By the Dalmatia Express crew — skippers running the Split–island routes daily, 24/7. Updated August 2026.

Not every boat day needs an open-sea crossing. West of Split lie two of Dalmatia’s easiest wins: Trogir, a UNESCO old town on its own islet, and the Blue Lagoon (Krknjaši) on Drvenik Veli — white-sand shallows so bright they look rendered. Together: the ideal half-to-full day, 20–40 minutes’ sailing per leg.

Blue Lagoon honestly

The lagoon is genuinely spectacular — and it’s on every group-tour itinerary out of Split — the same crowding pattern as the Blue Cave run. Between 11:00 and 15:00 in August, thirty boats share it. The trick is arithmetic, not secrecy: go before 10:30 or after 16:00 and you’ll share turquoise shallows with a handful of sailboats instead. Group tours can’t do that; a private boat exists to do exactly that.

What makes it special: a sandbar between Drvenik Veli and the islet of Krknjaš keeps the water waist-deep and impossibly clear over white sand — rare in pebble-and-rock Dalmatia. Snorkelling is easy and safe for kids; bring masks, the seagrass meadows hold more life than first glance suggests.

Trogir in two hours

The Kamerlengo fortress (a 15th-century Venetian fort), the Radovan portal (the carved main doorway of St Lawrence’s cathedral), gelato lanes barely wider than your shoulders — Trogir rewards a slow loop and a čevapi (grilled minced-meat) lunch. Arriving by sea to the old-town riva (the seafront promenade) beats the parking chaos by a mile. If you have a third hour: climb the cathedral bell tower for the lagoon-to-mountains panorama, then coffee on the riva watching the yachts squeeze under the Čiovo bridge.

How to do it in 2026

Want the lagoon to yourself? Book your private Split, Trogir and Blue Lagoon boat day.

Skipper’s tip: pair the 08:30 lagoon slot with an 11:00 Trogir arrival — you swim the lagoon at its emptiest and walk Trogir before the day-trip buses unload at noon.

Skipper’s tip #2: on the way back, ask for the Čiovo south-coast route — the coves between Okrug and Slatine are where Split locals swim, and they’re empty even in August because the road access is poor. By boat they’re ten minutes off the direct line home.

Make it a transfer day

Flying out tomorrow? We run this as a farewell loop ending at Split or the airport dock — checkout, lagoon swim, Trogir lunch, and straight to your flight. Ask for the departure-day itinerary. And if your holiday continues to the islands instead, the lagoon pairs beautifully as a stop en route — see the 2026 water taxi price guide for how per-boat pricing works on custom routes.

Planning it around your transfer (2026)

Because Trogir sits right beside Split Airport, the Blue Lagoon makes an easy first or last day of a trip — a swim on the way in from the airport, or before a late flight home. A private boat reaches the lagoon off Drvenik before the tour boats arrive, then carries on to nearby Šolta or towards Hvar instead of doubling back to Split. For how the wider island routes connect, see our Split-to-Hvar transport guide, or send your flight times through contact and we’ll shape the day around them.

FAQ

How far is the Blue Lagoon from Split?

~12 nautical miles — 35–45 minutes by speedboat.

Is the Blue Lagoon worth it?

Before 10:30 or after 16:00, absolutely. Midday in August, you’re swimming among dozens of anchored boats.

Can you get to the Blue Lagoon without a tour?

Only by boat — private charter or the group tours; there’s no public ferry to Krknjaši.

Trogir by boat or by bus?

Bus is cheap (~30 min); by boat you arrive on the old-town riva, skip parking entirely — and it combines with the lagoon.

Is the lagoon good for kids?

The best in the area — waist-deep over sand for a hundred metres. Bring shade; the islets have little.

Related guides

• Šolta island guide — Šolta is a quiet island close to Split, good for a relaxed day trip.
• Korčula from Split — how to reach Korčula, the walled old town island, from Split.
• Best islands from Split, ranked — our ranked list of the best islands to reach from Split.
• 7-day island hopping from Split — a one-week route for hopping between islands from Split.