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Dugi otok (Long island) attractions

Discover Mošćenička Draga

On this miraculous island you can enjoy in many attractions. Some of them are:

Lighthouse Veli Rat

The imposing lighthouse is located on the north-western tip of Dugi otok, near the place Veli Rat.

It was built in 1849 and it is 42 meters high and today it is the highest lighthouse in the Adriatic. It owes its impressiveness to its yellow facade, for which, according to oral tradition, 100 000 yolks were used. In the courtyard of the lighthouse is the chapel of St. Nicholas, a place increasingly in demand for organization of a romantic wedding.

The lighthouse offers also apartment accommodation.

Beach Sakarun

Sakarun is one of the most famous beaches in Zadar County, located on the northwest coast of the island.

Near the beach are the places Veli Rat, Veruni, Soline and Božava. The beach gained its reputation with the whiteness of the sand and clean sea, surrounded by pine trees that provide a welcome shade in the summer.

It is about 300 meters long and at some 250 meters from the shore it is 3.5 meters deep, which means that the bathing area is extremely large and shallow and suitable even for young children. On the beach are two catering facilities that offer refreshment from the summer heat and light snacks.

Transport is organized from Božava to Sakarun with a tourist train, which departs every two hours.

Cave “Strašna peć”

Archaeological researches within the Cave Strašna Peć were never carried out. However, considering the immediate vicinity of the cave Vlakno, which represents an exceptional location as well as the caves Goat and Badanj, we can suggest that this cave, thanks to its geographical position, at the very least served as a temporary habitat for early human populations on the island.

A flint artefact, a small knife from the Stone Age, was accidentally found and due to the shape of the rope and the handle it is possible to date it to the Neolithic representing a rare finding at this moment.

Nature park Telašćica

Nature Park Telašćica is located in the southeastern part of the island and with the surrounding waters as well as 13 islands, islets and rocks it makes a miraculous harmony of nature on 70,5 km².

The contrasts of nature is very expressed here with peaceful bays and rugged cliffs, forests of Aleppo pine on one side and Holm oak on the other side, the area of cultivated fields of vineyards and olive-trees, as well as the area of rocky meadows. The Mediterranean vegetation is represented in the park with more than 400 plant species as well as numerous rare and endemic plants that have been recorded. The underwater world is home to about 250 plants and 300 animal organisms, including the now depleted red coral and the carnivorous sponge.

The park is a haven for the 14 island donkeys, which roam freely in the bay Mir.

The park is characterized by three phenomena:

  • The Telašćica bay is one of the safest, the most beautiful and largest natural ports in the Adriatic. There are 6 islets and cliffs inside the bay, and 25 small coves on the 69 km indented coastline. It is an attractive anchorage for many boaters.
  • The cliffs of the island Dugi otok or locally called “Stene” rising up to 200 m over the sea, and vertically falling down 90 m into the sea. Great number of bird species nest here, as well as Peregrine Falcon and Eleanor’s Falcon.
  • Salt Lake “Mir” with fine curative gray silt is the residence of the endemic specie of eel called “Kajman”.

The most picturesque island in the Telašćica bay is Katina and the most unusual is certainly Taljurić, with its geological and geomorphologic characteristics. Telašćica has been inhabited since ancient times, as can be seen from numerous archaeological remains found in the area like the burial mounds in the field Čuh, the Illyrian mounds and the remains of Roman buildings from the first century.

The Park offers organized tours in nature, cruising, water sports, diving, fishing, cycling, photo safari and traditional sea specialities in several catering establishments in the area of the park.

You can enter the park through the land entrance Dolac or by the sea near the lighthouse Vela Sestrica and through the passages Vela and Mala Proversa. Group visits are organized from the nearby islands and from Zadar and Biograd.