Dugi Otok and the Zadar Archipelago travel guide

Dugi Otok, translating literally as ‘Long Island’, is the largest of a scattering of islands and islets that make up the Zadar Archipelago. Running 43 km from northwest to southeast, and never wider than 4.6 km, it’s a rugged, sparsely populated place, which seems to have passed through the centuries with few notable events. The island’s villages lie along the northeast coast, looking back towards the mainland, while the southwest side, opening on to the sea, is made up of steep cliffs and a series of small inlets. A scenic road runs the length of the island from Veli Rat in the northwest, passing through Božava, Brbinj and Zaglav, to arrive in the chief settlement, Sali, in the southeast. The main attractions are at the extremities of the island: Telašćica Nature Park on the southern tip, and Sakarun Bay in the north. However, tourist facilities are minimal and public transport limited, so you really need a car to get around.

Between Dugi Otok and Zadar are the similarly long and skinny, but not quite as rugged or dramatic islands of Ugljan and Pašman, which are joined together by a bridge and are connected to Zadar and Biograd-na-Moru by regular ferry services. Now almost a suburb of Zadar, many locals have summer houses here, although there is little of cultural or recreational interest to the passing traveller.