The idea was…
The initial plan was to paddle from the most northern point of Croatia, Savudrija on the western part of the Istrian Peninsula, to the south. I had 10 days for this undertaking and my fellow kayakers, Dora and Lea, 5 extra days. I was confident enough to believe I will make it at least to the island of Pag where my daughter could pick me (and my kayak) up and from there I would make it to Zagreb. Of course, plans and reality rarely match, and soon enough we had to adjust everything to the whims of the weather and the sea.
How and why did I get into this kayak adventure? Well, I love challenges. When I ran into Dora and Lea, two brave young women from my kayaking club in Zagreb and asked them about their plans for summer, they mentioned something like paddling all the way south and at first I had no idea what they were talking about. They explained that they had full two weeks to try to get as far as they can from the most northern part of the Croatian coast to the south, paddling along the coast and island hopping. This idea sounded so exciting and challenging that I asked whether I could join them, at least for part of their trip.
This was like three weeks before we started our adventure and I had no paddling practice this year since I had not planned anything like that earlier. But well, I didn’t care much about that and just thought how exciting it would be, the three of us in our seayaks paddling from north to south, doing many kilometres or nautical miles every day, sleeping in our tents or even in a hammock on wonderful beaches, having the early morning coffee by the sea, cooking our meals on the beach, swimming naked with the beach for ourselves at sunrise and in the evening…
Off we go, Savudrija day 0 and day 1
We packed our kayaks and gear and left Zagreb on a Friday afternoon. Saša, Dora’s boyfriend, helped us with the loading and later the unloading, and drove us all the way to Savudrija. We arrived in the early evening to find the forecast for the night—and the whole weekend—less than ideal: rain showers, thunderstorms, and wind. Hardly the dream start. We stayed at a regular campsite for the night, and since it rained through the night and into the early morning, there was no reason to rush off at dawn. The sea looked anything but inviting. Everyone around us kept saying this was the worst possible weekend to begin such a trip, and urged us to postpone. But that was never an option. Dora and Lea had locked in their vacation time, and for us it was now or never.
By mid-morning the sea calmed a little, enough to make a start. With Saša’s help, we stuffed every dry bag into the kayak compartments. To this day, I’m not sure how it all fit. My own packing list was long: tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag and liner, a small camping pillow, cooking gear, and food for a week—oats and fruit purées for breakfast, coffee, tuna cans and pate, half-ready pasta meals, protein bars, nuts. Six liters of water to start with. Clothes for all weather: swimsuits, sun-protective shirts, thin shorts, a merino layer, leggings, a hoodie, a T-shirt, socks, hats. Plus toiletries, basic meds, plenty of sunscreen, power banks, chargers, two phones, a headlamp, and my Kindle. On the kayaking side: a spare paddle (I usually use a wooden Greenland paddle, but the sea wasn’t calm enough for that), a pump, and a trolley. Somehow, it all fit inside my seakayak. Touring kayaks are designed for this—but it still felt like magic.
We finally set off from Savudrija at 10:30 on Saturday morning. The sea improved as we paddled, the waves shrinking with each kilometer, and our spirits lifted. After the first 10 km we stopped for a stretch, a swim, and a snack. We were moving fast—6.4 km/h, probably thanks to the following waves. From there we passed Umag (not especially exciting from the sea) and countless campsites. After 26 km in total, we stopped, as the weather was worsening and thunderstorms were forecast.
The only option nearby was an FKK campsite. Before arriving, Dora called ahead to check if they had space for two tents and if there was a pebble beach to “park” our kayaks. The conversation was hilarious—the staff clearly weren’t used to guests arriving by sea, let alone by kayak. Still, we landed our boats, pulled them up against a wall to keep them safe from waves overnight, grabbed the gear we needed, and headed for reception.
There we had another funny exchange: the young receptionist explained the rules of the camp. We could stay dressed everywhere except on the beach, where clothing was strictly forbidden. Luckily, we planned to leave early in the morning, before the guests appeared naked on the shore. In the end, it turned into one of those quirky experiences that makes a trip memorable.
