Bisevo is a tiny island just off the southwestern tip of the island of Vis, just 6 square kilometres in size, and with a permanent population of only 20 people! It is most famous for the spectacular Blue Cave (Modra spilja in Croatian) in Balun Bay, although the island is home to 26 caves in total.
There is no running water on Bisevo, nor are there any shops. The island is also entirely car-free. (There are no roads!)
Getting to Bisevo
There is a year-round boat service from Komiza on the island of Vis to Porat on Bisevo. Boats run daily, and make three stops on Bisevo – at Mezuporat (where you can join boats for the Blue Cave); at Salbunara; and at Porat. The boats take 45 minutes to reach Mezuporat, 1 hour to Salbunara and 1 hour 15 minutes to reach Bisevo. You can see the boat schedules on the Croatian Coastal Shipping Agency website. A one-way ticket costs €4.38 (€3.19 outside of high season). For children aged 3 to 12 years old, a ticket costs €1.99.
The timing of this boat would allow you to spend a good portion of the day on Bisevo. Most days, the boat docks on the island early in the morning with a return in the afternoon.
Alternatively, many visitors to Bisevo will reach the island on a day trip from either Vis or Split.
If you are lucky enough to have your own boat, you can dock at Bisevo yourself! It is also possible to dock at Mezuporat and then transfer to the little boats going into the Blue Cave.
What to See and Do on Bisevo
Blue Cave/Modra Spilja
The sparkly, blue jewel in the crown on Bisevo! This natural phenomenon sees a glowing blue light appear in the cave at certain times of day – hence the name. Located on the eastern side of Bisevo, the cave is 24 metres long and 12 metres deep, whilst the entrance is a mere 2.5 metres wide and 1.5 metres high. Light enters the cave from an opening which – at around midday – causes the water in the cave to give off a glowing, shimmery blue light effect, with the cave itself also appearing to glow blue.
There are two ways to visit the Blue Cave – by organised tour or via one of the public boats.
Organised Tours to the Blue Cave
You can join an organised excursion from neighbouring Vis island, Hvar, or even from Split on the mainland. Take a look at some of the Blue Cave tours below to see what they offer, or ask at an agency on Vis for tours.
Public Boats to the Blue Cave
Alternatively, you can take the boat from Komiza on Vis and get off at Mezuporat. From here, you can join the ticketed queue for small boats that take you into the Blue Cave.
Tips for visiting the Blue Cave
The Blue Cave is a very popular site to visit – so much so that queues of boats can form outside the cave, waiting to go in, and the cave itself can be ‘full’ of boats. We’d therefore recommend visiting “from” as close to the cave as possible – e.g. from Vis island – rather than having a long trip just to reach Bisevo and then needing to queue again, which can be for hours in the peak summer.
Do also note that visiting the Blue Cave is weather-dependent; if there are strong waves (which is not especially common in summer), the entrance to the cave will be blocked.
However, if you visit slightly out of season, the cave is less busy, although there is a slightly higher chance for ‘bad’ weather and for tours not to run. We would also suggest that you try to visit as early in the day as possible.
Monk Seal’s Cave/Medvidina Spilja
The Monk Seal Cave – named after its one-time inhabitant (the seals have long since departed!) – is located on the south side of the island. The entrance to the cave is 14 metres wide and rather tall, and the cave extends quite deeply into a pebble-y beach (where the seals once sought shelter) – so much so that there is complete darkness after a certain point in the cave. The cave is, in fact, 160 metres long, which makes it the longest sea cave in the Adriatic. It is definitely best visited on an organised trip with a guide who knows the cave well. Ask a local agency on the island of Vis for an organised tour.
Beaches
Porat features a small sandy beach looking out to a gorgeous bay. Protected by the higher land above, this beach is next to some of Bisevo’s eateries (see below), so it would be a good place to base yourself for a portion of the day.
Salbunara Beach is located in a smaller bay slightly further up from Porat Bay. Relax under the pine trees beside the gorgeous little sandy beach.
Hiking
If you’d like to work up a bit of sweat before relaxing on a beach, you can explore the landscape of the island. The highest point of the island is 239 metres high.
Eating and Drinking on Bisevo
There are only a few choices for dining on Bisevo, but you’ll enjoy any of the following once you’ve worked up an appetite after a busy few hours of exploring! Do note that there are no shops on the island; if you’re not eating at one of the below, make sure to bring your own refreshments/food (especially water in summer!). Please do take your rubbish home with you.
Konoba Tomic is an excellent small eatery in Porat Bay to try fish and seafood dishes, especially squid.
Restoran kod Jakse is also a small, rustic eatery in Porat Bay offering hearty dishes.
Accommodation on Bisevo
There is little accommodation on Bisevo – most people who visit the island do so on day trips. As you’ll see from the map below, there’s not much choice…but there is something available!
Otherwise, you can stay on the island of Vis (especially in Komiza) to be within easy reaching distance of Bisevo for day trips. Take a look at our Accommodation on Vis page for details of where to stay.
More info
There’s some more info on the Komiza Tourist Office website – search under ‘Beaches’ and ‘What to Do’ as they include Bisevo in these categories too. You can also find some additional details on the Vis Central website.