This year we were lucky enough to spend a few wonderful days in Tvrdni Dolac bay. It's a semi-Robinsonian bay. It's not complete solitude, but at the same time, it's wonderfully peaceful. I would love to go back there again for a longer stay.
Tvrdni Dolac bay is on the south side of Hvar island near the village of Gdinj. As in other surrounding bays on the south side of Hvar near the villages of Gdinj and Bogomolje, electricity is not supplied here, so everything runs on solar energy. We experienced a cooling spell in the bay, accompanied by a big night thunderstorm. The temperature dropped by 10°C overnight. Part of the island was without electricity then, but that wasn't the case for us. Thanks to solar energy and accumulators, we could have a warm shower in the morning and make coffee and tea.
Tvrdni Dolac has two beautiful pebble beaches. We simply went to the beach that was below our accommodation. There were never too many people there; everyone relaxed in their own way, and no one bothered anyone.
Both the beach and the sea in the bay are very clean. Subjectively, I must say that the sea there seemed cleaner to me than elsewhere on Hvar. We also had a snorkel with us and observed various fish a short distance from the shore, and we even managed to spot an octopus.
Although there are several houses in the bay, we didn't feel like there were many people. We were there during the main season in the first half of August this year (i.e., 2023). We were lucky enough to stay in one of the houses right on the edge of the bay with a fantastic terrace, where we watched the stars with the children on sun loungers in the evenings.
As for practical matters, at the beginning of the bay, there's a small shop where you can order bread and buy a few basic items. Next to it is a small restaurant.
In the middle of the bay, down by the sea, there's a local konoba where you can eat well, but you need to go there to make a reservation. Another shopping option is the small shop in the village of Gdinj, where bread also needs to be ordered in advance. From the bay, it's about a 10-minute drive to the shop in Gdinj, roughly 5.5 km. A few kilometers from Gdinj towards Sućuraj is the village of Bogomolje, which has a modern shop with a good supply of baked goods and other basic necessities. A few steps from this shop, there's also a bar where locals and tourists gather. You can have coffee, draft beer, or lemonade or an ice cream for the children. Definitely stop there for some refreshment. And in the same square, there's a small children's playground, but the sun shines relentlessly on it all day. From Tvrdni Dolac bay to the square in Bogomolje, it's about a 16-minute drive, roughly 10 km.
And another excellent option for dining is a small family farm on the outskirts of the village, where you can also buy quality olive oil and other local produce: https://zijemechorvatskem.wordpress.com/2022/06/28/degustace-olivoveho-oleje-domaci-marmelady-vyrobky-z-levandule-a-prave-dalmatinske-pohosteni/
Tvrdni Dolac bay is simply a great place for anyone who wants to enjoy a peaceful holiday and doesn't want to be completely isolated.
