Everything You Need to Know: Elaphiti Islands Private Boat Tour with Rewind Dubrovnik
Disclosure: This is an unpaid review, and we did not receive any discounts or future compensation from the boat charter company or any of the restaurants or businesses mentioned in this blog post. We have gotten to know the owner of the boat charter company we used, but that’s simply because we’ve used their services multiple times and have consistently been happy with the experience.
I wrote this post to explain in detail what you can expect from an Elaphiti Islands boat tour and what happens on one of these tours, including timing, advice, and recommendations. This experience is undoubtedly one of the top must-do activities while in Dubrovnik, alongside walking the old town walls and exploring the historic city center. Since this is a private boat charter, you have the freedom to customize your day, and our experience below should give you some context for communicating your preferences to your captain. Don’t worry—even when we haven’t provided a specific itinerary, every Elaphiti Islands trip we’ve taken has been exceptional. These captains are professionals and know how to plan a memorable day for their guests. However, I do recommend telling the captain what kind of day you’re looking for when you board. For example, do you want to spend the day snorkeling? Do you want to see all three islands? How much time do you want on each island? What are you most excited to see? This will help them craft an itinerary tailored to your style.
I 100% recommend that any visitors to Dubrovnik add this to their bucket list. While we did this tour with Rewind Dubrovnik, many private boat charter companies offer similar experiences, so please do your own due diligence. You can use our experience below to help your captain plan the day you want, as we’ve done this tour at least a dozen times and have fine-tuned the itinerary to our liking.
Our friends were visiting from the United States and staying in Cavtat. They wanted to experience the beautiful waters of Croatia and the famous “Elaphiti Islands” (which are a group of islands located northwest of Dubrovnik, including Lopud, Šipan, and Koločep).
There are two ways to experience the Elaphiti Islands from Cavtat. The first is a group tour, which is a budget-friendly option. For example, the “Three Islands Cruise” by Adriana is priced at 60 euros and includes lunch. If you’re in Cavtat, you’ll see this large wooden boat in the harbor, which can hold 80-100 passengers. While we haven’t personally taken this tour, it comes highly recommended by other tourists we’ve spoken with. You can book this group boat charter directly on their website here. The cruise departs daily at 10:00 AM from Cavtat harbor.
The other option is a private boat charter, which starts at around 600 euros for the day and can increase depending on the size and luxury level of the boat. This price does not include the cost of lunch, which will usually be at a restaurant on the island of Lopud and can run 60+ euros per person at some of the nicer establishments like La Villa or Restaurant Dubrovnik.
This weekend, we chose to charter a private boat through a company we’ve used multiple times before—Rewind Dubrovnik. We opted for the 8-hour boat charter, which we find to be the perfect amount of time, especially if you’re being picked up in Cavtat harbor. It’s about a 45-minute boat ride to where the tour normally starts out of Dubrovnik, so with the pickup in Cavtat, it’s really a 6.5-hour Elaphiti Island tour, with 45 minutes on both ends for the ride to and from Cavtat. This timing allows you to see everything without feeling rushed, yet not having so much time that you become bored. We chose to be picked up in Cavtat, which cost an extra 100 euros, but we think it’s worth it to enjoy breakfast on the Cavtat promenade and then walk across to board our boat for the day. The alternative would be to have Rewind Dubrovnik pick us up and drive us to the Dubrovnik Port, which takes about 30-45 minutes. Sometimes, the seas can be a little rough between Cavtat and Dubrovnik, so you may need to drive to the Dubrovnik Port if the seas are choppy. This will be communicated by your captain on the day of the tour.
For the boat, we chose Rewind Dubrovnik’s 23-foot vessel for a few reasons. First, we had four adults, and while the 20-foot boat is perfect for two adults, it feels a little cramped for four. Second, the 23-foot boat has a recessed seating area in the front, allowing passengers to sit either upfront or behind the captain, making the boat feel much more spacious. This also gives our guests the option of sitting in the shade behind the captain or in the sun upfront. While the 20-foot boat has a front area, it’s not recessed, so sitting there while underway is not ideal. Additionally, the bigger the boat, the better it handles the seas, so that’s another reason we chose the larger boat. As you can see from the selection below, they also offer a 33-foot boat, which starts at 1,700 euros per day. It’s a beautiful boat and can hold up to 12 passengers. My recommendation would be: for two people, the 20-foot boat is great; for up to six people, the 23-foot boat is ideal; and for more than six people, you might want to spend the extra money for the 33-foot boat. I’ve also seen some very impressive larger boats out on the water, so I’d assume the sky’s the limit for the size and quality of the boat you can charter for the day. Remember that tipping your boat captain for excellent service is appreciated, so factor a 10-20% tip into your budget, depending on the level of service.
