Highest ratedFive islands, small group
Prokurative, Split
- Duration
- 10.5 hrs
- Group
- Up to 12
- Rating
- 4.98
- Price
- from $91
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Compare · From Split
The Blue Cave tour from Split, and how it differs
From Split the Blue Cave is a long speedboat loop that takes in Vis and Hvar town too. Here is how those days run, which listings stand out and when starting on Hvar is smarter.
Check availabilityfrom $137 · cancel at no cost
Editorial team, blue-cave-hvar.comUpdated October 25, 20267-minute read14 sources
The short version
- 01Length
- 10 to 11 hours on the listings we compare.
- 02First leg
- Up to 1.5 hours by speedboat to the Blue Cave.
- 03Hvar included
- Most loops end with 2 to 2.5 hours in Hvar.
- 04Top rated
- 4.98 from 3,063 reviews, from $91.
- 05Tickets
- The Blue Cave ticket is usually extra; some boats ask for cash.
How a day from Split works
Split is the gateway to the islands, and the Biševo visitor centre itself says the easiest way to reach Biševo is from Split.1 For a day visitor without a boat, though, the practical answer is a speedboat tour. These trips leave early from the waterfront, run out to Vis and spend the morning at the caves and coves before swinging back through Hvar town in the afternoon. On the listings we compare, the whole loop takes 10 to 11 hours.
The first leg is the long one. One popular listing spends 1.5 hours by speedboat before the Blue Cave, while another gives 75 minutes from Split or Trogir. After the cave, the usual pattern is an hour in Komiža, a short look at the former missile base at Stupišće, a stop at Stiniva, a swim at the Budikovac lagoon, a pass through the Pakleni islands and a couple of hours in Hvar town. The ride home takes about an hour.
A Blue Cave and Hvar tour from Split is therefore really a sampler of the central Dalmatian islands. You see a lot, but each stop is brief, and much of the day is spent bouncing across open water. One listing calls itself an adventure-type speedboat tour and warns the ride can be bumpy depending on the sea. Another asks you to bring long sleeves for the morning ride outside July and August, because the start can be cool.
A typical loop
The day on the top-rated tour from Split
-
Morning
Trg Republike
Meet at the south steps of the Prokurative, 15 minutes early.
-
1 hour
Blue Cave
The first stop is the cave on Biševo.
-
1 hour
Komiža
Coffee and free time in the fishing town.
-
75 minutes
Budikovac
Swimming and snorkeling in the Blue Lagoon.
-
2.5 hours
Hvar City
Lunch and free time in Hvar town.
-
1 hour
Back to Split
The speedboat returns to the Prokurative.
The listings with the strongest reviews
The standout on scores is a five-island small-group tour that meets at the south steps of Trg Republike, the Prokurative, in Split. It runs 10.5 hours with up to 12 people and is rated 4.98 from 3,063 reviews, from $91. Its rating breakdown gives the guides 5, transport 4.9 and value for money 4.8. Its listing promises a full refund if bad weather cancels the trip.
A close second meets at the same steps and follows almost the same route, with an hour at the Blue Cave, 75 minutes in Komiža and just over two hours in Hvar. It runs 10.5 hours, is rated 4.94 from 1,498 reviews and starts from $92. The listing says the tour is not recommended for people with back problems or for pregnant women, which is sensible advice for any long speedboat day.
The listing with the most reviews in our comparison, 7,476 of them, is a small-group tour rated 4.61, from $127. It has two starting options and lasts 10 to 11 hours. Its listing is the clearest about the cave: the Blue Cave is normally the first stop, but if the waiting time is long, especially in summer, the boat visits a nearby place while you wait. It also states that swimming is not allowed in the Blue Cave.
Hours on the day
Split loops against the Hvar day
hrs
Side by side
Blue Cave days from Split and Trogir
| Trip | Start | Hours | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five islands, small group | Split | 10.5 | 4.98 | 3,063 |
| Five islands, Prokurative | Split | 10.5 | 4.94 | 1,498 |
| Five islands, best known | Split, Trogir | 10 - 11 | 4.61 | 7,476 |
| Speedboat full day | Split, Trogir | 10 | 4.45 | 1,012 |
| Small group of 12 | Trogir, Split | 10 - 11 | 4.72 | 485 |
Starts, hours, ratings and review counts as each GetYourGuide listing states them.
Our shortlist
Which day from the mainland?
Highest rated
Trogir startSmall group of 12
Trogir or Split
- Duration
- 10 - 11 hrs
- Children
- 8 and over
- Rating
- 4.72
- Price
- from $133
Shorter dayDecision helper
Split, Trogir or Hvar?
