The 8 Best Croatian Islands Beyond Hvar (Where Locals Actually Escape)
Hvar gets the headlines, but Croatia's Adriatic is stitched with quieter islands that deliver better beaches, slower towns, and far fewer cruise crowds.
A breathtaking aerial shot capturing a stunning coastline and turquoise waters. · Vladimir Srajber
Hvar earns its fame with lavender fields, a glamorous harbor, and a nightlife scene that pulls in yachts every July. But it is also crowded, pricey, and increasingly built for the cruise crowd, which is exactly why seasoned Adriatic travelers point their ferries elsewhere.
Croatia has more than a thousand islands, and the dozen or so worth real time each have a distinct character: military-history hideaways, wine villages, pine-shaded national parks, and beaches that range from white pebble coves to genuinely sandy bays (a rarity here). The good news is that they are easy to reach from the mainland hubs of Split and Dubrovnik by catamaran, car ferry, or boat tour.
This list is ranked best first, but the right pick depends on your pace. Want raw nature and seclusion? Aim for Vis, Lastovo, or Mljet. Want a polished stone old town with restaurants and wine? Korcula and Rab deliver. Below, each island gets the standout sights, the dishes to order, and the practical way to get there.
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1
VisFarthest large island from the mainland, about 2.5 hours by ferry from Split Google
Closed to foreign visitors until 1989 because of its Yugoslav military base, Vis stayed undeveloped and feels like Dalmatia from decades past. The two main towns, Vis and the fishing village of Komiza, are unpretentious, and the island food scene is some of the best on the Adriatic, built around the local peka (meat or octopus slow-cooked under a bell of coals). Boats run from Komiza to the island of Bisevo for the Blue Cave, where midday light turns the water electric silver-blue, and the south coast hides Stiniva, a near-enclosed cove framed by cliffs that regularly tops 'best beach in Europe' lists. Come here for swimming, seafood, and a sense of escape you cannot get on Hvar.
- The Blue Cave on Bisevo
- Stiniva Cove, reached by boat or a steep hike
- Octopus peka in a Komiza konoba
- Vis town's Venetian and military history
Best for: Travelers who want remoteness, great food, and standout swimming
Getting there: Jadrolinija car ferry or catamaran from Split (roughly 2 to 2.5 hours)
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2
KorculaSouthern Dalmatia, about 2.5 to 3 hours by catamaran from Dubrovnik Google
Korcula Town is a fortified peninsula of honey-colored stone, often called a miniature Dubrovnik, but with a fraction of the crowds and a herringbone street plan designed to break the wind. The island claims to be the birthplace of Marco Polo, and you can climb the tower said to be his family home. Inland, the villages of Lumbarda and Cara are the heart of a serious wine culture: try the crisp white Posip and the rare local Grk, often poured straight from the producer's cellar. Spend evenings on the old town ramparts watching the sun drop behind the Peljesac peninsula.
- Korcula Town's walled old quarter
- Posip and Grk wine tasting near Lumbarda
- Vela Przina and Bilin Zal sandy beaches
- Moreska sword dance performances in summer
Best for: Wine lovers and travelers who want a historic town without the crush
Getting there: Catamaran from Dubrovnik or Split, or car ferry to Vela Luka
3
MljetSouthern Adriatic, about 1.5 hours by catamaran from Dubrovnik Google
A third of Mljet is national park, and it is the greenest, most forested island in the Adriatic, draped in Aleppo pine that runs right to the water. The centerpiece is two connected saltwater lakes, Veliko and Malo Jezero, ringed by a flat path perfect for walking or cycling. A small boat ferries you to an islet in the larger lake where a 12th-century Benedictine monastery now houses a restaurant. Legend says Odysseus was marooned here for seven years, and one look at the quiet coves and you understand the delay.
- The saltwater lakes of Mljet National Park
- St Mary's Island monastery
- Cycling or kayaking the lake loop
- Odysseus Cave on the south coast
Best for: Nature lovers, cyclists, and a peaceful day trip or overnight
Getting there: Catamaran from Dubrovnik to Polace or Sobra (about 1.5 hours)
Plan it on MagicTrips
4
BracCentral Dalmatia, about 50 minutes by ferry from Split Google
Brac is home to Croatia's most photographed beach, Zlatni Rat, a tongue of white pebble that shifts shape with the wind and tide off the town of Bol. Beyond the beach, this is the island of white stone (the marble-like Brac stone built Diocletian's Palace and, it is claimed, part of the White House), and you can visit the quarries and a stonemasonry school in Pucisca. Inland, climb Vidova Gora, the highest peak in the Adriatic islands, for a view straight down to Zlatni Rat and across to Hvar. It is the easiest big island to reach from Split, which makes it ideal for a quick getaway.