That night it rained again, with light thunderstorms, and by morning the rain still hadn’t stopped. We couldn’t leave before 9, and packing the wet tents was by far the worst part.
Day 2 – 39 km to south of Rovinj (between Rovinj and Barbariga)
Day 2 turned out to be our first real paddling day—the kind we had imagined when planning this trip. After the morning rain cleared, conditions were perfect: calm sea, light breeze, and clear skies.
Our first stop was Poreč. We left the kayaks near the old town, stretched our legs, wandered through the streets, and visited the famous Euphrasian Basilica—an absolute gem. Afterwards, we treated ourselves to coffee and croissants before heading back to the water.
From there, we continued along the Istrian west coast. To be honest, this stretch wasn’t particularly inspiring from the kayak: crowded beaches, no islands in sight, and far too many jet skis and motorboats buzzing around, keeping us constantly on alert. Still, we made good progress, and our next long break was just past Rovinj. As tempting as it was, we skipped sightseeing in town, preferring to take advantage of the calm sea and push forward. We finally stopped at a small dog beach for a late lunch of tuna salads, followed by a coffee at the beach bar, some swimming, and a bit of rest.
By evening, the sea was glowing under the sunset, and the paddling became pure joy. Our plan was to spend the night at another campsite—there are plenty along the Istrian coast, and the forecast warned of storms overnight. We landed at a very fancy camp, only to discover at reception that the price was ridiculously high. It seemed pointless to stay, so we pushed on for another ten minutes and stumbled upon a hidden little beach.
It felt almost private: a fence behind it, and a scattering of mobile structures in a small, pretty forest. Sadly, these kinds of “unofficial” developments—illegal usurpation of coastal or agricultural land—are all too common in Istria, where private construction near the sea is supposed to be forbidden. But for us, it was a perfect shelter. We were ready to ask for permission if needed, but no one was there, so once darkness fell, we set up our tents on a flat plateau near a mobile home with a canopy—perfect as backup shelter in case of a thunderstorm.
Lea cooked pasta with pesto for dinner, and we sat on the beach with cups of rum and honey—the only bottle I’d managed to dig out at home, left over from a trip to the Canary Islands earlier this year. We watched the evening sky fade into night, grateful for this unexpected little haven.
The forecast wasn’t entirely comforting. A thunderstorm was predicted for around 2 a.m., though there was a slim chance it might pass us by. Either way, the plan was to be up at 5 a.m. to paddle as far as possible before the heavy rain rolled in around 9. With that in mind, we crawled into our tents and tried to get some rest.
Day 3 – to Štinjan (Pula)
We were jolted awake around 4 a.m. by a fierce downpour and rolling thunder. Lying in the tent, listening to the storm creep closer, was anything but comforting. Dora and Lea were in one tent, and I was in mine just beside them.
Once the thunder roused us, we stayed awake—chatting quietly, slipping on our sandals, and mentally preparing to run to the canopy for shelter at any moment. When the lightning strikes began to feel dangerously close, we didn’t hesitate. We ran through the rain to the canopy, shivering in the cold, and stood there watching nature’s light show. The flashes lit up the sky, each boom reminding us just how near the storm was. We kept telling ourselves to stay calm, even as the thunder cracked somewhere uncomfortably close. It was one of those nights that stay in your memory forever.
By around 5 a.m., the storm had drifted farther away, and we crawled back into our tents, snatching another two hours of sleep. Morning brought no relief—the sea was out of the question, the rain lingered, and the wind was relentless. After three straight nights of rain, our tents were soaked and everything else was turning damp. We packed up our soggy gear, made coffee and breakfast, picked our daily motivational notes Lea prepared for every day of our adventure (great idea) and agreed on a new mission: find our way to the fancy campsite for a second coffee and somewhere to charge our devices.
