BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide

Day Boat Rental From Split: Brač, Hvar and Šolta Without a Week-Long Charter

You don't need a full week to see Dalmatia: from Split, a day-rented RIB or motorboat is enough to reach Brač, Hvar or Šolta. Prices, distances and practical tips.

Split is best known as the departure port for week-long Croatian cruises. But not everyone has seven days to spare: for a cruise-ship stopover, a weekend in the old town, or a land-based holiday nearby, a day rental from Split opens up the same playground — the islands of Brač, Hvar and Šolta — with no week-long booking or logistics required.

Why Split is the ideal day-trip base

Unlike an isolated archipelago, the Split roadstead puts three major islands within two hours of sea, with a wide choice of RIBs, motorboats and catamarans available for day hire year-round. The city itself, built around Diocletian's Palace, makes the round trip easy even without a car: the marina and most operators sit a short walk from the historic centre.

Brač and the beach at Zlatni Rat

About an hour out, Brač owes its reputation to Zlatni Rat, a spit of white pebbles that shifts shape with the currents, facing the town of Bol. It's the easiest first outing from Split: the crossing is usually sheltered, anchoring is possible on either side of the point depending on the day's wind, and a lively harbour town waits for lunch.

Hvar, Dalmatia's most sought-after island

A little further out, Hvar pairs an elegant harbour town with the Pakleni Islands just offshore: a handful of wooded islets with translucent coves, heavily used by week-long catamaran charters but just as reachable on a day trip. Expect a longer crossing from Split (around two hours), best kept for calm-sea days if the rented boat isn't built for open water.

Šolta, the quiet and closer alternative

Less well known, Šolta sits less than an hour from Split: a lower-key island with wooded, lightly used bays, ideal when Brač and Hvar are booked solid in high summer. It suits a shorter family outing well, with less swell to contend with and a quick return if the weather turns.

Which boat to choose for a day out

For reaching a single island with swimming stops along the way, a RIB (€150–400/day) or a motorboat (€200–600/day) is plenty and lets you string together several coves. A skipper (roughly €150–300/day) is reassuring for a first outing in the Adriatic, especially on the longer crossing to Hvar; see our guide to going with or without a skipper to decide based on your own experience. There is no no-licence option in Croatian waters — book through a local operator or with a skipper, since the rule differs from the French 6 hp threshold covered in our no-licence rental guide.

When to sail, and what to plan around

The season runs from May to October, peaking in July–August, when it pays to book a few days ahead and set off early to find space at the busiest anchorages, Zlatni Rat especially. The bora, a sometimes violent and sudden north-easterly wind, can ground boats at the dock with little warning; a check of the day's marine forecast, as our guide to reading marine weather explains, avoids nasty surprises mid-crossing. On days of settled wind, Šolta, closer and more sheltered, is usually the safest fallback.

Compare before you book

The same RIB or motorboat routinely varies by 10–25% in price between platforms for an identical outing. Boat-Comparator queries Boataround, SamBoat and Click&Boat live on the Split listing page, affiliated with none of them. Check the deposit and cancellation policy, which vary by operator, before confirming — and if a full week ends up tempting you after all, our guide to northern Dalmatia, Zadar and Šibenik widens the comparison further up the coast.

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• Renting with or without a skipper: how to choose