A week from Zadar: Iž, Dugi Otok, Telašćica, Pašman
The Zadar archipelago is a double row of islands along the mainland, with flat water between them almost all the time. It suits a first week on your own boat and a holiday with children: legs of 8–22 nm, one to four hours, and shelter is never far away. The loop is about 85 nm: Iž, the white beach of Sakarun and Božava on Dugi Otok, the fishing town of Sali and the Telašćica nature park, then home along the Pašman channel.
Day by day
D-Marin Zadar (Borik)
- Zadar (Borik)44.125, 15.221
Handover after 17:00 at D-Marin Zadar in Borik, 15 minutes from the airport and close to the old town. Provisioning in town; in the evening, the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun on the waterfront, best at sunset.
Zadar → Iž
- Veli Iž44.051, 15.108
Across the Zadar channel and between Ugljan and Iž to Veli Iž, a potters' village with a sheltered harbour. A short first day: the children can take the helm from the marina gate, and there is time for a swim off the stern before mooring.
Iž → Dugi Otok (Božava)
- Sakarun44.132, 14.876
- Božava44.136, 14.908
North-west to the far end of Dugi Otok. By day, anchor off Sakarun: white sand and shallow turquoise water, ideal for learning to handle the dinghy. Night in Božava harbour under the pines.
Božava → Sali
- Sali43.936, 15.165
The longest day of the week, down the sheltered inner side of Dugi Otok with a lunch stop in Brbinj. Sali is the island's fishing town and main port; berth on the town quay, with the ice cream right behind it.
Sali → Telašćica
- Telašćica43.895, 15.163
A short hop into the Telašćica nature park. Moor in Mir bay and walk to the salt lake and the cliffs that fall 160 m into the open sea. The afternoon goes on paddleboards and the dinghy on flat water.
Telašćica → Pašman (Tkon)
- Tkon43.921, 15.421
Back east across the approaches to the Kornati — under sail, a good day for a family race against the clock — and into the Pašman channel to Tkon. Dinner on the waterfront.
Tkon → Zadar
- Zadar (Borik)44.125, 15.221
North up the Pašman channel, past the Ždrelac strait, and back to Zadar: refuelling and handover, and the afternoon in the old town.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Wind: in summer the daytime maestral blows from the north-west and dies down by evening. The archipelago is sheltered on every side: in a bora stay inside the Zadar and Pašman channels and swap Sakarun for Olib or Molat; in a jugo move the Mir bay night to Sali harbour. The best months are June, July and September.
- Telašćica is a nature park: boat admission is paid separately, and the night in Mir bay is on the park's buoys. Tickets are checked on the water, and it is easier to buy one in advance.
- With children: no leg ever takes you more than a few miles from a safe harbour, so any day can be cut short. The bridge over the Ždrelac strait between Ugljan and Pašman is low — a sailing yacht cannot pass under it, so the way back to Zadar is along the mainland side.
- Logistics: Zadar airport is 10 km from the marina, a transfer of about 15 minutes — one of the shortest trips from plane to boat in Croatia.
When to go and what it costs in Croatia
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Croatia
All boats in Croatia
How long is the Zadar — Dugi Otok route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 85 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Zadar. Overnight stops in order: Zadar (Borik), Veli Iž, Božava, Sali, Telašćica, Tkon. The longest leg is day 4, 22 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Zadar — Dugi Otok route?
Croatia's season runs May to October. July and August are the peak, with the highest prices; in June and September the sea is warm and boats and berths cost less. May and October are the shoulder months: cooler, with the odd bora or jugo, but the lowest prices of the season. From November to March most of the fleet is out of the water. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is October: a median of ≈€144 per berth per week. The most expensive is January, at ≈€205. The most boats with 20% off or more are in October: 76%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Croatia for a week starts from €1,200 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Croatia”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
