Sailing In Croatia: 9 Essential Items To Pack For Your Trip

When it comes to hopping on a boat for 7 days and sailing away into the sunset, it’s hard to imagine that you really need anything more than you’re favourite bikini. All those dreamy days spent lying about on deck and jumping into the salty stuff… what more could you need?

Well, that’s what I thought before jumping onto the Sail Croatia voyager trip. And I soon discovered that there’s so much more to sailing around the Adriatic than finding your inner mermaid (but don’t worry you’ll be sure to find that too).

There are national parks, beaches, and islands to discover alongside those secluded and beautiful spots to drop anchor. So it’s essential to be prepared for ever adventure opportunity, which is why I’ve put together this packing guide – stating the obvs and not so obvs. Pack your bags, it’s time to sail away to turquoise-fringed islands.

1. SWIMWEAR

AKA… swimsuit, togs, speedos, boardies, trunks, bikini, swimmers. Ladies, gents, girls, and lads, whatever you call it, you’re going to be living in your swimwear. So pack it. But don’t bring a ridiculous amount. Ladies, one or two bikinis is enough, (while one is drying, wear the other and vice versa) but be sure to bring a one piece if you love jumping in the water too to reduce all those embarrassing ‘my boob just popped out’ moments.

2. A JACKET

If you’re headed to Croatia towards the end of the season you are going to need one of these bad boys. The weather in September can be unpredictable, so bring a lightweight jacket to keep the shivers at bay. If you encounter stormy weather out at sea, it can suddenly feel pretty cold while you’re on the move. And unless you have a stomach of steel, you probably will not want to be below deck in turbulent waters – especially if you had a few beers the night before…

3. A GOOD BOOK

This might sound obvious, but I didn’t take a good book and I wish I had! For that free time when everyone else in the group has undertaken max-relax vibes. Be sure to switch off from all technology as much as you can during your trip, and a good book can be the tool you need to get you fully into holiday mode.

4. AN INFLATABLE

Optional… but recommended. It’s amazing how much joy an inflatable brings to a group of 20 and 30-somethings. So whether you choose a unicorn, doughnut, pizza slice, flamingo or swan, you are guaranteed endless hours of fun bonding with your new boat mates.

5. SUNSCREEN & MOISTURIZER

Don’t be the one that turns to a rich shade of lobster on day one (there’s always one.). Bring a good sunscreen because you’ll be out in it all day every day. And it’s highly likely you ARE going to get fried by the sun. There’s no escaping it, so be as fully prepared as possible. And because you already accepted the inevitable getting fried by the sun – be sure to bring aftersun or a good moisturizer and lip balm.

6. TRAVEL TOWEL

A towel is provided on the boat for showering but you might also want to bring a beach towel too for using up on deck. I took my microfibre travel towel because we spent time either side of the trip travelling in Croatia, which was perfect due to being so lightweight.

7. SANDALS

Although about 80% of the trip will involve frolicking around barefoot on a boat, you won’t be boat-bound every single day. Meaning you’ll need appropriate footwear to take on to dry land with you. I love my Teva sandals but a good pair of jandals/flip flops/thongs also work out just fine.

8. WATERPROOF CAMERA

To capture ALL the action and make ALL your friends back home jealous. Because did you even go on holiday if you didn’t post about it on social media? I love my GoPro but other waterproof action cams are available including Movie & Apeman so shop around if you don’t want to spend too much dollar.

9. A CAPTAINS HAT AND MATCHING SWIMSUITS…

Because if you want it to be a thing, it can definitely be a thing on a Medsailors trip. If you like getting involved with matchy matchy vibes, then prep beforehand. Otherwise, captain hats are available in small shops nearby some of the marinas en route if you want to join the crew.

Ready to dive into summer in style? Join one of our MedSailors Croatia routes today!

Lou Burton was a guest of MedSailors and is author of Tanned Toned & Travelled, a blog all about the constant quest for adventure.