--- title: "Stiniva beach by boat: where to stop and the rules" description: "Can you take a boat into Stiniva on Vis? No: floats close the cove in summer. Where boats stop instead, the anchoring rules, the swell and nights nearby." url: https://olasail.com/places/stiniva/ updated: 2026-10-07 --- > The Markdown copy of https://olasail.com/places/stiniva/, from OlaSail, a planning reference for sailing in Croatia, not for navigation. Every page: https://olasail.com/llms.txt [Report a change](https://olasail.com/about/corrections/) Photo: “Aerial view of the Adriatic Sea at Stiniva Bay on Vis island in Croatia” by [dronepicr](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerial_view_of_the_Adriatic_Sea_at_Stiniva_Bay_on_Vis_island_in_Croatia_(48608804397).jpg), [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), cropped and resized Swim stop on the south coast of Vis # Stiniva beach by boat Stiniva is a pebble beach inside a narrow cove with high cliffs on the south coast of Vis, 8 NM (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) from Komiža. You can't take a boat in: in summer a line of floats closes the cove, so boats stop outside the mouth and the crew swim in. Go only in settled weather, because southerly winds send a strong surge into the cove. 8 NM from Komiža, about 1½ h (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) 10.5 NM from Vis town (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) 16.5 NM from Hvar town (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) 1967 protected since (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) All 33 facts on this page name their source, the latest checked on 7 Oct 2026: 2 from the operator, 16 from official sources, 6 measured by us and 9 from third-party sources, such as pilot books and magazines, so treat those 9 as a guide. See every source 2 From the operator (operator) 16 Official source (official) 6 Measured by us (measured) 9 Third-party source (third party) Written by [Domagoj Franc](https://olasail.com/about/people/domagoj-franc/), editor. Reviewed by [Ivor Benko](https://olasail.com/about/people/ivor-benko/), skipper. Published 7 Oct 2026. [Report a change](https://olasail.com/about/corrections/) ## Boat access and anchoring at Stiniva Can you take a boat into Stiniva? No, not in summer. Stop outside the mouth and swim in. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) - Into the cove: In summer a line of floats is laid across the cove. It protects the swimmers and keeps small boats out of the cove. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) - Anchoring: Anchoring in the cove isn't recommended. It is deep, and southerly winds send a strong surge into it. The cliffs block some of the bura, but it comes in strong gusts that can drag an anchor. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) Depth: Rock along both sides down to about 20 m, and a seagrass meadow down the middle of the cove from 10 m to 30 m deep. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [The rules](https://olasail.com/places/stiniva/#rules) - Buoys: The Town of Vis spatial plan sets five anchorages with buoys: Stončica, Rukavac, Veli Budikovac, Ravnik and Ruda. Inside them you moor on a buoy, not on your own anchor. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) Stiniva is not one of them, so there are no buoys to hire here. In 2019 the study proposed a buoy field of about 7,900 m² on the west side of the mouth, with no anchoring anywhere else in the cove. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) No concession for the proposed buoy field had been granted by 26 Sep 2026: the county's concession map shows no concession of any kind within 4.7 km of the cove. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) - The cove: The cove is about 600 m long and about 100 m wide at its mouth, between high cliffs, with a small pebble beach at its head. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) At the narrowest point the cliffs are only about 4 to 5 m apart. (Third-party source, 26 Sep 2026) Mala Stiniva is a separate bay on the north coast of Hvar, not Stiniva on Vis. (Third-party source, 29 Sep 2026) - On foot: From the hamlet of Žužeca, the steep and at times very demanding path down takes more than 20 minutes. (Third-party source, 26 Sep 2026) ## Stiniva's position and nearby berths 8 NM from Komiža (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) - The mouth: 43°00.95′N 016°10.40′E Approximate: the mouth of the cove, where boats stop, read off OpenStreetMap. The Stiniva pin on our maps marks the cove itself, inside. Not a waypoint. (Measured by us, 29 Sep 2026) - Boats in: Closed in summer, by a line of floats (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) - Nearest night: [Rukavac buoys](https://olasail.com/places/stiniva/#alt-rukavac), 2.5 NM east (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) - Protected: Since 1967, a significant landscape (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Open in a map app](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=43.015833,16.173333) [Report a change](https://olasail.com/about/corrections/) ## The rules at Stiniva Stiniva is a protected landscape with seagrass on its floor. Its beach counts as a natural beach, and no boat may anchor within 150 m (Official source, 25 Sep 2026) of a natural beach. - Protected: Stiniva cove has been protected as a significant landscape since 1967, over 15.28 ha. Its seabed is part of the Natura 2000 site for the sea round Vis (HR3000097), kept for its seagrass, reefs and sea caves. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) - Natural beach: No anchoring within 150 m of a natural beach, under the 2025 ordinance. (Official source, 25 Sep 2026) In the Town of Vis, the spatial plan treats all the shore outside its building areas as natural beaches. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) The plan's land-use map shows no building area at Stiniva, so the cove's beach is a natural beach. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Anchoring near beaches](https://olasail.com/moorings/anchoring-rules-and-fees/#beaches) - Near swimmers: Under way, keep clear of an organised beach's rope line: at least 50 m in a boat under 15 m, 100 m in a boat of 15 to 30 m, and 300 m at 30 m and over (Article 49). (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Rope lines and lines ashore](https://olasail.com/moorings/anchoring-rules-and-fees/#shore) - Seagrass: Seagrass (Posidonia) is a strictly protected species in Croatia, and anchoring in its meadows badly damages it. Drop the anchor on sand. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) ## Wind and sea at Stiniva Open to the south. Anchoring in the cove isn't recommended. It is deep, and southerly winds send a strong surge into it. The cliffs block some of the bura, but it comes in strong gusts that can drag an anchor. (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) Plan B. If a jugo or any southerly is forecast, skip Stiniva and the rest of the south coast of Vis, and swim on the north side of the island instead. Our [guide to the winds](https://olasail.com/croatia/weather-and-winds/) explains the jugo and the bura. ## Wind and sea, next 3 days At the mouth of Stiniva cove, on the south coast of Vis. Don't stop here if a southerly is forecast. Model forecast from Open-Meteo. Not an official forecast. Not for navigation. Official forecast: [DHMZ marine forecast](https://meteo.hr/prognoze_e.php?section=prognoze_specp¶m=jadran) (Official source, 25 Sep 2026) How to read this forecast Each part of the day shows its strongest hourly wind and gust, and its highest wave, in Croatian time. The words follow the Beaufort scale, and the model can't tell a real bura from any other northeast wind. [How to read a model forecast](https://olasail.com/croatia/weather-and-winds/#reading-the-forecast) [Weather data by Open-Meteo.com](https://open-meteo.com/), [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Grouped into parts of the day by OlaSail. ## When to go to Stiniva Early, in settled weather. Stiniva is a day stop: there is nowhere to spend the night in the cove. - Tour boats: HvarBoats’ tour from Hvar stops at Stiniva from 11:40 to 12:40. (From the operator, 4 Oct 2026) - On our route: Day 3 of our week from Split passes about 0.6 NM off the mouth, so a stop at Stiniva adds about 1 NM. (Measured by us, 26 Sep 2026) [Day 3, Vis town to Komiža](https://olasail.com/routes/split-seven-days/#day-3) - From Rukavac: About 2.5 NM from Rukavac, west along the south coast. (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) A night on the buoys there puts you at Stiniva before the tour boats. ## Help keep this page right Sailed here this season? Tell us what you found. We check it with the source before anything changes. [Report a change](https://olasail.com/about/corrections/#page=Stiniva%20beach%20by%20boat) [Other ways to help](https://olasail.com/about/contribute/) ## Keep planning [Route Seven days from Split A Saturday to Saturday sailing week from Split to Šolta, Vis, Hvar and Brač: the distance each day, where to sleep, and a Plan B for the wind.](https://olasail.com/routes/split-seven-days/) [Moorings Anchoring rules and fees Where you may anchor, and who may charge you for it](https://olasail.com/moorings/anchoring-rules-and-fees/) [Sailing in Croatia Bura, jugo and maestral: which forecast? How the main winds behave, and which forecast to read each morning](https://olasail.com/croatia/weather-and-winds/) [Sailing in Croatia Best time to sail in Croatia Which month suits your crew: wind, crowds, sea temperature and prices](https://olasail.com/croatia/best-time-to-sail/) [Sailing