Brač
Zlatni Rat beach from Split by boat
How to reach Zlatni Rat on Brač from Split by boat, catamaran or ferry, how long each takes, and how to time the day around the crowds.
Zlatni Rat is the beach that ends up in every photograph of Croatia. The shape is unusual: a long pebble spit that juts into the sea and shifts slightly with the wind and the current. The water on both sides is exceptionally clear. It sits just west of the town of Bol on the south coast of Brač.
Getting there by private boat from Split takes the logistics out of it.
Getting there without a boat
There are two public routes. In summer a direct catamaran runs from Split to Bol in about an hour, and from Bol's harbour it is a pleasant walk along the seafront to the beach. It is the best public option, but it runs a limited number of times a day, and the last departure decides when you leave.
The other route is the car ferry to Supetar, on the north coast, about 50 minutes. Supetar is on the wrong side of the island, so you then need a bus, taxi or rental car for roughly 40 minutes over the hills to Bol. It works, but a good part of the day goes on travelling.
A private boat goes straight to Zlatni Rat. You anchor off the spit, swim off the back, and leave when you feel like it.
What a day to Zlatni Rat looks like
Leave Split around 08:00. The crossing of the Brač Channel takes about 50 to 60 minutes, so you reach Zlatni Rat by around 09:00, while the beach is still quiet and the light is soft.
Swim, walk the spit, and enjoy it before the crowds arrive. Mid-morning, move on to a calmer cove along the coast. The skipper will know which one is sheltered that day. Lunch in Bol, a small town with good restaurants close to the harbour. In the afternoon, a second swim, then back across the channel to Split.
Why the beach is better by boat
Zlatni Rat gets busy in peak season. Arriving by private boat means you are not tied to the catamaran timetable, so you can be there when it is quiet, and you always have somewhere to retreat to: shade on deck and a quieter bay a few minutes away.
It also opens up the rest of Brač. The north coast has bays that no ferry passes, and the west coast has the sheltered harbour of Milna, an easy stop on the way home.
Combining Zlatni Rat with Hvar
Hvar is just across the water from Bol. On a full day you can combine Zlatni Rat with the quieter north coast of Hvar, the old harbour towns of Jelsa and Vrboska. It is one of our regular routes: Zlatni Rat and Hvar's north coast.
Read our guide to Brač island from Split for more on the island, or compare the ways across in Split to Brač: ferry, catamaran or private boat. When you know your dates, contact us and we will put together a route.
Common questions
- How far is Zlatni Rat from Split by boat?
- Zlatni Rat is on the south coast of Brač, just west of the town of Bol. By private speedboat from Split it takes around 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the boat and the sea in the Brač Channel.
- Is Zlatni Rat worth visiting?
- Yes, though it is genuinely busy in July and August. The beach itself is striking: a long pebble spit that shifts shape with the wind and the current, with clear water on both sides. Arriving early, before the day visitors, makes a big difference.
- Can you get to Zlatni Rat by public ferry?
- Yes, in two ways. In summer a direct catamaran runs from Split to Bol in about an hour, and Zlatni Rat is a walk from the harbour. Otherwise the car ferry goes to Supetar on the north coast in about 50 minutes, and from there it is roughly 40 minutes by road across the island to Bol.
- What time should you arrive at Zlatni Rat?
- Before 10:00, or after about 15:30. The beach fills from mid-morning in high summer. A private boat leaving Split at 08:00 arrives while it is still quiet, and the late afternoon, once many day visitors have left, is often the best time for a second swim.