Sailing to Kornati: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

Kornati National Park sits at the southern end of our longest route, and it's unlike anywhere else on the Adriatic. No permanent settlements, no shops, no cars — just bare white limestone, deep blue sea, and a silence broken only by seabirds and the sound of your anchor chain. The Croatian writer George Bernard Shaw once wrote of the Kornati: "On the last day of Creation, God desired to crown his work, and so created the Kornati Islands out of tears, stars, and breath." We've been sending sailors there for years, and no one has ever come back disappointed.

The Numbers

The Kornati archipelago contains 140 islands, islets, and reefs spread across 320 km² of sea — making it the densest island group in the Mediterranean by concentration. Only a handful are seasonally inhabited, mostly by fishermen. The National Park itself encompasses 109 of those islands and was established in 1980.

Arriving from Novi Vinodolski

Our Kornati Route covers 207 NM over 7 days. From Novi Vinodolski you sail south to Rab (30 NM), then make the route's longest single crossing to Zadar (43 NM) — a full day of sailing that rewards you with the extraordinary Kornati archipelago just 12 NM further. The route returns north via the outer islands of Ist and Molat, then Mali Lošinj, Krk, and Opatija before the final leg home. It's our most demanding route and the one our guests talk about the longest.

Anchoring Within the Park

Inside the National Park you must anchor in designated areas and pay an entry fee (collected by park rangers who come alongside by boat). The most popular anchorages are around Kornati island itself and in the sheltered bay of Ravni Žakan, where several seasonal restaurants serve grilled fish and lamb. Anchoring outside designated zones or damaging the seabed is strictly prohibited and fines are significant. Your skipper will know exactly where to go.

What to Expect at Sea

Kornati passages typically take place in open water with less island shelter than the northern Kvarner routes. The maestral provides good afternoon sailing, but the area can be affected by the jugo (southeasterly) which builds swell from the open Adriatic. September is the finest month for the Kornati — calmer seas, warm water, and almost no other yachts at the more remote anchorages.

Zadar: An Essential Stopover

The Kornati Route passes through Zadar, and it would be a mistake to rush it. The old town sits on a narrow peninsula and contains some of the finest Roman and Byzantine monuments in Croatia — including a Roman forum still used as a public square. Don't miss the Sea Organ, a 70-meter installation of underwater pipes that converts wave motion into haunting music, best listened to at sunset from the stone steps leading into the sea.

Permits and Rules

Entering Kornati National Park requires a permit purchased in advance or at the park entrance. Fishing within the park requires a special permit. Freediving requires specific authorization. We take care of all of this as part of your charter preparation — just let us know at the booking stage if diving is on your agenda.

Our Advice

The Kornati Route is rated challenging — not because the sailing is technically difficult, but because passage lengths are longer and conditions more exposed than our northern routes. We recommend it to charterers with some prior open-water experience, or those sailing with a skipper. If this is your first time with us and you want the Kornati, sail with a skipper — you'll spend more time enjoying the islands and less time worrying about the weather window for the Zadar passage.