It’s a noticeable upgrade from the basic
konoba
(
taverna) with wooden benches that was here the first
time I visited in 1999, when the taxi-boats were far less
frequent and certainly cheaper, and a sure sign that
tourism around Hvar has definitely caught up with
European travel trends. No wonder it's likened to the
Croatian Ibiza.
For example, on the nearby islet of Marinkovac, it's
designer swimwear that counts these days. In Stipanska
Bay, a rocky cove backed by dense pinewoods, the
trendy Carpe Diem Beach Club (
carpe-diem-beach.
com
),
which opened in 2008, has a definite see-and-be-
seen vibe. The setting is undeniably sublime, with two
pebble beaches lined with teak-wood sunbeds and big,
straw umbrellas, a pool, volleyball court, herb-scented
massage pavilion and a schmancy bar-restaurant. It's
the height of cool, in a natural setting, and seems
effortless, although obviously a lot of thought has gone
into the details. Mellow chill-out and lounge music plays
all day, phasing into an electro-house beat for occasional
after-dark parties. Boy George, Roger Sanchez and
Blond:ish have DJ-ed here, and if you get the chance to
attend one of their hedonistic full moon parties, you’ll
probably still be on the beach to watch the sun rise the
next morning.
But what if you really want to escape the world of
celebrity-conscious global tourism? The only way to find
the really hidden bays on the Pakleni islets is to approach
from the sea with your own form of transport – and a
little insider nous. “With a sea kayak you can reach small
coves, maybe only 3mwide, that would not be accessible
on foot or even with a larger boat. Then you can pull the
kayak out of the water up onto the shore and explore,”
says Damir Pačić of Hvar Adventure (
hvar-adventure.
com
). “
If you knowwhere to go, you can find secret
empty beaches, even in August,” he adds.
THE ONLY WAY TO FIND THE
HIDDEN BAYS IS TO APPROACH
FROM THE SEA WITH YOUR OWN
FORMOF TRANSPORT
–
AND A LITTLE INSIDER NOUS
»
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