Choose by where you sleep and what you want
Five islands, small group
Rated 4.98 from 3,063 reviews, from the Prokurative.
Small group of 12
It starts in front of the Kamerlengo Fortress.
Vis and Blue Cave
A 7.5-hour day from Hvar harbour.
A five-island loop
The loop ends with 2.5 hours in Hvar City.
Check the age limit
One Split listing takes no children under 8.
His discovery marked the beginning of tourism in Dalmatia and the Blue Cave has since become a must-see tourist attraction of the Adriatic Sea.
Starting in Trogir instead
If you are staying in Trogir or near the airport, you do not have to go into Split first. A Blue Cave tour from Trogir is offered by several of the same companies. One full-day speedboat starts either in Split or at Obala Lazareta 3 by the Trogir gate to the old town. It runs 10 hours, is rated 4.45 from 1,012 reviews and starts from $138. Its listing is honest about the weather: the cave may be closed when the southern wind called jugo blows.
A small-group alternative starts in Trogir in front of the Kamerlengo Fortress or at the Matejuška pier in Split. It lasts 10 to 11 hours and is rated 4.72 from 485 reviews, from $133. Note its strict rules: children under 8 cannot take part, and the boat cannot wait more than 5 minutes after the start time. It also says plainly that the Blue Cave tickets are not included in the price.
The time saved by starting in Trogir is mostly on land, in the morning traffic, rather than on the water. Whichever pier you pick, give yourself a margin: these boats leave on schedule, and one says it cannot wait more than 5 minutes after the start time. Check the exact meeting point in your booking, because the two starting options can be some way apart, and plan how you will get back to your accommodation in the evening, when the boat returns.
Map
From Hvar harbour to the Blue Cave on Biševo
The speedboat route from Hvar town past the Pakleni islands to the caves and coves of Vis, a closer look at Komiža and Biševo, and where Split, the ferries and Dubrovnik sit on the coast.
1Hvar Town2Palmižana3Green Cave4Budikovac5Stiniva6Blue Cave7Komiža8Vis town
6Blue Cave7Komiža9Pritišćina
10Split11Split Airport12Stari Grad1Hvar Town8Vis town6Blue Cave13Dubrovnik14Koločep
- 1Hvar Town
The Kabina Boats office on the harbour, where the Vis and Blue Cave speedboat starts.
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Palmižana
ACI Marina Palmižana, about 2.5 nautical miles from Hvar town.3
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Green Cave
On the islet of Ravnik, a protected monument of nature since 1967.4
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Budikovac
The Blue Lagoon swim stop named on the Hvar listing.
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Stiniva
A pebble bay ringed by limestone cliffs, reached by sea or steep paths.5
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Blue Cave
In Balun cove on Biševo, 4.5 nautical miles (8.3 km) off Komiža.6
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Komiža
13 km from Vis town, a 15-minute bus ride.7
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Vis town
Linked to Split by a ferry that runs all year.8
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Pritišćina
The other swim stop the Hvar listing may use instead of Budikovac.
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Split
Catamaran line 9602 calls at Milna, Hvar town and Vis.9
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Split Airport
A private catamaran reaches Stari Grad in one hour.10
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Stari Grad
Hvar's main car ferry terminal, 20 minutes by road from Hvar town.11
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Dubrovnik
Koločep lies 25 minutes by ferry from Gruž port.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Koločep
Its Blue Cave is a sea grotto reached by boat.13
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
For a long day from Split
01
Pack
- A layer for the morning ride
- Swimwear and a towel
- Cash for the cave ticket
- Hat and sunscreen
02
Check
- Your exact meeting point and time
- Age and health limits
- A Blue Cave stop in the itinerary
Cost calculator
What the day costs your group
Starting totals for each trip by group size
People
Total from$182
per participant from $91
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals take the cheapest per-guest starting fare shown on GetYourGuide for each boat and multiply it by the number in your party, at the ECB exchange rate of the day; cave tickets are extra and checkout gives the final figure.
Video
From Split by speedboat to the Blue Cave, Hvar and the Blue Lagoon
No YouTube code runs on this page until you press play.
Read the itinerary, not just the title
Titles on tour listings are written to catch searches, so the itinerary is the part that matters. One five-island tour from Split names the Blue Cave, Vis and Hvar in its title, yet its itinerary lists Stiniva Cove, the Budikovac Blue Lagoon, two hours on Hvar and a hidden gem, with no Blue Cave stop at all. It is a well-rated day, 4.86 from 342 reviews, but it is not the one to book if the cave is the point.
