The Final Stop - Club Paradise in Novalja/Zcre Beach, Croatia

I hate to write part four because in finishing my story it's as if the adventure itself is finally finished.  At least writing it will memorialize it forever.  With that I give you the final chapter... Pag Island, Novalja, and Zrce Beach.

Thursday, August 16, 2012
Somewhat tired of Split, we checked out extra early so that we could see some of the sights on our drive from Split to Novalja on Pag Island.  We'd heard about some spectacular waterfalls, Krka Falls, that were conveniently on the way.  After a breakfast of famous chocolate gelato, we jumped in the car, and after some intense navigating, made it onto the A1 freeway.  Time for some REAL driving.  Music blasting, I can say I definitely enjoyed the higher speed limits and wide open pavement.

The best way to see Krka Falls is to drive to the town of Skradin where you can park your car for about 40 kuna and then take the free boat to the park entrance.  The town of Skradin is quaint and pretty adorable.

 

 

We had a car so we obviously drove there but you could just as easily book a tour from Split. You do need a couple of hours to really bother going through between driving there (about an hour), parking, taking the boat there, looking around/swimming, taking the boat back, etc.

The entry fee was about 85 kuna per person and the park was OVERRUN with people.  You had about two seconds to stand on the bridge and look at the waterfall before being pushed forward by the sheer crush of people trying to get their token tourist photo.  It would've been really enjoyable to sit in the water and swim but we'd brought our purses filled with money and passports so we weren't comfortable leaving them on the shore to take a dive.  Honestly there were so many people that it gave me anxiety and so we left.  Kind of a waste of money for a waterfall that is definitely beautiful but not THAT exciting.

The rest of the day was spent driving onto Pag Island (this island's got a bridge woohoo!) which took at three hours.  The drive there was absolutely breathtaking like the below picture of Pag Town.

After some more creative navigating we found the Big Yellow Hostel and managed to steal the last parking spot.  The hostel was run by a man with an unwashed ponytail and a lazy eye whose sense of humor was fairly strange.  The hostel itself was dirty, creaky and filled with an assortment of very strange hippy people that reminded me of some parallel, Mad Men episode.

 

Lil Sass was NOT having it and insisted that we wander through town to see if we could land an apartment rental in someone's house (don't worry this is super common in Croatia).  After about 30 minutes we finally found a home owned by an old woman and her husband.  For 900 kuna for three nights it was CHEAPER than the hostel and it was super clean with a really comfy bed, a private shower and a parking spot!  This discovery put both of us in a far better mood.  My recommendation for those traveling to Croatia, and especially Novalja, would be to still book a hostel, even if it isn't the nicest, as a back-up and then upon arrival try and find better accommodation.

For dinner we wandered the main street along the water until we came across a restaurant called Moby Dick which seemed pretty popular and had a great American playlist.  I ordered the green pasta with steamed salmon and shared a 70 kuna liter of wine with Lil Sass.  Talk about a good deal!!  The food was delicious even if our waiter was a little hair-brained and somewhat slow.

From dinner, we walked a block down to Cocomo, which is a sort of clubby bar scene with questionable drinks and more great music.  The back area becomes a sweaty dancefloor with very little ventilation so we stuck more towards the front which is open air and really nice.  After an hour or so we made friends with two Italians and two Africans (living in Italy) who were all traveling together.  They had a car and one of the guys didn't drink so we got a free ride to Zrce Beach.

Zrce Beach has been heralded as the "Ibiza" of eastern Europe with multiple open air clubs and famous DJs spinning there during July and August each summer.  We ended up at Papaya, one such club, dancing until 4 am at which point the guys kindly drove us home.  The scene is awesome although the music that particular night was a little too trance for me. 

Friday, August 17, 2012
Today began our trend of waking up and catching up on our emails while drinking espresso at Art Caffe in the main square.  They have free wifi if you order a drink.  The espresso was really tasty too!

We spent the rest of the morning wandering through town along the coast stopping at intervals at each of the little pebble beaches.  The water closer to town is a little murky and trashy but if you walk far enough along the coast towards deeper water that are some really nice secluded little areas among the rocks to stop and nap for awhile.

 

I had this insane craving for tuna fish so we stopped at one of the local markets where I bought tuna, crackers, mayo and some other random Croatian snacks.  Turns out the tuna had a bunch of season and vegetables in it (ick! I hate veggies) so I spent quite awhile trying to dissect the tuna away from the rest of the ingredients.  The end result wasn't super satisfying...

After spending a million hours sitting in the refreshing ocean water, we went back to the apartment to nap, shower and head out for dinner.  I have to admit that most of the places to eat looked pretty lame both in terms of menu options as well as atmosphere so we ended up doing the EXACT same thing we did last night - Moby Dick, Cocomo, and Papaya.  This time at Cocomo we made friends with three Spaniards from Barcelona - Albert, Jordi and Oriole - and Rok from Slovenia. 

