Marina Drage near Pakoštane: berths, arrival and destinations

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Marina Drage lies in Dugovača Bay near the village of Drage, which belongs to the municipality of Pakoštane in northern Dalmatia, halfway between Zadar and Šibenik. The marina is relatively new, and with it Drage has become a departure harbour for trips to the Kornati Islands, around Pašman and to Murter. Here you can read how Marina Drage is equipped, how you berth, how to get there and which destinations you can reach in a day (as of October 2026).

Where is Marina Drage located?

Marina Drage is located on the edge of the village of Drage in Dugovača Bay, on the coast between Biograd na Moru and Pirovac. Behind the village lies Vransko jezero, the largest natural lake in Croatia, only about one kilometre from the pontoons.

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The marina is young and newly built. Zadar County awarded the concession for it in 2021 for 20 years, after which the harbour in the bay was developed. The marina is categorised with five anchors. Off the coast of Drage and Pakoštane lies the small island of Vrgada, with Pašman and the Kornati archipelago further out to sea.

Marina Drage at a glance

Feature	Details
Position	approx. 43° 53.28′ N, 015° 32.10′ E
Address	Put Malenice 10A, Uvala Dugovače, 23211 Drage
Berths	200 on finger pontoons, dry berths for 40 boats
Maximum boat length	30 m
Water depth in harbour	at least 3 m
Electricity and water	at every berth, electricity from 12 to 120 A
Crane	75 t
Reception	around the clock
Contact	Telephone +385 91 609 8420, info@marinadrage.hr

You can find berths and the current price list on the Marina Drage website.

What facilities does Marina Drage have?

At Marina Drage you will find electricity and drinking water at every berth, sanitary facilities, a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, grocery shop and a 75-tonne crane. Because the marina is still young, the pontoons and buildings are new.

The sanitary facilities have separate areas for ladies and gentlemen, a family area and barrier-free showers and toilets. Electricity is available at 12 to 120 amperes depending on the berth. There is plenty of space between the pontoons, which makes manoeuvring in front of your berth easier, even with a larger yacht.

You don't need to leave the marina to eat: there is a restaurant, an open grill and a bar. For a day in harbour there is a swimming pool. There are charging stations for electric cars.

For work on the boat, the crane lifts yachts up to 75 tonnes out of the water; ashore there is space for 40 boats. Which workshops for engines, rigging or electrics work on site is best enquired about in advance at reception. The same applies to fuel: the marina staff will tell you where you can refuel nearest before setting off.

How do you berth at Marina Drage?

At Marina Drage you berth at finger pontoons. You don't need a stern anchor, and you don't need to pick up mooring lines either: you motor into the berth assigned to you by the marina and make fast to the pontoon and finger pontoon.

The easiest way is to call ahead on +385 91 609 8420 before entering. Reception is manned around the clock, so you can also arrive late in the evening. Whether the marina is additionally reachable by VHF and on which channel you can enquire at the same time.

Before entering, lay out bow and stern lines on both sides and hang fenders on both sides, because you'll only find out whether you'll be lying starboard or port side to the pontoon when you're given your berth. A line that you get over a cleat on the pontoon early will hold the boat in the box whilst the crew makes fast the remaining lines. After mooring, check in at reception – have your boat papers and ID ready.

What applies when approaching?

The harbour is at least 3 metres deep everywhere, which is enough for the usual cruising yachts. The marina lies in a bay on the mainland, with the island of Vrgada offshore.

Plan your approach with a current chart and a look at the harbour plans. If you're approaching the marina for the first time, it's worth arriving in daylight. Give advance notice and someone will be waiting on the pontoon to show you your berth.

Do sailing trips depart from Drage?

Yes. A large charter fleet is based at Marina Drage, with more than 60 sailing yachts between roughly 10 and 16 metres in length. A large proportion of them are identical yachts of one type, as used for regattas and flotillas.

For crews this means: on changeover days the marina can be very busy, the car park and reception can get crowded. Allow some buffer time for your arrival. If you're travelling as crew or a cabin charter guest by taxi, give the driver the full name "Marina Drage" and the bay Dugovača so he takes you straight to the marina.

