It took a 40 minute ferry ride from Dubrovnik, Croatia to reach Lopud Island. It looked like something out of a movie set Р this little town on the waters edge with sloping green hills behind it. It had a feeling of excitement and adventure and I was looking forward to spending time on this small, uninhabited island.

To put you in the picture, Lopud Island is situated in the Adriatic Sea and is just one of nine islands that make up the Elafiti Islands. Once a favourite place for summer residences of the Dubrovnik aristocrats all that remains are scattering remnants of old churches, and basilicas and a few stories of murder to go along with it.  Every sea town has stories of romance, murder and intrigue but with Croatia’s turbulent history I opted to believe the 
stories as facts and explored these
remnants with a little shiver running down my spine.

Lopud Island

Lopud was to be my main base for the week and having the only sandy beach out of all the islands I was sure to experience the island lifestyle along with some amazing sunsets. But my main aim was not to laze on the beach drinking cocktails all day, but to explore these lovely islands in a different way Р in a kayak!
Adventurous? Yes. A walk in the park? No. But the memories are good as I remember with fondness the feeling of being on the water for the first time, the warmth of sun on my back and my mind relaxing along with the gentle swell of the sea. All I had to think about was getting to my next destination and sampling some great calamari. What a life, I could not wait to see where my kayak would take me nextЙ

Kolocep Island

Reaching the island of Koločep however turned out to be both mental and physical challenge, as the sea took a turn for the worse and it took all my strength to keep paddling in the right direction.  My arms were burning by the time I finally entered the bay at our final destination. A celebratory drink to mark our 18 km challenge was a must before tackling the steep hill back to our accommodation. It was then off to Lili’s terrace for a superb three course dinner Р all included in the price of my six day kayak tour.

Šipan Island

We took a ferry across to Šipan Island as the sea was too rough to paddle the 10km. This meant we had more time to explore this lovely island of only 500 inhabitants. With the main source of income being tourism and fishing it was not an unfamiliar site to see many fishing boats, or men and women fixing their fishing nets by hand. It gave the island a unique feel and I was surprised how rural the island has remained considering it’s closeness to Dubrovnik.

I felt alive and refreshed after my week exploring a small part of unspoilt Croatia, both on land and out at sea and would recommend sea kayaking around this area to everyone.  And if you feel it would be a bit too much you can always sneak off for a sensous hot stone massage Р conveniently sign posted off the main street in Lopud.

Useful Websites
Croatian Embassy:
 www.croatia.embassyhomepage.com
Croatian Tourist Board: www.croatia.hr
Sea Kayaking: www.adriatickayaktours.com

South African born Nicole Boys is an avid traveller and marketer who has lived in London for the past nine years. Nicole’s love of travelling has sent her on many adventures around the world.