The Dimry family from Southern California (7 adults and 2 teens) gathered in Croatia this summer for a private and custom charter boat experience.  For a week, they explored the islands of the Central and Southern Dalmatia portion of the Adriatic Coast. They all met up in Split after some of them visited London and Barcelona on the way.  They began the Croatia portion of their trip in the seaside town of Trogir, just outside of Split.  They stayed for two nights at Brown Beach House, which they appreciated for its boutique style and service. The family enjoyed wandering around Trogir and had an outstanding guide in Split for a tour of the fascinating Diocletian Palace. Then they boarded the fully crewed Gulet Andjeo in Split.  Their 88 ft. boat is a classic wooden yacht with 5 cabins and water toys on board.  They opted for two meals per day to also experience local food on each island.  Breakfast was prepared on the boat each morning and they were able to help plan the daily lunch or dinner menu depending on the day’s plans.  The family’s first stop was Brac, the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third-largest island in the Adriatic Sea.  Their guided jeep safari of the island included a memorable visit to an olive oil factory and the hidden monastery of Blaca.  The tour ended with a private lunch at a local farm in Milna which they loved.  This island is very hilly; so they said that jeep exploration was ideal.  The next stop was in Hvar which is Croatia’s most popular island known for its lovely architecture, quaint town, beaches, and nightlife.  They explored this port on their own later in the day to avoid the heat.  The next day they meandered around the small island of Korcula which is only 20 miles long and 4-5 miles wide.  The island is known for its dense forest and quaint town with medieval squares, churches, and palaces.  A wine tasting here was a nice experience.  On the thickly forested island of Mljet, the family took a guided bike tour which they noted was the easiest way to explore since one-third of it is a national park.  The family also sailed through the Elaphiti Islands which is a gorgeous archipelago of 13 islands (only three are inhabited) with lush woodland, hidden caves, dramatic cliffs, and secluded beaches.  The trip ended in Dubrovnik from where they flew home.  All along the way, the ship also docked in some quiet coves where they were able to sunbathe, snorkel, paddleboard, kayak, and more.  Swimming off the boat was great fun too.  The boat’s plank made an excellent high dive! The ship had a tender boat to take them onto land whenever they wanted. They found many tasty places to eat and especially appreciated restaurants where you could select a freshly caught fish and have it prepared family style. They also loved finding local artwork at the myriad of small galleries and purchased some pieces to bring home.  They found their crew to be outstanding.  A few hiccups regarding what was prepaid and paid at the time of sailing dampened the experience somewhat along with no A/C in the bathrooms, but overall the trip was great fun for all.