Brbinjšćica Bay (Dugi Otok)

Dugi Otok Wall

Iž Island Walls

Kornati Wall (Opat)

Mana Island

Michelangelo Wreck (Veli Rat)

Premuda Island - Cathedral

Ravni Zakan

Silba & Olib Islands

Telašćica Nature Park

Zadar Wrecks - Boeing 737 Fuselage

Zadar Wrecks - Jadran

Zadar - Pagnacco Wreck

Northern Dalmatia eats from the sea and the islands. Pag island is famous for its pungent sheep cheese and lamb grazed on aromatic herbs, while the coast serves grilled brancin, squid, scampi and the ever-present black risotto. Olive oil from the island groves is exceptional, and the region’s Maraština and Pošip whites pair perfectly with seafood. Konobas on the islands keep things simple, local and delicious.

Hotel Bastion

Hotel Mediteran

Hotel Veli Jože

Hotel Villa Lucija

Hotel Borovnik

Northern Dalmatia stretches from the historic city of Zadar northward to the Kornati and south to the Šibenik archipelago, a labyrinth of more than a thousand islands, reefs and sea channels. It is a region of extreme clarity and dramatic topography: the Kornati National Park is a stark, near-uninhabited archipelago of sheer cliffs plunging into the deep blue, while Telašćica Nature Park on Dugi Otok holds some of the clearest water in the Adriatic. Wreck divers come for the Michelangelo cargo ship off Veli Rat and the Boeing 737 fuselage sunk as an artificial reef near Vir, and the Cathedral on Premuda is a spectacular light-filled cavern. The offshore islands of Dugi Otok, Iž, Silba and Olib offer pristine walls, macro reefs and tranquil, uncrowded diving. Zadar itself is a cultural highlight with its Roman forum and sea organ. Northern Dalmatia is where the Dalmatian island-hopping adventure truly begins, with visibility that frequently tops 30 metres and a genuine sense of remote, wild water.

Northern Dalmatia – Zadar & Kornati

Fly into Zadar Airport (ZAD), which sits right on the coast and is the natural hub, or into Split (SPU) to the south. From Zadar, ferries and catamarans reach the islands of Dugi Otok, Iž, Ugljan, Premuda and the Kornati; a rental car plus a few ferry reservations is the most flexible way to tour.

Dive Sites in Northern Dalmatia – Zadar & Kornati