One of the best things about Dubrovnik’s location is what’s sitting just offshore. Within an hour by boat you can reach seven islands, each with its own character — from a ten-minute taxi ride to a full-day sailing adventure.
Most visitors stick to the mainland or take the standard Elaphiti ferry. But the islands near Dubrovnik are where the real Croatia lives — quiet villages, empty coves, warm water that doesn’t make sense, and the kind of relaxed pace that Dubrovnik lost to tourism years ago.
Here’s a practical breakdown of every island worth visiting, how to get there, and what to do when you arrive.
The closest island and the easiest day trip. Lokrum is a nature reserve right across the channel from the Old Town — you can see it from the city walls.
Best for: Half-day escape, swimming, botanical garden, the Dead Sea saltwater lake, Game of Thrones filming locations.
How to get there: Taxi boats from Old Town harbour every 15 minutes (€15-20 return). Or include it in a private boat tour.
Time needed: 2-3 hours.
The smallest inhabited Elaphiti island and my personal favourite for swimming. No cars, no noise, just pine forests dropping into crystal-clear coves.
Best for: Swimming, snorkeling, forest walks, escaping everything.
How to get there: Public ferry from Gruz harbour (~20 min) or private speedboat (~15-20 min from Old Town).
Time needed: 1.5-2 hours as part of an island-hopping route.
Don’t miss: The south side “Blue Lagoon” cove — white limestone seabed, 15+ metres visibility. Best snorkeling near Dubrovnik.
Lopud is the popular Elaphiti island, and for good reason: Sunj Beach is the only proper sandy beach near Dubrovnik. Wide crescent bay, shallow warm water, pine trees for shade.
Best for: Sandy beach day, families with kids, village wandering, seafood lunch.
How to get there: Public ferry from Gruz (~40 min) or private boat (~30 min).
Time needed: 2-4 hours. Our Blue Cave tour includes 1.5 hours at Sunj.
Don’t miss: Lunch at a harbourside restaurant in Lopud village before or after the beach.
The largest and quietest Elaphiti island. Sipan is where you go when you want the real Croatia — vineyards, stone villages, Renaissance villas, and harbours where the main activity is watching fishing boats.
Best for: Wine tasting, walking, history, escaping all tourism.
How to get there: Public ferry from Gruz (~50-70 min) or private boat (~45-50 min).
Time needed: Half a day minimum. Included in 6 and 8-hour Elaphiti tours.
Don’t miss: Skocibuha Palace in Sudurad — 16th-century fortified villa, one of the finest Renaissance buildings on the coast.
Mljet is the big one. Half of the island is a national park with two saltwater lakes surrounded by dense Mediterranean forest. It’s often called the most beautiful island in Croatia, and honestly, the claim holds up.
Best for: Full-day nature excursion, kayaking on the lakes, cycling, the Benedictine monastery on St. Mary’s Island.
How to get there: Catamaran from Dubrovnik’s Gruz harbour (runs daily in season, ~1.5 hours). Or by car ferry with a stop in Sobra. My Croatia Cruise includes Mljet on some multi-day sailing routes.
Time needed: Full day. You can’t rush Mljet and you shouldn’t try.
Don’t miss: Rent a kayak on Veliko Jezero (Big Lake) and paddle to the monastery island. The water is warm, calm, and the colour of jade.
Marco Polo’s alleged birthplace (Korcula disputes this with Venice, which is very Croatian of it). A walled medieval town on a peninsula, excellent wine from the surrounding hillsides, and a completely different vibe from Dubrovnik.
Best for: History, wine tasting (Grk and Posip grape varieties), architecture, overnight trip.
How to get there: Catamaran from Dubrovnik (~2 hours) or longer by car ferry. Yacht Charter Croatia offers multi-day routes from Dubrovnik to Korcula and beyond.
Time needed: Overnight if possible. Day trip is doable but rushed.
Don’t miss: White wine from the Lumbarda vineyards on the eastern tip of the island. Grk grape — grown nowhere else on earth.
Not an island, but it’s reached so easily by boat that it belongs on this list. Cavtat is a small town 20 km south of Dubrovnik with a beautiful harbourfront, fewer crowds, and some of the best restaurants in the region.
Best for: Harbour lunch, Bukovac museum, Rat Beach, a quieter alternative to the Old Town.
How to get there: Water taxi from Dubrovnik Old Town (~25 min), bus (#10, ~30 min), or taxi. You can also reach Cavtat by jet ski if you book a longer rental.
Time needed: 2-4 hours for a relaxed visit.
Don’t miss: The Racic Mausoleum — a stunning white marble structure by Ivan Mestrovic on the cemetery hill above town. The views from there are exceptional.
| Island | Distance | Best For | Budget Option | Best Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lokrum | 10 min | Quick escape, swimming | Taxi boat €15 | Private boat tour |
| Kolocep | 20 min | Snorkeling, peace | Ferry €5 | Private tour |
| Lopud | 30 min | Sandy beach, families | Ferry €5 | Blue Cave tour |
| Sipan | 50 min | Wine, culture, quiet | Ferry €6 | 6h Elaphiti tour |
| Mljet | 1.5h | Nature, national park | Catamaran €25 | Catamaran + full day |
| Korcula | 2-3h | History, wine | Catamaran €30 | Overnight + yacht charter |
| Cavtat | 25 min | Lunch, relaxed | Bus €2 | Water taxi or jet ski |
If you want to hit two or three islands in one day, a private boat tour is the most efficient way. The public ferries visit the same islands but on a fixed schedule that limits your time at each stop.
Our Elaphiti Islands tour covers Kolocep, Lopud, and optionally Sipan in 4-8 hours with a private skipper. You set the pace — more time swimming at one island, less at another. The boat anchors wherever looks good.
For a fully custom route, Design Your Day lets you pick exactly which islands and stops you want. We build the itinerary, suggest the best boat for your group, and give you a price before you book.
All islands are accessible from Dubrovnik between April and October. For timetables and ferry information, check Jadrolinija and the Dubrovnik Port Authority. For private boat tours, browse our options or WhatsApp us for same-day availability.
Tours and activities mentioned in this article
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Ten minutes from the Old Town by boat and it feels like a different world. Lokrum has no hotels, no cars, no permanent residents — just pine forests, rocky beaches, peacocks, and the clearest water near Dubrovnik.
Sipan is the island most tourists skip because it's the furthest away. That's exactly why it's the best. Vineyards, stone villages, a Renaissance palace, and a pace of life that hasn't changed in centuries.