Maracol Bay

Maracol Bay sits on the southeastern side of Unije Island, in Kvarner Bay, and it's one of the better-regarded anchorages in the area — depths of 4 to 8 meters near shore, and a sandy bottom that holds well even out to 20 meters in the outer bay. It gets crowded in high season, so arrive early if you want a buoy.

A walk inland leads to Unije's small village, home to the late-Baroque Church of St. Andrew (built in the late 18th century, expanded in 1911) and the Vnetak Lighthouse on the southwestern cape — a stone tower built in 1873 to mark the sea route into the Kvarner toward Rijeka. Near the bay itself, the ruins of an old fish factory are a quiet reminder of the island's fishing and olive-growing economy, which boomed in the 19th century under Austrian rule.

Tucked away from the busier routes, Maracol Bay makes a classic stop on a Croatia blue cruise itinerary.