Papaya this time was absolute epic!  Alesso from Swedish House Mafia spun all night long and we definitely came home at 7am with the sun.  It was well worth the 150 kuna entrance fee.  This time we took the bus both ways which was super easy and I think about 20 kuna per person.  I was particularly vocal about getting pizza so we bought some and sat eating it in front of our apartment until the boys were shooed away by the neighbors like stray dogs.  So entertaining.

Saturday, August 18, 2012
Today we decided to head the opposite direction down the coast after our traditional morning espresso run. This direction afforded little stone docks to lie on as opposed to the rocky coastline from yesterday.  The water also seemed clearer.  We lazied around all day and then went back to take another nap before dinner.

On our way to dinner we ended up randomly running into the Spaniards again and so we invited them to dinner at, you guessed it, MOBY DICK!  I'd also like to point out that we had the same ridiculous waiter all three nights so this time we felt we had to get a picture of him! 

 

However, I couldn't do the green salmon pasta for a third night so I ordered the kebab platter.  It was REALLY good.

Also as we sat down, I look straight in front of me only to see The Rok and his Slovenian friends sitting at the table across from us ("Marco Polo!").  Small. Town.  Jordi kept us giggling through the majority of dinner thanks to crude, ridiculous conversation topics.  In keeping with more tradition we ended up back at Cocomo to dance the night out, however I drew the line at going to Zrce for a third night because we needed to be up early the next day for the harrowing drive all the way back to Dubrovnik.

Sunday, August 19, 2012
We were up early to drive back to Dubrovnik which I was anticipating would take like 10 hours.  Turns out it was closer to seven which was really nice and gave us time to stop to take pictures of the incredible views along the road home.

 

We checked back into Fresh Sheets again and this time they tried to put us in the two person room within the hostel.  It didn't have AC, was really small, and had a tiny window (like an attic) which we kind of argued back about considering we were paying for the "same room" and/or an equivalent room.  They were very understanding and set it up so we could have a room in another apartment nearby.  I feel like in Croatia they just have tons of family and friends with rooms that can be rented out at a moment's notice.

We decided to return to Taj Mahal for our final dinner where we shared a table with two Canadians who had also just come from Yacht Week and had nothing but good things to say.

Once dinner was over we headed back to shower and pack and reflect on what I must say was one of the best vacations of my life.  I hope that some of the people I've met on this trip become lifelong friends and that Croatia is still just as amazing when I return in a year to try out Yacht Week for myself.  Until then...

Sun, Savory Seafood and Late Nights on Croatia’s Adriatic Coast

By James Ullrich

Croatia isn’t the first place most Americans associate with a fun time on a picturesque European beach. They’d be forgiven for thinking that wild nights, sunny beaches and great seafood are restricted to the coasts of Italy or southern France. But Croatia’s Adriatic coast is fast becoming the new beach party hotspot, drawing throngs of young European sun worshipers in search of affordable fun. And where there’s youth there’s no shortage of roaring nightlife when the sun goes down. I’ve found there’s a lot about “Eastern Europe’s Riviera” that’s worth enjoying.

Situated on the warm, blue waters of the Adriatic, the coast of Croatia has been the recipient of great press in recent years. Since the end of the Balkan civil war people from around the continent have descended on the area. Taking advantage of the low prices and warm weather, travelers like me favor the earthy charm of the region over the snootier, pricier locales of the French Riviera and Italy. With the savings, I can afford to stay longer—and play harder—on its picturesque beaches, seafood cafes, and open-all-night clubs.

Dubrovnik, jutting out over the bathtub-warm Dalmatian coast, is a treasure trove of tasty opportunities. Lovely and historic, the city’s cobbles once rivaled nearby Venice for supremacy. Rightfully called “the Pearl of Adriatic Sea”, its ring of thick, imposing defensive walls testify to its former importance. Now Dubrovnik plays the role of a world class city hosting festivals, cultural events, and tourists enjoying its inviting atmosphere, great restaurants, and sunny climate.

Photo of Dubrovnik - Credit: www.all-free-photos.com

Photo of Dubrovnik - Credit: http://www.world-in-picture.com/

Large chunks of the Old Town are now traffic-free zones, making ambling along the winding streets a stress-free experience. I love taking an evening stroll as the aroma of freshly caught seafood snakes through the cobbled lanes. Do yourself a favor and duck into a family-owned restaurant and enjoy some of the local cuisine. Like any coastal area, a rich tradition has evolved as generations of fishermen and local chefs translated their greatest food resource into a tasty art.

