Rovinj, Croatia

One of the favorite activities for summer tourists in Rovinj is a private speedboat tour. Unlike the party boat feel of our Split boat ride, the waters around Rojinj feel pristine and one with nature. We stopped in a quiet cove to snorkel where the nearest other visitors were a nudist colony 200 yards away. The waters are a stunning emerald green and the lack of other boats or busy beaches allowed us to appreciate what first attracted tourists to this area.

From here, we traveled down Lim Fjord where cliff sides rise steeply from either side of the water, passing only a few fishing boats along the way. Our skipper mentioned that there was a little 'pirate bar' nestled in a cave on one of the cliff sides, accessible only via hiking or a private boat. He doesn't usually stop there, but it sounded unique enough that we couldn't miss it! We anchored the boat and walked up the hillside where, sure enough, there was a small bar with a Crow's nest that we could climb up for views of the fjord. Though it could have been overrun and touristy, there were only a handful of other guests that came and went while we were there so we thoroughly enjoyed this tranquil respite.

After that, our guide pulled Samantha along on an innertube while we watched dolphins jumping along the fjord besides. Apparently the dolphins are so common in the fjords that they offer a full refund if you don't see them on one of their group tours. 

We finished the boat ride with a stop by one of the smaller cliff sides to give our try at some gentle 'cliff diving'. Though we'd seen folks jumping from much higher points in Dubrovnik and Split, our guide found us a nice moderate spot to try out our skills. All in all, this was my favorite day in Croatia, a complete 180 degrees from the overtourist, party atmosphere surrounding the waters of Split. I'd happily return to Rovinj anytime!