps if your Dubrovnik schedule is still shifting.

Who Should Book This Boat Trip?

I would recommend this tour to couples, friends, and small private groups who want a relaxed half-day away from Dubrovnik’s heat and crowds. It is especially suitable if you care more about swimming, scenery, and a flexible route than a long spoken tour about island history.

Families may also like it. The skipper can adjust the pace and help nervous swimmers, but you should make your comfort in open water a priority when deciding. The boat is not suitable for pregnant women, people with back or heart problems, or wheelchair users.

The four-hour version is best for a focused outing. Choose it if Koločep’s caves and Lopud’s beach are your main goals. Choose eight hours if you want Šipan, the lagoon, a longer lunch, wine tasting, and enough time to stop without watching the clock.

Should You Book the Dubrovnik Elaphite Islands Tour?

Book it if you want a personal boat day with strong swimming stops and a skipper who can make practical decisions on the spot. The combination of Dubrovnik wall views, Fort Lovrijenac, Koločep’s caves, and Šunj Beach gives the half-day route a good mix of scenery and activity.

Before paying, add the €60 fuel charge to your budget, confirm the pickup point, and decide whether four hours will feel too short. If you want the most relaxed version, take the full day. If you have only an afternoon and want a private taste of Dubrovnik’s islands, this is a well-priced choice for two people who will actually use the freedom.

FAQ

How long is the Dubrovnik private speedboat tour?

The tour is available as a four-hour half-day trip or an eight-hour full-day trip. Starting times depend on availability.

What islands can I visit?

The half-day and full-day tours can include Koločep and Lopud. Šipan and Sikirica Blue Lagoon are available only on the full-day tour.

Is swimming and snorkeling included?

Yes. Swimming and snorkeling are part of the experience, especially around the Blue and Green caves at Koločep. Snorkeling equipment is provided.

What drinks are included?

Water, soft drinks, beer, and wine are included. Food is not included.

Is fuel included in the price?

No. The four-hour tour has a €60 fuel cost, paid in cash on board.

Where does the tour meet in Dubrovnik?

The standard meeting point is the smaller dock in the Old Town Port, directly across from Restaurant Lokanda. Pickup may also be arranged from Gruž Harbour or Lapadska Obala, depending on your accommodation.

Is the tour suitable for everyone?

No. It is not suitable for pregnant women, people with back or heart problems, or wheelchair users.