Music festivals, cave raves and swimming up to the dancefloor had Brisbane First & Business Travel Expert Annabel Tidmarsh diving into Croatia in a new way on a Busabout sailing trip.

View from the porthole. (Image: Annabel Tidmarsh)

‘Eat, sleep, rave, repeat’ is an oft-repeated mantra of the party hearty, but how many people can claim to have experienced a European music festival while sailing around Croatia? It may sound like a standard holiday for Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s crew, but a boating and beats vacation is totally achievable for music fans looking to combine partying and sightseeing while sleeping on a sailboat, thanks to Busabout’s Cruise to the Beat trips in Croatia.

Annabel had travelled around the south coast of Croatia on a previous trip, but had never experienced the country on a music festival itinerary she describes as “three days of endless partying and good tunes followed by long days at stunning swim spots on the Croatian Coast”.

Revolving around the three-day Soundwave Croatia music festival in Tisno on the Dalmatian Coast, the sailing trip also took in the coastal town of Primosten, the island of Hvar, plus Makarska - known as the Croatia riviera, before heading to Split, one of the largest cities on the Adriatic Coast and a popular place to drop anchor on a sailing trip.

“I don’t know of any other festival where you can swim off your boat and onto the dancefloor!” Annabel enthuses. “It was awesome to be right in front of the action and swim back to the boat for drinks.”

Party on board and party on shore. (Image: Annabel Tidmarsh)

It wasn’t all dancing and drinks though, according to Annabel, a typical day on tour consisted of breakfast on board, followed by plenty of free time to relax before stopping for a swim in an idyllic location or a secluded bay for a few hours. After a delicious lunch back on the boat, Annabel and her fellow travellers enjoyed more swimming and sunning in the Adriatic before the onboard party at night.

“I couldn’t believe how beautiful each and every stop was,” she says. “The water is so clear you can see the bottom.”

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Crew assembled and ready! (Image: Annabel Tidmarsh)

There were plenty of natural wonders on the Busabout itinerary as well – one of Annabel’s trip highlights was Krka waterfalls, a series of seven cascading falls located in Krka National Park.

“Krka falls was amazing - beautiful freshwater with stunning views and a great place to swim and relax for a few hours,” she says.

Another memorable excursion involved tasting the local cuisine at a winery, which included a three-course Croatian meal, as well as experiencing the ‘rave in a cave’ at Deep Makarska – a cafe and nightclub venue within a natural cave with views of the sea. Hvar was another highlight for Annabel, who loved the luxurious isle for its celebrity-spotting opportunities.

But when asked about her favourite part of the tour, Annabel tips the onboard experience and knowledgable guides for making the trip truly memorable.

“I loved this Busabout tour as it was different. I like the sense of adventure and the little things Busabout does to make it a much better trip.

“My favourite part was probably being on the boat. You can switch off from the real world, spend time reading, tanning and having genuine conversations with other people on the boat. It was a great way to make new friends and just relax,” she says.

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Visit your local Flight Centre store or call 131 600 for more advice and the latest deals on Busabout Croatia sailing trips.

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