Makarska: 3-island Speedboat Cave & Blue Lagoon Tour

The best part of this Makarska trip is the Little Blue Cave on Hvar, where you swim in from the boat instead of waiting in a long line or paying an entry fee. It is not the famous Blue Cave near Vis, but it offers the same basic thrill: sunlight, rock, and glowing seawater in a small natural chamber.

I like the small group of no more than 12 and the smart mix of stops. You get quiet bays, a proper hour in Jelsa, a lagoon swim, and a final cove on Brač. The main drawback is simple: there is no toilet onboard, and some people find the boat ladder difficult when climbing back aboard.

Key points to know before you book

• Swim into Hvar’s Little Blue Cave: The boat anchors outside, and the cave is reached only by swimming.
• Four different kinds of stops: You get hidden bays, a cave, a historic town break, and open-water swimming.
• Jelsa gives you a useful land break: You have about one hour for coffee, ice cream, and a walk.
• Small speedboat group: The boat carries up to 12 people, with shade over every seat.
• Bring food if needed: Snacks and meals are not included, though you can buy something in Jelsa.
• Best for confident swimmers: The tour is not suitable for non-swimmers, pregnant women, or children under 3.

A fast route from Makarska to Hvar

The meeting point is the Palladium Rent a Boat stand on Makarska’s main promenade. You can choose a morning departure at 8am or an afternoon departure at 1:30pm, with the whole outing lasting about five hours.

The first boat ride takes roughly 40 minutes. That is long enough to feel the speed and see the coast open up, but not so long that you spend the day sitting in transit. A speedboat makes this route practical because Hvar, Zečevo, and Brač are spread across open water. You cover plenty of ground without giving up most of your time to transport.

The boat has a Bimini sun cover over all seats, a useful detail in the strong Dalmatian sun. Bottled water is kept in an onboard fridge and included in the price. Fuel, insurance, taxes, and snorkeling equipment are also covered, so the advertised cost of $106 per person is fairly easy to understand.

You should still bring a towel, swimwear, and any snacks you want. Food is not included, and the boat has no toilet. Jelsa is the planned place to use facilities on land.

Pokrivenik gives you the first quiet swim

After the opening cruise, you reach Pokrivenik on the island of Hvar. This is one of the tour’s two less accessible bays, a place reached by boat rather than by simply walking down from a resort road.

You get around 25 to 30 minutes here for swimming and snorkeling. That may sound brief, but it works well as an opening stop. You can cool off, test the water, and get comfortable with the boat before the cave visit.

This stop is also a good example of what the tour does well. It is not trying to keep you in one famous attraction all day. Instead, it strings together several short seaside experiences. If you like variety, the pace feels lively. If you prefer to settle into one cove for hours, it may feel too quick.

Snorkeling gear is supplied, but you should bring your own mask if you need a particular fit. The information provided does not promise a specific type of marine life, though the clear water and rocky bays make these stops suited to casual snorkeling.

Swimming into Hvar’s Little Blue Cave

The Little Blue Cave comes only about five minutes after Pokrivenik, so you do not lose much time getting there. The boat anchors outside, and you swim into the cave. There is no land entrance, no admission charge, and no queue.

This is the point where clear expectations matter. This is not the famous Blue Cave on Biševo, the major attraction often promoted on Croatian boat trips. It is a smaller cave on Hvar, but the visit follows the same basic idea: swim into a shaded rock opening where the water takes on a different look as daylight enters from outside.

You get about 20 to 30 minutes for the cave and nearby water. Confident swimmers will get the most from it. Non-swimmers should not book this outing, since the cave cannot be reached without getting into the sea.

A waterproof phone pouch is worth bringing if you want photos. The boat’s ladder also matters here. One person specifically found the ladder harder to use than expected and wished it had two handles. That is useful advice for anyone with limited strength, a shoulder problem, or trouble climbing from the water.

Jelsa is more than a quick photo stop

From the cave, the speedboat heads toward Jelsa, one of the best-known towns on the northern side of Hvar. You have about one hour on land, which changes the rhythm of the day in a welcome way.

Jelsa is your chance to walk, find coffee, buy ice cream, and use a proper toilet. It also gives you a little room to explore without wet feet and a snorkel mask in hand. Several people singled out this break as one of the strongest parts of the outing, and I can see why. A boat trip made entirely of swimming stops can become tiring. Jelsa gives you a reset.

Do not expect a full town tour or a long cultural visit. One hour is enough for a relaxed walk and refreshment, not for a detailed exploration of Hvar. The guide provides the route and timing, but your time in town is described as free time.

This stop is particularly useful on the afternoon departure. You begin at 1:30pm, spend the first part of the trip at sea, then get a land break before returning to the water. The morning departure gives you the same overall route earlier in the day.

Zečevo’s Blue Lagoon mixes swimming and a bar

The next ride takes about 10 minutes to Zečevo Island. Here you spend roughly 25 to 40 minutes at the Blue Lagoon, depending on how the stop is timed.

The appeal is the water and the easy choice of how to spend the stop. You can swim, snorkel, or head to the waterfront bungalow bar for a drink. The supplied details describe a coffee and bar stop, but one person found that no coffee break or bar service was available on the day and that the stop was swimming only.

