Kornat Island

Kornat is the largest island in the central Kornati archipelago off Croatia’s Dalmatian coast and lies within Kornati National Park. The island is characterised by bare karst rock, steep cliffs and many small inlets.

The island attracts sailors and day-trip boat visitors who anchor in its bays to explore short shoreline trails and coastal scenery; there are no substantial settlements and very limited on-island services. The wider Kornati National Park comprises many dozens of islands and is a popular destination for boating, snorkeling and island-hopping.

Kornat’s human use has been light and largely maritime - traditional grazing and seasonal use occurred historically but the island today is managed as part of the national park for conservation and tourism. The park protects archaeological remains, dry-stone walls and traces of past pastoral use across the archipelago.

Kornat sits in the Adriatic Sea within Šibenik-Knin County, off the Croatian coast; the nearest mainland ports are on the Dalmatian coast to the east and southeast, from which day boats and charter services run into the national park.

• National park access: Situated within Kornati National Park, which protects a dense cluster of islands and is best visited by boat from Kornati’s mainland ports and island marinas.
• Landscape and use: Mostly uninhabited and karstic in character, with steep rocky coastlines and numerous sheltered bays favored by boaters.

Kornat (part of the Kornati archipelago) has no car ferry-it’s reached by boat from mainland Dalmatian ports. Regular tourist and charter boats depart from Murter (Tisno), Biograd na Moru and Šibenik/Zadar; if driving, park on Murter or at the Biograd/Šibenik harbours and join a day boat or private charter to the national park, with short walks from shore/anchors to points of interest.

• Use Murter or nearby ports as your departure point for Kornat and book an early departure to reach quieter coves before the day-boat crowds arrive.
• If you plan to visit by private boat, secure the Kornati National Park entrance permit/fee in advance and pick a bay that's allowed for anchoring-park rules prohibit anchoring and camping in many spots.
• Check the forecast for bora (strong northerly winds common in the Adriatic) before setting out; winds can rise quickly and make navigation among the islets hazardous, so plan sheltered anchorages accordingly.