Airport and transport – connected by bridge and ferry to the mainland; Zadar (around 43 km); airport in Zadar.
History – presence from Paleolithic period, and from the antique times (remains of a shipwreck from the 3rd century BC are found); up to the end of the 4th century, it existed on a locality known as Caska (military camp, the first big settlement on the island; had sewage system, which is bigger than the one of the ancient Rome). In the 10th century Pag was completely urbanized; it had the city walls, towers, fortresses, squares, churches, monasteries, houses and palaces; the citizens were engaged in trading, fishing, cattle breeding; they were sailors or salt manufacturers; the importance of the salt was the main reason that Pag was constructed as a fortified town; the original salt manufacture by draining of the sea, which is brought in the small clay pools (saline), is still present on the island.
Interesting to see: Old town (Stari Grad); old town’s centre; salt storehouses (17th century, still in use), church of the Assumption (this church is a valuable cultural and art monument because of its exterior and interior architectural solutions, as well as the exhibits); early Croatian church of St. Nikola (11th century); Romanic church of St. Mary (12th century).
For divers: town Caska (the first big settlement on the island) and its submerged town on its seabed (the remains of the town can be seen diving).
Info – the fifth largest island in Croatia; its 270 km of the indented coastline make it the island with the longest coastline on the Adriatic, rich with unusual shapes, gentle oasis, hiking trails, coves, shallow bays, beaches and capes; according to a legend, there are many passages under Pag that use to serve for the secret communication between the centers of the political, church and civil governments, but also for escaping in case of need; Pag’s lace is the most beautiful and the most authentic souvenir of Pag (every lace is a unique item with certificate; since 2009 protected by UNESCO).
Party: World known Beach Zrće where world famous DJ names are entertaining party people from 0 till 24.
Inevitable to see: Production on sea salt in small clay pools (saline); ornithological reserve Velo blato (on the way to the village Vlašici); summer carnivals; “Pag’s Slave girl” (a kind of a “miracle play”), folklore (old folk costumes), the carnival wheel dance (so called “kolo”) accompanied by the brass band.
Health: dry-land continuation of a shallow bay hides another natural wealth – mud (tested and proved to be curative).
Inevitable to taste: first class sheep cheese of Pag “Paški Sir” (in 2010 winner of 3 “Super Gold” medals; unique flavor due to vegetation – rocky ground, thin grass, low aromatic herb cover, sage and immortelle grow) and lamb, as well as various seafood specialties; the Benedictine convent of St. Margarita cherishes the tradition of making “baškotini” (the aromatic crunchy biscuits that are offered at the entrance of the convent); olive oil, wines.
Mystery: Pag’s triangle (unusual imprint on the rocky ground, discovered on the hill Tusto celo, in 1999; NW of the town of Pag; triangle is phenomenon, which attracts the attention of believers, alternative researchers of history and the UFO investigators; triangle has been exposed to the UV rays and they emitted red which is the proof that the rocks inside the triangle have been thermally treated; it is presumed that this imprint was made 12 000 years ago).
Good to know: in 2010 (in Birmingham; UK) in competition “World Cheese Awards” (the most important and influential competition of cheese quality in the world; tradition from 1988), Pag’s cheese “Paški Sir” form dairy Sirana Gligora was competing in 3 categories (for: the best hard goats cheese, the best hard cheese (with weekly average of 2t) and the best new hard or semi-hard cheese on the market) and (among 2600 cheeses from 30 countries) was the only cheese that in all 3 categories won “Super Gold” (also their cheese Kozlar won Bronze, in category of semi hard goats milk cheese); this puts Sirana Gligora in elite club of “The Best 10 Dairies in the World”.
For sailors: in general: almost all coves are suitable for mooring; NE coast is high, steep and exposed to bora (therefore completely bare).
Pag’s harbour: sheltered form all winds but when exposed to bora causes strong stream and waves, W wind causes rough sea and during jugo sea sometimes causes flooding of the coast (near saltworks); approaching is on the marked fairway (50 m wide; 4-6 m deep); right side of the channel is marked with green buoy; left side is marked with red light (on the head of the ferry landing and farther on the head of jetty). While approaching: the light on the ferry landing should be left on the left side (for about 17 m) and then sail strait toward the light on the head of the jetty. Berth: sideward near the wharf (N from the bridge); smaller vessels can tie in quarter mooring (N from wharf). Warning: tides current reach the speed of 4 knots and often change direction.
Channel St. Povljana: sheltered from bora; exposed to jugo; berth for smaller vessels is in the cove (SE from Smokvica).