Check the other way round too. The two five-island tours from the Prokurative each list the Blue Cave with a time next to it, an hour, which is what you want to see. Before you pay, open the itinerary and look for a line that says Blue Cave with a time next to it. If it only says Biševo, a hidden gem or a secret stop, ask the operator what that means on the day.
The same care applies to the extras. A 5 islands tour from Split, like the top-rated one, counts its islands its own way, so the number in the title tells you little. What matters is how long you spend at each place, whether the cave ticket is included and what happens if the cave is closed. The listings that answer those questions plainly are the easiest ones to plan around.
Split or Hvar: which start makes more sense
The biggest difference is time. From Hvar the shared trips we compare run 7.5 hours, against 10 to 11 hours from Split. Most of that difference is time spent crossing from the mainland and back. A shorter day means more time in the water at each stop, less spray in your face and an evening free in Hvar, which is no small thing in summer.
The Split days have their own logic. They cost less on the top-rated listings, starting from $91 against $137 for the speedboat from Hvar on this site. They also include a few hours in Hvar town, so a visitor based in Split sees Hvar as part of the same trip. If you are only in Dalmatia for a few days and staying in Split, a long loop is the efficient choice.
If you are already sleeping on Hvar, there is no reason to go back to Split for this. The boat on this site leaves from Hvar harbour, keeps the group to 12 and spends its day around Vis rather than on the crossing. Our page on getting to Hvar explains the ferries and catamarans if you are still deciding where to stay. Either way, the cave itself is the same small, glowing chamber on Biševo.
Tickets, cash and the weather
Expect to pay for the cave on top of the boat. One Split listing gives the Blue Cave entry ticket as 18 euros from 1 April to 19 June, 24 euros from 20 June to 10 September and 18 euros from 11 September to 31 October, cash only. Another simply says the Blue Cave tickets are not included, at 18 to 24 euros depending on the date. Several listings mention skipping the ticket line, which saves time at the ticket desk but not necessarily in the queue of boats.
Weather decides a lot on such a long route. The official visit is run by the cave's own small boats from Mezoporat cove, and the cave closes when the sea runs into the narrow entrance.14 Good listings say what happens then: some let you rebook or take your money back when bad weather stops the trip, and others promise an alternative route if the cave alone is closed.
Pack as for a long day at sea: swimwear under your clothes, a towel, a hat, sunscreen and a layer for the morning. Keep cash in a small waterproof pouch for the cave ticket and lunch in Hvar. Eat breakfast before you go, take a seasickness tablet if you need one, and sit towards the back of the boat, where the motion is gentler on the long first leg.
Into the blue
From Hvar harbour to the glowing cave
7.5 hours, up to 12 guests, two caves and swims; cancel free up to 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How long is a Blue Cave day trip from Split?
10 to 11 hours. That is the range on the listings we compare.
How long is the boat ride to the Blue Cave?
Up to 1.5 hours. One listing gives 1.5 hours, another 75 minutes from Split or Trogir.
Is Hvar town included?
On most loops, yes. The common route ends with about 2 to 2.5 hours in Hvar.
Is the cave ticket included?
Usually not. Listings state it is extra, and one asks for cash.
Can children join?
It depends on the boat. One listing does not accept children under 8.
Can I start in Trogir?
Yes, on some trips. One speedboat starts by the Trogir gate to the old town.
What happens if the weather is bad?
A new date or a refund. Several listings offer an alternative date or a full refund.
Sources
What this guide is based on
- 1Town of Komiža, Biševo Visitor Centre (official Blue Cave site)How to reach us?↩
- 2Town of Komiža, Biševo Visitor Centre (official Blue Cave site)Visit the Blue Cave↩
- 3Hvar Tourist BoardNautical↩
- 4Vis Archipelago UNESCO Global GeoparkProtected natural monuments and significant landscapes↩
- 5Vis Archipelago UNESCO Global GeoparkProtected natural monuments and significant landscapes↩
- 6Komiža Tourist BoardBLUE CAVE (ISLAND BIŠEVO)↩
- 7Town of Komiža, Biševo Visitor Centre (official Blue Cave site)How to reach us?↩
- 8Town of Komiža, Biševo Visitor Centre (official Blue Cave site)How to reach us?↩
- 9Town of Komiža, Biševo Visitor Centre (official Blue Cave site)How to reach us?↩
- 10Hvar Tourist BoardHow to reach Hvar↩
- 11Hvar Tourist BoardHow to reach Hvar↩
- 12Dubrovnik Tourist BoardNatural sights↩
- 13Dubrovnik Tourist BoardNatural sights↩
- 14Town of Komiža, Biševo Visitor Centre (official Blue Cave site)Visit the Blue Cave↩
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