Speedboat Tour to 3 Islands from Zadar: Which One Is Worth Booking?
Updated October 20, 2026 · 6 min read
The answer first
Most three-island trips from Zadar are half-day swimming and snorkelling outings of 3 to 4 hours, and many start at €17 to €18 per person. For most visitors the small-group Aperol trip to Ošljak, Ugljan and Galevac is the safest pick: the same entry price as the cheapest boats, a stated small group, and 4.9 stars from 1,867 reviews. Pay more only if you know what the extra money buys, because the listings rarely say.
Where these boats actually go
The islands on offer are the ones just across the channel from the city. Ugljan is the big one, reached by a Jadrolinija ferry from Zadar to Preko that takes about 25 minutes. Ošljak is a very small, quiet island next to Preko with only a few dozen residents. Kali and Kukljica are villages on Ugljan, and Galevac is a small islet near Preko. Several trips also name bays for swimming, such as Frnaža, Otrić and a “Blue Lagoon” or “Blue Bay”. Those names are marketing as much as geography, so do not choose a trip by its bay.
These are short hops. A lot of a 4-hour trip is swimming and sitting at anchor, not cruising, which is why the trips suit a hot afternoon better than a sightseeing day.
What you pay and what differs
| Trip | From, per person | Rating | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury Island Boat Tour, Snorkeling & Unlimited Wine | €18 | 5.0 from 6,898 | 3–4 hours |
| Small-Group 3 Islands Luxury Boat Tour with Aperol | €18 | 4.9 from 1,867 | 3–4 hours |
| Tour to 3 Islands with Snorkeling, Wine & Optional Lunch | €17.28 | 4.9 from 1,228 | 3–4 hours |
| Luxury Boat Tour to 3 Islands With Drinks | €35 | 4.8 from 492 | 4 hours |
| Blue Bay Snorkeling & Cocktails 3-Island Speedboat Tour | €54 | 4.9 from 2,542 | 4 hours |
| 3-Island Snorkeling, Beach & Sightseeing Boat Tour | €48 | 4.7 from 131 | 4.5 hours |
Prices are the “from” price shown on GetYourGuide. Several operators have more than one booking option, so the final price depends on the variant and date you pick.
The cheapest trips and the €48 to €54 trips are the same kind of outing on paper: three stops, swimming, snorkelling gear and a drink. What the listings do state is group size. The €48 trip says groups of 12, and the €18 Aperol trip calls itself small-group. The Blue Bay trip says it uses a new speedboat. None of them explains the price gap in a sentence, so open the included and excluded lists before paying three times as much.
Note the drinks. Unlimited wine appears in several titles. Wine and swimming do not mix well on a boat, so decide beforehand how much you want to drink, and look at what a non-drinker gets.
Ferry or boat?
You can do part of this yourself. The Jadrolinija ferry to Preko crosses in about 25 minutes. What you cannot easily do is hop between small bays on your own, or reach Ošljak: how often a ferry or boat calls there changes by season, so check the current timetable. For a bay-to-bay swim day the boat is the better choice. For a cheap look at Ugljan the ferry is.
When to skip it
If you are after a long day on a remote beach, the Dugi Otok trips and the Kornati and Telašćica cruises go further, and these half days do not. If you get seasick, choose a morning departure on a calm day and ask a pharmacist or doctor before the trip. A speedboat is bumpier than a ferry.
Our recommendation
Book the small-group Aperol trip for a relaxed half day, or the most-reviewed luxury island trip if the date or time suits better. Both start at €18.
See availability and prices for the small-group 3-island trip with Aperol
More trips are on the island boat tours page.
