A Gulet Cruise In Croatia is a Totally Different Experience

By Polly Fitzgerald

Croatia is the perfect destination for anything that involves a boat. A chartered gulet, or yacht, is the perfect vessel for exploring these pristine waters.

With its medieval towns, tasty Mediterranean food, amazing bays, and a crystal clear sea, Croatia is a top choice for sailors the world over.  The country has more than 1,200 little islands for you to check out, and the best way to explore them is from the water.

Great Climate

Croatia, which is located in Central Europe, lies to the east of the Adriatic Sea where people enjoy a mild Mediterranean climate. In northern Croatia, it’s a temperate continental climate, and in the upland regions, it’s more of a mountainous one.

No matter the climate, weather or temperature, every day can give you something new to see and enjoy.

Best of all, you can also see and enjoy it by gulet. Imagine waking up each day on a gulet to exploring Croatia’s hidden villages and infamous towns.

What Is A Gulet?

A gulet is a two or three-masted wooden sailing vessel that can measure anywhere from 20 to 40 meters long. Each gulet has a professional crew – captain, hostess, chef, and waiter.

What do you get with a luxury gulet?  A luxury gulet may have as little as three cabins or as many as eight cabins, complete with air-conditioning and a private shower and bathroom.

They are also equipped with salons. They also have a deck where you can eat or sunbathe and relax.

It’s the kind of trip that lets you get away from the tourist and spend time with just your family and friends.

Why A Gulet Cruise?

Sailing a gulet, which is chosen based on your preferences and needs, can take you to the different areas of Croatia.

When you set up a gulet cruise, the boat is prepared to your liking including the crew that goes with you, the food you eat, and the destinations you travel to according to your wishes.

There is an infinite number of possibilities.

Every day, you dock in at least two different bays so that you can explore the region – the historic villages and cities, the tourist regions, and the nature parks. Think of a gulet cruise as your own private beach, allowing you to steer clear of crowded areas.

You can enjoy all the water sports you like – diving, snorkeling, surfing, waterskiing, etc.

The idea of a gulet cruise is to ensure you stay close to nature. If you want to take a land trip and go hiking, the gulet can dock at any bay so you can hike or walk a nature park. If you just want to relax onboard, reading and sunbathing, you can do that too.

A personal chef will make you breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner cuisine that’s personalized to fit your taste. If you want to dock and eat at any local establishment, you are more than welcome to do that. What better way to experience Croatian dining than by enjoying it at a local restaurant?

A gulet boat ride means waking up the next day in another beautiful location that you can explore and enjoy.

How to Do It

We rented a gulet from Goolets, a company based in Slovenia. They have a fleet of 12 yachts, in various sizes, as well as experienced crews who know the Croatian waters well and speak English.

The key is to get you on a gulet that fits your budget, as well as your route and group.

There are weekly, bi-weekly and monthly charters, and the cost for us was $4999 including crew.

Polly Fitzgerald is a freelance writer and frequent traveler based in London.