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Island stopover - between Mostar & Dubrovnik - Late May

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Hi all, I'm still finalizing my itinerary for a solo, car-free trip coming up in late May next month. I'm seeking an island experience in the middle part of my journey, coming from spending four nights in Bosnia & Herzegovina (leaving from Mostar) and ending with three nights in Dubrovnik (allowing for a possibility of a day trip to Kotor). Seeking feedback on considerations/advice.

My goal with staying on the islands is to relax in a beautiful, not crowded coastal setting, dip in the water (I know it will be cold-ish), do some walking, and see some scenic smaller towns. I don't need nightlife. I do want to do 1-2 day trips to small / scenic islands.

For weeks, I was considering doing 2 nights in Korcula and 1 night in Mjlet, accounting for a day trip of visiting the local small islands off of Korcula. This experience seemed to match my above goals and offered a combination of things to see and do that are low-key. My one concern was it seemed like it might be too low key (?) in those locations before June when the season gets going and the water is warmer.

More recently, I opened my mind more broadly and despite not being a beach party person, I got excited about staying 2 nights in Hvar Town instead, with 1 night in Mjlet (skipping Korcula). The reason for this is because I realized that staying in Hvar in May would not mean I'm coming to an overcrowded party, and the beaches around Hvar look amazing. I also thought that the day trips offered to Pakleni Islands looks more stunning than the small islands off of Korcula. Plus, for a single person w/o a car, Hvar Town seems like a more central hub to figure out various day trips, and the bus schedule seems more regular to visit smaller towns on the island.

For someone who is seeking beauty of stunning natural beaches (not as much beach clubs), smaller island towns for cultural appreciation, and half or full day trips to small islands, what should I do? All are good problems to have! Thanks!

Posted by
5907 posts

Have you scoped out the transport?
I’m sure there is a bus from to Split, less sure if you can travel Mostar to Korcula. And with such little time, I would do whatever would maximize time.
Korcula won’t be dead in late May.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks, @valadelphia! Yes, I have looked into transport, and this is partially nudging me to Hvar. The least complicated route I've found is to take a bus from Mostar to Split, and then get on the ferry the same day, arriving in Hvar by early afternoon.

Whereas with Korcula, I can also bus it to Split, then take a ferry, but the schedule is more delayed, making it a longer day- not getting to Korcula until early evening.

I also looked into taking bus/ferry/taxi/ferry from Mostar-Ploce-Trpanj-Orebic-Korcula. However, given the ferry schedule, I wouldn't get into Korcula until 10pm that night.

The more I've looked in to Hvar, the more the beaches outside of Hvar town look beautiful, and I think I'd enjoy those. Especially paired with a day trip to nearby islands and/or a night in Mjlet.

Posted by
1181 posts

I would always opt for the less complicated transportation option, and it’s not like Hvar is a step down from Korcula. I would opt to just stay the three nights there, so you get two full days to relax and/or take a quick excursion.

Mjlet seems so intriguing. I had 100% planned on visiting, ticket bought and everything but bailed the day of. Because honestly, every place along the coast seemed so stunningly gorgeous that I had a hard time imagining Mljet was that much more of an upgrade and worth the effort. Idk, but I don’t think I’ve seen a post here from someone who has visited.

P.S. Invest in some good water shoes.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks, @awrzesinski! I appreciate the insight. So many decisions, LOL!

Last night I re-booked tentative accommodations for 2 nights Hvar town, 1 night Mljet, on my way over to Dubrovnik. However.... I hear what you're saying about staying longer (3 nights) on Hvar as a base. I was doing more research today... I would love to be able to dedicate a full day trip to Pakleni Islands and/or Vis. Then spend another full day renting a bike to check out and hang out at some of the coastal beaches east of Hvar town. And I think that would merit 3 nights.

To all who have traveled to Hvar in May w/o a car... is spending longer on Hvar to see a couple different of these locations a good use of time and not a worse idea that spending less time (2 nights) on Hvar and 1 night on Mljet?

Also, i'd love to hear how realistic is would be to try to take local buses out of Hvar town to see Zarace and Dubrovica beaches. Being solo I'm not excited about renting a car or a private water taxi. That's why I'm thinking bike (i'm an avid cyclist at home).

And @awrzesinski -roger on the water shoes. I've got chacos.

Posted by
5907 posts

I think three days is always better than splitting it two and one, and especially in this case. We loved our day at the Pakleni islands. We have walked along the coast from Hvar as far as Milna. I believe there is a bike path out of Stari Grad to/toward Jelsa, for more sedate biking. If you can manage the hills you are a much more advanced cyclist than me — it would be amazing to ride (also nowadays…e-bikes!)
On Vis, you could also do bike rental, be sure to get there in early morning when stores are open. Maybe the season has extended but when we were there there was a midday closing. (We were young and rode a scooter).

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