Pakleni Islands

Lying just minutes offshore from fashionable Hvar Island along Croatia’s spectacularly indented Dalmatian coastline, the Pakleni archipelago (Pakleni Otoci in Croatian) forms 17 sand-fringed low-lying speckles lapped by crystal-clear seas and backed by stunted pine forests. While they are mostly uninhabited in winter, these car-free islands are one of the most popular summertime getaways in the Adriatic, for their pocket-sized beaches and easy walking through the heather-scented maquis scrub. The central island of Sveti Klement offers several photogenic and miniscule settlements including Palmižana, which has a small museum of island life, elegant villas, botanical gardens and smart beach restaurants, and the ancient fishing hamlet of Vlaka with its 14th-century church, tumbledown stone houses and vineyards. 
Almost opposite the entrance to Hvar town harbor, Marinkovac attracts gilded youth from across the Eastern Mediterranean to its stylish beach club at Stipanska and the quality seafood restaurants fringing the beautiful, pebbly bay of Ždrilica. Day-trippers also jump on the boat-taxis from Hvar town to seek out deserted coves for snorkeling and scuba diving, while in summer sailors come for the tranquil moorings in calm bays or the sheltered, well-equipped marina at Palmižana.  

Practical Info

The Pakleni Islands can be reached by passenger ferry from Hvar town to Jerolim, Stipanska or Palmižana. Ferry tickets range from 20 to 40 kuna for a return trip. There are also many taxi boats in Hvar, leaving regularly during high season from the harbor. Note that the Pakleni beaches are pebbled and rocky rather than sandy, so plan accordingly if you wish to be comfortable while lying out or taking a dip in the pristine waters.