Bora. A very strong wind that occurs suddenly in the Adriatic and comes out of nowhere. The sky turns black in the blink of an eye, and the second ago calm sea suddenly becomes violent, with high waves throwing the catamaran left and right. Noah is climbing up the creaking mast to untangle the sail, which got stuck on its way back, whilst Matt is at the helm, heading straight towards a hilly island to shelter from the force of the wind. Cecile saved the bottles of wine from the outdoor table – priorities – , whilst the rest of us grabbed shoes, cushions, and other loose items to bring them inside. On the top deck, the rest of us worked arm in arm with the crew to keep things under control.
It’s our last hour of a fantastic sailing trip in Croatia with More Sailing, and we are experiencing one of Croatia’s most impressive weather phenomena. What had until now been a beautiful, relaxing, and incredible experience suddenly changed as the bora made the eight strangers who met at the beginning of the week become a team, working together instead of just enjoying wine and great food on board.
It didn’t last long, and one hour later we were all back on the top deck, cheering and clinking glasses of wine whilst Noah sailed us back into the port of Trogir, not quite ready to say goodbye to Croatia.
This was my first ever sailing trip and I didn’t know what to expect. This is why I wanted to write this article, to tell others who are thinking about going on a sailing trip to Croatia what the experience is really like, and help decide if this is the right experience for them. Before taking this trip, I thought sailing holidays were very exclusive and that you needed a certain budget to charter a yacht or catamaran. When I thought about sailing, those expensive superyachts usually anchored in harbours such as Monaco or Monte Carlo came to mind. However, with More Sailing, I discovered that a sailing trip is far more affordable than I had imagined and that I don’t have to pay tens of thousands to charter an entire catamaran. Instead, I can enjoy all the facilities of a luxury experience on a more than decent budget, and make new friends along the way.
Arrival in Split
I arrived in Split on a Saturday lunchtime after a short flight from London Gatwick. The airport in Split is tiny, and it didn’t take more than 10 minutes from the moment the plane doors opened until I was in the arrivals hall. There, I spotted the More Sailing team waiting for me and a few others who had been on the same flight. This is where I met Cecile, who was going to be on the same catamaran as me, and we got on instantly.
The transfer to the harbour in Trogir, where the marina is located, took less than 10 minutes and was in an air-conditioned minibus. The driver was very friendly and pointed out our catamaran as we arrived. We stepped onto the pontoon and found our catamaran, where most of the group had already arrived on earlier flights. Noah and Axel, the crew, welcomed us warmly with a glass of bubbly and helped us carry our bags on board across the narrow gangway between the catamaran and the pontoon.
The Lagoon 51 Moonshadow Catamaran
We sailed on Moonshadow, a brand new Lagoon 51 catamaran with six cabins, four bathrooms and a capacity of 12 people. There were eight guests on board, plus two crew members, who had their own cabins in the bow of the catamaran.
Four of the cabins are spacious, with double beds and large windows, whilst the other two are in the middle of the boat. They still have comfortable double beds, but there is less space around them. All the bathrooms have hot showers, whilst the toilets are electric. Every time we docked in a marina, the freshwater tanks were refilled. Each marina also has its own shower facilities, but at no point during the trip did we run out of water on board.
The catamaran has its own generator, which provides electricity for the sockets when it’s running, allowing us to charge our phones, cameras, laptops and other electronics.
On the main deck, the catamaran features a fully equipped kitchen with a cooker, dishwasher and fridge, where our crew prepared breakfast and lunch every day. The indoor dining area opens onto the outdoor seating space at the back of the boat, where we ate most of our meals together whilst enjoying the sea views.
At the front of the catamaran there is a large lounging area with comfortable cushions, perfect for sunbathing, reading a book or simply watching the Croatian islands go by. It quickly became one of my favourite spots on the boat.
One of the standout features of the Lagoon 51 is the spacious flybridge. This top deck has plenty of seating, sun loungers and beautiful panoramic views. This was where everyone naturally gathered, mostly with a glass of wine and sometimes, a book.
The wide side decks made it easy to move safely around the boat, even when we were sailing, and there was always enough space for everyone to find a quiet corner to relax. Despite having ten people on board, the catamaran never felt crowded.
The Crew
Our crew consisted of Noah, our skipper, and Axel, our host. They were in charge of our safety and keeping our bellies happy. Axel prepared some incredible food, starting with breakfast every morning, followed by elevenses just before lunch, lunch itself, and then more snacks in the afternoon. It felt like the grazing never stopped whilst on board Moonshadow.
