Split: Blue Lagoon & 3 Islands hopping with Lunch & Drinks

The main appeal here is simple: you get a full Adriatic day without having to plan three separate island stops. Borkko Beach Bar, the Krknjaši Blue Lagoon, and Maslinica each offer a different kind of break, from easy swimming to a quiet village walk.

I especially like the included food and drinks, which keep the day feeling good value at $76. I also like the generous stop lengths, with about 90 minutes at Borkko Beach and Maslinica, plus 100 minutes at the lagoon. The main consideration is that boat changes, crowds, or rough seas can affect how much open-water swimming you get.

Key points to know before you book

• Coffee and fresh doughnuts start the cruise, giving you breakfast while Split’s coast slips behind you.
• Borkko Beach Bar on Čiovo is the strongest swimming stop, with a sheltered bay, clear shallow water, snorkeling, and a relaxed beach setting.
• The Blue Lagoon stop includes lunch, drinks, snorkeling, inflatables, and a stand-up paddleboard.
• Maslinica offers a slower island hour and a half, with stone houses, a marina, Marchi Castle, and time for a swim or coffee.
• Lunch comes with a choice of beef, tuna, or vegetarian burger, plus French fries, unlimited water, juice, and wine during and after the meal.
• The crew is a major part of the experience, with hosts including Anja, Nana, Ivo, Marco, and Robert praised for friendly service and clear instructions.

A full Adriatic day from Split

This is an 8.5-hour cruise designed for people who want a broad taste of Dalmatia in one day. You leave from St. Nicholas Pier at Split Port, at Obala Lazareta 1, then spend much of the day moving between beaches, swimming spots, and a small island settlement.

That variety is the reason to choose this trip. You are not spending the whole day at one beach, and you are not trying to squeeze a major sightseeing schedule into a boat excursion. Instead, the pace is built around sea time, short cruises, food, and easy stops.

The price is $76 per person. For that, you receive breakfast, lunch, drinks, fruit, snorkeling goggles with a refundable $10 deposit, paddleboard use, inflatables, and an English-speaking captain and crew. Add the length of the day and the transport between three coastal areas, and the price is fair, particularly if you would otherwise pay separately for boat transport and meals.

This is not a private boat trip. It is a shared cruise, and the experience can feel busy, especially in high summer. Still, the schedule gives you enough structure to avoid wasting time and enough free time to choose your own pace.

Leaving Split with coffee and doughnuts

The meeting point is St. Nicholas Pier, part of Split Port. Look for the Gray Line sign and staff wearing matching shirts. This matters because the port can be active, and finding the right boat quickly is much easier when you know what to look for.

The first sightseeing cruise lasts about an hour. Rather than sending you out hungry, the crew serves coffee and fresh doughnuts while you watch Split’s coastline recede. It is a small touch, but a useful one. You can settle in, get your bearings, and enjoy the boat ride before the swimming begins.

Bring a warm layer for this section, even in summer. The boat can feel cooler once it is moving, and the return cruise later in the day may also be breezy. A sun hat, sunscreen, swimsuit, towel, and water shoes belong in your day bag. Water shoes are especially practical around rocky Croatian shorelines.

Borkko Beach Bar on Čiovo

After about an hour, you reach Borkko Beach Bar on Čiovo for roughly 90 minutes. This is one of the best stops for swimming because the bay is sheltered and the water is described as clear and shallow. You can swim, snorkel, relax on the beach, or enjoy the bar atmosphere.

The stop works well for mixed groups. Strong swimmers can head into the water, while anyone who prefers a slower start can stay near shore or use the beach. Families with older children and teenagers may find this the most useful stop, since it offers both water time and a place to sit.

You should not expect a major cultural visit here. Borkko is mainly about a pleasant first swim and an easy beach break. If your main reason for booking is open-water swimming, this is the point where you will probably feel most satisfied.

Bring your own towel and swimwear, and consider wearing water shoes. Snorkeling equipment is available, with goggles supplied for a refundable $10 deposit. The trip also carries inflatables, giving you another low-effort way to enjoy the water.

Krknjaši Blue Lagoon and lunch at sea

A 30-minute cruise brings you toward Krknjaši Blue Lagoon near Drvenik. This is the most famous scenery on the route, with bright turquoise water and good visibility when conditions cooperate. You get about 100 minutes here, enough time for swimming, snorkeling, photographs, and use of the paddleboard or inflatables.

The name Blue Lagoon sets high expectations. One past assessment found the water and stop enjoyable but felt the label was a little generous, and another had less time there after a boat change. That is useful to keep in mind. The lagoon can be beautiful, but the exact experience depends on weather, sea conditions, boat positioning, and how crowded the area is.

The stop is also when lunch is served onboard. At the meeting point, you choose a beef burger, tuna burger, or vegetarian burger with French fries. Water, juice, and wine are available without extra charge during and after lunch.

The food is a practical strength of the outing. You do not have to leave a swimming stop to search for a restaurant, and you know the main meal is already covered in the price. The tradeoff is timing. One account noted a long wait because one cook and a small fryer were handling the meal service. If the boat is full, lunch may take patience and could reduce your time in the water.

I would treat lunch as part of the leisurely pace rather than expect restaurant-speed service. Eat the doughnuts early, and use the meal period to relax, take photographs, or enjoy the view. Seasonal fruit later in the day adds a light finish and helps keep the food plan simple.

Maslinica, Šolta’s quiet fishing village

After the lagoon, the boat cruises for about 25 minutes to Maslinica on Šolta. You have around 90 minutes here, which gives this stop a different feel from the beach breaks. It is a chance to walk, look around, swim, or sit with a coffee.