That mission included climbing over a fence (I haven’t done that in years!), finding the right path through the maze of paths in the fancy camp (with contents such as swimming pools, spa facilities, a dinosaur park for children) and finally being the only guests in the restaurant that was so busy the previous evening. We had our coffee, charged the batteries and once the rain almost stopped, got back to our private beach.
By half past noon, we were back on the water. Paddling along the coast, we made a couple of stops, admired the famous Brijuni Islands to our right, and spotted Pula still far in the distance. We passed the small town of Fažana, known as the gateway to Brijuni, and after nearly 19 kilometers of paddling, we reached Štinjan Bay, just outside Pula. A lovely beach caught our eye, and with rain forecast for the night, we decided to set up camp above it, sheltered in the forest.
Lea made a hearty dinner of rice with bacon, and later we wandered to a laid-back beach bar called Lost Bay for a beer. As the last visitors drifted away, we pitched our tents in the quiet. Rain eventually arrived in the night, but instead of disturbing us, it lulled us into the best sleep of the trip—steady raindrops tapping on the tents like nature’s lullaby.
Day 4 – Pula, the Cape Kamenjak and Medulin
The morning was still rainy, but we packed up our soggy tents and gear, made coffee and breakfast, and left the bay around half past nine. With both sea and sky painted in shades of grey and drizzle still falling, we decided on an unusual stop: a shopping mall. Conveniently, it was right on our route—just a short paddle to Stoja Bay in Pula and then a five-minute walk from the beach where we left our kayaks. Strolling into the mall in our “expedition outfits” felt hilarious, but also strangely refreshing. Surrounded by the bustle of shops and people, we recharged our phones and power banks, picked up supplies, and treated ourselves to an early pizza lunch. By the time we stepped outside again, the rain had lifted, the sky had cleared, and sunshine had returned.
We carried on paddling, rounding Cape Kamenjak, a protected nature park known for its dramatic cliffs and hidden bays. The northern stretch offered few spots to land, so we powered through without stopping until we reached the edge of Medulin. That leg alone was nearly 20 kilometers nonstop, and by the time I dragged myself out of the kayak at a campsite beach, I could barely feel my legs. The weather and sea were still perfect, so after a quick coffee at the beach bar we decided to push on for another 10 kilometers before evening.
But the sea had other plans. Soon after passing another cape, strong gusts of the bura wind hit us head-on, whipping up rough waves and making every stroke exhausting. Progress became nearly impossible, and it was clear we needed to find shelter fast. The first bay we spotted wasn’t ideal—no sandy beach, just rocks, and hauling our heavy kayaks ashore was a challenge. But above the rocks we found meadows and dirt tracks, and that was good enough. The sun was still out, so we spread our wet swimsuits, shirts, and tents to dry—finally, no rain!
That evening, Lea cooked a delicious pasta dinner, we shared the bottle of red wine I’d picked up at the mall, and set up our tents. By the end of the day, we had covered 31.5 kilometers.
Day 5 – Ližnjan
I could barely sleep because of the heavy wind gusts. But the morning seemed quite nice and we were optimistic about making it at least a bit further to another bay. So we packed our belongings and left shortly after 7. The sun was shining but bura was even stronger than the evening before and after trying hard to get further, but with no proper place nearby to stop if necessary, we had to turn and paddle back to our bay. Under these difficult conditions – both the wind and the waves – our speed was just 4.5 km per hour, compared to the standard 5.5-6.5 km per hour.
So we pulled our kayaks out of the sea at the same spot, put on some “normal” clothes, took just the basic things with us and went off to explore the surrounding of the little place called Ližnjan. The sky was blue, with no clouds and the sun was very hot even that early in the morning. We walked on a dirt road for about 15 minutes and felt like in a desert (the scenery reminded me somehow of the Wim Wenders film “Paris Texas”). Arriving in the Ližnjan bay we went for a coffee and then further into the small town on a regular road to find a grocery store and to look for a restaurant for lunch. There is not much to see in Ližnjan, we had our second coffee in the only coffee place close to the church, checked out that there were two possible restaurants where we could have our lunch later and then went back to the Ližnjan bay for a swim and rest in the shadow.
