Wind in the sails. Sun on your face. Surrounded by crystal-clear blue water in an idyllic bay. Seven days on a sailboat in the Adriatic Sea. Living on just a few square metres, together with a group of complete strangers. This sailing trip through Croatia is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you don’t want to miss. Curious about what it’s really like to spend a week sailing and island hopping around Croatia? Come aboard and I’ll take you along!
In collaboration with WeAdventures – a Travelbase concept
Sailing with WeAdventures: what is the concept?
his organised sailing trip is designed for adventurous travellers between the ages of 20 and 39 and is organised by WeAdventures, a Travelbase concept. It’s a small-scale group trip aimed at adventurous solo travellers who want to discover new places while meeting new people along the way.
And don’t worry: you don’t need any sailing experience. A Dutch-speaking skipper joins the group, takes care of the boat and teaches you everything you need to know. At the same time, it’s the perfect opportunity to learn the basics of sailing yourself. If you want to get involved, you can help hoist the sails, steer the boat and take on various other tasks on board. You’re not just a passenger; you actually become part of life on the sailboat. Grocery shopping, preparing meals – as well as cleaning up and doing the dishes afterwards – are also tasks you take on together as a group.
For a week, the boat becomes your home as you set off from Biograd to explore some of the most beautiful and lesser-known spots along the Croatian coast. The exact route isn’t set in stone, as the wind and sailing conditions ultimately determine where you’ll sail. And that’s part of the fun: you have a rough idea of what to expect, but you never quite know how the day will unfold.
Croatia is home to more than 1,200 islands, islets and reefs. So what better way to explore this coastline than by sailing from one island to the next? During our week, we visited places including Biograd, Tribunj, Vidrovača, the Krka waterfalls, Kaprije, Sali and Uvala Pasjak.
The group is divided between two sailboats. During the day, you can also switch boats, meaning you won’t necessarily spend the entire week with the same people. This gives you the chance to get to know everyone in the group, as well as both skippers. And believe me: after just a few days, a group of complete strangers can surprisingly quickly start to feel like a bunch of friends. You also stay on board at night. You sleep in a shared cabin, although you can pay extra for a private cabin if you prefer. Personally, I definitely got the best roommate of all (shout-out to Charlotte!). If you’d rather sleep under the stars, you can even choose to sleep on deck. The sound of the sea and the gentle rocking of the waves is incredibly relaxing.
During the day, most of your time is spent on the water. Sometimes you’re simply floating around in an idyllic bay, while at other times you’re sailing towards your next destination with the wind in your sails. There’s plenty of time to swim, sunbathe, relax on deck or play games. And if you’re keen, you can get involved on board and learn the ropes of sailing. By late afternoon, we usually look for a beautiful bay, harbour or pier to moor. From there, we’d head ashore together to explore a charming village or town and enjoy dinner somewhere local. It was the perfect balance between days spent at sea and evenings filled with local restaurants, picturesque streets and new places along the coast.
And there’s more to the trip than just sailing. We cycled to the spectacular Krka waterfalls by mountain bike, explored small coastal villages and regularly jumped into the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic for a refreshing swim. In short, this sailing trip is the perfect combination of island hopping, adventure, relaxation and endless time on the water. You step on board as a group of strangers, but a week later you step off with new friendships, shared memories and deep connections.
A week of sailing and island hopping with a group of strangers
I was actually quite nervous about this trip beforehand. Over the past few years, I had almost always travelled with my partner or my closest friends. Never alone, and certainly never with a group of people I’d never met before. On top of that, I had some preconceived ideas about group travel. I’m someone who prefers to plan a trip from A to Z myself. For me, planning a trip is already half the fun! I love having the freedom to make my own plans, change course spontaneously, decide where I sleep and choose what I want to do. And, of course, preferably while keeping things as budget-friendly as possible.
So I saw a group trip as pretty much the opposite of all that. Everything is planned, you have to follow the programme and you’re stuck with a group of strangers for an entire week. Or at least, that was how I imagined it. Still, at the end of August, I stepped on board with a healthy dose of nerves and curiosity for a week of sailing and island hopping in Croatia. For an entire week, I would explore beautiful bays, hidden spots and tiny islands with a group of people I had known for less than a day. And let me give away the ending right away: I was completely wrong.
What started with a lot of nerves turned into one of the best weeks of my life. The strangers I stepped on board with quickly started to feel like friends I’d known for much longer. We shared the deck, jumped into the crystal-clear water together, discovered hidden bays, danced until the early hours, wandered through charming villages, drank far too much rosé with homemade sharing platters and made memories I won’t soon forget. Our late-night swim and the deep conversations we had under a sky full of stars were, without a doubt, the highlight of the trip for me.
Sometimes, apparently, you just need to step outside your comfort zone to discover that your preconceived ideas can be completely wrong.
Must Read: Sailing in Marsa Alam – dolphins and freediving in the Red Sea
Book your sailing trip through Croatia
Got a taste for sea legs, crystal-clear bays and refreshing swims in the Adriatic Sea? Book your sailing trip through Croatia with WeAdventures.
The sailing trips take place during the summer months and, at the time of writing, start from €1,285. The price includes:
- 7 nights on a sailboat
- Breakfast and lunch, including plenty of cosy drinks and aperitif moments
- A Dutch-speaking WeCaptain
- A week filled with adventure, new friendships and unforgettable memories
Optional extras: flights and travel insurance, a private cabin and a visit to the spectacular Krka waterfalls.
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