Southern Dalmatian Island Hop: Split to Split (Self-Launched)
8 days · Croatia
Katarina Line charges £1,250
No-markup version: ~£672 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-traveller version of Katarina Line's 8-day "Southern Explorer" small-ship cruise — same Dalmatian highlights (Makarska, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Šipan/Trstenik, Korčula, Hvar, Brač and Split) done by public ferries, catamarans and buses instead of a chartered 40-guest yacht. You'll sleep in hostels and guesthouses in port towns rather than cabins, swim at the same bays by day, and pick up the walking tours, national park tickets and wine tastings yourself via GetYourGuide or on arrival. Expect more time on land, more flexibility and roughly a third of the cruise price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller rates in GBP and exclude flights to/from Croatia.
Day-by-day
Split to Makarska — bus down the coast and swim stop at the beach
Split → Makarska
Arrive in Split (fly into SPU or come by bus/ferry) and take a morning coach along the Dalmatian coast to Makarska (Promet or Arriva, roughly 1h45, ~£9-10 one way). The route hugs the coast past Omiš — sit on the right for the views. Afternoon swim at Nugal or Donja Luka beaches, then walk the horseshoe waterfront promenade and the main square's Venetian-era church. Optional: book a Cetina river zipline (GetYourGuide, ~£40) out of nearby Omiš. Dinner in a konoba off the square (~£12).
🚌Public coach Split bus station → Makarska, ~1h45, ~£9-10 (Promet/Arriva, book same day or online)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse on/near the Makarska waterfront (~£25-30 per night in a dorm; private rooms from ~£40)
- →Coastal bus Split to Makarska
- →Swim at Nugal / Donja Luka beach
- →Makarska waterfront promenade and main square
- →Optional: Cetina river canyon zipline
Makarska to Mljet via Pelješac — ferry, bus, then lakes and a monastery islet
Makarska → Mljet
Long but doable travel day. Take a morning bus Makarska → Ston/Trstenik side of the Pelješac peninsula (~1h, ~£6), where you can stop for a swim and (if time allows) oysters in Ston. Continue by bus to Prapratno ferry terminal and cross to Sobra on Mljet (Jadrolinija car ferry, ~45 min, ~£5), then a local bus or shuttle to Pomena. Buy your Mljet National Park ticket at the entrance (~£20-25) and walk the lake circuit or rent a bike (~£8). Rowboat shuttle to St Mary's Island (~£6). Base in Pomena or Polače.
🚌Bus Makarska → Prapratno ~2h ~£11 combined; Jadrolinija ferry Prapratno–Sobra ~£5; local bus/shuttle to Pomena ~£3
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Pomena/Polače (~£25-30; Mljet is the priciest island base, book ahead in July-August)
- →Bus along the Pelješac peninsula with a Ston swim stop
- →Prapratno–Sobra ferry crossing
- →Mljet National Park lakes walk
- →Rowboat to St Mary's Island
- →Optional bike rental around Veliko Jezero
Mljet to Dubrovnik — catamaran crossing and the old town under the walls
Mljet → Dubrovnik
Morning catamaran or ferry from Sobra/Pomena toward Dubrovnik (seasonal Nona Ana/TP Line catamarans, ~1h-1h30, ~£15; check timetables the day before as sailings are sparse). Drop bags at your hostel in the old town or Gruž, then join a pay-what-you-wish or small-group walking tour of the Old Town and Stradun (GetYourGuide from ~£15). Walk the 1,940m city walls late afternoon when the light softens and crowds thin (~£30, or free with a Dubrovnik Pass). Sunset cable car up Srđ (~£22 return) or hike up for free.
🚌Catamaran Mljet → Dubrovnik ~1h30 ~£15; local bus from port to Old Town ~£2
🛏Hostel in Dubrovnik Old Town or Gruž (~£30-35 dorm; Old Town privates are expensive, Gruž is better value and on the bus routes)
- →Catamaran to Dubrovnik
- →Guided walking tour of Dubrovnik Old Town and Stradun
- →Walk the city walls
- →Cable car to Srđ mountain at sunset (optional)
Dubrovnik to Šipan or Trstenik — quiet island night and a winery
Dubrovnik → Šipan / Trstenik
Escape the crowds. Take the morning Jadrolinija catamaran from Dubrovnik to Šipan (Šipanska Luka or Suđurađ, ~1h, ~£7) or the bus down the Pelješac peninsula to Trstenik (~2h, ~£9). Both are sleepy fishing villages where the cruise boats moor overnight — you get the same evening with 90% fewer people. Spend the afternoon swimming off the stone jetties, then visit a family winery for a tasting (Šipan and Dingač wines; tastings ~£12-15, message the winery a day ahead). Cook or eat at a waterfront konoba (~£15).