We decided to have our early lunch at the closest restaurant which opened at 1 p.m. and treated ourselves with an octopus salad and some fish and squid for the main course. It was delicious! After lunch we headed back to our little bay and in meantime we noticed that the wind was gone and the sea was quite calm (fun fact – on our way to Ližnjan in the morning we stopped by a stand with fruit to get some peaches and asked the local guy if he knew what the weather forecast was and he said, well, the wind will stop later in the afternoon, and just for fun we asked – exactly when and he said at quarter past three- it was half past three and there was no wind!).
Off we went a around half past four and the sea was perfectly calm. After paddling some 16 km we decided to stop at a beautiful beach that had access by road because our friend Zoran just arrived in Premantura (a small place on the Cape Kamenjak) and he was willing to bring us some water and groceries. The beach was beautiful and Zoran’s arrival with water melon, beer, fresh cheese and yoghurt for breakfast made the evening. We were discussing that maybe we could make our plan still happen, if the sea would be calm in the upcoming days. There was a tiny chance that we could make it the next day up to Brestova or even Brseč from where there are only app. 5 km of open sea to the Island of Cres. On the other hand, the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend was not too good.
Once evening came we made our tents and went to sleep. The night was quite chilly and I regretted that I haven’t taken something warmer.
Day 6 – Koromačno, Crna Punta, Rabac
It was a chilly and beautiful morning. After breakfast we took off towards Koromačno, being on the other side of a large bay we needed to cross. Just shortly after Koromačno the coast becomes very interesting with cliffs, but this also means fewer kayak friendly beaches. We spotted a wonderful scene further out at see, first we thought these were dolphins jumping out of the sea but it turned out these were tuna fish. Anyway, the scene was just beautiful.
We paddled pass the Crna Punta, a cape with a nice lighthouse but after five minutes of paddling and not getting much further because of the bura wind against our chests and unpleasant waves we turned around and paddled back to the Crna Punta. We managed to pull out our kayaks and decided to have our coffee break at the obviously empty and a bit shabby lighthouse (the kind of lighthouse you can rent for holidays). The views were stunning, sun was shining, and the surrounding of the lighthouse spectacular – the typical mediterranean forest with all the scents and sounds. We relaxed for an hour or two, discussed our further trip – at this point it became quite obvious that continuing south with uncertainty when to cross the open sea to the island of Cres and upcoming bad weather for the weekend doesn’t make any sense. So we decided to end our trip on this eastern side of the Istra Peninsula, somewhere close to Opatija.
Once the sea got a bit calmer we decided to continue. We paddled for 2-3 hours and then stopped at a nice beach for lunch break since we were pretty hungry. Lea cooked pasta with cheese and after this lunch and swim break we continued towards the very popular touristic place Rabac. We stopped for coffee and ice-cream and just after Rabac we found a nice bay to stay overnight. This is when the decision was made to end our trip the next day on the beach in Mošćenička Draga where it would be also easy for Saša to pick us up, instead of going further and sleeping another night in the tent with possibility of heavy rain. Our summary of day 6 – 28 km.
Day 7 – finish at Mošćenička Draga
It was a beautiful morning and this was probably my best morning swim on our trip.
We left after breakfast and reached Brestova, the place with the ferry boat to the Island of Cres. We stopped there for coffee and our next break was close to the beautiful – but crowded – beach of Brseč. The day was extremely hot, so we had to cool down a bit.
After another hour of paddling we reached Mošćenička Draga, the popular place south of Opatija with a nice long beach. It was around 2 p.m., we pulled our kayaks out of the sea and went for a well deserved excellent lunch. Saša arrived two hours later and we drove back to Zagreb.
Our trip, despite the change of plans due to the bad weather conditions, was adventurous and beautiful. I think we did the best of it, 7 days and 180 km of paddling, rainy and stormy conditions, wind and so much fun. I hope we will continue next summer. But until then I need to paddle and prepare my body for this, it is hard to do this just out of the blue.