What licences you need as skipper for a charter trip in Croatia, you'll find in our article on Licence for Charter in Croatia.

Good to know for your first day at Marina Drage

You don't need to leave the marina for your first shopping, as it has its own food shop. Parking is available right at the marina and charges apply.

Shopping and parking

The food shop in the marina is enough for bread, drinks and the essentials. For a big weekly shop before your trip, it's worth arriving by car. The car park at the marina is chargeable. If you're away for a week, find out in advance what parking will cost for the whole time.

Doctor and pharmacy

Drage itself is small. Reception, which is staffed round the clock, will tell you the nearest doctor's surgery and pharmacy. Hospitals with A&E are in Zadar and in Šibenik. In an emergency, dial 112 or 194 immediately.

Emergency numbers in Croatia

• 112: general emergency number, free from all networks
• 194: ambulance, 192: police, 193: fire brigade
• 195: sea rescue (MRCC Rijeka), at sea also VHF channel 16

How do you get to Marina Drage?

The quickest way to reach Drage is via Zadar airport, the nearest airport. Alternatively, fly to Split, which is roughly 70 kilometres away as the crow flies; the journey takes correspondingly longer.

By air

Zadar airport is roughly 30 kilometres as the crow flies north of Drage. From the airport a taxi or hire car will take you along the coastal road straight to the marina. If your flight lands early, you can spend the time until your trip starts at the pool or at Vransko jezero.

By car

Drage lies on the coastal road between Biograd na Moru and Pirovac, which runs through Pakoštane and Drage. From Germany or Austria you drive on the Croatian motorway to the Benkovac or Pirovac exit and from there to the coast. At the marina you pay to park, and you can charge an electric car at the marina's charging stations.

What's the weather like for sailing around Drage?

In summer the weather on the Dalmatian coast is usually stable, and during the day a sea breeze regularly picks up. In the cooler half of the year the Bora and Jugo blow more frequently and more strongly.

The Bora is a cold, gusty katabatic wind from the northeast that drops from the mountains onto the sea. On the way into the Kornati you'll then have following wind, but on the way back to Drage wind and short, steep seas ahead. The Jugo from the southeast blows more steadily, but builds up a high sea state over a longer period. In summer the Maestral from the northwest usually blows during the day, a moderate sea breeze.

You can read more about the Bora, Jugo and Maestral in our article on Good months for a trip through the region are April, May, September and October. The weather is mild, it's less crowded ashore and the midsummer heat is absent. You can read how the winds in Greece work in our article about.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Drage?

For Drage and the Kornati the marine weather forecast from the Croatian meteorological service DHMZ applies, issued by the marine weather centre in Split. You can read it on the weather service's website, also in German, or listen to it on VHF.

The report begins with the warnings, then the weather situation and the forecast for wind, sea state and visibility for the next twelve hours follow, plus an outlook for the twelve hours after that. It is divided into northern, central and southern Adriatic; a map on the page shows the divisions.

Over VHF the Croatian coast radio stations broadcast weather reports and warning messages in English and Croatian. Split Radio transmits at 05:45, 12:45, 19:45 and 00:45 UTC on channels 07, 21, 23, 28, 81 and 84, Rijeka Radio at 05:30, 12:30, 19:30 and 00:30 UTC on channels 04, 19, 20, 23, 24, 81 and 85. In summer that's two hours, in winter one hour later local time. Listen to the warnings before every leg into the Kornati, even if the morning in the bay looks calm.

Which destinations can you reach from Drage?

From Drage you can reach the island of Vrgada, Murter and Pašman in a short hop. For the Kornati and the Telašćica nature park on Dugi otok allow a full day. The distances are rounded over-water distances on the usual course; for precise planning the chart applies.

Vrgada and Murter

The small island of Vrgada lies directly off Drage, only around 3 nautical miles away. It's a good fit for the first evening if your trip doesn't start until the afternoon. To Murter it's around 5 nautical miles southeast.

