How many days to spare for Kornati Islands?

[Eren]

I am trying to plan my summer at Adriatic. I know the Dubrovnik and Split region but I have no idea about the north of Split. I wonder how many days to spare for Kornati Islands. Some say that one day is enough, some others say a week is not enough. I would like to hear the comments from forumites who are familiar with the region.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jrudge]

I did it as guest of Mapism of this parish.

It is beautiful - the only snag is that is costs ball park e100 per day in park fees.

There is little in the way of water or electric ( you can get night time electric in some places and water is limited to 100 lts ). There are also no shops. You moor up at the local eaterie and have dinner - sometimes the mooring is free

I would say 3-4 days.

 

[EugeneR]

Agree, 3-4 days. You absolutely have to go to Skradin and the Krka falls on your way there - that's another 2 days!

 

[MapisM]

I have a bit of mixed feelings based on last year experience, a dozen of years after I moved away from the Adriatic, which I cruised extensively in the past.
In fact, from the mid 90s to the mid naughties, the Kornati Archipelago is probably the single boating area where I spent most of the nights at anchor in my whole boating experience - something like 15 to 20 days each summer if not more, for 10 years in a row.
And not only I never got bored of it, but I always found some new spots, year after year.
In this sense, based on my old but pretty extensive experience, I'm definitely in the "one week is not enough" camp - nowhere near enough, even.
But, and it's a big but, that was back in the days when the cost of the daily permit was very reasonable, and you could drop the hook just about anywhere, with no restrictions, additional anchorage fees, or cumbersome requests from the park guards.

Otoh, last year I passed along most of the HR coast, and I must say that the islands which I found more welcoming and closer to my old memories were the Southern Dalmatian, further south.
Talking of which, when you say that you know the Dubrovnik and Split region, do you mean the mainland coast between them, or also the islands?
If just the former, I'm afraid you ain’t seen nothin’ yet, in boating terms.
Korcula, Mljiet, Lastovo, Vis, Hvar are all well worth visiting, in that area.

That said, the landscape of the Kornati Archipelago remains pretty unique, and it would be unfair to dismiss it just because the Croatians realized that they can use it as a cash cow - together with several other nice bays outside the park where anchorage used to be free, actually.
The bottom line is that based on this more recent experience I would now agree with the previous suggestions.
Kornatis are still worth seeing for good, but 3 or 4 days are enough to get the gist of it.

Don't forget to post your impressions, anyway!

 

[alexsailor]

2 days (look at their crazy entry fee prices!)

 

[BartW]

Hi Eren,

we 've spend one night on anker in the Kornatis, and that is enough (considering your travel scedule)
the marina's IN the Kornati are not worth visiting imo

there are plenty of nice spots surrounding the Kornati,
sa Skradin and krka falls,
and especially all the islands, anchorages and coves (with restaurants) between Kornati and Sibenic

also north of Kornati,
Zadar is a nice stop,
and on the island Dugi Otoc (east side) we discovered a really nice anchorage

 

[Eren]

It is beautiful - the only snag is that is costs ball park e100 per day in park fees.

Well, I think nowadays they charge you roughly this kind of amount wherever you are at Croatian Adriatic.

 

[Eren]

Agree, 3-4 days. You absolutely have to go to Skradin and the Krka falls on your way there - that's another 2 days!

I will definitely visit Skradin and Krka Falls. Actually I am not that short of time. It is a trip of 45 days. But still even though it seems a lot, actually it isn't. There are too many places in Croatia and I try to decide where to stay for how many days.

 

[Eren]

But, and it's a big but, that was back in the days when the cost of the daily permit was very reasonable, and you could drop the hook just about anywhere, with no restrictions, additional anchorage fees, or cumbersome requests from the park guards.

Do I get it correct that even though I pay for the park fee, still I will need to pay additional anchorage fees, while I am within the Kornati zone??

Otoh, last year I passed along most of the HR coast, and I must say that the islands which I found more welcoming and closer to my old memories were the Southern Dalmatian, further south.
Talking of which, when you say that you know the Dubrovnik and Split region, do you mean the mainland coast between them, or also the islands?
If just the former, I'm afraid you ain’t seen nothin’ yet, in boating terms.
Korcula, Mljiet, Lastovo, Vis, Hvar are all well worth visiting, in that area.

I have been twice to Elefitis and once to Split region islands. They were all lovely. However can be too crowded. I am planning to have some rather quiet days at the Kornatis, after the crowded days at the Hvar region.

That said, the landscape of the Kornati Archipelago remains pretty unique, and it would be unfair to dismiss it just because the Croatians realized that they can use it as a cash cow - together with several other nice bays outside the park where anchorage used to be free, actually.
The bottom line is that based on this more recent experience I would now agree with the previous suggestions.
Kornatis are still worth seeing for good, but 3 or 4 days are enough to get the gist of it.

