Red RocksHvar Island

The Red Rocks, Crvene stijene in Croatian, are a wall of rust-red limestone rising straight out of deep, clear water on the south coast of Hvar, roughly five nautical miles from Hvar Town and just west of the wine village of Sveta Nedjelja. Leaving the harbour and rounding the Pakleni Islands, they are usually the first dramatic view of the day on any south-shore boat trip from Hvar.

The colour comes from iron in the rock, and it is most intense in the morning light. The cliffs drop vertically into the sea, so there is almost no beach: you swim straight off the boat. The depth hard against the rock face makes it a favourite for snorkelling, and on the left-hand side of the bay there is a well-known cliff-jumping spot from about 15 metres, where the water below is deep and clear. In the past the Red Rocks were a prized spot for lobster fishing, and local fishermen still know every hole in the wall.

On the right-hand side of the rocks a small cave hides a pebble beach, which is the one place you can stand ashore. Bring water shoes: the pebbles and the rock are sharp. Calm morning water is best for anchoring beneath the cliffs, and your skipper will keep a safe distance from the wall if there is any swell.

Because they are so close to Hvar Town, the Red Rocks slot easily into a half-day boat trip along the south coast, or open a full day that continues to Dubovica beach, the Zaraće bays and, for a wine stop, Sveta Nedjelja and its cellars below Hvar's highest peak. Our Red Rocks & Pakleni Islands tour combines the cliffs with the islands off Hvar Town, and the South Coast & Hidden Beaches tour strings them together with the coves further east.

If you rent a boat without a skipper, the Red Rocks are an easy first stop: follow the south coast west from Hvar Town and you cannot miss the colour. Anchor in the deeper water rather than close to the wall, and swim in.