Kornati and Telascica National Parks Boat Cruise Zadar

Zadar harbour and the morning cruise through the archipelago

The day begins at 08:00 at Zadar harbour, where the boat waits on Ulica Zadarskog mira, a short walk from the old town peninsula with its Roman forum, the round church of St. Donatus and the Sea Organ on the waterfront. Zadar is the main port of northern Dalmatia and the closest city to the Kornati, which is why a Kornati day trip from Zadar is the classic way to see the islands.

After a welcome on board and breakfast sandwiches, the boat heads south-west through the Zadar archipelago, passing the long islands of Ugljan and Pašman and threading between smaller islets as the open sea appears. The guide introduces the islands and the day ahead, and the first stretch of about 2.75 hours is the time to settle on deck and watch the coastline recede.

Telašćica Nature Park on Dugi Otok

Telašćica is a long, sheltered bay cutting deep into the southern end of Dugi Otok, protected as a nature park for its contrast of calm water inside and towering cliffs outside. The cliffs on the seaward side rise more than 100 metres straight out of the Adriatic and are the highest in this part of the coast; a short walk from the bay leads to the viewpoints above them, where the drop to the sea takes your breath away.

Within the park lies Lake Mir, a saltwater lake fed through cracks in the rock, warmer and saltier than the sea and ringed by a pebble shore where many guests swim. The boat spends about two hours here, with free time to walk to the cliffs, bathe in the lake or swim from the boat. Telašćica is worth visiting on its own, and combining it with the Kornati in one day is the main reason this cruise is so popular.

Kornati National Park

Sailing on for about 45 minutes, the boat enters Kornati National Park, a dense scatter of bare limestone islands and reefs that fill the sea south of Dugi Otok. The islands are almost treeless, pale grey and ochre against water that shifts from deep blue to turquoise in the shallows, and the seaward faces of several of them drop into the sea in sheer cliffs known as the crowns. The park was created in 1980 and is uninhabited apart from a few seasonal fishing cottages.

From the deck the guide names the islands as you pass and explains how the dry-stone walls crossing them were built by shepherds from Murter who still own much of the land. A Kornati Islands cruise is above all about this slow passage through the maze, with the light changing on the rock and the sea so clear that you see the bottom from the rail.

The hidden bay on Kornat Island: lunch and swimming

Kornat is the largest island of the group and gives the park its name. The boat anchors for about two hours in a quiet bay on its shore, away from the routes used by the big excursion boats, where the water is shallow, calm and perfectly clear. Here the crew grill lunch on board or by the shore: fresh fish or meat with salad, with vegetarian and vegan dishes available if you ask when booking, served at your table with water and juice.

Before and after lunch there is time to swim, snorkel if you bring a mask, or simply float and look at the bare hills around the bay. This stop is the heart of the day, and the small number of guests means it never feels crowded. Seasonal fruit, often fresh watermelon, is served as the boat prepares to leave.

The return cruise and Liburnska obala, Zadar

The return leg takes about 2.5 hours, heading back north through the islands as the afternoon light softens. It is the most relaxed part of the day: guests stretch out on deck, the crew bring drinks to the tables and the guide is on hand for questions about the coast. On calm days the sunset colours begin before the boat reaches the mainland.

The cruise ends at Liburnska obala, the quay on the mainland side of Zadar's old town, in the early evening, a few minutes' walk from the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun, where many guests go straight on to watch the sunset over the water. Hotel drop-off is not included, but the quay is central and close to buses and taxis.