Canadian World Traveller Fall 2022 Issue

Two "b-words" that always complement
one another are "bikes" and
"boats." These are not just means
of transport and a way to get from A-B.
Nay, a "bike AND boat" tour may be the
optimal way to explore a new country by
land and sea. I recently had the opportunity
to tour much of Croatia with
BikeTours.com's charter of the wooden
ship "San Snova.”
Though I have always individually loved
biking and boating as separate activities,
this tour allowed me not only to reach
some of Croatia's most remote and lessfrequently
touristed islands, but also to
explore them intimately by biking. Biking is
not only a physical and mental journey,
but also forces us to slow down and better
digest new environments that a traditional
bus tour would never allow. It allows us to
stop to replenish and rehydrate at local
stops on sideroads that would be much
too narrow and winding for a bus to travel
on. And, most of all, they allow us to best
connect with the local environment and
people of a new destination.
"Bike and boat tours are probably my
favorite type of tour," said Jim Johnson,
Founder and Former President of
BikeTours.com. "Bicycle tours typically get
you where cars and most tourists never
go. But I add a boat to the mix, especially
in coastal waters, and you can gain
access to areas that even bicycles can't
normally get to. Many of our clients also
love the idea of a floating hotel where you
don't have to pack and unpack daily."
The bike and boating tour combination
may be just what you've always wanted if
you're active and adventurous. I am
already yearning for upcoming adventures
with BikeTours.com: the first, in 2023, covers
the route north Split and Dubrovnik
and includes Istria and Northern
Dalmatia. The other, for 2024, will go
south from Dubrovnik to Montenegro and
Albania with an overnight excursion off
the boat to Bosnia. While this was my first
"B and B" tour, it certainly won't be the
last–from the stunning accommodations to
the adventures offshore each day by twowheels,
I made use of my time in a way I
never had on a holiday previously.
San Snova, Our Valiant Ship for the Week
I spent two weeks aboard San Snova, the
impeccably gorgeous wooden sailing vessel
that seamlessly combines modernity
and practical functionalism. While the ship
isn't grand in size (therefore, it can swiftly
maneuver into smaller bays that larger
vessels would never fit in), it feels complete.
The ship boasts 14 spacious guest
cabins, each with a private bathroom,
shower, and toilet. Above deck, the vessel
has six double cabins with a French bed,
five triple cabins with French beds, and a
single bunk bed. Below the deck are three
spacious triple cabins with one double bed
and a single bunk bed.
Besides providing an excellent home to
rest your head after a day of cycling, the
ship is entertaining and quite all-encompassing.
It's not a gigantic cruise ship with
casinos and waterslides but does have
many areas optimal for soaking in that
Croatian sun. The desk has comfortable
chairs, and the bar in the salon provides
all the local Croatian beer, and wine one
may need on holiday. When the ship
docks outside small harbors, there is the
perfect side platform for jumping off into
that crystal clear water that has made
Croatia so famous. And, of course, there
is the ability to just lounge and watch the
scenery go by.
"If you're tired or don't feel like cycling,
you stay on board and view the world
from the deck," explained Johnson. "That's
also a bonus for partners with different
abilities and interests in cycling. They can
go on the same trip but decide which
tours they will go on each day. One can
ride, and the other stays on board. They
meet up at the next port."
An Adventure of a Lifetime…On Wheels!
Our biking and boating adventure began
in Split, the Croatian coastal city famed
for being home to the former Palace of
Emperor Diocletian (and many other significant
Game of Thrones references!) and
47
some of the most lively European nightlife.
After exploring both in-depth, our first of
many cycle tours commenced in Šolta,
which is beloved for its walled fields,
numerous olive groves, locust beans, and
fig trees that line the roads. The herb
smells of lavender and rosemary accompanied
us along the tour through this
island. We even visited with a beekeeper
named Goran–his combination of passion,
humor, and knowledge was a highlight
for everyone.
Another highlight was anchoring in
Lastovo, one of the smaller inhabited
islands in the Adriatic Sea. Emperor
Augustus appreciated the mild climate,
and in Roman times the island was named
"Augusta Insula" after him. The population
of just over 800 still lives mainly from fishing,
agriculture, and viticulture. While
quite grueling, our cycle tour around this
naturally magnificent island was a testament
to how possible it is to become intertwined
with nature when on two wheels
(and a boat to get us there in the first
place!)
As an active traveler who has always
appreciated taking time to soak in the
local atmosphere, these two weeks aboard
San Snova were truly magical–a way to
better understand Croatia beyond the
tourist scenes.
www.BikeTours.com
World Traveler Fall 2022