🚌Jadrolinija catamaran Dubrovnik → Šipan ~1h ~£7 (or bus to Trstenik ~£9)
🛏Small guesthouse or sobe room in Šipanska Luka / Trstenik (~£25-30; limited supply so book early)
- →Catamaran to Šipan (or bus to Trstenik)
- →Swim off the harbour jetties
- →Local winery tasting (Šipan/Dingač)
- →Waterfront dinner in a fishing village
Šipan/Trstenik to Korčula — walled town and konoba crawl
Šipan / Trstenik → Korčula
Ferry or catamaran back to Dubrovnik (or bus from Trstenik), then the fast catamaran to Korčula town (Krilo/TP Line, ~2h-2h30 from Dubrovnik, ~£20). Arrive early afternoon, check into a guesthouse inside or just outside the walls, and take a short guided sightseeing walk of the old town (~£15 via GetYourGuide) to hear the Marco Polo and stonemasonry stories. Optional late-afternoon wine and appetiser tasting at a family winery in Lumbarda or Čara (~£18). Dinner at a konoba in the old town (~£15).
🚌Ferry/catamaran Šipan → Dubrovnik ~£7, then Dubrovnik → Korčula catamaran ~2h15 ~£20
🛏Guesthouse inside Korčula old town or just outside the walls (~£25-30)
- →Catamaran to Korčula
- →Guided walking tour of Korčula old town
- →Optional Lumbarda/Čara wine tasting
- →Konoba dinner in the old town
Korčula to Hvar via the Paklinski Islands
Korčula → Hvar
Morning catamaran Korčula → Hvar (Krilo/TP Line, ~1h15, ~£12; the faster option runs in high season). If timings allow, join an afternoon Paklinski Islands boat trip from Hvar harbour with a swim stop and lunch (~£35-45 on GetYourGuide, or ~£30 for a shared water-taxi drop-off) — this is the self-launched stand-in for the cruise's lunch-and-swim anchor stop. Evening: climb to the Spanish Fortress for sunset (~£8), see the Renaissance cathedral and the Arsenal/community theatre, and eat seafood on the harbour (~£18).
🚌Catamaran Korčula → Hvar ~1h15 ~£12; local bus if staying in Stari Grad ~£3
🛏Hostel or sobe room in Hvar town (~£30-35 dorm; consider Stari Grad for cheaper beds and a bus to Hvar town)
- →Catamaran to Hvar
- →Paklinski Islands swim and lunch boat trip
- →Spanish Fortress sunset
- →Hvar cathedral and Arsenal theatre
Hvar to Split via Brač — Zlatni Rat and Diocletian's Palace
Hvar → Brač → Split
Take the morning catamaran Hvar → Bol on Brač (~40 min, ~£9), stash bags at a café or left luggage, and swim at Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) — a 15-minute walk from town. Mid-afternoon, catch the catamaran Bol → Split (~1h, ~£10) or the bus to Supetar plus the Jadrolinija ferry to Split. If you're keen, a Cetina river rafting half-day from Omiš can be squeezed into tomorrow instead (~£40). Evening guided tour of Diocletian's Palace and Split old town (~£15) then dinner in Varoš (~£14).
🚌Catamaran Hvar → Bol ~£9; catamaran Bol → Split ~1h ~£10 (alternative: bus to Supetar + ferry ~£9)
🛏Hostel in Split old town or Varoš (~£25-30 dorm)
- →Catamaran to Bol, Brač
- →Swim at Zlatni Rat beach
- →Catamaran Bol → Split
- →Guided tour of Diocletian's Palace and Split old town
Split — Marjan hill, markets and departure
Split
Slow morning: coffee at a Riva café, browse the morning fish and green markets just outside the palace walls, and walk up Marjan hill for the harbour view (free). Optional half-day Cetina rafting if you didn't do it yesterday. Airport bus (Pleso Prijevoz, ~£7) or ferry onward from Split port. If you have time, extra nights in Split are cheap compared with the cruise's post-cruise add-ons.
🚌Local bus or airport shuttle Pleso Prijevoz to SPU ~£7; boats to the islands leave from Split port
🛏None included (or add a hostel night in Split ~£25-30)
- →Marjan hill walk and viewpoint
- →Split fish and green markets
- →Riva coffee
- →Optional Cetina rafting half-day
Self-launched vs. Katarina Line
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Katarina Line | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£672 | £1,250 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £578 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Katarina Line-style trips? Check them out here.~£672
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Southern Dalmatian Island Hop: Split to Split (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £672 per person for 8 days in Croatia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Katarina Line?+
Yes — Katarina Line charges around £1,250 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £672 — a saving of roughly £578 (46%) per person.
How long is the Croatia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Croatia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a backpacker, beaches, culture trip through Croatia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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