in Croatia Safety at sea: who to call Who to call, what to say on the radio, and where the fast ferries run](https://olasail.com/croatia/safety-and-emergencies/) [Charter planning What a sailing week really costs The boat, marinas, buoys, fuel, food and the deposit, added up](https://olasail.com/charter/cost/) ## Sources for Stiniva 33 facts from 25 sources, last checked 7 Oct 2026. [HvarBoats Blue and Green Cave tour itinerary](https://hvarboats.com/en/excursions/blue-cave-tour-from-hvar), Itinerary: 11:40 to 12:40, Stiniva (Stiniva: the tour boats) (From the operator, 4 Oct 2026) [Gradina Vis d.o.o.: its 2026 price list for the southern anchorages (Cjenik sidrište Jug: Ravnik, Budikovac, Rukavac, Tepluš), from 1 Jan 2026](https://gradinavis.hr/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CJENIK-SIDRISTE-JUG.xlsx) (Rukavac: the buoy price in 2026) (From the operator, 26 Sep 2026) [More i krš: protected nature of Split-Dalmatia County (2017)](https://moreikrs.hr/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Zasticeni-dijelovi-prirode-Javne-ustanove-More-i-krs.pdf) (Stiniva: protection) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [More i krš and the Faculty of Maritime Studies in Split: Split-Dalmatia County's anchorage study, phases I and II (2019)](https://moreikrs.hr/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Studija-sidrista-Splitsko-dalmatinske-zupanije-%E2%80%93-I.-i-II.-faza-podloga-za-prostorni-plan-Splitsko-dalmatinske-zupanije.pdf), section 5.4.7 and section 5.4.1 (Stiniva: the line of floats, anchoring in the cove, depth and the seabed, the proposed buoy field, the size of the cove. Komiža: shelter on the buoys) (Third-party source, 28 Sep 2026) [The Town of Vis spatial plan, changes of April 2017 (text)](https://www.gradvis.hr/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IDPPUG-Vis.pdf), Article 77 and Article 7 (The planned anchorages on Vis, natural beaches in the Town of Vis) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Split-Dalmatia County's maritime domain map (PUPD), concessions layer and register](https://adria-gis.com/pupd/), the concessions layer round Stiniva (Stiniva: the buoy field concession) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) Show all 25 sources Show fewer sources [The Town of Vis spatial plan, 2017 changes, sheet 1: land use (1:25,000)](https://www.gradvis.hr/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/1.Kori%C5%A1tenje-i-namjena-povr%C5%A1ina.pdf), the south coast at Uvala Stiniva (Stiniva: a natural beach) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Changes to the maritime safety ordinance, Narodne novine 40/2026](https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2026_04_40_495.html), Article 3 (Passing an organised beach's rope line) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Institute for Environment and Nature: Seagrasses (Morske cvjetnice), under the Nature Protection Act](https://www.haop.hr/hr/morske-cvjetnice) (Seagrass) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [Split-Dalmatia County Port Authority: Port fee rules (Pravilnik o lučkim pristojbama) of 21 Jun 2023, with the 2025 and 2026 changes](https://www.lusdz.hr/Portals/0/adam/Documents/4T8EmwsaZUyU-OIRrV9Ykw/Files/Pravilnik%20o%20lu%C4%8Dkim%20pristojbama/PRAVILNIK%20O%20LU%C4%8CKIM%20PRISTOJBAMA%202023.pdf), Articles 8 and 14 (Komiža: the town quay fee. Vis town: the town quay fee) (Official source, 26 Sep 2026) [The maritime safety ordinance (Pravilnik o sigurnosti pomorske plovidbe), Narodne novine 52/2025](https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2025_03_52_685.html), Article 53 (The 150 m anchoring rule) (Official source, 25 Sep 2026) [DHMZ marine forecast for the Adriatic (English)](https://meteo.hr/prognoze_e.php?section=prognoze_specp¶m=jadran) (The marine forecast) (Official source, 25 Sep 2026) Our route tool: our planning line by sea, with varying clearance near the coast and harbour approaches (Stiniva: distance from Komiža, distance from Vis town, distance from Hvar town, distance from Rukavac) (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) [Our map, from OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright) (Stiniva: position of the mouth) (Measured by us, 29 Sep 2026) Our route tool: the shortest distance from our day 3 line to the mouth of the cove, there and back (Stiniva: the detour on day 3) (Measured by us, 26 Sep 2026) [Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board: Mala Stiniva bay](https://www.dalmatia.hr/activities/mala-stiniva/), Mala Stiniva bay, Location: Hvar; north coast of the island (Mala Stiniva location) (Third-party source, 29 Sep 2026) [CV Sistemi (SmArtNav): peljar.cvs.hr: Prvi hrvatski on-line peljar Jadranskog mora (online Adriatic pilot)](https://peljar.cvs.hr/show_place_info.php?id=1647&type=2), Pilot