A common question I hear from visitors is whether they can captain their own boat. While it may be possible, I wouldn’t recommend it, even as someone with a US boater’s license who has been around boats my entire life and has spent several years in this area. The day is filled with challenges that only experienced local captains should navigate, such as weather, wind, local maritime laws and customs, mooring in extremely crowded waters around the Blue Cave and beach Šunj, entering and exiting caves, and even coordinating docking at lunch on Lopud. These tasks would take any joy out of the day, even for a seasoned captain. Also, many times the captain will drop you off and then moor further away, only to return when it’s time to leave, which would ruin the experience if you were both the guest and the captain. Additionally, throughout the trip, the captain provides commentary on the sights, history, and context of the area, which would be missed by someone unfamiliar with the region.
The boats come equipped with an experienced captain, life vests and safety gear, snorkeling equipment, beach towels, floaties (noodles), and our captain even provided a bowl of fresh fruit and some chips for us to enjoy. Oh, and the captain also had a full cooler of bottled water, beer, wine, and sodas. I don’t think the boats come with sunscreen, so besides a bathing suit and sunglasses, sunscreen is the only must-have item you should bring.
After selecting the boat, we made our reservation online. The day before the boat charter, Rewind Dubrovnik sent us a WhatsApp message to confirm our reservation, schedule our pickup time from Cavtat Harbour, and provide us with the captain’s contact information for the next day. We chose a 9:00 AM pickup from Cavtat Harbor so that we could enjoy breakfast at 8:00 AM (when restaurants open for breakfast) and have an hour to eat. I highly recommend having the charter company make a reservation for your group at 1:00 PM at La Villa Restaurant for lunch, more on that later.
The next day, we packed some day bags with sunscreen and hats. We wore comfortable flip-flops, ones that we could walk in but also quickly kick off to enjoy the water or the boat. The guys wore their bathing suits with a t-shirt, and the girls wore their bathing suits under a light cover-up.
We ate a hearty breakfast at Ankora, knowing it would be a while until our 1:00 PM lunch. At around 8:55 AM, we settled the bill, made a final trip to the restrooms, and headed to the boat. The boat and the captain met us in Cavtat Harbor, where the water taxis pick up passengers, to the left of the yachts moored in the harbor. It was easy to find our captain and his boat, as he was wearing a crisp white collared shirt that said “Rewind.” After a quick introduction—our captain’s name was Ivan—we were off from Cavtat on our Elaphiti Island 8-hour tour!
We asked our captain to hug the shoreline as we approached Dubrovnik so we could marvel at the beautiful homes and rugged cliffsides. We passed by the famous blue-domed villa (Villa Sheherezade) where Bill Clinton and many other celebrities have stayed, then by Betina Cave Beach, and the Excelsior Hotel, where our friends were staying for a few days. We continued along the shore past Banje Beach and into the walled city and old port of Dubrovnik. We asked the captain to take us into the small old port to get an epic view of the entrance to the walled city from the water. He swung the boat around and took a photo of the group with the city in the background—what an epic shot! By the time we were done with our photo op, it was about 10:00 AM.
Then we were off again, navigating out of the port and along the old town of Dubrovnik’s wall’s edge. The view is extremely impressive, as you’re essentially looking up from the water at what people would have seen hundreds of years ago as they contemplated attacking this fortified city. Spoiler alert—it wouldn’t have been easy. We passed by Fort Lovrijenac, and 10 minutes later, we sailed between two huge rocks in the water, with a lighthouse perched on one of the rocks (Grebeni Lighthouse). Another 10 minutes later, we were bow first in a deep cave, marveling at the power of Mother Nature. After some quick photos, we headed to the famous Blue Cave on Koločep Island. We arrived at the Blue Cave at 10:45 AM, and there were already about 10 boats and 50 people in the water. Ivan, our captain, mentioned this would be the best time to visit the Blue Cave that day, as he was uncertain about the weather and the winds later on. It was good that he knew the local weather, as we definitely didn’t want to miss our chance to see the Blue Cave.
