December is usually nice. But rarely nice as this year. Sunny, no wind, temperatures almost reaching 18 degrees… Perfect for enjoying beautiful outdoors! So, yesterday, we wanted to test our speed boat and see what is going on on Kornati. I haven’t been there in years and really wanted to experience them in the winter time instead of waiting for summer crowds.

As always, Kornati are just spectacularly beautiful!

It is a group of nearly 100  islands (89)  that continues just south of Telašćica bay of Dugi Otok island. The entire archipelago is breathtaking and attracts quite a few sailing boats each summer. Unfortunately, most of guests visit in peak season but they are great experience year round. Exploring islands, walking the hills, relaxing in secluded bays… Kornati are peaceful retreat unlike any other in Croatia! Kornati have been a National Park since 1980. and majority of the land and islands belongs to people of Murter who bought the islands from nobility of Zadar as it traditionally belonged to them over the centuries. Today, they are still privately owned and some folks still keep their proof of ownership dating back from those days.

We got to Kornati in 30 minutes from Biograd and stopped at Katina Island to see if anybody was there. Family Šešelja from Zaglav on Dugi Otok owns a famous restaurant “Mare” and we know them for a long time. No one was home but their fury cats basking in December sun.

 

Behind the house, a trophy was hung on the wall.

After a brief stop we continued further down Kornat and back to Dugi Otok to see Tanjurić reef (or Taljurić)

And we saw some guys fishing just bellow the cliffs of Dugi Otok.

 

…and then back through Mala Proversa passage to Ždrelac and home. Next time we will go further south and hike some hills but we had some obligations and had to return soon… At 25 knots (not full speed of 45 knots), we reach Kornati in less than half hour.

Ždrelac. Boats are waiting for new season resting for the holidays.

It is always pretty to see Tustica as one of the last, untouched oasis of our coastline not devastated by hideous apartment buildings. Someone was planning a golf course here with hotels and stuff. Golf course on a hill? Another way to build apartments. Why not over the hill? Plenty of land and easy to build? Not something I wanted to think about on such a glorious day!

Back to Biograd watching the cormorants enjoying the sun on Babac Island…

The weather has been so beautiful that I have been outdoors almost every day. There are so many things to see and enjoy and winter is definitely a superb time to visit. Not for swimming in the sea but for culture, great hikes, historic discoveries…

Travel to Croatia