Don't forget to post your impressions, anyway!

As I see from all comments, I think a 3 days pass will do for me. I plan to do the land side (Murtar side) when going north and Kornatis when going south. I will definitely try to make a cruise report.

 

[Eren]

Hi Eren,

we 've spend one night on anker in the Kornatis, and that is enough (considering your travel scedule)
the marina's IN the Kornati are not worth visiting imo

there are plenty of nice spots surrounding the Kornati,
sa Skradin and krka falls,
and especially all the islands, anchorages and coves (with restaurants) between Kornati and Sibenic

also north of Kornati,
Zadar is a nice stop,
and on the island Dugi Otoc (east side) we discovered a really nice anchorage

Yes, actually north of Kornati would be my next question. How much north should I go? Any suggestions?

 

[MapisM]

Do I get it correct that even though I pay for the park fee, still I will need to pay additional anchorage fees, while I am within the Kornati zone??

Yup, but only in some buoys fields.
Otoh, it's worth mentioning that there are restaurants with their own docks, where clients can overnight FoC.

north of Kornati would be my next question. How much north should I go? Any suggestions?

Well, that's your call, really - depending also on time available.
There's plenty of islands N of Kornatis, but the landscape is rather similar in all of them.
'Fiuaskme, I'm not a fan of the islands just N of the Kornatis: Dugi Otok (Telascica Bay aside, which is nice and better sheltered than any marina!), Ugljan, Pasman, Iz.
I prefer for instance Molat, Ist, Silba - or further N, Ilovik, Losinj, Susak, Unjie, Cres, and up to Krk.
But as I said, they are somewhat similar, and I'm splitting hairs a bit...

 

[BartW]

Do I get it correct that even though I pay for the park fee, still I will need to pay additional anchorage fees, while I am within the Kornati zone??



I have been twice to Elefitis and once to Split region islands. They were all lovely. However can be too crowded. I am planning to have some rather quiet days at the Kornatis, after the crowded days at the Hvar region.




As I see from all comments, I think a 3 days pass will do for me. I plan to do the land side (Murtar side) when going north and Kornatis when going south. I will definitely try to make a cruise report.

We had to pay only one fee in Kornatis, entrance fee, and that included one night on anker, (no boy's)
actually they came collecting the money when we were on anker..

Elafiti is not in Hvar / Split region, it is more south, the islands, Kolocep, Lopud, Sipan, Olipa and Jakljan
you know some of them, they are ideal for a short 2..3 daty trip from Porto. We love them !

yes Split and Hvar can be crowded, but don't forget the region just north (Sibenic region) we want to go back there, it looked fabulous

how far north to go ,
up to Lodsinj? we liked Veli losinj more than mali losinj !

if this is your only trip ever in that region,
I would go up until Brijuni, with its prehistoric fossiles, and Tito museum and safari

ignore Rab and cress,

 

[jrudge]

We had to pay only one fee in Kornatis, entrance fee, and that included one night on anker, (no boy's)
actually they came collecting the money when we were on anker..

DONT DO THIS! Ask Mapism . If you enter without paying the fee is doubled and payable in cash immediately.

We had exactly this - for a swim stop. Mapism told them where to go. I don't know what happened in the end. We looked it up and they were right.

There is a quirk - they cant stop a boat that is navigating. We took the anchor up to move and they went wild as they thought we knew this and were trying to evade the fine.

The joy of Croatia.

 

[Eren]

We had to pay only one fee in Kornatis, entrance fee, and that included one night on anker, (no boy's)
actually they came collecting the money when we were on anker..

DONT DO THIS! Ask Mapism . If you enter without paying the fee is doubled and payable in cash immediately.

We had exactly this - for a swim stop. Mapism told them where to go. I don't know what happened in the end. We looked it up and they were right.

There is a quirk - they cant stop a boat that is navigating. We took the anchor up to move and they went wild as they thought we knew this and were trying to evade the fine.

The joy of Croatia.

I am aware of the fact that I should pay in advance in order to avoid "extra bill". I will do that.

I made a good study last night and decided that Mali Losinj will be my northest point. It is a complicated sailing plan with several guests and family members coming in and leaving.

 

[Eren]

yes Split and Hvar can be crowded, but don't forget the region just north (Sibenic region) we want to go back there, it looked fabulous

I had a look from the map and some googling. That area (Sibenic-Murter-Zut) looks really promising. I spared some "wildcard" days for that region. I am sure Deleted User knows much about that part as his boat had stayed at Rogoznica for some time.

 

[MapisM]

I don't know what happened in the end.

Just FYI, the short answer is nothing: I neither paid the permit, nor any fine.

But the full (somewhat funny) story, for anyone interested to avoid repeating my "mistake", is as follows:
That day we were thinking to overnight at Piskera, a nice small marina right in the middle of nowhere, inside the Kornati park.
This is relevant because the marina fee includes the park fee.
Besides, back in the days, I used to pay the park fee directly to the guards who approached anchored boats with their RIB, and on top of being a fraction of the current fee, there was no additional penalty whatsoever.

