23 Aug 2021
We were happy to find an affordable private kaying/swimming tour for a great day on the water around Korcula Island. Our guide, Andre, was friendly and skilled. He led us to both Badija and Vrnik Islands. It was challenging enough for our fit small group, but he made it clear he'd happily adjust the rigor of the paddling to our preferences, whether we needed a slower pace or a bigger challenge.
It was fascinating to walk the grounds of a 14th Century monastery on Badija Island then interact with the island's tame local deer population. A quick swim and fresh fruit snack was a good refresher.
The scenery was pretty on the paddle to our next stop, Vrnik Island. We toured an incredible Roman-era stone quarry. Andre was quite knowledgeable about its history (an active quarry until 1929), which included providing stone that was donated to construct the pillars in front of the U.S. White House!
There was a small, quiet beach with smooth pebbles (wear water shoes, there are very few sandy beaches in the region) where we lounged after snorkeling and swimming. The water was perfectly clear and warm in August.
Paddling back to the Korcula Adventures dock, we were pretty tired but ready to swim and snorkel some more.
We'll definitely be back to these gorgeous islands in the Adriatic. Less touristy than Dubrovnik, which is just 2 hours away, and much better bang for the buck.