Dubovica beachHvar Island

Dubovica is a small, picture-perfect bay on the south side of the island of Hvar, about five nautical miles east of Hvar Town by boat. Many people who know the island call it the most beautiful beach on Hvar, and on a calm morning it is hard to argue: a crescent of smooth white pebbles about 30 metres wide, water that shades from turquoise to deep blue, and a stone house from the 17th century standing at the edge of the beach with a handful of smaller cottages beside it.

The beach is pebble, not sand, and it shelves quickly into deep water, so it is a swimmer's beach rather than a paddling beach. Bring water shoes if the stones bother you. On the right-hand side of the bay a small sea cave has two entrances, one at the surface in the shallows and one below the waterline, and you can swim or wade inside. Snorkelling along the rocks on either side of the cove is excellent.

Two places look after you through the summer. Konoba Dubovica, the seasonal tavern behind the beach, serves drinks and simple food, and next to it the small Duba beach bar is the spot for a quiet coffee or a cold drink in the shade between swims. That is the extent of the facilities: no sunbeds, no music, no shops, which is the point of the place. Arrive early in July and August, because the beach is small and it fills by late morning.

Dubovica is also where our family story starts. Our family comes from this bay, and the terraces above the beach are still ours: our grandfather grew lavender here, and today the same fields are planted with olive trees that we tend every year. When our skippers bring you in, you are anchoring in front of home.

By boat, our skippers anchor a short swim from the shore, and Dubovica is the natural first or last stop on a south-coast day. The Red Rocks lie a little further west, the Zaraće bays and Stiniva (Brusje) are within a mile or two, and the wine village of Sveta Nedjelja is a few minutes on. Both our Red Rocks & Pakleni Islands tour and our South Coast & Hidden Beaches tour call in here. Smaller motor boats from our fleet reach it comfortably from the harbour, which is why we suggest it to guests renting a boat for the first time.

If you are not on a boat, Dubovica is one of the few south-coast bays you can also reach on foot: a steep path drops from the main road between Hvar Town and Stari Grad, about 10 to 15 minutes each way. Going by sea is easier and, honestly, the way the bay is meant to be seen.