Croatia Sailing Packing List: What I Actually Used (& What To Leave Behind)

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As a hand luggage only traveller, I am usually proud of my packing abilities. My 5 day trip to Croatia included a 3 night sailing trip on a catamaran, and I couldn’t believe how much I ended up taking! I took the same size bag as what I did for 17 days in the Philippines! Here’s what I packed, what I actually used and what you should leave behind.

What You Actually Need for a Croatia Sailing Trip

I used a 30L backpack and a Uniqlo crossbody bag as my ‘personal’ item.

@englandandeverywhere

Pack with me for a 5 day sailing trip in Croatia with hand luggage only. I was flying on Jet2 so had a free overhead bag along with an underseat bag. On the plane I wore: denim shorts, a black T-shirt, hoodie and Teva sandals. At the very last minute I took my raincoat too as it was raining on my way to the airport and one day in Croatia had forecasted storms🤦🏻‍♀️ #handluggageonly #handluggage #packwithme #carryonbag #travelpacking

♬ original sound – Kylie✈️Budget Conscious Travel

Daytime Clothing (Deck Life Essentials)

• Loose linen shirts / cover-ups
• Quick-dry shorts
• Hat + sunglasses

I wore swimwear with quick drying linen shorts, a vest top and a shirt over the top. This was fine for having breakfast, going to the marina to use the toilet facilities, and my morning walks wherever we were docked.

Then throughout sailing, depending on the weather, I would either just wear just the open shirt over my swimwear, a combination of either or both, or just my swimwear on its own.

For me, a sun hat was a MUST. There’s not much shade if you plan on sitting on the front deck area. Make sure to take one that sits quite tightly on your head, as it can be breezy.

Swimwear (You’ll Live In This!)

• 2–3 swimsuits
• Rash guard (optional but useful for sun)
• Beach towel (check if boat provides)
• Snorkel

I mostly just then wore swim wear during the day time. I took 3 but actually only wore 2. For sun protection, I then took my rash guard, which is like a t-shirt made out of swimwear material. Especially when I snorkel, it leaves my back exposed to the sun for a long time, so it’s good for protection. In the afternoon, I would then just leave it on until it dried.

The company I was sailing with provided 1 large towel and a hand towel. I used their towel for showering and then I travel with a lightweight, quick drying sarong that I use as a ‘beach towel’. This can then double up for covering yourself up in the sun, or walking through the cabin if you are a bit wet.

Usually when I travel with hand luggage only, I wash items in the sink and then dry them throughout the day, but space is limited on the boat, you can’t really rely on this.

For wet swimwear and towels, people would hang them over the side of the boat. I packed a couple of pegs but my boat provided them.

One girl on our boat did lose a pair of shorts overboard when they blew away in the wind, and unfortunately they did sink into the depths of the Adriatic. So in the day while you’re sailing you have to be careful of the wind, but in the evenings in port, it would then be a bit damp and humid and hard to dry things.

Croatia isn’t exactly known for its snorkelling but I took my snorkel, just because I’m nosy! When it comes to marine life, I saw a few different types of fish, but for me the highlight was seeing a shipwreck at one of our stops. The visibility was great, the water was so clear in the bays that we stopped at!

Shoes

• One pair of casual shoes/sandals for port evenings

What shoes are best for a sailing trip?

My sailing company requested that shoes were not to be worn while on board, so we all just walked around barefoot. (If you really did want shoes, they had to have light coloured soles).

There’s also limited storage space, so they asked for shoes to be kept in your cabin, or alternatively there was an underfloor storage area on the back deck. However, this storage area was open to the elements and would be splashed by seawater.

I took Teva sandals which were ‘smart’ enough to wear in the evenings while in port, but are robust enough to then get wet too. Flip flops are good as well.

Evenings in Port (What People Underestimate)

• Light jacket or hoodie (sea breeze)
• One “nice casual” outfit
• Small bag for dinners ashore

An absolute MUST we found when sailing in Croatia in June, was that we needed some form of long sleeves in the evenings, after the sun went down. I took a hoodie, that I was wearing like a coat, and then a long sleeve zip top.

