Dugi Otok Island

Dugi Otok, the "long island", is a natural paradise and the perfect place for a relaxing, peaceful holiday off the beaten tourist track. Here visitors will find the peace and solitude needed to unwind after a hectic day. The approximately 43 kilometer long and up to five kilometers wide island offers exactly what a vacationer's heart desires: Lonely beaches with the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic, beautiful beaches, a beautiful Mediterranean landscape with the typical vegetation of the region, as well as an impressive cliff on the west side. Among the most beautiful attractions of the island is the Telascica Nature Park in the south. In this partly still unspoiled landscape, many rare animals and plants find their home. On a hike or a stroll through the park, you can discover and observe all the wonderfulness the park has to offer. In the middle of the park, the fascinating salt Mir Lake stretches itself out, and here you have the opportunity for some outstanding swimming.

The Island of Beautiful, Unspoilt Beaches

Most of beaches on Dugi Otok are quite rocky, but there are also beautiful sandy and pebble beaches. Outside of the towns there are usually natural beaches, meaning that parasols and provisions should be brought along. Within the cities the beaches are usually situated on a concrete platform over the sea. Far to the north there is the imposing, bright yellow Veli Rat lighthouse. Here you can also find one of the most beautiful beaches of the island. The town of Veli Rat has a modern marina with 110 berths and provides visitors with a very good infrastructure. Also in the vicinity are the small villages of Verunic and Polje which have several pebbled beaches. The sea is very shallow, but made powerful from strong underwater currents. Uvala Sakarun – The Bay of Sakarun - is also located in the north. Here the bay invites visitors to enjoy its beautiful, sandy beach and shallow waters. For families with young children, it is especially good for swimming. The Sakarun Beach is connected by a tourist train to the hotel complex in Bozava and is, therefore, within easy reach. The former fishing village of Bozava is, along with the main town of Sali, considered one of the most touristy developed places on Dugi Otok. Other beautiful beaches are close to Uvala Dumboka and Uvala Ripisce.

Ideal for Divers and Sailors

The small harbor town of Sali is located in the southern part of the island and connects the island to the city of Zadar on the mainland through its ferry route. Under no circumstances should you miss the three-day festival Saljske uzance, which has been celebrated regularly in Sali for the last 50 years. Those traveling by car to Dugi Otok will have to take the car ferry. The port in Bribinj is in charge of this car ferry route. Other ferry ports are located in Zaglav and Bozava, which also connect Dugi Otok with Zadar. For those, however, who would like to start with their own boat or yacht, the island guarantees something for everyone through its choices between modern ports with all the comforts or small, secretive ports offering peace and solitude. The main ports for boaters are Zaglav, Sali, the marina Bozava.

Here there are many shops and restaurants. The only gas station on the island is in Zaglav. The small ports of Dragove, Luka, Savar, Soline, Verunic and Veli Rat and Zman and Zverinac have minimal equipment and even less opportunities for shopping. On the other hand, they provide peace far from the tourist crowds. If you want to know how Robinson Crusoe would have a vacation, rent a cottage on the small, enchanting Krknata Island lying before Sali. Also a place for very lonely and quiet holidays is on the Lavdara Island- a paradise for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle.

How to get there

Dugi Otok, the "long island" at the gates of Zadar is connected to the port city by several ferries - and thus also with the rest of the country. The car ferry company of Jadrolinija runs route number 434 between late May and late September: three times daily back and forth between Zadar and the island town of Bribinj. On Saturday evening there is even a fourth service route. The approximately 1 hour 20 minute long crossing is best enjoyed on deck, where you will have the best views of the gorgeous archipelago. I highly recommend this route for motorists and visitors who wish to tour the northern part of the rather elongated island.

The boats of the G & V ship company are a little faster and provide two different routes to approach two different towns on Dugi Otok. The Anamarija (route 405a) connects Zadar once daily from Monday through Saturday with Sali within 1 hour and 10 minutes and connects to Zaglav in about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Even faster is the "State High Speed Route 9406": The "Melita" completes the route from Zadar to Sali in 50 minutes and from Zadar to Zaglav the boat only needs 1 hour and 5 minutes. The fast passenger ferry service runs three times a day. Note: On Sundays and public holidays you must be aware of other departure times and differing port connections because of the possibility of altered routes. The G & V catamarans are recommended for visitors without cars who are in a bit of hurry and for all visitors who are attracted to the southern part of the island.