Just off the town of Hvar lies a small cruising area of its own. We explain the differences between Palmižana, Vinogradišće, Marinkovac and Jerolim, and why the right choice always depends on your crew and the conditions.
The Pakleni Islands lie just off the town of Hvar and are not a single excursion destination, but a small cruising area in their own right. Within a compact area, you will find a marina, lively swimming bays, restaurants, walking trails through pine forests and quieter stretches of coastline.
For a week aboard a catamaran, the key question is therefore not simply which bay is supposedly the most beautiful. What matters more is which stop best suits your crew, your planned route and the actual conditions on the day.
What belongs to the Pakleni Islands
The archipelago lies off the south-western coast of Hvar Island, directly opposite the town of Hvar. The official tourism information describes it as a group of islands, small islets, reefs and narrow channels. The largest island is Sveti Klement, with Marinkovac and Jerolim among the islands further east. This alone shows why the Pakleni Islands should not be reduced to Palmižana.
From the water, the character of the area changes within a very short distance. One part offers organised marina infrastructure, while another is centred more around swimming, restaurants and spending time ashore. Other areas lie closer to Hvar town.
The names are also not always used consistently in guidebooks or everyday conversation. When people refer to Palmižana, they may mean the marina on the north-eastern side of Sveti Klement or the area around Vinogradišće Bay on the southern side. For practical route planning, it is therefore worth taking a close look at the chart.
Why the archipelago is more than just an extension of Hvar
Hvar town and the Pakleni Islands are geographically closely connected, but they offer very different experiences during a sailing holiday.
Hvar town is about its historic centre, waterfront promenade, culture and lively evenings ashore. The Pakleni Islands shift the focus towards the sea, bays and a slower rhythm centred more around life aboard and along the shoreline.
Their close proximity creates plenty of flexibility. A crew does not necessarily have to choose between Hvar and the Pakleni Islands as though they were two distant destinations.
At the same time, it should not be assumed that every combination works equally well every day. Seasonal transport connections, berth availability, wind, sea state and the next stage of the route all influence the decision.
ACI Marina Palmižana on Sveti Klement
ACI Marina Palmižana lies in a bay on the north-eastern side of Sveti Klement. It is the main organised marina within the archipelago and, according to the operator, provides facilities including sanitary services, restaurants, a small grocery option and other marina services.
The marina operates seasonally. Opening periods, available capacity and reservation options should therefore always be checked directly with the operator for the relevant travel dates.
For holiday guests, the main difference compared with staying in an open bay is the level of infrastructure. Walking paths lead across the island from the marina, and depending on the season, Hvar town can also be reached by water taxi.
Schedules and operating periods can change and should therefore never be treated as guaranteed elements of a long-term itinerary.
Vinogradišće and the Palmižana area
Vinogradišće Bay lies on the southern side of Sveti Klement. The official Hvar tourism website commonly refers to the area as Palmižana and describes it as a place with beaches, restaurants, bars and walking trails through the vegetation.
Vinogradišće is therefore much more than simply somewhere to leave the boat. Spending time ashore can easily become part of the day's programme in its own right.
Marinkovac with Mlini and Ždrilca
East of Sveti Klement lies Marinkovac. The bays of Mlini and Ždrilca are connected by a short footpath and are described by the local tourism authorities as popular places for swimming and snorkelling.
They therefore offer a different type of stay compared with a marina: less emphasis on infrastructure and provisioning, and more on enjoying the water and shoreline.
Popularity, however, also means that the atmosphere can vary considerably depending on the season and time of day. A well-known bay is not automatically a quiet one.
Jerolim near Hvar town
Jerolim lies close to Hvar town and is officially promoted as a destination with rocky and pebble swimming areas, pine trees and a long-standing naturist tradition.
The island is therefore particularly suitable as a daytime or swimming stop close to Hvar. Anyone planning to go ashore should be aware that some areas are traditionally associated with naturism.
