South Dalmatia

Dalmatia stretches from the island of Pag in the north to the Montenegrin border south of Dubrovnik and is a wonderland for all water sports enthusiasts. South Dalmatia is characterised by the large islands of Korčula, Mljet and the Pelješac peninsula. The largest town in the region and main attraction for international tourists is Dubrovnik. The picturesque old town of Dubrovnik with its thick city wall, the smoothly polished cobbles and the red tiled roofs is not called the “Pearl of the Adriatic” for nothing.

ACI Marina Dubrovnik lies at the end of a fjord, slightly to the north of the old town. This popular marina has been both a sailing destination and starting point for decades.  Private owners and charter crews often start from here to visit the Elaphiti Islands to the north. The three largest (and inhabited) islands of Šipan, Lopud and Koločep are attractive sailing destinations for sailors and motor boaters. You can either moor in beautiful bays or, with a bit of luck, get one of the few mooring lines in the harbours. There aren’t any marinas here. The closest marina is ACI Marina in Slano, which opened in summer 2016.

About 80 km north of Dubrovnik, a trilogy consisting of the sea, river and lake forms the Neretva Delta. This natural paradise with countless fish and bird species is extremely fertile thanks to the wetland and, therefore, very important for agriculture. All types of citrus fruit are cultivated here as are peaches, kiwis and cherries. This region is practically untouched by tourism. Only Ploče, located on the sea, has a good tourism infrastructure.

The sparsely inhabited peninsula of Pelješac is well-known for its unspoilt nature, good wine and oyster farming near Ston. This popular seafood grows perfectly in the flat bay between the mainland and Pelješac. Kobas Bay, slightly south of Broce, has a few restaurants specifically for water sports enthusiasts where you can enjoy oysters from Ston.

Sailors and motor boaters cruising in southern Dalmatia should most certainly put the green island of Korčula on their sailing itinerary. The island, barely 50 km long and not even 8 km wide, runs almost exactly in an east-west direction. The main town of the same name, Korčula, lies in the east of the island. ACI Marina Korčula has berths for up to 150 yachts, but it is often fully booked quite early even in the low season. It is recommended to reserve a berth in the marina. Alternatively, you could also moor in Luka Bay when it’s good weather. Korčula town is the birth place of the seafarer Marco Polo. The pretty old town with its small narrow lanes and smoothly polished cobblestones is always worth visiting. The beach resort of Lumbarda is just a few kilometres away. It has a small marina and one of the few real sand beaches on the island. It's worth making a reservation here, too.