Best islands near Dubrovnik: honest rankings for every type of traveller

Seven islands, one day: which should you choose?

The waters around Dubrovnik contain more excellent islands than most visitors have time to visit. Within a 2-hour ferry radius you have nature reserves, salt lakes, medieval walled towns, sandy beaches, Roman villa ruins, national parks, and a replica Iron Throne. The challenge is choosing.

This guide gives honest, specific advice for different types of traveller — not a list of everything that exists, but actual guidance on what is best for the trip you are planning.

The contenders

Island	Distance	Ferry time	Best for
Lokrum	0.7 km	15 min	Half-day nature escape, GoT throne
Koločep	8 km	20 min	Quiet half-day, sea caves by kayak
Lopud	12 km	35–45 min	Best sandy beach, easy day trip
Šipan	25 km	80 min	Cycling, olive groves, authenticity
Mljet	50 km	90–120 min	National park, salt lakes, drama
Korčula	85 km	90–120 min	Medieval town, Pošip wine, culture

Distances are approximate from Gruž Port (or Old Harbour for Lokrum). Ferry times vary by season and vessel.

Best island for a half-day

Winner: Lokrum

If you only have a morning or afternoon free, Lokrum is the answer. The ferry from the Old Town’s harbour takes 15 minutes. The island is a protected nature reserve with botanical gardens, the Dead Sea salt lake for swimming, wild peacocks, Fort Royal with panoramic views, and the Game of Thrones Iron Throne replica. You can cover the main sights in 2 hours and still have time for a swim.

The next-best half-day option is Koločep — 20 minutes from Gruž, a small sandy beach, a quiet pine forest walk, and almost no crowds. Better than Lokrum if you want more beach and fewer people.

See Lokrum Island guide and Koločep Island guide.

Lokrum Island and Betina Cave half-day tour from Dubrovnik

Best island for a beach day

Winner: Lopud (for Šunj Beach)

Šunj Beach on Lopud is the best sandy beach accessible by public ferry from Dubrovnik. It is south-facing, shallow, calm, and has a beach bar with sun loungers in season. A 35–45 minute ferry from Gruž, then a 20-minute walk across the island to the beach.

The honest caveat: Šunj gets busy from 11am in July and August. Taking the earliest ferry and arriving at the beach by 9:30am gives you the best experience. By early afternoon it is a popular beach.

For a calmer sandy beach with fewer facilities, Donje Čelo on Koločep is closer and less busy — smaller, but quiet.

See Lopud Island guide.

Elaphiti Islands hop-on hop-off cruise: Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan

Best island for scenery and nature

Winner: Mljet National Park

Mljet National Park is in a different category from the Elaphiti Islands for sheer natural drama. Two salt lakes connected to the sea, dense forest, a 12th-century monastery on an island within the lake, cycling tracks, and Odysseus Cave on the south coast. The catamaran journey from Dubrovnik takes 1.5–2 hours, which makes it a full-day commitment.

The experience is worth it for the right traveller — Mljet’s combination of swimming, cycling, boat crossing to the monastery, and remote scenery is among the best day trips in the Adriatic. But it requires more commitment than the Elaphiti.

See Mljet National Park guide.

Full-day Mljet National Park tour from Dubrovnik with catamaran

Best island for culture and history

Winner: Korčula

Korčula Old Town is one of Croatia’s finest medieval walled towns — a herringbone-planned peninsula city with a Gothic-Renaissance cathedral, city walls, the claimed birthplace of Marco Polo, and the Moreška sword dance. Add the indigenous Pošip white wine from the island’s vineyards and it is the richest cultural day trip from Dubrovnik.

The journey (1.5–2 hours by Krilo catamaran) is the longest of any island in this comparison. For visitors with only one day to spend, the travel time eats into island time. Korčula is best appreciated with a full day or overnight.

See Korčula Island guide.

Best island for getting away from tourists

Winner: Šipan

Šipan is the largest Elaphiti island and the least visited. Cycling through olive groves between two medieval villages, the 16th-century Ragusan governor’s palace in Suđurađ, good rock swimming, and almost no tourism infrastructure. The ferry takes 1 hour 20 minutes from Gruž, which deters most day-trippers.

For an authentic Adriatic island experience — the kind where you eat lunch in a restaurant with no other tourists — Šipan is the answer.

See Šipan Island guide.

Best island for a multi-day stay

Winner: Korčula (as a base) or Šipan (for peace)

Korčula Town makes the best multi-day base in South Dalmatia outside Dubrovnik — comfortable accommodation, good restaurants, beaches accessible by bicycle or boat, and easy day trips to Mljet (east) and Pelješac (north). The Korčula, Mljet, and Pelješac loop itinerary is built around it.

For pure retreat, Šipan is unbeatable. The island offers almost nothing in the way of organised activities, which is precisely the point.

Best island for families with children

Winner: Lopud

Lopud edges it for families: the Šunj sandy beach is ideal for young children (shallow, sandy, calm), the ferry journey is short enough (35–45 minutes) that it does not test patience, and there are food and drink options without needing to bring everything. Lokrum is excellent for families too — the Dead Sea lake and peacocks are reliably entertaining — but it is more of a nature reserve walk than a beach day.

Practical notes

All ferries in this comparison depart from Gruž Port except the Lokrum ferry (Old Harbour in the Old Town). See how to get to the Elaphiti Islands and the Dubrovnik ferries and catamarans guide for full transport details.

Croatia uses EUR since January 2023. Island ferries are reasonably priced; the national park entry on Mljet adds to the cost.

The 5-day Dubrovnik island-hopping itinerary combines Lokrum, the Elaphiti, and a longer excursion to Mljet or Korčula into a structured plan.

Frequently asked questions about islands near Dubrovnik

Can you visit more than one island in a day?

Yes. The Elaphiti three-island hop (Koločep, Lopud, Šipan) is a standard day trip, either as an organised tour or managed independently on the Jadrolinija ferry. Combining Lokrum with a morning in the Old Town is also a natural one-day combination.

Which island has the best restaurants?

Korčula Town has the best dining of any island near Dubrovnik — range, quality, and setting. Among the closer islands, Lopud’s promenade restaurants are reliable. Šipan’s Konoba Kod Marka is the best single restaurant in the Elaphiti.

Is it possible to island-hop without a car?

All the islands in this comparison are accessible by public ferry or catamaran without a car. Korčula and Mljet are also reachable by car, but neither requires one. See island hopping from Dubrovnik.

Which islands have ATMs?

Lopud has an ATM. Korčula Town has several. Lokrum, Koločep, and Šipan do not have reliable ATM access — carry cash. Mljet’s national park area has limited banking facilities.

Is Hvar worth visiting from Dubrovnik?

Hvar Town is about 2.5–3 hours from Dubrovnik by catamaran. It is Croatia’s most famous party island with a beautiful Old Town and impressive fortress. It is a long day trip — plan for an overnight or skip it in favour of closer destinations unless Hvar is specifically on your itinerary.