Jablanac is a small coastal village on the Adriatic, tucked beneath the Velebit mountains on the mainland side of the Velebit Channel. It is the departure point for ferries to Rab Island and the nearest settlement to Zavratnica, a narrow inlet cutting 900 metres into the karst — one of the most dramatic natural features on the Croatian coast and part of the Northern Velebit National Park.
The village itself is tiny and quiet, with a harbour, a handful of houses, and a sunken wartime wreck visible through the clear water. But the combination of Zavratnica's fjord-like swimming, the Velebit hiking trails rising above, and the ferry connection to Rab makes it a worthwhile stop along the Adriatic Highway.