I only wore the hoodie, because it was literally just for 2 hours each evening, however if you were on the standard 7 day sailing trip, having a second one would probably be a good idea too.

Breakfast and lunch were included on board, but evening meals were at your own expense. I took a black playsuit/romper that looked smart enough for dinners and then I could double up my black linen ‘day time’ shorts with a nice top. If you can mix and match and pack items with multiple different uses, this can save massively on space.

I then used my Uniqlo bag, that was my personal item on the plane, as my bag for wandering around the ports and when going out to dinner.

Nighttime

• Pajamas
• Earplugs/eyemask

As a solo traveller, on my boat, the cabins were shared, so some sort of pyjamas are a must. I just took a pair that were like shorts and a t-shirt. The bathrooms were shared between cabins too, so if you need to go in the night you’ll be wandering around in the common areas.

Again, for me being in a shared cabin, I took an eye mask, just in case the person I was sharing with had a different sleep schedule. I also travel with Loop earplugs, I used these every night too, the toilets flush very loudly and on the morning we started sailing at 4am, it lessened the sound of the engines that were literally right next to our heads.

Toiletries & Practical Essentials

• 5L Dry bag
• Phone lanyard
• Kindle
• USB charger (ADAPTOR if you have USBc)
• Basic toiletries (boats are compact) & suncream
• Seasickness tablets (even if you think you won’t need them)

I was the only one on board that took a dry bag, but for me it was a must have! I bought mine a few years ago because I do a lot of boat trips and water based activities when I travel and it worked perfectly on the sailing trip.

I liked sitting out on the front deck and sometimes in choppy conditions you would get splashed by waves. There were a few times when my dry bag got completely covered. Also, if people were moving around wet, it didn’t matter if it got dripped on.

Inside I kept: my phone, Kindle, suncream, any clothes I wasn’t wearing (so they didn’t blow away) and any little quick access bits that I may have needed throughout the day.

Similar with the phone lanyard. If my phone was in my pocket while moving around the boat, or walking along the plank at the marinas, it was just something extra to keep it secure from falling.

There is quite a lot of downtime while you’re sailing (2-3hrs in the morning and 2-3hrs in the afternoon). For me, my Kindle was a must, I’m a reader anyway, so used it a lot. I was worried that with the movement of the boat I wouldn’t be able to read without feeling sick, but I was OK.

On the particular boat I was sailing on, the cabins had 2 USB ports and one plug socket. I always travel with a worldwide adaptor, but I didn’t actually need it while on the boat because I just used the USB ports.

The USB ports were active the whole time, I believe they ran off the same system at the lights. However the plug sockets ONLY worked while we were in the marinas or if the generator was running.

Some of the newer electronics have USBc leads, so the people with these then had to rely on power banks. I would recommend buying a USBc to USB adaptor, that plugs onto the end of the cable. This can also be used on long haul flights where power banks may not be able to be used either.

The bathroom facilities are shared or in the marina. I took my hanging toiletries bag with a detachable liquids compartment. This was GREAT in the marina showers because they often had NO WHERE to put your clothes or stuff, so at least I could hang it off the back of the door.

I was also travelling with hand luggage only and leaving Split you have to remove your liquids at security, so I could just remove that part.

I sometimes feel sick on boats, so I took 1 seasickness tablet as a precaution each morning just in case, but thankfully I felt ok.

What the Boat Usually Provides

• Bedding / sheets (usually yes)
• Towel (check)
• Basic kitchen supplies
• Storage space per person
• Seasickness medication

The company I sailed with provided bedding, sheets and 1 pillow per person. The duvets were also individual, which was much better for those sharing a cabin, because it didn’t actually feel like you were ‘sharing a bed’.

They also provided one large towel and a smaller hand towel. I used the one that they supplied for showering and then my sarong (that I use like a beach towel), for swimming and while out on deck.

Kitchen supplies were also included on my boat (cups, mugs, glasses, plates, cutlery etc). Some people took reusable bottles to fill with water. I just used one of the 2L plastic bottles and wrote my name on it with a marker pen.

