8 Islands Near Dubrovnik by Boat · Ranked
From Lokrum (10 min away) to Korčula (3 hours), the 8 islands reachable by boat from Dubrovnik — ranked by travel time and what makes each worth the trip.
Eight islands within boat range of Dubrovnik. Ranked by travel time, with honest opinions on which are worth which kind of trip.
1. Lokrum Island — 10 minutes
Best for: half-day, no-license boat, families with kids Distance: 1 km Best boat: Pasara (€150/day, no license)
The closest escape. Botanical gardens, Dead Sea lagoon (saltwater pool, perfect for kids), peacocks roaming, and quiet coves on the south side. UNESCO buffer zone — no overnight stays allowed, so it’s never crowded after 17:00.
Game of Thrones nerds: this is where Qarth scenes were filmed.
2. Blue Cave (Koločep) — 15 minutes
Best for: snorkelling, photo trip, half-day Distance: 5 km Best boat: any 60HP+
Not technically an island — the Blue Cave is on Koločep, the closest of the Elafiti. See the complete Blue Cave guide. Best between 10:00-12:00.
3. Koločep — 25 minutes
Best for: quiet half-day, family konoba lunch Distance: 8 km Best boat: Quicksilver 675 or larger
Smallest of the inhabited Elafiti — 280 residents, no cars. Two villages (Donje Čelo and Gornje Čelo), pebble beaches, an old church on a hill with sea views. Excellent walking trails if you want to hike.
Konoba Vala does the best grilled fish on the Elafiti. Book ahead in summer.
4. Lopud — 35 minutes
Best for: sand beach (rare in Dalmatia), full-day stop Distance: 12 km Best boat: any
The middle Elafiti island. Sunj beach is the headline — proper sand, shallow water, perfect for kids. The Franciscan monastery (15th century) is worth a 30-minute walk from the harbour. Hotel Lafodia has a polished restaurant if you want a fancier lunch.
5. Šipan — 55 minutes
Best for: full-day, vineyards, Renaissance villas Distance: 20 km Best boat: 100HP+
The largest Elafiti and the most “lived-in”. Two villages (Suđurađ and Šipanska Luka), a wine route, Renaissance summer houses in various states of restoration, quiet bays for swimming.
We tie up at Suđurađ. The vineyard tour at Vinarija Tomić is bookable in advance — they pour 5 wines for €25 with a charcuterie board.
6. Mljet (National Park) — 90 minutes
Best for: full-day premium charter Distance: 40 km Best boat: Quicksilver 755 or 805 SD
Mljet is one-third national park, with two saltwater lakes (Veliko and Malo Jezero) connected by a narrow channel. In the middle of the larger lake is St Mary’s Island with a 12th-century Benedictine monastery — accessible only by small boat-taxi from the lake shore.
Worth a full day on a fast boat. Don’t try this on a Pasara.
7. Korčula — 3 hours
Best for: overnight charter, cultural day Distance: 120 km Best boat: Quicksilver 805 SD with overnight
Marco Polo’s birthplace (allegedly). Walled medieval town that looks like a mini-Dubrovnik. Beautiful but far. Realistic only as overnight charter — leave Dubrovnik 09:00, arrive Korčula 12:00, dinner + sleep, return next day.
If you want to do Korčula in one day, take the ferry. Boat charter only makes sense if you want flexibility along the way.
8. Hvar — 5+ hours
Best for: nope (don’t try) Distance: 180 km
People ask. The honest answer: Hvar is too far for a one-day boat trip from Dubrovnik. Take a Krilo speedboat ferry or fly. We can do Hvar as a 3-day overnight charter (Dubrovnik → Korčula → Hvar → Dubrovnik) on the Quicksilver 805 SD with skipper, but that’s a different product entirely.
Trip-planning shortcuts
| Time available | Best island combo |
|---|---|
| 4 hours | Lokrum |
| 5 hours | Blue Cave + Koločep |
| 8 hours | Elafiti loop (Koločep + Lopud + Šipan) |
| 10 hours | Mljet (premium boat only) |
| 2-3 days | Overnight to Korčula |
What we never recommend
- “Sail to Montenegro” day trips — concession laws make us unable to leave Croatian waters
- “Hvar from Dubrovnik in a day” — possible only on a 600HP custom RIB; not pleasant
- Any island in winds >20 knots — there’s a reason we cancel