So, here we are, anchored in a very small bay for a swim, along the route to Piskera.
I dropped the anchor without caring a lot about chain ratio or proximity to the coast, because I knew it was just a short stay.
Then this couple of folks arrive, and ask for the permit.
I told them that I didn't have it, because we were going to overnight at Piskera and I was aware that the stay included the park fee.
They tell me that they don't care what I'm going to do next, and that I must have the permit before anchoring anywhere in the park.
Fairenuff, I tell them, I'll pay for it, albeit with little enthusiasm. Then they ask me a ridiculous amount (which I don't even remember exactly), explaining that the fee is doubled when not paid in advance.
At that point, my face must have transpired a bit of disappointment, and I insisted a bit on our good faith, explaining them also that we were already booked in Piskera (which they could have called to check). I never told them that I wasn't willing to pay, anyhow.
Otoh, a bit of breeze was in the meantime pushing our boat towards the rock, so I asked them to stand by for a moment, to give me a chance to avoid ending with a grounded boat in their lovely park - and have to pay the fee forever, on top of that!
So, I turn the engines on, weigh the anchor, move a bit away from the rocks, and revert to these very friendly (not!) chaps.
In fact, they stayed around our boat at all time during our maneuver, which was very obviously not meant to escape by any stretch of imagination.

But as J said, they must have thought that we were aware of their very weird rules, according to which (apparently) now that I wasn't anchored anymore they could not sell me the permit, regardless of price.
So, while imprecating a bit against the EU for some reason, they told me that they took photos of the boat, and they were going to send them to the Kapetanija, which would have heavily fined me upon exit from HR waters.

Which is in itself a presumptuous idea, because at that point nothing would have restricted me from heading offshore without making any exit check, and wave goodbye to HR and their obtuse park guards.
I suppose they just assume that anyone who cruises their waters wants to come back year after year, in which case obviously they could cross check the consistency of entrance/exit registrations.
But in my case, I had no plans to come back in that area during this life, so I could as well have left HR without getting their exit stamp.
Otoh, aside from the fact that my Captain and Commander (aka SWMBO) didn't want to hear about that, I also had a funny feeling that those chaps were nothing but a lot of talk and a badge, in De Niro words.
In fact, eventually I did go to the Kapetanija upon exit to get their stamp, and there wasn't a "wanted" poster of my boat on the wall behind their desk...
Those real officers were instead much more friendly than the park guards, and just warned me that I was going to have a bit bumpy crossing, that day.

So, when all is said and done, I have no reason to complain. But it was a bit annoying experience anyhow.
I still maintain that the Kornatis, with their sort of lunar landscape, are a must see for any boaters.
Just check beforehand all the updated details on their website!

 

[MapisM]

That area (Sibenic-Murter-Zut) looks really promising.

Don't take my words for it because I'm only going by heart, but IIRC Zut and its marina are within the Kornati park borders, hence subject to the same rules.

 

[Eren]

Don't take my words for it because I'm only going by heart, but IIRC Zut and its marina are within the Kornati park borders, hence subject to the same rules.

As per the below list and maps there, Zut is not within the park:

https://www.np-kornati.hr/en/o-parku/popis-otoka

However I don't know how the park guards will evaluate these information. Frankly speaking, these anchoring fees, park fees, super expensive vignette fees totally do not create the most relaxing cruising atmosphere. I feel like I will be in a "seek and hide" game, even though I don't have any intention to hide. Just like in MapisM's story, they make you feel like "you are busted!". This year I plan to finish up with Croatian waters and next year I look forward to go down to Ionian Islands or Turkey, where I can really relax.

 

[MapisM]

Well, I did say to not take my word for it...
Though interestingly, I just tried to feed "Kornati Park" into Google Maps, and the green area includes Zut.
Maybe that's something which was changed at some stage...
...well, better than thinking that my memory is screwed, anyhow!

I fully agree with your considerations and conclusions, fwiw.
And I heard of other IT boaters thinking along the same lines.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Don't take my words for it because I'm only going by heart, but IIRC Zut and its marina are within the Kornati park borders, hence subject to the same rules.

Not correct. Zut is definitely worth visiting especially to eat at the Festa restaurant http://zut.hr/seafood-restaurant-festa/. Park on their quay free of charge if you eat in the restaurant. Otherwise anchor in the bay or pick up a buoy

IMHO the Kornatis are only worth a 2 day visit not because of the charge but because we didnt find the area any more scenic than any other area in Croatia. Btw the islands are not naturally bare. They are like that because of centuries of over farming

Murter is another place worth visiting. Again park your boat on the quay and eat at this restaurant https://www.tictac-murter.com/