Another option for the morning, which we’ve done before, is to make a stop for breakfast, coffee, or both, and a swim at Kalamota Beach House on Koločep Island. It’s a beautiful, modern hotel with a stunning restaurant and lounge area right on the water’s edge. That’s the best part about having your own private boat charter—you get to decide what you want to do during the tour. One thing I can tell you for sure is that the Baterija Fortress at that stop is definitely not worth the hike (20+ minutes) and should be done with sneakers, not flip-flops. It’s not really a fortress, just the barely-there remnants of an old wall in the middle of the woods, so skip this activity if you do decide to stop on this part of Koločep Island.
Ivan dropped anchor and prepared the boat for us to jump in, providing us with snorkel gear and a couple of pool noodles. We all jumped in the water and swam the 10-20 yards to the entrance of the Blue Cave. Our friends were a little nervous about entering, but once we explained that you don’t need to dive down to get into the cave—you can simply float your way in—and that the cave is big enough to comfortably fit 20-30 people, they felt more at ease. The cave is about 20 feet high and 20 feet wide, with a depth of 20-30 feet, so you won’t touch the bottom while inside. Many tourists get confused about why it’s called the “Blue Cave,” but the trick is to put your head underwater and look toward the entrance. Underwater, you’ll see a fabulous blue silhouette created by the swimmers—pretty cool! This is why it’s a good idea to bring a mask into the Blue Cave so you can see this phenomenon. After a few minutes in the cave, we swam out and spent 10-20 minutes snorkeling around the cliffside. When we were done exploring, we checked to make sure it was safe, with no boats coming or going between us and our boat, and swam back. Ivan greeted us on the boat with fresh towels provided by Rewind Dubrovnik. After we dried off, he prepared a bowl of fruit, including grapes and peaches, and another bowl of crackers and BBQ chips for us to enjoy while he raised the anchor and prepared to get underway.
Our next stop was on the other side of Koločep Island, the same island as the Blue Cave, just on the opposite side. We passed by the Three Green Caves spot, another snorkeling area we’ve visited on other boat charters. It’s a fun stop, with some easy caves to explore and good snorkeling. Once, we were even convinced to dive deep into the caves, which required going underwater to reach a tiny “cave” that barely had room for a few people to breathe and then scaling rocks to get out at the very end. While it was thrilling, there’s no amount of money or peer pressure that would get me—or my wife—to do it again.
We arrived at the dock of Koločep Island at about 11:10 AM, on the commercial side of the island at the Koločep Harbor. Ivan temporarily docked to let us off while he found a place to moor the boat.
Koločep is a small island with only about 200 residents during the summer. It has a couple of restaurants and bars, a hotel, a small grocery shop, and a local souvenir shop with elevated products like locally made items. We walked from the dock to the Pace Souvenir Gift Shop, spent a few minutes browsing, then walked to the hotel - TUI BLUE Kalamota Island to see their beach and do a little people-watching. It’s maybe a 10-minute walk out and a 10-minute walk back, and there’s a public restroom about halfway along the walk along the water’s edge. While Koločep isn’t the most fascinating or interesting island, it’s a good chance to stretch your legs and see the sights. That said, there are signs for some fortresses and walking paths, which we’ve never explored, but they appear to be uphill, and we weren’t wearing the right shoes for that kind of activity.
We were back on the boat 20 minutes later, at about 11:30 AM, and on our way to beach Šunj, where we arrived at 11:40 AM.
Beach Šunj is on the island of Lopud, the same island where we’d have lunch, but on the other side. This is a cool sandy beach with a bar and restaurant. The best part about the beach is that it gradually gets deeper, so you can wade out 50+ feet and still not be past your waist. Unlike many other beaches in Croatia, it has silky smooth sand. Because of the shallow water, boats have to moor a little further out from the cordoned-off swim area, so we jumped in the water and swam to shore. Ivan provided us with a special dry bag so we could bring some phones for photos and cash for the bar. When we arrived at the beach at about noon, we headed to the tiki hut bar, ordered drinks (be aware—they are expensive, with beach-type cocktails costing 16 euros), and then walked the entire beach with our drinks in hand. After that, we sat in the water for a good 20 minutes, watching all the people play games in the water, kids passing by on paddleboards, and people lounging and having a great time on the beach in the lounge chairs. Around 12:45 PM, we were back in the water, swimming to the boat to head to the other side of the island for lunch.
We arrived by boat at just about 1:00 PM on the other side of Lopud, a much livelier seaside town than Koločep, with maybe a dozen restaurants and bars, a couple of gelato stands, a handful of souvenir shops, multiple hotels, a botanical garden, some local art stores, and a church. We were dropped off at the dock right in front of La Villa Restaurant, where we would be having lunch, and Ivan went to park the boat out in the harbor. He told us to message him when we were ready to leave the island. We checked in at the hostess stand, as our captain had made a reservation for us.
