Bol, Brac

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After 9 action-packed days in and around Dubrovnik and Split, it was definitely time for a couple of beach days to recharge. Plus, a visit to the Dalmatian coast wouldn't really be complete without some island-hopping.

Catching the catamaran between Dubrovnik and Split was good as we got a glimpse of a few of the islands, and it took the same amount of time as the bus anyway (4.5 hours).

The reason why I chose Brac specifically was because I fell in love with pictures of Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) Beach. Seriously, look it up, because I didn't get any aerial shots, which are the most spectacular.

On the ground it doesn't feel massively different from other beaches, but I did like having woodland so nearby, and two sides to the beach, a quieter side and a side to watch the watersports. Zlatni Rat is a pretty breezy spot and therefore popular with windsurfers, etc. I was thinking of having a go at windsurfing myself, until I saw just how powerful the winds were and someone almost getting squished by a ferry. I realised if that had been me, I probably wouldn't have regained control in time to change course and avoid the collision!

And do you know what looks even wilder than windsurfing to me? Kite-surfing! I was mesmerised watching the kite-surfers being lifted so high into the air that they could easily be mistaken for paragliders! I do quite fancy paragliding/parasailing though. Great views and an adrenaline rush without having to worry about my lack of coordination and balance getting me into bother....watch this space!

So even though we stuck to tame activities like swimming and relaxing, the breeze was still brilliant for us as we'd been struggling with the intense heat over the past week and the wind was such a welcome relief. The only problem was that our parasol wouldn't stay in place so we burned pretty quickly, even with reapplying sun lotion after swimming!

The sunset on Zlatni Rat was easily the best of our whole trip. Often our view westwards was obscured by hills or some other obstacle, but with the beach stretching out into the sea we had a full uninhibited view of the sun setting in all its glory.

The town of Bol itself was picturesque, and a popular resort with plenty of tourist amenities on the kilometre-long stretch of promenade leading to the beach. So not exactly secluded or off the beaten track, but it was a good resort for families in particular with lots to entertain kids.

Overall I enjoyed our time in Bol (and their cheesy but clever slogan - 'symBOL of the Adriatic' ha ha) and am glad I chose it as a pitstop to recharge.

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