Split: Blue Lagoon, Shipwreck and Šolta with Food and Drinks

The Adriatic makes a fine swimming pool. This full-day cruise from Split combines a submerged boat, the fishing village of Maslinica, and the bright waters of the Blue Lagoon aboard the 27-meter Yacht Tamaris. For $74 per person, you get an eight-hour island outing with lunch, drinks, snorkeling equipment, and a polished boat with air-conditioned salons, showers, toilets, Wi-Fi, and a bar.

I especially like the comfortable boat and the fact that lunch is served at a beach restaurant rather than hurriedly eaten on deck. The included coffee, croissant, fruit, water, lemonade, and local wine also make the price easier to justify. The main drawback is timing: lunch can arrive around 2:00 or 2:45 p.m., and the Blue Lagoon stop can feel short once swimming and eating are both counted.

The cruise is well suited to you if you want a simple day on the sea without arranging ferries, taxis, restaurant bookings, or snorkel hire. Just arrive early if you want one of the limited sunbeds on the top deck, and bring a snack if you are traveling with children or get hungry between breakfast and lunch.

Key points at a glance

• Yacht Tamaris gives you room to spread out: The 27-meter boat has three decks, two air-conditioned salons, a bar, four toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, and charging sockets.
• The shipwreck stop is a fun snorkel, not a major dive site: The wreck is a small submerged boat, and finding its exact position may take some swimming.
• Maslinica offers a quiet island pause: You get about an hour to walk around, swim, visit Marchi Castle, or sit at a café.
• Blue Lagoon lunch is served right on the beach: Choose fish, chicken, or a vegetarian meal with a side dish, salad, drinks, and fruit.
• Most drinks are covered: Local wine, water, and lemonade are unlimited, while beer, cocktails, and Coca-Cola cost extra.
• The best seats go early: The top deck has only about 20 sunbeds, and your initial seat may remain yours for the whole day.

What this Split boat tour is really like

This is a sightseeing cruise with three very different stops. You start on Split’s Riva, spend much of the day moving between islands, and return to the same spot after roughly eight hours.

The route is designed for variety rather than a long stay in one place. You get a little snorkeling, a little village wandering, a proper lunch, and plenty of open-water cruising. That makes the day easy to enjoy, but it also means each stop has a firm time limit.

The atmosphere is relaxed and social. Light music plays in the background, the crew serves refreshments, and the boat has enough indoor and outdoor space that you are not stuck in one cramped cabin. The vessel can carry up to about 150 people, so this is not a private yacht outing. Still, the boat’s size helps it feel orderly, especially when boarding and serving lunch.

Finding the boat on Split’s Riva

The meeting point is Max Nautica, at stand number 8 on the Split Riva Promenade. Look for a small white stand with a picture of Yacht Tamaris. It is beside the sea, across from Diocletian’s Palace and near Bobis, Romana, Biberon, and St Riva.

Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. The port schedule is strict, and the boat cannot wait for late arrivals. This is one place where a leisurely Croatian morning can get you into trouble, so leave your accommodation with time to spare.

Boarding is handled in an orderly way, with groups seated one at a time rather than everyone pushing aboard together. Once you board, pay attention to where you are placed. Several people found that the seat assigned at the start remained their place throughout the trip.

If you want the top-deck sunbed, arrive early and queue promptly. There are only around 20 sunbeds, so they disappear quickly. The lower outdoor areas and indoor salons offer more seating, but most seats inside are shaded or air-conditioned rather than sun-soaked.

Coffee and croissants on the way to Nečujam

The first cruise takes about an hour. Coffee and a croissant are served as Split fades behind you, which is a pleasant way to start rather than having to buy breakfast before boarding.

The boat has two air-conditioned salons, a spacious open deck, and a top sun deck. You can move around, but remember that the upper sunbeds are limited. The professional Wi-Fi works well according to the supplied details, and charging sockets are available for phones.