Pašman and Biograd

To Tkon on the island of Pašman it's around 6 nautical miles, likewise to Biograd na Moru on the mainland coast. Between Pašman and the mainland runs the Pašmanski kanal, through which you can sail on north towards Zadar.

Kornati and Telašćica

Žut, on the edge of the Kornati, lies around 12 nautical miles to the west; the marina on Piškera in the national park is around 13 nautical miles away. The Telašćica Nature Park in the south of Dugi otok is around 17 nautical miles distant.

The Kornati National Park comprises 89 islands, islets and reefs. To enter by boat you need an admission ticket valid for a fixed day and non-refundable. Advance tickets cost about half what you pay in the park itself. You also need a ticket for Telašćica; in the inner part of Telašćica Bay there is a speed limit of 10 knots, and in the heavily visited smaller bays 5 knots (as of October 2026). Current prices and regulations can be found at Kornati National Park.

You can read more about the Kornati and other destinations accessible from the water in our article about Croatia's attractions from the water. Further south in Central Dalmatia lies Trogir with three marinas. How they differ can be read in the local article on the marinas in Trogir. Between Trogir and Split lies the Marina Kaštela.

What is there to see on land in Drage?

The main destination on land is the Vransko jezero Nature Park just behind the village. For a harbour day the lake and its information centres are enough; if you have more time, head to one of the national parks in the hinterland.

Vransko jezero

Vransko jezero is the largest natural lake in Croatia and lies around one kilometre from the marina. It is 30 square kilometres in size and filled with slightly brackish water; in some places less than a kilometre separates it from the sea. The nature park around the lake covers 57 square kilometres between Pakoštane and Pirovac. A day ticket is valid for the whole park with all information centres and nature trails; you can pay cash or by card.

Crkvine Bird Reserve

At the northwest end of the lake, between Pakoštane and the village of Vrana, lies the Ornithological Reserve. A 600-metre nature trail leads through the reeds to an observation tower; more than 250 bird species have been recorded at the lake. The information centre lends binoculars and mountain bikes and is open from April to the end of October. You can drive or cycle there via Pakoštane.

Prosika Information Centre

At the southeast end of the park, directly on the Prosika canal, there is another information centre with a nature trail about the lake's fish. From Drage you drive along the coast road towards Pirovac until you cross the canal, then turn left along the canal to the car park.

Kamenjak Viewpoint

From the Kamenjak viewpoint near Radašinovci you can look down on the lake from above. There is also an information centre and a nature trail here. For a round trip by car to all three of the park's information centres, allow at least three hours, as they are more than 15 kilometres apart.

Krka National Park

If you take a day away from the boat, you can visit the Krka National Park with its waterfalls. It lies around 47 kilometres from the marina.

Trips departing from Drage on Törnfinder

Trips departing from Drage head to the Kornati, around Pašman and to Murter. Current offers can be found on Törnfinder under Sailing in CroatiaMany sailing trips depart from Trogir: seven charter companies alone have their base at SCT Marina, and there are also charter agencies at ACI Marina. An overview of offers throughout the country can be found on Törnfinder under Sailing in the Adriatic.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Marina Drage located?

In Dugovača Bay near the village of Drage, municipality of Pakoštane, between Biograd na Moru and Pirovac. The address is Put Malenice 10A, 23211 Drage.

Do I need a stern anchor in Marina Drage?

No. The marina has finger pontoons; you make fast in your assigned berth to the main pontoon and finger pontoon. Call ahead before entering on +385 91 609 8420.

Is there a supermarket in Marina Drage?

The marina has a food shop for basic supplies, plus a restaurant, a grill and a bar.

How far is it from Drage to the Kornati?

It's around 12 nautical miles over water to Žut on the edge of the Kornati, and around 13 to the marina on Piškera in the national park. To enter the national park you need an admission ticket, which is cheaper if bought in advance.

Which airport is closest to Drage?

Zadar Airport, around 30 kilometres as the crow flies. Split is around 70 kilometres as the crow flies.