With 718 islands and islets, 289 rocks and 78 reefs along its Adriatic coastline, Croatia has good reason to be known as the 'land of 1000 islands'.

The Adriatic Sea is the most indented section of the Mediterranean, and whilst Croatia's coastline itself is over 1700km, including the island shorelines means there is over 5800km to explore. In Northern Croatia, Istria is the country's largest peninsula and offers a diversity of beautiful beaches, lush green mountain forests and stone-built villages, towns and cities. Formerly part of Italy it is still largely influenced by Italian cuisine, language, and culture. Istria’s coastline is indented so expect to find many uncrowded bays and coves. In comparison to southern parts of Croatia there are fewer islands which allows for open sea sailing.

There's so much to love with sailing holidays in Croatia

For island hopping adventure, look no further than the Dalmatian Coast. Named after the ancient tribes that inhabited the area, the region of Dalmatia spreads from Rab to the Bay of Kotor, and the coastline has numerous bays and harbours and is noted for its scenic beauty. Beginning with islands Silba, Olib and Pag and continuing to the Zadar and Sibenik archipelagos, Northern Dalmatia is ideal for anyone wanting to seek untouched nature such as the Kornati National Park. The Kornati archipelago consists of over 147 largely uninhabited islands, islets and reefs, with crystal blue waters and startling rock formations, caves and secret grottoes just waiting to be explored. The rich underwater ecosystem here is a favourite for divers and snorkelers.

Further South find the remote island of Vis, which has beautiful sandy beaches, gorgeous coves and towns largely untouched by tourism.

The famous Blue Grotto on the island of Biševo, just off Vis glows an incredible blue each day around midday and is only reachable by boat. Party lovers can head to Hvar, perhaps the most famous of Croatia's islands, known also for its turquoise waters and lavender fields. Southern Dalmatia islands include the Elafiti Islands which have shallow anchorages, perfect for snorkelling and the forest shrouded Mljet, home to the Mljet National Park and saltwater lakes. The region's medieval city of Dubrovnik has numerous cafes, shops and restaurants, making it the ideal base from which to explore the southern coastline.

With over a 1000 islands to discover, centuries of history and culture, crystal waters and the Mediterranean climate, it's easy to see why Croatia is one of the best sailing destinations in the world.