Croatia guide
Our Croatia travel guide has tips on culture, food and shopping, plus what we rate (and what we don't).
Best time to visit Vis Island
Autumn might be the best time to visit, after the summer sailors have returned to their moorings, and just in time for the grape harvest.![]()
Thanks to its relatively remote position, Vis Island remains significantly quieter than, say, Dubrovnik or Split on the mainland, which face large crowds in summer. This is still the most popular time to visit the island, and you might find you have to queue for ferries in July and August – as this is the main way to reach the islands. A lot of Croatia’s islands shut down to tourists over the winter; and their restaurants may close. Most holidays to Vis Island run between May and October, when everything’s open. In spring you’re even more likely than usual to see dolphins, as water traffic is lower. Arrive in October and you can share the spoils of the harvest.
Vis Island Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
-2
4
105
FEB
-1
6
99
MAR
1
9
93
APR
5
13
90
MAY
9
18
78
JUN
12
22
82
JUL
14
25
55
AUG
14
25
63
SEP
11
21
80
OCT
7
16
110
NOV
3
11
150
DEC
-1
6
148
Vis Island activity holiday in Croatia
An active holiday on the beautiful island of Vis
From
€1100 to €1850
7 days
ex flights
Kayak and biking holiday, Vis Island Croatia
Relaxingly active kayak & bike adventure Vis Island, Croatia
From
€1650
8 days
ex flights
Croatia family activity week
Family 'relaxingly active' holiday on Vis island, Croatia
From
€1650
7 days
ex flights
Kayaking and yoga holiday, Vis Island Croatia
Yoga and Kayaking holiday on the Croatian Island of Vis
From
€1650
7 days
ex flights
Croatia holiday, activity week
'Relaxingly Active' holiday with flexible Island activities
From
€1650
7 days
ex flights
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Vis Island travel advice
Matko Vojkovic, from our partner Planet Vis, says:
Why go to Vis?
“I love the untouched nature. I’m an outside person and Vis has so much to see and explore. Even in my 37 years of life, I still can find places that I’ve never seen before. It’s also very quiet. Besides crickets or maybe a pheasant, you can spend a day without hearing anything.”
Best time to go
“I would say September. The sea temperature is still fine to have a swim, you can still walk around in flip-flops and during the night all you will need is a light blanket.”
Xania Wear, who co-runs the Vis Island activity holidays organised by our partner WearActive says:
Best time to go
“For warm seas, great kayaking and time to explore the beaches of the island we suggest visiting in September. September is also the month for grape harvest, so you get a constant aroma of newly fermenting grape.”
Where to go on Vis
“You should always visit a vineyard and sample a glass of the famous Vugava, a white wine exclusive to Vis Island. Everyone needs to visit the beaches of the island, such as Srebrna and Stiniva. These are best explored early morning or late afternoon, away from the midday sun.”
The Vis philosophy
“There is a saying on Vis, Pomalo, Pomalo, which means ‘slowly, slowly’; it perfectly summarises daily life.”
Tips for the beach
“Picigin is a traditional Croatian beach game that involves trying to keep a small ball in the air by tapping it with a group while standing in the sea. It’s a bit like a combination of volleyball and football. There is no point system, you just try to keep the ball out of the sea for as long as possible.”
Tips from our travellers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Vis Island travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Vis Island travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
We had an excellent day kayaking along the south coast of Vis. It was nice and relaxed, and had some brilliant coastal scenery.![]()
– Robin Whitworth
“I liked walking to the local beaches. All the local ones seemed to be stone slabs but on our boat trip we spotted some sandier ones, possibly only really accessible by boat.” – Marion Fuller-Sessions
“If you're flying back immediately, then it's worth checking ferry times back from Vis to the mainland as you'll likely have time to wait in Split.” – Lucy Crystal
“Ask about a military tour of the island – it was fascinating.” – Karina Keane
“If you're flying back immediately, then it's worth checking ferry times back from Vis to the mainland as you'll likely have time to wait in Split.” – Lucy Crystal
“Ask about a military tour of the island – it was fascinating.” – Karina Keane
Buy swimming shoes before you go, as most beaches are pebbles.![]()
– Emma Medina-Wallace
More Vis Island articles
Is Croatia getting too crowded? Then jump over to Vis Island, the remotest populated island from the mainland.
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