The island is south of the city of Zadar and south-east of the island Ugljan. The two islands are separated only by a narrow canal called Ždrelac, and are connected by a bridge crossing the canal. The island is among larger ones in the area of Zadar, but has never been as developed as some other islands along the Croatian coast. There are no cities or larger settlements on the island, there are only small villages. The island is divided between two municipalities. The Pašman municipality makes up for 67% of the island and Tkon for the rest 33%. Between Pašman and mainland there is the picturesque Pašman canal, full of tiny islands – among them even the famous heart shaped island. There is no life on these islands, except a little bar on one of them – but it’s only accessible by boat. The entire island of Pašman covers the area of 63km2 and is the 12th biggest island in Croatia. The coast of the island is 65km long and 3000 people live on the island. It’s a perfect place for people wanting to relax, enjoy the clear blue sea and also be active, for the island offers quite a few sporting thrills.
The local tourist organization made sure the cycling paths are well kept and clearly marked – and you also get a free map for them. And everywhere on the island I’ve paddled, I’ve met fellow Slovenians on bikes. This also shows how much we love to cycle and don’t even go to vacation without our peddled steed.
The highest peak
The highest peak of the island is Bokolj, with 272m above the sea level, clearly visible a long way around. It has a typical cone shape and is much taller than the rest of the peaks, really standing out and dominating the landscape. Under it, there’s the settlement of Dobropoljana. From the top of it, you can get a great view of the island group of Kornati, the neighbouring islands, the Pašman canal and the town of Biograd with its surroundings. There is only a narrow macadam road leading to the top, with many large boulders, making it difficult to go there by car. It’s best to go all the way up by a mountain bike or simply on foot.
The road bike around the island
You can cycle on the roads only on one side of the island, where most of the people live. There are small settlements there and a nice asphalt road all the way across the bridge to the island of Ugljan. The larger settlements on the island are Ždrelac, Banj, Dobropoljana, Neviđane, Mrljane, Barotul, Pašman, Kraj and Tkon. It’s a special feeling visitng each of them by bicycle, riding through the narrow streets and go on exploring the next place. If yu want a longer ride, you can go to the next island – all the way to its end. The only nuisance is, you must return the same way. You can’t make a circle on the roads, since there is none.
Mountainbiking the interior of the island
Cycling the hills and nicely kept macadam roads of the island is a special feeling. The western side of the island, uninhabited and quite step features only a few Robinson like houses, cycling and walking trails. Oh, and there’s the mandatory church along the coast. The island transversal is 30 kilometres long. The map shows you, with lots of details, the cycling and walking trails and you can get it in several languages. It also includes the height profile of the routes, cycling plans and everything, to make your navigation around the island very easy.
There’s also good news for all nature lovers, who along with walking or peddling around in nature also like to find something useful. There are quite a few useful herbs growing on the island. You can find herbs like timjan, marshmallow, sage, camomile, oregano, St. John’s wort and many more. Besides, the island is very beautiful, with much of pristine nature, so cycling is a real joy to anybody who enjoys the activity.
Accommodation
The island is a great place for people loving rough wild beaches, away from the masses of tourists, as many say and prefer – a Robinson holiday. The coastline facing the Dugi otok offers many such opportunities. The island is also a great place for all you camping fans, although it features private rooms and hotel as well. Still, most of the tourists prefer to stay on mainland, and only visit the island as a day trip. There’s a ferry connecting the island to mainland, which runs several times a day. You can reach the island from Biograd na moru and, as most people do Zadar, where there are numerous accommodations, among other the one I suggest to all the young travellers, and those young at heart - the
Youth Hostel Zadar. It’s got a prime location and the price is reasonable, which are the two main arguments for visiting the hostel and book a stay there. Apart from being a great base for exploring the area, the hostel is also a hub, where you can meet interesting visitors coming from all parts of the globe.