The Tamaris is one of the strongest parts of this outing. It is described as new or nearly new, stable on the water, clean, and well maintained. Four toilets, showers, safety deposit boxes, and a full bar are useful extras on a day when you will be swimming and spending hours at sea.

The bar sells additional drinks, including beer, cocktails, and Coca-Cola. Bring cash for these purchases, since card payment is not accepted on board according to the practical information supplied. Included drinks are local wine, water, and lemonade.

Snorkeling over the Nečujam shipwreck

Nečujam Bay is the first active stop, with about an hour for swimming and snorkeling. Equipment is available, although a €10 deposit may be requested for the snorkeling gear. Bring your own mask if you prefer a particular fit, but the included equipment keeps the outing simple.

The wreck is not a large historic vessel. It is a small boat lying underwater, and that distinction matters. You should expect an interesting swim and a chance to see fish around a submerged object, not a full-scale wreck expedition.

Finding it can also take patience. Clear directions to the exact spot would help, especially for weaker swimmers, because the wreck may require a reasonable swim from the main boat. Ask the crew where to head before entering the water, and listen carefully to the safety instructions.

The bay is still a good first stop because it gets you into the water early. The hour passes quickly once you collect equipment, swim out, snorkel, and return. If the shipwreck itself does not impress you, the clear water and the simple pleasure of swimming from the yacht still make the stop worthwhile.

Maslinica and the slower side of Šolta

After Nečujam, the boat cruises for roughly 45 minutes to Maslinica on Šolta. This is a small fishing village, and the pace changes immediately. Instead of a beach stop built around swimming, you get about an hour to walk, sit at a café, or look around the village.

Marchi Castle and its park are the main sights named for this stop. You can also enjoy a freshly brewed coffee at one of the local cafés or take a short swim if the weather is right.

Maslinica is not a place for a long museum visit or a packed sightseeing schedule. Its appeal is the easygoing waterfront, small-scale setting, and chance to stretch your legs. I like this middle stop because it breaks up the day. Three straight swimming stops would become repetitive, especially for families.

The tradeoff is time. An hour is enough to get a feel for Maslinica, but not enough for a slow meal, extensive wandering, and a thorough look at every corner. If you want a detailed visit to Šolta, take a separate ferry trip and spend a full day there. Here, enjoy the village as a short, pleasant pause.

The Blue Lagoon beach lunch

The final major stop is the Blue Lagoon, reached after another short cruise. The bay is known for clear turquoise water, and this is where the trip settles into its longest stop, about two hours in total.

Lunch is served at a private restaurant on the beach. You choose from fish, chicken, or a vegetarian option, with a side dish and salad. Drinks are included, and fresh fruit is served for dessert. Eating beside the water is more enjoyable than taking a foil container back to the boat, and the restaurant setting gives the group a proper break.

The food is generally simple and satisfying for the price. Chicken and fish are popular choices, though the fish may arrive whole, with bones that require careful work. If you choose fish, expect a straightforward grilled preparation rather than a carefully filleted restaurant dish.

Lunch timing is the main practical issue. Because the Blue Lagoon is the last stop, the meal may not be served until around 2:00 or 2:45 p.m. Coffee and a croissant are helpful but will not carry everyone through the morning. I would pack a small snack, especially for children, while keeping in mind that snacks and some drinks can also be bought at the boat bar.

After eating, you can swim, snorkel, walk along the bay, sit in the shade, or order an extra drink. The beach area includes a century-old pine forest, which gives you a welcome place to cool down between swims.

Swimming at the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is the visual highlight of the route. The water is clear enough for easy swimming and snorkeling, and the beach setting makes the stop feel more relaxed than the open-water wreck stop.

You have a choice of where to swim. The beach offers easy access, but the bottom can be rocky underfoot. After lunch, you may prefer returning to the boat and swimming from the back into deeper water. That option avoids some of the rocky shallows and gives you more space away from the beach café.

