Cruising the Elaphiti Islands.

I just spend a day cruising around the Elaphiti Islands, next to Dubrovnik in Croatia.

If you visit Dubrovnik and get enough of the massive numbers of tourists there, then you might just want to spend a day cruising around the Elaphiti Islands. They are a nice and quiet and not a tourist madhouse that Dubrovnik has become in recent years.

I started my day cruise in Dubrovnik.

The Elaphiti Islands are very small, but have actually been inhabited for a long time. Pliny the elder mentions them in his writings nearly 2000 years ago, but even if there has been people around for a long time, the islands have a very small population.

Kolocep Island.

The Elaphiti Islands consists of 13 islands and only 3 of them are inhabited. These three islands are called Sipan, Lopud and Kolocep. All together they still have less than 1000 inhabitants. You have a few hotels and guest houses on the islands. But it’s not many. Day-trippers come there, especially to Lopud Island. But if you are arriving straight from jam packed Dubrovnik, then you will think that there are barely any tourists.

Sipan Island.

Fishing and small scale farming is still a part of the daily routine on the islands and you will see the fishing nets, little olive groves around the 3 inhabited islands.

Fishing nets on Sipan Island.

I took one of the tourist boats from the harbour that makes a full day trip to the islands to get a taste of the islands. After having a taste I am ready for more and I hope to come back and stay a few days on the islands in the near future. these islands really have some of the old south Dalmatian charm that has been lost a little in Dubrovnik, with the arrival of the big cruise port.

Lopud Island.

But the Elaphiti Island prove that you can still live a laid back lifestyle. It’s just a few kilometers away and it was a real joy to visit the islands. It’s one of a few good day trips from Dubrovnik.

Island life in Croatia.