Kornati National Park

The Kornati National Park is a dramatic group of about 130 islands, islets and reefs sprinkled in the deep blue sea of the Adriatic, covering an area of about 64 sq km. The Kornati archipelago is in Dalmatia, a coastal region of Croatia just across from the cities of Zadar and Sibenik. Permits are needed to anchor and enter this National Park; collection of entry fees is done by NP tenders who will come to your yacht so you do not need to organize permits beforehand anymore. 

The largest island is Kornat, from which the archipelago takes its name. Other larger islands are, Piskara, Kurba Vela, Zut, Sit, Vrgada and Levrnaka. Apart from a tiny area of cultivated land with fig trees, olives and vineyards, the Kornati islands are rocky, covered with thin grass, rare trees and Mediterranean scrubs. 

The Kornati National Park has no permanent inhabitants, although the present owners from nearby larger Dalmatian islands periodically visit Kornati to tend their vineyards and olive groves, bringing their sheep to graze. 

The sea around the islands is rich with fish and a variety of marine life. The islands have no spring water, only rainwater collected in water holes. 

The unique feature of the islands lies in their rugged shores with many caves and coves. The landscape of chalk limestone is covered with bushes of rosemary, juniper, lavender, thyme, myrtle and sage. Follow the pathways leading to steep and huge cliffs facing the open sea and others gently declining towards the sea, ending in a small bay with a jetty and one or two fishermen's cottages surrounded by pine, olives and fig trees.