Want fewer boats and more water time?

This private charter around Dubrovnik’s Elaphite Islands is built for slow, personal sightseeing, with stops you can linger at and a real sense of control over your day. I like the private boat setup for a group of up to 7, plus the included snorkeling gear and towels that make it easy to jump in without hunting anything down.

One consideration: the caves and swimming plan depend on good weather, so if conditions turn rough, you may need to go with the day’s safest options.

Key things to know before you go

• Private by default: just your group, no sharing the day with strangers
• Caves at Koločep: Green Cave, Blue Cave, and the Three Caves, with time to actually look and swim
• Lopud beach time: Šunj’s sandy stretch plus a walk through a small island village
• Sipan timing matters: 4-hour trips often skim Sipan; longer tours give more time
• Drinks and towels included: beer, white wine, soft drinks, water, plus towels onboard
• GoPro included: take cave-and-coastwater photos without extra rentals

A private Elaphite Islands boat day: why this one feels special

Dubrovnik is spectacular from land. Still, the Elaphite Islands look like a different world from the water—limestone cliffs, hidden coves, and cave systems that feel purpose-made for swimming. What makes this tour work well is simple: you’re on a private boat, so you’re not stuck in a rigid line of people doing the same thing at the same minute.

The other big difference is pacing. The itinerary is built around three islands, but the real value is that you can linger where it’s good and skip what’s not. In real terms, that means you can spend extra time if the water calms down, or move sooner if you want more beach time instead of more sightseeing.

I also like the small-batch feel of the setup. This is priced per group (up to 7), and it includes the essentials that make a boat day comfortable: drinks, snorkeling kit, and towels. For many people, that turns a pricey excursion into a day that feels like a planned experience rather than an expensive gamble.

Price, group size, and how to plan your timing

The tour price is $544.43 per group, for up to 7 people. That matters because you’re not paying per person the way many shared boat tours do. If you’re traveling as a couple, family, or a small group of friends, the math often works out better once you factor in that drinks and snorkeling gear are included.

Duration is about 4 to 8 hours. Here’s how I’d think about choosing your length:

• 4-hour option: best when your cruise or schedule is tight, and you want the highlights (caves and a taste of islands) without a full-day commitment.
• 6-hour option: the sweet spot for most people who want real swimming time and at least a couple of proper pauses.
• 8-hour option: for maximum water time, more relaxed transitions between islands, and a fuller feel for the day.

One practical planning note: this tour is often booked in advance (around 52 days on average). If you’re visiting in peak season, I’d treat this like a must-book early activity. Private boats can fill up faster than you’d expect, especially if weather windows are narrow.

The boat-day basics: what’s included so you don’t overpack

This is the kind of excursion where the “small comforts” are handled for you. On board, you’ll be served beer, white wine, soft drinks, and water. You’ll also have towels and snorkeling equipment, and the tour includes a GoPro for taking photos in the water.

That set of inclusions matters because it changes what you bring:

• you can travel lighter (no towel or snorkel rental hunt),
• you can spend more time actually in the water,
• and you’re not stuck paying extra for basic boat-day items.

One more detail that comes up in bookings: people describe the boat as clean and newer, and the skipper as friendly and focused on safety and comfort. That matters more than it sounds. With caves and swimming stops, the operator’s attention to conditions and timing can make or break the day.

Koločep Island caves: Green Cave, Blue Cave, and the Three Caves

Koločep is the cave island of the day. Your first stop is built around three cave experiences: the Green Cave, the Blue Cave, and the Three Caves.

What makes this stop special is that it’s not just a quick look from the boat. You get time to actually visit each cave attraction, and because it’s a private tour, you can move at your pace. For many groups, this is the highlight because the color effects and the scale of the rock formations are hard to understand until you’re right there.

A practical tip for your expectations: cave areas can feel crowded on public schedules. The upside of a private tour is that your captain can plan your timing so you can arrive before the rush. If you care about photos and uncluttered water time, this is one of your best opportunities to control the experience.

Time on Koločep is about 2 hours. That’s enough for a mix of cave viewing and at least some swimming, depending on how the water feels that day.

Possible drawback: caves and swim conditions are weather-sensitive. If wind or water conditions aren’t great, you may spend more time sightseeing than swimming. It’s still usually a beautiful stop, but the ratio shifts.

Lopud and Šunj Beach: sandy time plus a calm village walk

Next is Lopud, the island stop that adds “beach day” energy. You’ll have time at Šunj Beach, a sandy stretch that’s made for relaxing and simple swimming.

But the stop isn’t only about the shoreline. You’ll also have time in a village area, where you can take a walk and find places to eat. The key here is that you’re not rushed. Because it’s private, you can linger where you want: some people go straight for the shade and swim breaks; others prefer to walk, browse, and treat it like a slow island break.

Time on Lopud is about 3 hours, which is a very workable length for:

• arriving, settling in,
• swimming and relaxing,
• then adding a short village walk before heading onward.

If you want lunch, this is commonly when people handle it. Drinks on the boat are included, but lunch itself is usually a restaurant choice on the island. In at least one booking, the skipper helped by recommending a specific seafood spot and calling ahead to make arrangements. That’s the kind of service that can save time when you’re on limited schedule.

A drawback to note: Lopud is a very pleasant place to slow down. That can sound great, until you realize you still have other islands to see. If you choose the 4-hour version, Lopud time may feel like the main event and other islands may be shorter.

Sipan: what you get in a shorter trip vs a longer one

Sipan is the third island, and it’s often a bonus depending on tour length.