That inconsistency is worth keeping in mind. Treat the bungalow bar as a possibility, not the main reason to book. The water is the reliable part of the stop. If you want a coffee, bring some flexibility and do not assume the bar will be operating or included.

The Blue Lagoon is also described as a strong snorkeling location. The boat’s small size helps here because the group can get in and out without the feel of a large excursion vessel. Still, with several stops packed into five hours, you should expect a taste of each place rather than a long, silent swim.

Brač finishes the day with one last cove

The final swimming stop is Zirje Beach on Brač, reached after about 25 minutes of cruising from Zečevo. You have around 20 to 30 minutes for swimming and snorkeling before the return trip to Makarska.

This ending works because it leaves you with one last chance to get in the water after the town break. It also makes the route feel like a genuine three-island outing rather than a single-island excursion with a long return ride.

The stop is described as a hidden bay, but you should not expect a major attraction or a developed beach facility. The value is a final swim in a quieter setting. Afterward, the ride back to Makarska takes approximately 35 minutes.

Keep an eye on the clock at every stop. The captain must cover the return journey, and the timetable includes several boat transfers. If you linger in the water or town, you will cut into the next stop.

What the speedboat ride is really like

A speedboat gives you an energetic ride, not a slow cruise. The trip includes long open-water sections of around 40, 35, and 25 minutes, plus shorter transfers between nearby stops.

That means the boat itself is part of the experience. You will feel wind, spray, and motion, even with the sun cover in place. Conditions can change, and the tour may feel less comfortable for anyone prone to seasickness. The provided information does not list a separate seasickness policy, so you should plan conservatively if you know you react badly on boats.

The upside is efficiency. You reach islands that would take much longer to connect by land and ferry. The small group limit of 12 also makes the boat feel more personal than a large sightseeing vessel.

Past outings have featured skippers named Ante and Karlo, both praised for friendly handling and a relaxed approach. Your skipper may be someone else, but the guide speaks English and Croatian. One especially nice touch reported from the trip was allowing a younger passenger to help steer under safe supervision. Do not assume that will happen on every departure, but it shows the kind of informal contact that can make a small-group outing memorable.

The $106 price and what it covers

At $106 per person, this is not a budget beach transfer. It is priced as a half-day, multi-island excursion with fuel, a local English-speaking skipper, insurance, snorkeling equipment, bottled water, and shade included.

The value is strongest if you want to see several places in one morning or afternoon. A private boat hire would normally offer more control, but this trip avoids the work of arranging a boat, skipper, fuel, and route yourself. You also get the convenience of starting and ending at the Makarska promenade.

The price is less appealing if your main goal is simply sitting on a beach. You pay for movement and variety. Several short stops replace one long stay, and food, snacks, drinks from the bar, and any purchases in Jelsa are extra.

The overall rating is 4.9 from 76 ratings, with 98 percent giving the transport a perfect score. The strongest praise centers on beautiful swimming places, good skippers, relaxed timing, small groups, and the quality of the boat ride. One practical complaint concerned the ladder, while another noted that water and the promised bar service were not available on one departure.

Who should book this boat trip?

I would choose this tour if you want a compact taste of three islands without spending a full day on a large boat. It suits couples, friends, and families with older children who can swim confidently and handle a fast boat.

It is also a good pick if you enjoy changing scenery. In five hours, you move from a Hvar bay to a cave, then to a town, a lagoon, and a Brač cove. The hour in Jelsa makes the schedule easier to handle than a trip made only of water stops.

I would be cautious if you need a toilet close at hand, dislike boat motion, or cannot climb a ladder from the sea. Children under 3, pregnant women, and non-swimmers should not book this activity. Families with older children may find it excellent, but the sea access and boat ladder deserve an honest look before you commit.

Book the morning departure if you prefer an early start and more time after the tour. Choose the afternoon option if you want a swim-and-sunset-style outing that begins after lunch, though the advertised experience ends back at Makarska after roughly five hours.

Should you book it?

Book it if your ideal Dalmatian day includes clear water, short boat rides, easy snorkeling, and several different stops rather than one long beach visit. The Little Blue Cave, the hour in Jelsa, and the small group are the strongest reasons to go.

Skip it if you are expecting the famous Biševo Blue Cave, a full meal, a guaranteed working bar, or onboard toilet facilities. For a confident swimmer who packs a towel, snacks, and modest expectations about the cave, $106 buys a well-filled half-day with a lot of coastline in a short time.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at the Palladium Rent a Boat stand on the main promenade in Makarska.

How long does the activity last?

The tour lasts about five hours.

What departure times are available?

The available start times are 8am and 1:30pm. You should check availability for the date you want.

Which islands does the boat visit?

The route visits Hvar, Zečevo, and Brač.

Is this the famous Blue Cave on Biševo?

No. The tour visits a separate Little Blue Cave on Hvar. It has no entry fee or queue, and you swim into it from the boat.

Do I need to swim into the Little Blue Cave?

Yes. The boat anchors outside, and the cave can only be reached by swimming.

Is snorkeling equipment included?

Yes. A snorkeling set is included with the tour.

Is food included?

No. Food and snacks are not included, but you may bring your own. You can also buy coffee, ice cream, or other items during the free time in Jelsa.

Is there a toilet on the speedboat?

No. There are no toilet facilities onboard. The nearest facilities can be used in Jelsa.