Croatia - Zadar - Split

Hi there,

I'm flying into Zadar Croatia in late october. I'm unsure where to stay though. Id like to do some kayaking and explore the natural beauty of the country but don't want to travel too far from Zadar as i have only seven days before a flight back. Also are there any really nice islands or beaches near zadar? I know Croatia has a lot of shingle beaches but there must be a few pretty sandy beaches. Any info would really help actually.

Also if i wanted to stay in Split - how easy is it to get to Split from Zadar airport or town?

Many thanks, Ncik

Hi,

I haven't spent much time in Zadar myself, but here're some accomodation options:
Hotel Mediteran - I've stayed there once, it was nice and moderately priced.
Vila Hresc (a bit pricey, but I'm not sure what kind of accomodation you'd prefer)
There's also a Youth Hostel in Zadar.

Interactive map of Croatia is here.

If you stay in Zadar, I suggest you visit Paklenica National Park.
You can ask about a bus-line from Zadar to Starigrad Paklenica at Zadar Central Bus Station, it's a 30-45 min ride, and runs frequently.

There's also Kornati National Park near Zadar, and Telascica Nature Park. There're a couple of beautiful sandy coves on some of the islands of Kornati (on Lavernaka, I think, and some others).

Krka National Park is near town of Sibenik, not far away from Zadar.

As far as I know, the only (nearest) sandy beaches around Zadar are near small town of Nin. Croatia's coast is mostly rocky, sorry.

The distance Zadar-Split is around 150 kilometers, which amounts to around 2 hours of driving. It would be possible for you to stay in Split, of course, but then the nearest sandy beaches are around Omis town, which is even more further south than Split (in relation to Zadar).

Oh, and there is a bus-line connecting Zadar airport and Zadar city.

I hope this helps a bit.

All the best,
Anamarija

Hey anamarija,

The info and links have been a really great help. Especially the length of bus journeys etc. I'm going to try to fit in as many of the national parks as possible but want to kayak around the islands mostly.

Thankyou

I'm glad it helped, and if you think about sea-kayaking, then here're some (important) links: Winds on the Adriatic and Croatia :: Winds on the Adriatic
You don't want to "meet" strong bora or jugo winds while kayaking. While jugo generally brings rainy weather (so you wouldn't be going out anyway), bora usually means clear, sunny and cold weather - if you don't know the signs that it'll start blowing, you can be caught by surprise while at sea.

All the best,
Anamarija