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Dugi Otok: Shipwreck Snorkel, Sea Cave & Sakarun Beach

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration8h 30m

GroupUp to 100

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

The boat cuts across open water toward Dugi Otok's hidden bays and a 76-meter shipwreck

You board a speedboat with a maximum of 11 other travelers and spend the day moving between Dugi Otok's best-kept spots: snorkeling a 76-meter shipwreck, swimming into a sea cave lit by natural skylights, relaxing on Sakarun's 800-meter white-sand beach, and exploring military tunnels and a quiet Mediterranean village. All snorkeling gear, water, and fuel are included, and the skipper adjusts the route based on conditions and what the group wants to linger on. You return to Zadar in the late afternoon, having skipped the crowds that fill the larger tour boats.

8h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Scenic speedboat ride from Zadar
Visit picturesque village Božava
Explore 70m long military tunnel
Swim at Sakarun Beach
Relax at Great White Stone Beach
Discover Dragon's Eye saltwater lake
Swim in Golubinka Sea Cave
Snorkel around Italian shipwreck
Enjoy speedboat rides along island

The Experience

You're stepping into a speedboat at Zadar's waterfront, and within minutes the mainland is shrinking behind you. The boat holds twelve people maximum — small enough that your skipper knows exactly where you're headed and can adjust the route if conditions shift or if someone spots something worth investigating. The ride itself is part of the day: the engine hums, the spray hits your face, and you're moving fast enough that the usual tourist crowds on the bigger ferries feel like they're in a different sea entirely. The captain speaks English, knows every inlet on Dugi Otok, and has been running this route since 2015.

The first real stop is the shipwreck — a 76-meter Italian merchant vessel sitting on the seafloor where you can actually see it. You pull on a snorkeling mask (included), slip into water so clear you can count the fish, and swim down to the hull. It's not a deep dive; the wreck sits shallow enough that you stay comfortable the whole time, and the marine life around it is vivid and alive. After that comes Golubinka Sea Cave, a natural phenomenon that's harder to describe than to experience: you swim into a cavern carved into the rock, the sun rays cut through the ceiling opening, and the colors inside — ochre, rust, cream — shift as you move through the water. It's genuinely strange and beautiful, the kind of place that doesn't photograph well because the light changes every few seconds.

The day spreads across multiple stops without feeling rushed. You'll see Dragon's Eye, a saltwater lake tucked into the cliffs above the sea with water so green it looks unreal. Then comes Sakarun Beach — 800 meters of white sand and shallow turquoise water, the kind of beach that ends up in travel magazines, and you get time to actually sit there, swim again, or grab a coffee at one of the beach bars nearby. The military tunnels are a quick detour: 70 meters of underground passages carved into the island during wartime, where you can walk through and hear the skipper explain what they were used for. The village of Božava is small and genuinely lived-in, not a tourist trap — gelato shops, local bars, the kind of place where you see people who actually live there, not just visitors passing through.

The boat ride back to Zadar passes the Sea Organ, the city's famous sound sculpture built into the waterfront, and you hear it as you glide past. Fuel, water, snorkeling gear, and the skipper's knowledge are all included. You bring cash for anything you want to buy on the island — food, drinks, souvenirs — and a towel. The boat runs in most weather, though if conditions turn bad enough, you get offered a different date or your money back.

What’s included

Your day includes boat fuel and navigation, bottled water, snorkeling masks and equipment, a windproof jacket, safety kit, and an experienced English-speaking skipper who serves as your local guide.
You'll visit the 76-meter shipwreck, Golubinka Sea Cave, Dragon's Eye saltwater lake, Sakarun Beach, military tunnels, and the village of Božava, with time to swim, snorkel, and relax at each stop.
The boat ride back to Zadar passes the Sea Organ.
Food, drinks, and souvenirs on the island are your own expense.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Zadar Archipelago

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Dugi Otok's best spots — shipwreck, sea cave, famous beach — in one day without renting a boat or arranging your own transport and timing; the small group size and local skipper's knowledge of unconventional routes are what make it possible to avoid crowds and spend real time at each place instead of rushing through.