- Eco guide for Adriatic
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by Ultra Sailing Team
Croatia is a small country, not too populated, but apart from the beautiful rugged Adriatic coastline it also has plenty of water and mountains. It is no wonder that in such a small area there are eight national parks and 12 nature parks. The difference is that in national parks any use of natural resources, such as fishing, etc., is strictly prohibited.
If you are traveling from the capital city of Zagreb to the Adriatic Sea, stop and visit Plitvice Lakes. This national park is an oasis of peace and tranquility, during summer as a green and in winter as a snowy oasis. Legend says that the Black Queen came down from the mountain after the drought and sent rain, thunder and wind to the exhausted people. This is how 16 lakes were created, about which the Black Queen told the people: “From now on, people from all over the world will come to see your beautiful Plitvice Lakes” … The ticket price of the Plitvice National Park goes from 80 kn up to 200 kn, depending on the time of year.
For those who want to test their adventurous spirit in the mountains, Croatia offers 3 national parks: Risnjak, Northern Velebit and Paklenica. All 3 parks are accessible by car and our advice is to visit them with a professional guide and full hiking equipment.
The national parks accessible by sailboat and catamaran are distributed across the Adriatic: the island of Mljet, Kornati, Brijuni and the Krka waterfalls (accessible from Skradin).
National park Island of Mljet
If you have rented a sailboat or catamaran from Dubrovnik to Trogir or Split, then Mljet is an island where you will surely want to spend the night or stay a day or two. Mljet is a poorly populated island, it once belonged to the rich Republic of Dubrovnik and people with plague or those who were on the margins of the social ladder were sent to it.
Mljet is about 24 NM away from Dubrovnik, so for larger boats, it should not be a problem to reach this island on the first day. Its north-western part was declared a national park back in 1960. The berth in Polače Bay is recommended and safe for those who want to visit the park. The second option is the berth in Pomena, a little closer to the entrance of the Park, but on the waterfront of the hotel there are only about 20 berths, so it is good to arrive by 14:00 in the peak season.
The most beautiful part of the park are the two salt lakes, Veliko and Malo jezero. Children usually like to be carried by a light sea current under a small bridge or paddle in a kayak with their parents to the small island of Melita (St. Mary). Here you will surely have time to take care of your children and enjoy the nature of the island which most boaters say is the most beautiful part of the Adriatic. If you want to eat fresh and good fish – then you are in the right place because bays Pomena and Polače have their local restaurants well known for their lobster catches. This sea is rich, protected and only local fishermen can fish in the waters around the national park. The entrance to the national park is in Pomena, right next to a small hotel. The ticket price for the Mljet National Park is 100 kn ( a ticket for the island of St. Mary is included in that price ).
Sailors need to check if berth payment includes a ticket for the national park – since our last visit the ticket has been included. Mljet does not have its own water but delivers it to aquifers. This is the reason why spending water on washing a boat on Mljet is almost synonymous with the madness that the locals will resent.
But it is not just the Mljet National Park with its two salt lakes and islet that the island of Mljet has to offer. There is also Odysseus Cave, then the beautiful bay Prožura and the southeastern part of Mljet, which is famous for its beaches Limoni, Saplunara …. This part is closer to Dubrovnik, swimming is fantastic, and it is the closest for sailors which are coming from Sipan, ACI Slano or ACI marina Dubrovnik. Enjoy the wilderness of Mljet, eat fish and connect with nature …
National park Kornati islands
This island archipelago is named after the latin word “corona” – crown. The Kornati are indented, bare, rarely populated (the largest settlement is Vrulje on the island of Kornati) and an excellent escape from the hustle and bustle. They were declared a national park back in 1980 and more than 80% of its visitors are boaters. To visit the Kornati it is the best to rent a sailboat from Kremik near Primosten, Vodice, Murter (7 NM), Sibenik (15 NM), Biograd or Zadar.
A stone labyrinth of eighty-nine islands, islets and cliffs in the sea – these are the Kornati. It is the most indented island group in the Mediterranean where you will surely find a bay for yourself. The view of the Kornati islands from both, the air and the sea, is fascinating. Each island deserves to be studied and experienced. The Kornati islands are famous for their dry stone walls, which testify to the hard work of people on the sparse land in the stone surrounded by the crystal clear sea. Kornati – a stone pearl of the Mediterranean and an oasis of peace and quiet.
The ticket price for the Kornati National Park is 150-300 kn for the smallest boat depending on the place of purchase.
The list of islands can be seen on the official website of NP Kornati
National park Krka
Krka waterfalls are not on the sea, but they can be visited very easily if you moor in the ACI marina Skradin. For the summer heat, a visit to the Krka National Park is a great solution. Boaters are recommended to moor in the ACI marina Skradin, which is closest to Skradinski Buk waterfall and Roški slap waterfall, the main attractions of the river Krka. It is best to join an organized boat tour from Skradin.
Do not miss swimming in the cold river (only in permitted places) and visit the remains of the ruins of the first Croatian hydroelectric power plant on Skradin’s Buk. The hydroelectric power plant “Krka” (later called “Jaruga I”) was built and put into operation on August 28, 1895, only two days after the commissioning of the first hydroelectric power plant on the Niagara River. For some reason, it is rarely mentioned that the city of Šibenik was the first in the world to have public electric lighting. Nikola Tesla is responsible for both hydropower projects.
The ticket price for the Krka National Park is 30-110 kn, and boaters will also have the cost of berth in the ACI marina Skradin.
National park Brijuni – islands of Brijuni
The Brijuni Islands are just over seven square kilometers big and are located in the northwestern part of the Adriatic, near Pula. The climate in this part has always been milder, so at the beginning of the last century, the Austrian industrialist Paul Kupelwieser built a fashionable summer resort and health resort. Since 1954, Brijuni has become the summer resort of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, who spread the voice of Brijuni as an elite island so Brijuni can boast of numerous visits by world statesmen, actors and other celebrities from that time.
Ideas for an active vacation on Brijuni:
• golf and polo courts, bike path, lookouts
• Safari park – within the Safari park there is an ethno park enriched with Istrian animals – Istrian cattle (Boškarin), Istrian sheep (Istrian Pramenka), donkeys and goats
• Mediterranean garden on an area of 17000 m2 with169 indigenous and exotic species… Among the Brijuni flora the most famous is the Old Olive, one of the oldest in the Mediterranean…
• House for boats – interpretation and education center that presents Brijuni in an innovative and interactive way.
• Dinosaur footprints
The ticket price to the Brijuni National Park is 125-210 kn, depending on the time of year