In my cabin there was 1 small wardrobe and a cupboard with a shelf that acted like a side table. I could fit my backpack in the cupboard, the girl I was sharing with put her suitcase on top of the table and then the wardrobe was a bit of a free-for-all space.

Those travelling with larger bags found some storage space under the bed, but it’s not very convenient for constant access, so it would be better to unpack the things you need.

Is seasickness common on Croatia sailing trips?

My company did have seasickness tablets and gum on board to use, I took my own, but if you realise that maybe you DO need something, they may be able to help you out.

Our skipper tried their best to pick routes that would be more ‘comfortable’ for us, but due to the nature of the trip, some choppiness can’t always be avoided.

What I Didn’t Need (Save Space Here)

• Large suitcases (hard to store on boats)
• Too many outfits (you repeat clothes constantly)
• Multiple pairs of shoes
• Snacks

Do I need a suitcase or backpack for Croatia sailing?

So as mentioned above, try not to take a suitcase, there isn’t really anywhere to store them. The company I sailed with did recommend taking soft side bags because they are easier to squash into small spaces. I always travel with a 30L backpack MAX on all of my trips, and found this size worked perfectly for the space available.

I took water socks with a rubber sole, but didn’t actually use them while on the boat. All the swimming spots were from the boat, rather than a beach, so you never actually touched the ground. HOWEVER if you are planning to spend some time in Croatia before or after, you may need them if you plan on going to the beach.

I went to a beach club on my last day and forgot to put mine in my day bag and NEEDED them! The beaches in Croatia are very rocky! (I left my big bag at the marina for the day, before my flight in the evening).

I took several changes of clothes, but didn’t actually wear them much while on the boat, as I lived in my swim stuff. Take outfits that could be used for both evenings and mornings, or items that can be dressed up/down, so you can mix and match and wear things a few times each. In reality you are only wearing actual clothes for a few hours at a time rather than all day.

There’s a high chance you won’t need snacks! I took some breakfast bars just in case and didn’t even touch them! The food on my trip was amazing and we definitely didn’t go hungry! It felt like we were always eating!

Weather & Seasonal Packing Tips (Croatia Sailing)

• July – August (hot, minimal layers)
• Shoulder season: June & September (cool evenings)
• Wind / sea breeze

I travelled at the beginning of June and at the very last minute, when checking the forecast, I took my raincoat, a small travel umbrella and my backpack rain cover. The day we boarded the boat it POURED with rain. My umbrella broke in the wind, so I threw it in a bin, and my raincoat and backpack cover were a must.

We also needed some sort of long sleeves in the evening, as it did get a little chilly once the sunset.

It can also be breezy when you’re out at sea, so make sure you have things like hats that fit comfortably and won’t blow off your head!

In the peak summer season temperatures are hotter and weather is a little more stable.

My Full Croatia Sailing Packing Checklist (Quick Summary)

Wear:

• Jean shorts
• Black T-shirt 
• Hoodie
• Teva sandals
• Raincoat/pac-a-mac

Main backpack:

• Linen shorts x2
• Playsuit x1
• Black sport vest top
• Patterned ‘nice’ top
• Shirt/cover up
• Long sleeve half zip top
• PJs
• Bikinis x2
• Rash vest
• 5L dry bag
• Snorkel
• Water shoes
• Pegs
• Sarong
• Hat
• Paperwork (insurance, injections, passport copy)
• Charging cables (including 6ft phone lead)
• Worldwide travel adaptor
• 2nd phone (incase the first one gets water damaged)

Toiletries:

• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Brush
• Deodorant
• Any personal items
• Solid shampoo
• Conditioner (a MUST after being in the sea)
• Lip balm
• Suncream
• Bug spray/wipes/bite cream
• Antiseptic
• Hand sanitiser
• Any medications (including seasickness tablets)

Uniqlo Bag:

• Passport (kept in a 2nd waterproof dry bag)
• Money
• Kindle
• Powerbank
• MP3 player
• Loop earplugs/eye mask
• Mints
• Tissues
• Sunglasses
• Small reusable bottle
• Phone lanyard

For a standard 7 day sailing trip I think my packing list would have been perfect, but for the shorter 4/5 day trip, I think I did slightly overpack on the clothes front!