Ljubačka vrata: exposed to bora that in gale force blows in all directions and creates cross waves; through the passage flows the current (from Velebit channel) in speed from 1-3 knots. Warning: when entering in passage from Velebit channel, cape Tanka nožica should be sailed around because of the shallow that surrounds it (passage under the bridge is 300 m wide); sail is possible in both direction but max 35 m to the right or left from the middle of the arch of the bridge; sailing through the passage is allowed only during the day (only for vessels with mast not taller than 30 m).
Novalja: exposed to W and NW winds (that cause big waves and swell in the harbor). Shallows: around capes Gaj and Vrtić (big circle); near the boardwalk (SE from wharf). Berth: near wharf (in front of the hotel) or quarter mooring from the inner side of the breakwater or in the middle of the harbor (muddy bottom; holds well). Warnings: it is very dangerous to stay in the port during W and NW winds and especially during the storms (from that direction); numerous buoys are in the harbor; approach to the petrol station can be only if draught is up to 0.7 m.
Paška vrata (passage 1.5 NM long and wide 0.5 NM); exposed to wind bora (blows very strong and aggravate the passage through Paška vrata). Warning: reef (W from cape Krištofor; has a lighthouse; in front of the cove Figurica); shallow Krištofor (5 m; around 600 m SSE from cape Krištofor); reefs Maškalić Veliki and Maškalić (SW part of the passage, before and after cove Mali Zaton).
Paški zaljev: 2 ports (Pag and Metajna) and few anchorages (in smaller coves); shelters from wind jugo (in Luka Pag and coves Barbat and Slana); shelters from bura (in NW part of cove Barbat and cove Caska); when bora blows strongly, the strongest becomes on the entrance of the bay (Paška vrata) and in the bay Slana and harbor Pag; difficult approach to the bay when bora is the strongest (because of the sea dust and big waves); bora blows: in NW part of the bay (from the E side) and in SE part of the bay (from the N side); SE and NW winds are blowing along the bay (and create strong waves). Warning: NW from the cove Barbat there are (very hard visible) cliffs Karavanić and V.Školj (passage between is 0.3 NM).
Bay Caska: in the bay is large sandy beach; sheltered from bora. Mooring: (smaller vessels) on the bottom of the cove (sandy or muddy bottom; depth 5 m); in N part of the bay is small port with mole (depth 1 m); on the E side is old stony tower under which is always calm sea (except when jugo blows).
Metajna: exposed to W and SW wind; sheltered from bora and jugo. Approach: N from cape Zaglav (landmark is: church, S from the settlement). Mooring: sideward from the outside of wharf; quarter mooring from the inside; SW from the jetty (muddy bottom; holds well).
Povljana: bay is protected from bora and jugo.
Prutna (farthest SE cape on the island): Warning: because of the wide belt of shallows, around capes (Prutna and Jasenovo) passage (around 1 NM wide) is narrowed to a narrow fairway (of 300 m wide). Fairway is marked: with red light (at cape Prutna), with a red buoy (SW from cape Prutna) and with a green buoy (in front of the cape Jasenovo). During the night: turning to a passage (from channel Nova Povljana) starts when the light on the cape Prutna becomes visible.
Slatina: exposed to W and NE wind; sheltered from SW, S and SE wind. Shallow: around islet Mišnjak (large circle; situated near the island Rab). Shallow with reefs: between islet Mišnjak and cape Mišnjak (warning: forbidden sailing between islet and coast). Mooring: NE from the islet Mišnjak (warning: bottom doesn’t hold well, so the cove is suitable only for a short stay).
Stara Novalja: exposed to NW wind; sheltered from bura and jugo (although they blow rather strong). Mooring: possible in whole bay. Warning: during the bura (when the waves are reflecting from the SW coast) the best shelter is in the little bay Drljanda, but not at the pier (reserved only for ferries, along which anchorage is forbidden).
Tovarnele: exposed to NW and W wind. Berth: on the head of the small jetty or anchoring in the middle of the cove (sandy bottom; holds well). Warning: marked reef Tovarnele (N) and a reefy shallow that surrounds it (large circle).
Šimuni: orientation point: during the day is little chapel (SE from the settlement), during the night the lighthouse (green light; S cape of the bay; warning: after passing the lighthouse, keep to the centre of the passage).
ACI Šimuni: warning: shallow on the W side of the bay (keep in the middle of the bay); recommendation: mooring on the NE side of marina (if, approaching during the night or during bora).