- Zlatni Rat beach at Bol
- The view from Vidova Gora summit
- Pucisca's white-stone quarries
- Local lamb and olive oil tastings
Best for: Beach days, windsurfers, and easy access from Split
Getting there: Frequent car ferry from Split to Supetar (about 50 minutes)
5
LastovoFar southern Adriatic, about 1.5 hours by catamaran from Korcula or Split Google
One of the most remote inhabited islands in Croatia, Lastovo was a restricted military zone until 1989 and remains gloriously undeveloped. The whole island is a nature park, and it was declared a dark-sky community, so on a clear night the Milky Way is genuinely overhead. Lastovo town is unusual: stone houses topped with distinctive cylindrical chimneys called fumari climb a hillside that faces inland, away from old pirate raids. Bring a swimsuit for empty coves and a willingness to disconnect, because this is a place for stargazing, fresh fish, and very little else.
- Stargazing under dark skies
- Lastovo town's fumari chimneys
- Empty pebble coves like Skrivena Luka
- Fresh lobster at a harbor konoba
Best for: Off-grid travelers, stargazers, and serious solitude seekers
Getting there: Catamaran from Split via Korcula/Vela Luka, then onward to Ubli
6
CresKvarner Gulf, northern Croatia, reachable by ferry from Istria or Krk Google
Long, wild, and sparsely populated, Cres is the antithesis of the polished Dalmatian island. Griffon vultures with two-meter wingspans nest on its eastern cliffs, protected at the Caput Insulae area near Beli, and the freshwater Lake Vrana in the island's interior is a striking natural sight. The town of Cres wraps a small harbor lined with pastel facades and good seafood, while Beli and Lubenice are stone hamlets perched dramatically above the sea. Order the island's prized lamb, raised on salt-tinged wild herbs, which gives the meat its distinctive flavor.
- Griffon vultures near Beli
- The clifftop village of Lubenice
- Cres town harbor and seafood
- Cres lamb and local olive oil
Best for: Hikers, birdwatchers, and travelers exploring the north
Getting there: Ferry from Brestova (Istria) to Porozina, or from Krk to Merag
7
RabKvarner Gulf, about 15 minutes by ferry from the mainland near Senj Google
Rab packs a remarkable amount into a small island: a medieval old town famous for its skyline of four bell towers, and the sandy beaches of the Lopar peninsula, which are a rarity on this rocky coast. Paradise Beach (Rajska Plaza) at Lopar is genuinely sandy and shallow enough for kids to wade out a long way, while the old town's stone streets stay lively without feeling overrun. The island is also one of the greenest in Kvarner, with pine forest and walking trails on the Kalifront peninsula. Try the Rapska torta, a sweet almond and maraschino cake the locals have made for centuries.
- Rab town's four bell towers
- Sandy Paradise Beach at Lopar
- Rapska torta almond cake
- Walking trails on the Kalifront peninsula
Best for: Families and travelers who want real sand
Getting there: Ferry from Stinica to Misnjak (about 15 minutes), or from Krk
8
LopudElaphiti Islands, about 50 minutes by boat from Dubrovnik Google
The easiest island escape from Dubrovnik, Lopud is car-free, which means the only sounds along its palm-lined waterfront are footsteps and the sea. The big draw is Sunj, a wide, shallow, genuinely sandy beach on the island's far side, reached by a 20-minute walk or a golf-cart shuttle across the island. The village itself has a faded grandeur of old captains' villas and the ruins of a Franciscan monastery, and you can walk up to the abandoned fortress for a sweeping Adriatic view. It pairs perfectly with a boat tour that also takes in the Blue Cave and neighboring Elaphiti islands.
- Sandy Sunj beach
- The car-free village waterfront
- Hike to the Spanjola fortress
- Day-trip combos with the Blue Cave
Best for: An easy beach day from Dubrovnik
Getting there: Jadrolinija ferry or boat tour from Dubrovnik's Gruz harbor (about 50 minutes)
Good to Know
When to go Late May to mid-June and September are the sweet spots: the sea is warm, ferries run on full summer schedules, and the crowds and prices are well below the July to August peak.
Getting around Jadrolinija and Kapetan Luka (Krilo) run the main car ferries and faster passenger catamarans. Catamarans are quicker but foot-passenger only and sell out in summer, so book online a few days ahead.
Car or no car You need a car only for the larger islands like Vis, Brac, Cres, and Korcula if you plan to explore inland. Lopud is car-free, and Mljet's park is best done on foot or by bike, so skip the vehicle and the ferry queues.
Bring cash for konobas Croatia uses the euro, and cards are widely accepted, but small family-run konobas and beach bars on remote islands sometimes prefer cash, so carry some for meals and boat shuttles.
Book boat tours early Blue Cave and multi-island speedboat tours from Split and Dubrovnik cap their group sizes and fill up days ahead in peak season, so reserve before you arrive rather than on the day.
Hvar is worth a visit, but the Adriatic's real character lives on the islands around it, from the empty coves of Vis and Lastovo to the wine cellars of Korcula and the sandy shallows of Rab. String two or three together by ferry and you will see why Croatians guard these places so closely. Start with one anchor town, Split or Dubrovnik, check the catamaran timetable, and let the islands set the pace.