Croatia's Beaches and Islands
Hvar's glamour, Korčula's wine, Brač's famous golden beach — and where to swim near Dubrovnik itself.
Croatia has over a thousand islands, but three dominate first-time trips from Split: Hvar (lavender fields, yacht-set nightlife, the most glamorous option), Korčula (wine country, a walled old town, allegedly Marco Polo's birthplace, calmer than Hvar), and Brač (home to Zlatni Rat, the famous shape-shifting pebble beach). If you're based in Dubrovnik instead, you don't need a ferry at all — Banje Beach and a short boat ride to Lokrum island cover swimming without leaving the area.
Here's the planning mistake almost every first-time Croatia visitor makes: assuming the islands are all basically the same 'pretty Adriatic island' experience, then picking one at random off a map. Hvar, Korčula, and Brač are a genuine half-day ferry ride apart from each other and from Split, but they attract completely different crowds and reward completely different trip styles. Here's every island worth knowing, plus what to do if you're based in Dubrovnik and don't want to deal with a ferry at all.
Hvar, Korčula and Brač — Which Island to Pick
Three very different islands, a ferry ride from Split.
Dubrovnik's Best Beaches
Swimming right next to the Old Town — no ferry required.