Sea Kayak Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamed of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

The weather on the Dalmatian Coast and its islands is usually quite mild throughout the year, although adverse wind, sea, or rainy conditions can be unpredictable with some disruptions possible at any time of the year. The best you can do is to be prepared for anything and come equipped with layers of clothing, sunscreen, and rainproofs. Your host will be monitoring the forecasts during the course of the trip and will suggest alternative, safer kayaking routes in the event that sea conditions are not favorable.

Tandem sea kayaks are used on this trip. They have a covered deck and are generally longer, faster, and sit lower in the water than touring or sit-on-top kayaks. There's a spray sheet which you'll lock in yourself (full guidance will be provided by your expert kayak guides). You'll also learn how to steer using foot pedals to control the rudder. As these are double kayaks, you will be paddling in pairs.

The kayaks are usually German high-quality Prijon, which can easily be adjusted for each person individually thanks to their comfortable touring seat system, lightweight 3D-thigh braces, and slide footrest. High storage capacity enables you to take a lot of luggage and gear with you on your multi-day expedition. HTP material is perfect for this area as it can tolerate some contact with sharp rocky coast, which makes your kayaking more trouble-free. Their fast and safe shape is designed for the typical wind and wave situation on the Adriatic Sea, especially choppy waves during summer.

If you are an experienced paddler with specific preferences, you can request a single kayak for an additional charge.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion, but there is an expectation to tip for good service. We suggest the below as a guideline per person:

€30 per person, for the trip

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

The tap water on the islands is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottles to fill up at the public fountains and at restaurants to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.

Yes. Free baggage storage is available during the trip at your host's base in Split. Extra baggage can be left at the meeting point at the start of the trip and collected again at the end.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Croatian food is shaped by the country’s geography and long history of shifting borders and trade routes. Along the Adriatic coast and islands, you’ll find Mediterranean flavours built around olive oil, herbs and seasonal vegetables, with strong Venetian and Italian influence. Head inland and things turn heartier, drawing on Central European and Balkan traditions.

The islands along the Dalmatian Coast are rich in fresh produce, from seafood and fish to seasonal vegetables and fruit, and the food on this camping trip makes the most of it. Breakfasts are usually light, with fresh fruit, bread, jams and spreads, plus tea and coffee. Lunches are mostly picnic-style, using local ingredients, while dinners are prepared by your guides at the campsite after a day outdoors and may include pasta, rice, vegetables, salads, bread, fish and sausages. Expect simple, tasty meals made with quality ingredients and plenty of flavour – fresh, filling food that fits naturally into the rhythm of a multi-day adventure.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided your host is aware in advance. There are plenty of appealing meat-free dishes to look forward to including blitva (Swiss chard with potatoes), soparnik (Dalmatian chard pie) and bean-based soups such as maneštra. Traditional vegetable and pulse dishes, egg and dairy staples, and vegetable soups and fresh salads are also available.

Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance, but you should expect fewer options and variety that you may be used to, especially in more rural areas where meals are traditionally built around meat and dairy. Vegan-friendly choices are becoming more commonplace however - look for blitva (Swiss chard with potatoes), sataraš (a slow cooked pepper, tomato & onion stew), ajvar (roasted red pepper relish), lentil or bean soups, and grilled seasonal vegetables.

Kosher Fully certified kosher options are limited in Croatia and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, kosher-supervised kitchens and ingredients may not be available, so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

Halal Croatia is not a predominantly Muslim country so fully certified halal options are limited and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip, halal-certified kitchens, meat and supply chains may not be available so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However, options may be more limited compared to those without dietary requirements. While your local hosts will do their best, it’s worth knowing that gluten-free provision may vary as it can be difficult to source specialist products and some kitchens may be unable to guarantee no cross-contamination, especially in rural areas. Therefore, meals will more-often be based on naturally gluten-free dishes rather than specialist substitutes. That said, many standard meals already include several options without gluten, even without special preparation, including grilled meats and fish, potato dishes, rice, eggs, soups and salads. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free Lactose-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as vegetable dishes, pasta, rice and potato dishes, legumes, and salads.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy (including Coeliac disease), please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority.

*Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

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All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

The climate in the islands of the Dalmatian Coast is mild for most of the year. It can get hot during the summer months of July to September with temperatures above 86°F, but you'll have plenty of opportunities to cool down in the sea thanks to the several swimming and snorkeling stops planned along the route.

During the months of May, June, September and October temperatures are generally milder (ranging between 63°F–77°F). Rain is possible at any time of year, so do come prepared for this possibility. The average water temperature is about 64–75°F in May, June, September and October, with the latter part of the season a more favorable time of year if you are into snorkeling and swimming.