Maslinica is known for stone houses, a scenic marina, and a calm fishing-village character. You can visit Marchi Castle and its park, stroll along the waterfront, or find a place to sit and watch the boats. If you want a little more than swimming, this is the stop that adds local character to the day.

The swimming options here are less obvious than at Borkko. One person wished the crew had explained more clearly where to find the beach and swimming area, especially with only an hour available. Listen closely to the crew’s instructions when you arrive, and ask if you want to prioritize swimming over walking.

Maslinica is not a long guided tour. You are given free time rather than a detailed village history lesson. I see that as a plus if you like setting your own pace, but it may disappoint you if you expect a structured cultural visit.

The return cruise to Split

The trip back takes about 80 minutes. By then, you have had several hours in the water, a meal, and time on land, so the final cruise is a chance to sit down and enjoy the Adriatic views.

The crew serves seasonal fruit on the return journey. It is a modest detail, but it rounds out the food plan well. You begin with coffee and doughnuts, have lunch with drinks, and finish with fruit rather than needing to buy snacks throughout the day.

This is also the part of the trip where a warm layer earns its space in your bag. The boat is moving, the day may be cooling off, and wet swimwear is not ideal for a long ride back to Split.

The crew and day-to-day organization

The crew receives some of the strongest praise attached to this experience. Anja is repeatedly singled out for being warm, involved, and clear with instructions. Nana and Ivo are described as funny and friendly, while Marco and Robert also receive positive comments. You should not assume a particular host will be onboard, but the pattern is clear: the human side of the cruise is one of its better features.

Good instructions matter on a day with several stops. You need to know when to return to the boat, where to swim, and what is included at each location. The crew appears to handle that well overall, though some people wanted clearer guidance at Maslinica and the lagoon.

The schedule is another strong point. The stops are long enough to feel worthwhile, rather than giving you only a rushed photo opportunity. Still, the operation is not immune to problems. A boat substitution left one person feeling cramped and meant the Blue Lagoon was not visited as expected. Weather and rough sea conditions can also change the route.

That flexibility is normal for a boat trip, but it is worth understanding before you book. If visiting one exact lagoon is the entire purpose of your day, this may feel too uncertain. If you want a broad sea outing with several pleasant stops, the route changes are less serious.

Who will get the most from this cruise

I would recommend this trip to couples, families with older children, and friends who want swimming, scenery, and food in one package. The variety helps groups with different interests. One person can snorkel, another can sit at the beach bar, and someone else can walk through Maslinica.

It is also a good fit if you want to avoid hidden spending. Breakfast, lunch, fruit, water, juice, and wine are covered, and the paddleboard and inflatables are included. You may still want money for a coffee or personal purchase in Maslinica, but the central costs are handled.

The trip is less suitable for wheelchair users, who are specifically excluded from the activity. It is also not suitable for anyone wanting a private, quiet boat setting. Pets are not allowed.

Swimmers should bring realistic expectations. You get several chances to enter the sea, but the time available for actual swimming can be affected by lunch service, crowding, the boat used, and sea conditions. Borkko is the safest choice for planning around swim time, while Maslinica is better viewed as a flexible village stop with the option of a swim.

Practical value at $76

At $76, the value rests on what you use. If you eat the included breakfast and lunch, drink the included refreshments, use the water equipment, and enjoy all three stops, the package is strong for a full day from Split.

The tour also saves you the work of arranging transport to Čiovo, Drvenik, and Šolta. You get a single departure point, a set route, and crew support throughout the day. That convenience is worth more when you are visiting Split for only a few days.

The weaker value appears if you mainly want a long swim at the Blue Lagoon. A boat change, rough water, or delayed lunch can cut into the time you expected. In that case, a smaller or more specialized swimming trip might suit you better, though this experience offers less food and village time.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and the option to reserve now and pay later make planning easier. Starting times depend on availability, so check the schedule before building the rest of your Split day around it.

Should you book it?

Book this cruise if you want an easy, food-inclusive day that combines three distinct stops. The best parts are the friendly crew, the good range of included refreshments, Borkko’s inviting swim, and the chance to spend time in Maslinica rather than only passing offshore.

Think twice if you need guaranteed access to one specific lagoon, dislike shared boats, or want uninterrupted open-water swimming. For most people who want a relaxed introduction to Dalmatia by sea, $76 is a sensible price, provided you see the Blue Lagoon as one part of the day rather than the whole reason to go.

FAQ

Where does the cruise leave from?

The cruise leaves from St. Nicholas Pier at Split Port, at Obala Lazareta 1. Look for the Gray Line sign and staff wearing shirts with the same sign.

How long does the activity last?

The full experience lasts 510 minutes, or about 8.5 hours. The return is to Obala Lazareta 1 in Split.

What food is included?

Breakfast includes coffee and fresh doughnuts. Lunch includes your choice of beef, tuna, or vegetarian burger with French fries, followed by seasonal fruit later in the day.

Are drinks included?

Yes. Unlimited water, juice, and wine are included during and after lunch.

Can I snorkel and use water equipment?

Yes. Snorkeling goggles are available with a refundable $10 deposit. The boat also provides a stand-up paddleboard and inflatables.

What should I bring?

Bring warm clothing, a sun hat, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, and water shoes.

Can the route change?

Yes. The route may change because of bad weather or rough sea conditions. A boat change can also affect the space onboard and the time spent at a particular stop.