Two hours sounds generous, but lunch takes part of it. Allow time to eat, find a comfortable place, change, and get into the water, and the actual swimming period can feel closer to an hour. This explains why some people wished for more time here.

Still, the schedule gives you enough to sample the bay without spending the entire day in one location. If your priority is long, unhurried beach time, a dedicated Blue Lagoon excursion may suit you better. If you prefer a route with several sights, this balance works well.

Food, drinks, and what the $74 price includes

At $74, the tour offers solid value for a full eight-hour day. You are paying for transport by a large motor yacht, crew service, breakfast, snorkeling equipment, beach lunch, fruit dessert, unlimited local wine, water, lemonade, Wi-Fi, showers, and toilets.

The included drinks are especially useful. You do not have to watch every bottle of water or glass of local wine add to the bill. Extra drinks such as beer, cocktails, and Coca-Cola are available, but they are not part of the package, and the boat accepts cash rather than cards for these purchases.

The lunch is not a gourmet meal. Think of it as a simple beach restaurant plate, with fish, chicken, or a vegetarian choice, plus a side and salad. For a day at sea, that is perfectly reasonable, but diners expecting a refined seafood meal should adjust their expectations.

The boat’s facilities add real value. Clean toilets matter on an eight-hour outing, and showers are handy after every swim. Wi-Fi and safety deposit boxes are small touches, but they make the day easier, especially when you are carrying phones, cameras, and other valuables.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would recommend this outing if you want several island experiences in one day and prefer a professionally managed schedule. It works particularly well for first-time visitors to Split, couples, solo travelers, and families who want swimming without arranging equipment or transport.

Solo travelers may find the social boat atmosphere friendly, while families will appreciate the toilets, showers, indoor seating, and clear activity structure. The cruise is also a good choice if you want drinks and lunch included from the start rather than calculating every extra cost.

You should think twice if you dislike group excursions, need a quiet private boat, or want long hours at one beach. The boat can carry a large crowd, top-deck sunbeds are limited, and the itinerary moves on even when you are enjoying a stop.

Bring a sun hat, towel, sunscreen, camera, comfortable clothing, and beachwear. If you want a top-deck spot, arrive early. If you want fish for lunch, be prepared for bones. If you are hungry early, carry a snack.

Should you book the Blue Lagoon and Šolta cruise?

Yes, if you want a good-value day that combines scenery, swimming, a village visit, and a proper lunch. The boat is the star of the operation: clean, stable, modern, and fitted with the facilities that make a long day on the water comfortable.

Book it with realistic expectations. The shipwreck is a small submerged boat, Maslinica is a brief visit, and the Blue Lagoon stop includes lunch, so you will not get two uninterrupted hours in the water. For most people, that variety is exactly what makes the day work.

Arrive early, claim your preferred seating, bring a snack, and carry cash for extras. If those small details suit your plans, this is an easy way to see more of the Dalmatian coast from Split without spending the day managing logistics yourself.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is Max Nautica, at stand number 8 on Split’s Riva Promenade. It is a small white stand with a picture of Yacht Tamaris, beside the sea and across from Diocletian’s Palace.

Where does the tour finish?

The cruise returns to the same meeting point on Split’s Riva Promenade.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts eight hours. Starting times vary, so check availability when booking.

What food is included?

You receive a coffee and croissant in the morning, followed by lunch at the Blue Lagoon beach restaurant. Lunch has fish, chicken, or vegetarian options, with a side dish and salad, plus fresh fruit for dessert.

Which drinks are included?

Unlimited local wine, water, and lemonade are included. Beer, cocktails, and Coca-Cola cost extra.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling gear is included, though a €10 deposit may be required.

What should I bring?

Bring a sun hat, towel, camera, sunscreen, comfortable clothes, and beachwear. A snack is also sensible because lunch may be served around 2:00 or 2:45 p.m.

How early should I arrive?

Arrive 30 minutes before departure. The boat must leave on time because of the port schedule and the planned route.