DUGI OTOK

The pride of island is a significant landscape with dominating lighthouse on the north-west side, and the Nature Park Telašćica on the south-east. The sea fruits together with the various fruit of the rocky soil make this islandthe unique ecological unit.

Around 1500 inhabitants live on the island in 12 villages. The road connecting all places on the island offers a magnificent view. The island is well connected with the mainland by ferries and fast ships.

When there is Dugi otok in question, you can find many attractive places and natural fineness; this is the trip through the world of the tradition as well as through the modern way of living.

When coming to the island of Dugi otok you are returning to your roots. You can indulge your body, as well as your personality, idling on the beaches of Dugi otok, alone or with someone, swimming in amazingly clear sea. In Sali and Božava you can become a member of a scuba diving club and dive like a fish.

Every place on Dugi otok has its festivity. Hedonism and Mediterranean culture with specific traits of different places, such as donkey races, folk dance kolo, theatre performances and musical concerts in the environment of the island architecture, makes even the farthest dreams come true.

The cove of Sakarun, the beach full of white sand, pebbles and pinewood, is a place of enjoyment. Sakarun is a natural counter-balance to Telašćica.

Attractions

Local musical show "Tovareća mužika"

Fish hunting in Sali has a centuries long tradition and fishing oily fish has been of special importance. A boat that lit a lamp to attract a shoal used to have a horn for giving signs to fishermen and other boats when they were about to catch the fish in their net.
Therefore each house had a horn as a utensil.
However, younger generations used horns for making jokes on account of those who would get married when already of a certain age, which referred to marriage of a widower or a widow.

Such “serenades to newly married” used to be called “tovareća mužika” (“just married music”). In 1960 an old maid married a widower in Zaglav.

The marriage ceremony was intended to be held in secret but young people found out and arranged a practical joke. They went after wedding procession blowing into horns, banging with metal parts of tools and irons. To get rid of them the groom and the bride had to buy them a drink and upon returning to the village the pranksters decided to repeat such “concerts” for their own pleasure.

Thus the “just married music” (“tovareća mužika”) became a part of local festivities and by repeating over the years it was integrated into tradition of the island of Sali. For most young men from Sali it is an honor and pleasure to take part in concerts and accompanying pranks of this local musical show. Over time they made their own unwritten rules. They are dressed in clothes that reminds of finery that used to be worn by workers of anchovy factory that has existed in their hometown for more than 90 years.

They wear sailor hats called “rašketa”. Although only the more skilled ones can play up to three tones on a horn, they can still “offer a program” of several different performances. Especially attractive is a rhythmic accompaniment, which is performed on different household utensils. They gather in a small village Zmorašnje selo from where they head to the center of the village of Ravanac going past the parish church of St. Mary. In the village they greet the gathered villagers and continue further past the church of St. Rok where they head down to the port of Porat and go around it couple of times.

They have a few obligatory stopping places where they play, perform various sketches and make jokes on their account and the account of the audience. It is all led by a ceremony master who very inventively and wittily conducts the whole ceremony.

The whole event finishes late in the afternoon when the performers together with the ceremony master slowly enter the sea in Porto whilst continuing to play until the water reaches their necks, at the same time holding their instruments high in their hands.

Arriving

Options of arrival to Zadar

By car

• Zagreb 270 km
• Trst 300 km
• Graz 520 km
• Wien 705 km • Milano 700 km
• Müenchen 800 km
• Berlin 1404 km
• Paris 1687 km

By ship

You can come to the island:

Jadrolinija
• By daily ship line Zadar-Sali-Zaglav
• By daily ferry line Zadar-Brbinj
www.jadrolinija.hr

Miatours
• Daily with a hydroplane Zadar-Sali-Zaglav
• Weekly with a hydroplane Ancona-Brbinj-Zadar

Reservations and tickets

Jadrolinija - Zadar agency
Liburnijska obala 7
HR-23000 Zadar
tel: +385 23 250 555
www.jadrolinija.hr

Jadrolinija - Brbinj agency
Brbinj (Dugi otok) HR-23000 Brbinj
tel./fax. +385 23 378 713
www.jadrolinija.hr

Miatours
Vrata sv. Krševana
HR-23000 Zadar
tel. +385 23 254 300
fax: +385 23 254 400
www.miatours.hr

By plane

Airports

Split Airport
www.split-airport.hr
Cesta 96
Kastel Stafilic
tel: +385 21 203 555
The flight schedule can be found on the website.

Zadar-Zemunik Airport
www.zadar-airport.hr
tel: +385 23 313 311
The flight schedule can be found on the website.

Reservations and tickets

Croatia Airlines
The flight schedule can be found on the website.

Croatia Airlines - Branch office Zadar
Poljana Natka Nodila 7
HR-23000 Zadar
tel: +385 23 250 101
zadto@croatiaairlines.hr

Croatia Airlines - Branch office Split
Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 9
HR-21000 Split
tel: +385 21 362 997
sputo@croatiaairlines.hr

By bus
Via bus terminals Zagreb and Zadar is connected by bus lines with all bigger European cities.

Information and tickets:

Bus terminal Zagreb
www.akz.hr
tel: +385 60 313 333

Bus terminal Zadar
tel: +385 23 211 035

source: TZ Dugi Otok