entries: Luka Vis (Vis town: shelter, shelter on the Kut side) (Third-party source, 28 Sep 2026) [CV Sistemi (SmArtNav): peljar.cvs.hr: Prvi hrvatski on-line peljar Jadranskog mora (online Adriatic pilot)](https://peljar.cvs.hr/show_place_info.php?id=1648&type=2), Pilot entries: Kut (Vis town: shelter, shelter on the Kut side) (Third-party source, 28 Sep 2026) [CV Sistemi (SmArtNav): peljar.cvs.hr: Prvi hrvatski on-line peljar Jadranskog mora (online Adriatic pilot)](https://peljar.cvs.hr/show_place_info.php?id=1397&type=2), Pilot entries: Zaljev Komiža (Komiža bay: shelter. Komiža: shelter, shelter on the buoys) (Third-party source, 28 Sep 2026) [Dalmacija Danas: Nevrijeme poharalo Vis](https://www.dalmacijadanas.hr/video-nevrijeme-poharalo-vis-vjetar-izbacio-jedrilicu-na-obalu-stradali-brodovi-i-katamaran/), paragraphs 1 and 2 (the storm of 3 Aug 2025) (Komiža bay: shelter. Komiža: shelter, shelter on the buoys) (Third-party source, 28 Sep 2026) [Imray, Adriatic Pilot (8th edition, 2020), Supplement No. 1, May 2024](https://www.imray.com/media/2u2nljgc/2024-adriatic-supplement.pdf), entry for book page 145, "Komiža" (Komiža bay: shelter. Komiža: shelter, shelter on the buoys) (Third-party source, 28 Sep 2026) [Vis Tourist Board: Stiniva](https://www.vis-tourism.com/hr/istrazite/stiniva/), paragraph 1 and Vis board, paragraphs 2 and 4 (Stiniva: the gap between the cliffs, the path from Žužeca) (Third-party source, 26 Sep 2026) [Index.hr: Ova hrvatska plaža poznata je po mirnom moru](https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/ova-hrvatska-plaza-poznata-je-po-mirnom-moru-2016-je-proglasili-najljepsom-u-europi/2581030.aspx), the CNN quote (5 m) (Stiniva: the gap between the cliffs) (Third-party source, 26 Sep 2026) [CV Sistemi (SmArtNav): peljar.cvs.hr: Prvi hrvatski on-line peljar Jadranskog mora (online Adriatic pilot)](https://peljar.cvs.hr/show_place_info.php?id=629&type=2), Pilot entries: Rukavac (Rukavac: shelter) (Third-party source, 26 Sep 2026) [More magazin: Vis, pučinski otok koji otkrivaš tek kad usporiš](https://more.hr/blog/otok-vis-cudesan-pucinski-otok/), "Od Budihovca ka Komiži", paragraph 2 (Rukavac: shelter) (Third-party source, 26 Sep 2026) - Written by: [Domagoj Franc](https://olasail.com/about/people/domagoj-franc/), editor - Reviewed by: [Ivor Benko](https://olasail.com/about/people/ivor-benko/), skipper. Croatian skipper's licence, category C. - Next check: Before the 2027 season (From the operator) (Official source) (Seen by us) (Seen by a sailor) (Measured by us) (Sources disagree) (Third-party source) [How we check](https://olasail.com/about/how-we-check/#labels) ## Photos on this page - Stiniva Bay, south coast of Vis. Photo: “Aerial view of the Adriatic Sea at Stiniva Bay on Vis island in Croatia” by [dronepicr](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerial_view_of_the_Adriatic_Sea_at_Stiniva_Bay_on_Vis_island_in_Croatia_(48608804397).jpg), [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), cropped and resized - Stiniva Bay, south coast of Vis. Photo: “Luftbild von der Bucht Stiniva auf der Insel Vis in Kroatien” by [dronepicr](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luftbild_von_der_Bucht_Stiniva_auf_der_Insel_Vis_in_Kroatien_(48608286123).jpg), [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), cropped and resized - Rukavac, south coast of Vis. Photo: “J32 450 Rukavac” by [Falk2](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J32_450_Rukavac.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), resized - Komiža, island of Vis. Photo: “Aerial view of Komiza Town Harbour on Vis island, Croatia” by [dronepicr](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerial_view_of_Komiza_Town_Harbour_on_Vis_island,_Croatia_(48608822587).jpg), [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), cropped and resized - Kut, Vis town, island of Vis. Photo: “J32 421 Vis-Stadt, Lučica” by [Falk2](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J32_421_Vis-Stadt,_Lu%C4%8Dica.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), resized - Blue Cave, Biševo, near Komiža. Photo: “Biševo - Blue Cave - 2021-07-30 11-56-09 2642” by [Pierre-Selim Huard](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bi%C5%A1evo_-_Blue_Cave_-_2021-07-30_11-56-09_2642.jpg), [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), cropped and resized ## Nearby [Vis by boat Every harbour, buoy bay and swim stop on the island 10.5 NM (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) to Vis town](https://olasail.com/places/vis/) [Komiža The town quay and two buoy fields on the west coast 8 NM (Measured by us, 7 Oct 2026) round the west end](https://olasail.com/places/komiza/) [The Blue Cave, Biševo The other famous stop off Vis, by licensed cave boat Day 4 of our week](https://olasail.com/places/bisevo-blue-cave/)