Sakarun Beach

Sakarun is a sandy beach on the northwest coast of Dugi Otok, the largest island of the Zadar Archipelago, near the villages of Božava, Verunić and Soline and not far from the Veli Rat lighthouse. What sets it apart from most of the Croatian coast — where beaches are almost always pebble or rock — is its fine white sand, paired with shallow, turquoise water that has earned it comparisons to Caribbean beaches, making it one of the most photographed spots in Zadar County.

The bay is shallow for a long way out from shore, which makes it popular with families and a comfortable place to swim, though boats typically need to anchor some distance out because of the shallow seabed. From Zadar, Sakarun is roughly an hour and a half away by boat or ferry via Dugi Otok, and it draws by far its biggest crowds in July and August. Beyond the villages nearby, there is little built up around the bay itself — it remains, for a beach of its reputation, relatively undeveloped, which is precisely why it is best reached during a gulet cruise along the Croatia coast rather than as a standalone day trip.