Bay, mooring field or marina
The terms bay, mooring field and marina describe very different situations.
A bay is first and foremost a geographical feature. A mooring field is commercially or officially operated and may have its own rules and fees. A marina provides defined berths and established infrastructure.
These differences affect comfort, access to shore, availability and cost.
This article is deliberately not an anchoring guide. Information about water depth, seabed holding, shelter in particular wind directions or safe approaches belongs in up-to-date nautical publications and remains the responsibility of the skipper.
Operator information, charts and local guidance can change.
For guests, the key point is simpler: the Pakleni Islands offer several different types of stop, but none of them is automatically the right choice regardless of the conditions.
How the Pakleni Islands fit into a route from Trogir
On a route starting in Trogir, the Pakleni Islands form part of the western Hvar cruising area. Geographically, they can be combined with Brač, Hvar and, with a suitable weather window and enough time, more distant destinations such as Vis.
Further south, Šćedro can also become another element of the itinerary.
That does not mean, however, that there should be a fixed weekly programme.
For a crew wanting to experience Hvar town, a stop in the archipelago can provide a completely different perspective on the same area.
Guests looking for a quiet day aboard will have different priorities from a group planning dinner ashore in the evening. Families may focus more on a comfortable daily rhythm and straightforward access ashore. Couples or groups of friends may place greater emphasis on the choice between marina, bay and town visit.
At SAILING MANAIA, we therefore plan our routes together with our guests and keep them flexible within the limits of weather, safety and local conditions.
The Pakleni Islands fit this philosophy particularly well: many different possibilities lie close together, but the best choice only becomes clear during the actual week.
When a stop in the Pakleni Islands works particularly well
If you want to experience Hvar without focusing exclusively on the town.
If swimming, snorkelling, spending time ashore or enjoying a meal by the water matters more than adding another long sailing leg.
If your route between Brač, Hvar and other destinations would benefit from a flexible intermediate stop.
If you would like to choose between marina infrastructure and a stay that is more centred around a bay and the natural surroundings.
One thing is important to remember: particularly during the high season, the best-known bays and destinations can become quite busy.
Anyone looking for peace and quiet therefore needs flexibility when it comes to timing and location – and sometimes the willingness to change the original plan.
Respect makes the difference
The proximity to Hvar and easy accessibility make the archipelago extremely popular. This makes respectful behaviour towards the coastline, the sea and other visitors all the more important.
Waste should be taken back aboard or disposed of at designated collection points. Noise, dinghy traffic and time spent ashore should be appropriate to the surroundings. Wherever operators or authorities have introduced specific rules, the current local regulations apply.
The same honesty should also apply to how the islands are presented visually.
The Pakleni Islands can look wonderfully peaceful, but they are not an undiscovered secret. A credible description should therefore reflect both their natural beauty and the fact that the best-known bays can be very popular during the summer months.
No. The Pakleni Islands are a separate archipelago located just off the south-western coast of Hvar Island, directly opposite Hvar town. The largest island is Sveti Klement, with Marinkovac and Jerolim among the islands further east.
The name Palmižana is used for more than one place. ACI Marina Palmižana is located on the north-eastern side of Sveti Klement, while the area around Vinogradišće Bay on the southern side is also commonly referred to as Palmižana. For route planning, it is therefore important to check the exact
Yes, depending on the season, Hvar town can be reached from Palmižana by water taxi. Services and timetables can change, so current connections should always be checked locally. It's also possible with to drive with a bigger dinghy from anchorage to Hvar.
No general rule like that should be assumed. Bays, organised mooring fields and marinas are different types of stops and may have different rules, fees and restrictions. Water depths, holding ground, wind protection and safe approaches should always be checked using current nautical information and assessed by the skipper.
Yes. Areas such as Vinogradišće, Marinkovac and Jerolim offer swimming, snorkelling, restaurants, walking paths and time ashore, so a stop can easily become a full-day experience. The best choice depends on the crew, the season, weather conditions and the planned route.