The best SUP locations in Croatia

Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is an activity in which one stands on a board while paddling with a long paddle. Stand-up paddling in some form or another has been around for thousands of years, but it is only recently that it has caught the attention of the wider public. In the last few years it has become “the outdoor sporting activity with the most first-time participants of any in the United States“.

Various modes of stand-up paddling exist, for example, flat water paddling for outdoor recreation, fitness or SUP yoga. Inflatable SUP boards that Meridien Ten rents can fit in large backpack, so one can carry it along easily.

 

Below you can check out the best locations for for stand up paddle boarding in Croatia;

Hvar Island

The Pakleni Islands in front of Hvar are great to discover and paddle. However, one needs to be really careful as the sea channel is rather busy with boats, taxi boats, yachts, ferries and jet-skis. This is the main reason we recommend taking a taxi boat across the channel connecting the city of Hvar and the Pakleni Islands .

Other locations to paddle on Island Hvar are Milna – Zarace – Dubovica, Stiniva Bay (north side of Hvar) and bays around Vrboska – Jelsa. The part eastern from the city of Jelsa is also very nice, but you have to be careful there because of the northwest wind, called maestral, which usually rises in the afternoon hours during summer.

Brač Island

On Brač Island you will definitely enjoy stand-up paddling in Bol (which can get windy as well) or while exploring areas around Supetar and Splitska.

 

Vis Island 

For those who are seeking an amazing experience, the best thing to do is to get a boat and paddle along a small island Biševo, located 5 miles from the island, in front of the city of Komiža. For safety reasons, there are small boats taking tourists to Blue Cave, so entering the cave with SUP is a kind of a tricky business.

We recommend visiting Ravnik (Green Cave) and Budikovac Island and make sure that you get some food at the local restaurant on Budikovac. Starting point for these locations is Milna bay, where you can rent SUP, take a guided tour or SUP lessons.

Stiniva and Srebrna Bay are also beautiful locations worth mentioning for various reasons.

 

Mljet Island – National Park 

Peljesac Peninsula and Island Korcula 

Orebić, Viganj, Trstenik and Žuljana on Pelješac Peninsula are among the nicest places where you can use SUP in Croatia. On Island Korcula you should enjoy in Pupnatska Luka and have a beer with Mate, who runs a small bar/barbecue restaurant at the bottom of the bay. Other places on Korcula are Badija, Lumbarda and Vrnik.

Split and Dubrovnik

When it comes to paddling around the biggest cities on the Adriatic coast, stand-up paddling around Marjan Hill in Split and paddling in Dubrovnik area offer memorable experiences.

Neretva river estuary 

Don’t forget this jewel located between Split and Dubrovnik;