Adventure holidays in Croatia - a mini travel guide

When it comes to adventure travel, Croatia may not be the first destination that springs to mind, but if you can get past its stereotype, this surprising country offers a wealth of activities to keep the adventure junkie bursting with energy. Boasting an impressive eight National Parks, numerous winding rivers, colourful underwater life and cheap skiing resorts, it shouldn’t be long before Croatia is placed firmly on the map for thrill-seeking travelers. Check out our mini travel guide below:

Diving

Diving in Croatia has become hugely popular over the last ten years and there is no shortage of diving clubs and centres to choose from if you are visiting one of it’s many coastal towns or islands. Our preferred diving spot would be around Jabuka island, where the water is at its deepest (up to 1300m). Here, you can admire the stunning coral reefs, ancient caves, wrecks and tropical fish that reside in their underwater habitat. The sea around the Istrian coast is far shallower, but a great place to start for beginners. Diving season runs from May to November.

Skiing

If you fancy a stint on the slopes, Croatia is a great place for beginners, boasting cheap resorts and relatively easy-to-contend-with slopes. The Croatian Olympic Center at Bjelolasica is Croatia’s largest resort with excellent facilities for both amateur and cross-country skiers and snowboarders. Mount Slejeme, on the other hand, is probably one of the most conveniently located Croatian resorts, being located on the northern slopes of Medvednica mountain National Park. It offers a diverse range of slopes for skiers of all levels and is easily reachable by tram or bus from nearby Zagreb.

Rafting

If you’re keen to experience Croatian’s unspoilt interior, head out rafting along its winding rivers set against a backdrop of lush forests and dramatic mountains. Most of the rivers are graded at about 3, although this does rise to 4 along the Dobra and Una rivers if you fancy something a little more challenging. For those of you who simply want to enjoy the scenery, the Mreznica River is definitely worth a visit, being famed for its stunning waterfalls and calmer stretches of water.

Windsurfing

The winds sweeping along Croatia’s coast have created perfect conditions for windsurfing - paralleling the country’s popularity for sailing. If you’ve never tried it before, its well worth booking into a windsurfing school, of which you’ll find many dotted along the coast. Premantura Peninsula is a great spot, with winds that can blow up to an impressive 40 knots.