Every day we had two briefings from Noah and Axel. The first one was in the morning, when they talked us through the planned route for the day, and the second one was in the evening, when they recapped where we had been and explained the plan for the following day. The briefings always included a map, which made it easy to understand where we were sailing.
What I loved most was that Noah and Axel felt more like friends who happened to know how to sail the boat than crew members. They were friendly, approachable, and always joined us for lunch and dinners, where we chatted like a group of friends rather than guests and crew.
Meals on Board
I had to dedicate an entire section to the meals on board because wow, you are definitely well fed and will probably gain a few kilos whilst sailing in Croatia with More Sailing. The food never seemed to end. It felt like Axel was in the kitchen all the time, preparing incredible charcuterie boards that looked like they had come straight out of the pages of a magazine, with different types of local cheeses, all sorts of cold cuts, fresh fruit, biscuits, crackers, dips and sauces.
Breakfast started every day with a cheerful breakfast song. When it played, we would gather in the kitchen to find a buffet with freshly made apple and cinnamon porridge, fresh bread from the bakery in whichever town we had docked in, meats and cheeses, eggs, spreads, and even a large jar of Nutella. The only downside of breakfast was the instant coffee, but that wasn’t really an issue because most of the time we were docked somewhere, so we could simply step off the boat and grab a proper cup of coffee.
I loved the concept of elevenses, which I hadn’t come across before. At 11am, the wine came out of the fridge and a couple of charcuterie boards would appear on the table on the main deck. No matter where we were on the boat, at 11 we would all gather around the table, one by one, to graze and clink glasses of cold white wine.
Lunch was always different. One of my favourites was the traditional Croatian dish, ćevapčići. These are small kebabs made from a mixture of beef, lamb and pork, eaten inside flatbreads and topped with spicy ajvar, which is a sauce made from peppers and aubergines. Axel served them alongside a lovely tomato salad, feta cheese with oregano, and kajmak, which is a creamy spread traditionally made from milk.
Another memorable lunch was the halloumi kebabs served with lemon couscous and a spicy sauce, with anchored in a secluded bay, with the stunning turquoise waters surrounding us.
Finally, my third top pick was the taco bowls from our last day on board, with rice, spiced beef, avocado, pineapple, edamame beans, corn, red cabbage slaw, carrots and Sriracha mayo.
Sailing in Croatia with More Sailing
The beauty of going on a sailing holiday in Croatia with More Sailing is that you are in charge of the itinerary. The sailing holiday is bespoke and tailored to your personal preferences. The crew can suggest itineraries, but if you have something else in mind, they are happy to accommodate, as long as all the guests agree. Noah was telling me that they can even sail up the river towards Krka Waterfalls if the guests have hired the catamaran for long enough, as it takes around two days of full sailing to get there from Trogir.
We sailed between the Croatian islands on the Dalmatian Coast and tried to explore a little bit of each of the bigger ones: Šolta, Hvar, Brač and Korčula.
We started our trip from Trogir in the afternoon, with a calm sail along the coast towards our first destination, a bay on the island of Šolta. That’s where we had out first dinner and first night on board, which was wonderful. The sea was calm and there were no noises around, other than the small waves gently hitting the sides of the catamaran, and the birds singing in the morning.
The second way was spent mostly sailing, with a break in a bay for swimming and lunch. We spent our second night on board anchored in the small marina of Jelsa, a pretty stone town on the island of Hvar. It is said that Jelsa is one of the most charming towns on the island, and I totally agree. Even in the rain, with the wet stone streets and buildings, it still looked incredibly pretty.
After docking, we strolled along the waterfront path towards the church we had seen whilst entering the harbour. There was nobody else on the trail, and I could take my time to simply enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Some of the stone walls were covered with red poppies and pink flowers, which were being visited by bees and bumblebees. The roots of the trees stretched along the side like a network of vines growing through the ground. As the rain started to fall from the sky, the fresh smell of pine trees combined with the salty Mediterranean air surrounded us.
That evening, we dined in one of the waterfront restaurants. I went for the seafood spinach tagliatelle, which was delicious.