We sat down for lunch at La Villa Restaurant, which is right on the seawall with the most epic, unobstructed views of the harbor. After we were seated, our waiter brought over a huge platter of freshly caught fish, lobster, clams, and shrimp to show us our seafood options. We’ve been to this restaurant many times with our friends and family, so we knew what we wanted to order, which consisted of the following for four people. We started with the following appetizers, in addition to the bread and olive oil they provided:
1 order of fried calamari
1 side of fries (our friend loves French fries)
1 order of the Melanzani
2 orders of baked scallops on risotto. Each order comes with 2 scallops, so for one clam per person, you need two orders. This is an expensive dish, but worth it.
After we finished the appetizers, they brought out our main course: 1kg of snapper, which was the catch of the day. We’ve found that for four adults, 1kg is the perfect amount of fish. In the past, 1.5kg has been too much and didn’t get finished. The fish, which they debone at the table in front of you, was served with baked potatoes with spinach (a traditional Croatian dish) and sautéed vegetables. By this point, we were quite full, so I ordered an espresso. The waiter then surprised us with a complimentary tray of every dessert they had for us to sample—though I wouldn’t expect this, as we visit this restaurant often, it does show how much they care about their guests and the overall dining experience. We reluctantly dug into the desserts, each one better than the last. I can honestly recommend every single one. The bill came to 253.50 euros for four people, including some alcoholic drinks and sparkling water (tip not included). Lunch ended around 2:50 PM, making it almost a two-hour meal.
After lunch, we walked toward the Church of St. Mary of Špilice. As you walk, be sure to stop at The Soul of Lopud Art Shop. This cool local art store offers a variety of local art, jewelry, soaps, and other unique items that make perfect gifts or keepsakes. I highly recommend checking out the jewelry featuring the famous orange coral or the polished stones from the island of Brač—both are very cool and distinctive. As you continue walking toward the church, you can stop at Slasticarnica Palma, a gelato stand, if you didn’t have dessert at La Villa. Before reaching the church, you’ll come across Rudi Art Shop, where a local artist paints epic scenes of the Croatian surroundings. Pro tip: you can ask him to roll up any of his artwork for easy transport back home. Continue your walk to the church, which offers an epic view of the town and a chance to explore the church itself. After visiting, make your way back to La Villa restaurant, and on the way, message your captain so the boat will be waiting for you at the dock. On previous trips, we’ve continued walking past La Villa Restaurant towards Restaurant Dubrovnik, which is also a nice stroll, but we didn’t have time for it on this trip.
At about 3:30 PM, we were back on the boat, and we told our captain we wanted to do a post-lunch swim before heading back to Cavtat. Ten minutes later, we were in a secluded cove, and we all jumped in for an extended 30-minute swim, exploring the cove and the beach. We were back on the boat by 4:10 PM, and then we were full speed ahead back to Cavtat, which is about a 40-minute ride. On the way back, our captain made a quick detour to show us an epic cave on Lokrum Island. Fisherman’s Cave is situated in the eastern part of Lokrum Island. The cave is shallow, but the rocks surrounding it are over 20 meters high. We entered this unique cave by boat. The most exciting part about this cave is that you can see layers of the earth being formed—an extraordinary sight. There’s an opportunity for cliff jumping from this area, but everyone on the boat looked at the height and shook their heads no, so we moved on.
By about 5:00 PM, we were pulling back into Cavtat Harbor, collecting all our belongings as the captain docked alongside the Cavtat promenade. We thanked the captain for an epic day and tipped him 150 euros for his excellent service. We waved goodbye as the boat pushed off from the dock and made its way back to Dubrovnik.
If you’re counting islands, you’ll notice we only visited two islands, not the three that make up the Elaphiti Islands. The island we missed was Šipan, which is pretty close to the side of Lopud where we had lunch. We could have visited Šipan after lunch on Lopud, but we usually prefer to cap off the day with an after-lunch swim, which we find more enjoyable than visiting another island, especially after already seeing two different islands that day. It may be possible to fit in an after-lunch swim plus a visit to Šipan if you depart from the Dubrovnik marina instead of Cavtat, as you’d have an extra 1.5 hours that wouldn’t be spent going back and forth to Cavtat.
Another epic Elaphiti Island boat day in the books! We headed back home, and our friends returned to their hotel, Hotel Supetar, to shower up and get ready for dinner—a fabulous dinner at Konavoski Dvori Eco Green Restaurant, but that’s a story for another blog post.