Some Croatian favorites include grilled red mullet, savory stews, fresh oyster with lemons, and the amazing shrimp buzara, a sauce of tomatoes, white wine, onions and breadcrumbs. Because of its proximity to other coastal countries, some Croatian fish dishes also carry Italian and Spanish influences.

Many restaurants hug the cliffs jutting out over the sea, affording diners with a breathtaking view of the aqua-blue waters spreading out into the horizon. Local restaurants serving great traditional fare include the laid-back Sesame, the old-fashioned Dubrovacki Kantun, and the popular Rozarij.

Photo of coast from Dubrovnik - Credit: www.all-free-photos.com

Once the shops of Old Town close for the night, revelers come out and the cobbled quarters become the scene of music, drinking and flirting till early morning. Clubs and bars abound along the winding lanes. Some clubs spin middle-of-the road electronica and some cater to a more artsy/underground crowd. Latino Club Fuego and Beach Club Banjo are popular, as is the unique Revelin, located inside the historic Revelin Fortress.

In terms of bars, there are plenty, particularly a clutch located behind the cathedral. Faux Irish pubs are the latest craze, packed with Aussies, Americans and UK partiers—but few locals. Katie O’Connor’s holds the title of Oldest Irish Pub in Town, and is situated in an old stone cellar. Pub Karaka, an Irish wannabe, is popular too.

Be warned: Revelers in Dubrovnik like to up the classiness when they hit the town, so don’t dress in your worn jeans, Nike trainers and unwashed shirt. If you brought some nice clothes, now’s the time to break them out. I feel embarrassed when I show up wearing the same undignified garb I wore that morning. My rumpled Adidas t-shirt and Converse shoes won’t cut it. Neither will yours.

In terms of Dubrovnik accommodations, cheap beds can be found at Vila Micika Hostel and Dubrovnik Backpacker’s Club and Youth Hostel, Dubrovnik. At the other end of the spectrum, plusher experiences can be had at the Hotel Kazbek, Hotel Bellevue, and Hotel Excelsior.

Don’t let an opportunity to visit one of Croatia’s great island experiences pass you by. A 30-minute drive across the causeway from Zadar, Pag Island hosts an interesting mix of traditional culture and modernity infused with the vibrancy brought out by its young visitors. The throbbing night scene in the town of Novalja has led the island to be nicknamed “the Balkan Ibiza” by young Europeans in search of a less touristy experience than its overrated Spanish counterpart. The party begins on the beach and continues through the night at the sweaty, crowded clubs.

Needless to say, afternoon siestas are popular here. Accommodations on the island range from hostels (the well-located Big Yellow House) to nice hotels (Hotel Tony and Hotel Boskinac) to camping grounds for the rustic set.

Once you’re sunburned and partied out, take a couple days to recover because there’s much left to explore. The Istrian Coast is charming, and its main attraction, Rovinj, is an idyllic town worth getting lost in (and you will; the ancient winding streets of its old town core are confusing but picturesque). Split is another great option. Considered Croatia’s “second city’, Split boasts a rich Roman history sharing space with some of the best upscale shopping opportunities on the Dalmatian coast. Try the seafood here. You’ll be glad you did.

Photo of Split - Credit: www.all-free-photos.com

Though still enjoyable solo (you’ll meet plenty of new friends), the region is best experienced with people who share your energy level and interests. Depending on your preference for nighttime activities, you might want to try the romantic/family route (think lovely snusets over the sea) or party it up with close pals who’ll keep your secrets (think Animal House on the beach). Summer is the best time to visit if you’re interested in the beach, particularly July and August. Winter brings shorter days, cooler temperatures, but lesser crowds.

Thanks to the proximity of mountains to the coast, mountain biking and trekking opportunities can be done without much extra travel. Treks can range from the simple coastal walks to complete mountain adventures. In the winter, skiing is hugely popular; the Croatian Olympic center at Bjelolasica is a top-notch facility and draws would-be slalom champs. In the summer, thousands of hard-core kayakers and scuba divers tag team the sea.

For those of you who only have a week or two to spend, I recommend spending a few days in Dubrovnik, scenic Rovinj with a quick jaunt to the island of Havar and then on to Split for a couple more days before returning home.

Photo of Havar - Credit: http://www.world-in-picture.com/

Balmy climate, blue water, and historic cities—at a more affordable price than the better-known alternatives to the west. I’ve found that the popular-again Croatian coast is more crowded every year, but that’s the thing about great places; there’s a reason why they don’t remain a well-kept secret for long.

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Author Bio:

James Ullrich is a thirty-three year-old freelance writer. He recently completed his first novel, a contemporary thriller set in Rome and Prague. When not writing, he enjoys traveling through Europe with a backpack and a journal. He’s currently working on his next novel. He lives in Seattle.