On our third day, we sailed from Hvar to Šolta, with a lunch stop in the interesting bay of Uvala Smrka on Brač island. Here, the water was warmer and, before lunch, we all took a dip in the refreshing but gorgeous waters of the Adriatic Sea. One peculiar thing about this bay is that it is home to one of the submarine tunnels that were used to hide submarines during the Second World War. Today, it is just an empty space that can be explored by tender boat, which we did.
We spent our third night anchored in the secluded bay of Šešula. This is where we used the tender boat to reach the restaurant overlooking the bay on shore. Climbing the steps to the restaurant, we passed through a wonderful cactus garden and met the resident cat, who was more than happy to receive our fusses underneath the vines acting like a fence, which already had tiny grapes growing on them.
The restaurant, Šismis, was very traditional, with a wooden porch, carved wooden tables and benches covered with traditional fabrics. Most of us went for the fresh tuna steak, which was served alongside a spinach salad. As a starter, we received fish pâté with fresh bread on the house. For dessert, we simply ordered every dessert they had on the menu and shared them between us. My favourite was the Raffaello cake, which tasted just like the Raffaello sweets, one of my favourites from Ferrero Rocher.
In the morning, we explored the village of Maslinica, a pretty port surrounded by pine forests, with both sandy and stone beaches. We strolled around, taking in the views, sat down for a good cup of coffee, and enjoyed a cold beer at the beach bar to cool down on that hot day.
We sailed for the entire day before returning to Trogir for our last night sailing in Croatia. That evening, we explored the town of Trogir, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its well-preserved medieval architecture. The town is small, but there are plenty of things to do and see.
As my flight was not until the following evening, I left the exploration for the last day. That evening, I simply enjoyed a good drink and a stroll around town.
We spent the night in the harbour in Trogir, as everyone had different flight times the following day. It was a happy but also emotional evening because we had to say goodbye after such a fantastic adventure around the Adriatic coast. We met as strangers but left as friends.
The Costs
The costs vary depending on when you go sailing in Croatia. More Sailing offers an almost all-inclusive experience, which means that a week-long sailing holiday on the Dalmatian Coast includes your flights, transfers, a berth in a double cabin, skipper and host, drinks, breakfasts, lunches, and elevenses, of course.
The price starts at around £1,500 per person, depending on the season.
Useful Tips for Sailing in Croatia with More Sailing
One thing I was really worried about before embarking on this sailing adventure in Croatia that I think it’s important to be addressed, was getting seasick. Unfortunately, I get seasick very easily, and I know that once it kicks in, there is nothing I can do to make it better unless I get off the boat. So, this was my biggest worry.
I was happy that during our initial briefing, Noah and Axel addressed the issue and explained what to do if someone gets seasick. They also emphasised how important it was to let them know if we started feeling unwell.
I did bring medication with me for this trip and, to my surprise, it worked like a glove. I took it religiously, setting alarms so I wouldn’t miss any pills, as they had to be taken every eight hours, and it worked wonderfully. I didn’t feel uneasy for a single second, not even when the bora hit us and the catamaran started moving quite a bit while navigating the waves.
I went sailing in Croatia in May, at the beginning of the season. The season runs from May until October. Whilst summer offers plenty of chances for great weather, our weather was more varied. It was mostly sunny and warm, but we did have the occasional rain shower and a bit of wind. The water was still a little cold for swimming for long periods, but I did take a few dips and it was absolutely fine.
Summer, however, comes with higher costs and more crowds. Sailing at the beginning or end of the season means you will find many places almost completely to yourself and, in general, enjoy a more relaxed experience.
Final Thoughts: Is Sailing in Croatia with More Sailing Worth It?
Before this trip, I always thought sailing holidays were something reserved for people with a lot of money, or for those who already knew how to sail. I imagined expensive yachts, complicated itineraries, and a type of holiday that felt a little out of reach.
After spending a week on board Moonshadow, I realised that sailing is actually one of the best ways to experience the islands in Croatia. Waking up in a different bay every morning, jumping into the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic before breakfast, exploring small coastal towns that you might otherwise miss, and watching the sunset from the deck of the catamaran felt like a completely different way of travelling.
Sailing in Croatia with More Sailing was the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation. There were moments when we were actively sailing, moments when we explored beautiful islands, and plenty of moments when we simply sat together, enjoying good food, cold wine and conversations. Would I do it again? Absolutely. In fact, I left Moonshadow already thinking about where my next sailing adventure could take me.
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Please note that I was a guest of More Sailing, to experience the service they are offering. However, they had no editorial choice in the creating of this article, and all the opinions are my own.
