Blue Cave from Split: How the 5-Islands Day Works and Which Boat to Take
From Split the Blue Cave is a full-day speedboat run — about 30 nautical miles, Biševo first for the light, then Komiža, Stiniva, the Budikovac lagoon and Hvar. Which tour, what it costs with the €24 ticket, and what the day feels like.
Split is where most people meet the Blue Cave, and from Split the cave is not a trip — it is the first stop of a long, fast day around five islands. This guide explains what that day is, how long the crossing takes, which boats are worth your money, and what the price becomes once you add the ticket no tour includes.
If you want the answer before the explanation: the Blue Cave & 5 Islands small-group tour is the most-reviewed boat on the coast — 4.6 from 7,641 verified guests, from about $127 — and it is the day described below.
How far, how long
Biševo lies about 30 nautical miles from Split, beyond Vis. On the standard speedboats that is 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours each way depending on the boat and the sea; the boats leave the Riva at 8–9am so that they reach Mezuporat inside the light window of roughly 10:30 to 13:00. That is also why every Split boat arrives at the cave in the same wave and why the queue at Mezuporat can reach an hour on July and August middays.
The day runs roughly 8am to 6–7pm. Windproof jackets are in the includes on the better boats for a reason: it is fast and it is wet.
The route
Almost every Split tour follows the same clockwise loop, in this order because of the light:
- Biševo — the Blue Cave. Moor at Mezuporat, pay the €24 (€18 in the shoulder season) in cash to the crew, wait for a licensed small boat, duck under the entrance, five to ten minutes inside. Details in the ticket guide.
- Komiža on Vis — the fishing harbour where Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was filmed; coffee and a wander.
- Stiniva — the cliff-walled cove on the south of Vis, a swim stop.
- Budikovac Blue Lagoon — the shallow turquoise lagoon that most people remember second only to the cave.
- The Pakleni islands off Hvar — snorkelling.
- Hvar town — about two hours free for lunch and the fortress before the run home.
Some boats add the Green Cave on Ravnik or Palmižana; the ordering is the constant.
Which boat from Split
| Tour | Rating · reviews | From | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cave, Mamma Mia, Hvar & 5 Islands — small group | 4.6 · 7,641 | $127.51 | Skipper and guide, snorkel gear, windproof jackets, insurance; departs Split or Trogir; “Top pick” |
| From Split: Blue Cave, Mamma Mia, Vis & Hvar 5-Island | 5.0 · 3,121 | $91.41 | The budget classic — same loop, bigger boat, fewer comforts listed |
| Split: Blue Cave, Mamma Mia & 5 islands small group | 4.7 · 2,308 | $127.51 | “#1 selling day trip”; the listing states the ticket price plainly (€18/€24) |
| From Split: Blue Cave, Hvar, Mamma Mia, 5 Islands | 4.9 · 1,556 | $91.41 | Sun shade, storage, snorkel gear; ticket paid in cash on the boat |
| Blue Cave & Hvar 5 Islands, small group of 12 | 4.7 · 487 | $125.83 | RIB speedboat, max 12; departs Trogir or Split |
| Split: 5 Islands full-day, plush seating | 4.9 · 359 | $130.86 | Not a RIB — cushioned seats; the listing spells out €24/€12 and €18/€9 |
Every one of them excludes the cave ticket. Add €24 (high season) to compare like with like: the small-group leader is really about $155, the budget boats about $119.
Which to choose
- First visit, one shot at it: the small-group leader. Guide plus skipper, the comfort items, and 7,641 people who did this exact day.
- Price first: the budget 5-island boat — same cave, same islands, 5.0 from 3,121 guests, thirty-odd dollars less.
- Hate RIBs: the plush-seat full-day boat.
- Prefer a smaller group than “small group”: the 12-seat RIB.
Two honest caveats
The Split day is a marathon built around a ten-minute cave; if that sounds wrong to you, the Komiža hop is a two-hour outing instead. And the cave is closed on southerly swell even under a clear sky — book early in your stay, and let free cancellation do its job if the jugo blows.
Related
Blue Cave entrance fee · Best time to visit · From Hvar · From Komiža and Vis · Blue Cave vs Green Cave · all Blue Cave tours
The Split Boat Everyone Books
Blue Cave, Mamma Mia, Hvar & 5 Islands small-group speedboat from Split or Trogir — 4.6/5 from 7,641 verified guests, from $127.51, with skipper and guide, snorkel gear, windproof jackets and insurance. Free cancellation. Cave ticket €24, paid on Biševo.
Check Availability & Book