The key detail: Sipan is mostly visited on 6- and 8-hour tours. On 4-hour tours, Sipan is typically visited only briefly, often as a short stop after Koločep and Lopud.

This difference affects the feel of your day:

• On longer tours, you get a more complete sense of Sipan, with more time to look around and settle into the scenery.
• On shorter tours, Sipan becomes more of a viewing and photo stop—still worthwhile, but not “linger on the island” in the same way.

Sipan time is about 2 hours in the plan, but your actual experience depends on how long your day is and how the day’s conditions hold.

If you want beaches and swimming as the main story, you may prefer focusing on Koločep and Lopud with a shorter duration. If you want a more balanced “three-island” day, choose 6 or 8 hours.

Drinks, snorkeling, and the GoPro: turning stops into memories

One reason this tour earns such strong feedback is that the included comfort items make it easy to actually use the time on the water.

Here’s what you can count on:

• Drinks: beer, white wine, soft drinks, and water
• Towels
• Snorkeling equipment
• GoPro

That last one is more useful than it sounds. Cave water and coastline angles are dramatic, and snorkeling photos can be the difference between a fun day and a day you still remember clearly back home. Having a GoPro included removes the friction of borrowing gear or buying something locally.

Snorkeling also changes how you experience caves. Instead of only looking from the boat or from a safe viewing point, you can see the rock textures and swim routes up close. In cave areas, that shift from sightseeing to getting in the water is where the day often turns from nice to unforgettable.

A practical consideration: even with gear included, you’ll still want swim-friendly shoes or at least a plan for slippery surfaces around entry areas. The tour provides snorkeling equipment and towels, but footwear habits are still personal.

Your captain’s role: flexibility, local timing, and good communication

On this kind of route, the captain isn’t just driving. The captain is timing the day, reading the conditions, and deciding how to make your stops work.

In bookings for Stella Maris Dubrovnik Boats, the skipper is commonly described as friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about the area. People also note strong communication ahead of time and smooth pickup coordination. Some guests mention the skipper reached out prior to the trip to confirm the meeting point, then checked in again the morning of the experience.

There’s also a consistent theme: customizing your day. If you want more caves, you can lean that direction. If you want more bays and open-water swimming spots, you can shift the balance. This flexibility is one of the biggest reasons private tours feel worth it, especially when you’re visiting in a hurry.

One more real-world detail from a booking: for a family arriving from a cruise port, the captain coordinated pickup smoothly and the meeting point was described as about a 10-minute walk on mostly flat sidewalks. That may not match every ship schedule, but it’s a helpful reminder to ask clearly where to go and what the exact meeting point looks like.

Weather, crowds, and how to get the best from your day

This experience requires good weather. That’s not fine print you ignore. With caves, anchor spots, and swimming, wind and swell can affect what’s possible.

So what should you do?

• If you have choice, pick a day with the best weather outlook.
• If the first planned cave or swim option isn’t ideal, trust your captain to adjust. The point of a private tour is that you can adapt without losing the whole day.

Crowds are another reason private matters. Cave stops on busy days can look like photo lines. The benefit here is that you can often arrive at popular sites earlier or manage the timing better, which improves both the water experience and your photos.

Finally, light and timing matter. Early starts can mean calmer water and more comfortable swims. If you’re doing a short tour, the first cave stop is where you’ll feel that most.

Who this tour is best for (and who should choose something else)

This is a great fit if you want:

• a private boat for a group up to 7,
• included drinks and snorkeling gear,
• flexible time at each island,
• and a cave-and-swim day that doesn’t feel like a rushed checklist.

It’s also a strong option for families. Bookings include families with children, and the flexibility to spend more or less time at each stop is exactly what families need when kids have their own energy levels.

Choose a longer duration if:

• you want more time per island,
• you care about maximizing swimming,
• or you want Sipan to feel more than a quick look.

You might choose a different style of tour if:

• your schedule is extremely tight (even a 4-hour day can still feel long on a cruise day),
• you don’t like boats or open-water swimming,
• or weather is uncertain and you’re not able to shift plans.

Should you book this Elaphite Islands private boat tour?

If you value privacy, included gear, and a captain who can shape the day to your interests, I think this is an easy yes. It’s priced for a group, not a mass schedule, and the inclusions (drinks, towels, snorkeling equipment, and a GoPro) remove a lot of the usual “boat day extras.”

I’d especially book if:

• you want the Blue Cave and Koločep caves without the rigid public-timing feel,
• you care about getting real swimming time,
• and you’re traveling with a small group where splitting the group price makes sense.

If you’re going for a short window, the 4-hour version can still work, but keep your expectations aligned: Sipan may be only a brief stop on that schedule. If Sipan matters to you, go 6 or 8 hours.

FAQ

How many people is this private boat tour for?

The tour is private and priced per group, accommodating up to 7 people.

Where does the boat tour depart from in Dubrovnik?

Pickup is offered, and the tour includes round-trip transfers from your hotel to the boat.

What islands and sights are included?

The tour stops at Koločep (Green Cave, Blue Cave, and the Three Caves), Lopud (Šunj Beach and time in a village area), and Sipan (usually more on longer tours).

How long is the tour?

The duration is approximately 4 to 8 hours.

What’s included onboard?

Beer, white wine, soft drinks, and water are served. Snorkeling equipment and towels are provided, and a GoPro is included.

Is swimming and snorkeling possible?

Snorkeling equipment is provided, and the itinerary includes cave visits and swimming time at island stops.

Is the tour language English?

Yes, it is offered in English.

What happens if the weather is bad?

This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Is this only for my group?

Yes. It’s a private tour/activity, and only your group will participate.