Small Pašman fishing village with clear channel waters, sandy beaches, and a navigator tradition.
Mrljane is a small fishing village on the eastern shore of Pašman Island in the Zadar archipelago, facing the mainland across the narrow Pašman Channel. The village has a handful of stone houses clustered around a small harbour, a couple of sandy beaches, and clear Adriatic water that is excellent for swimming.
The residents of Mrljane have traditionally been among the most skilled navigators on the island, and many still work the waters around the archipelago. In recent years the village has become quietly popular with nautical tourists — yachts and sailboats anchor in the channel, and small boats can be hired locally. The seafood here is as fresh as it gets, pulled from the channel that morning and grilled over open flame.
The hill behind the village offers a fine panorama across the channel toward the Velebit mountains on the mainland, particularly beautiful at sunset. The small Jackie O. beach at the south end of the village is the best place to swim. Mrljane is the kind of place where you come to do very little — swim, eat, read, and watch the boats — and that is its greatest appeal. Access is by car ferry from Biograd na Moru to Tkon, at the southern end of the island, followed by a short drive north.
Guide
Eating Out
A handful of small konobe along the harbour serve grilled fish, octopus salad, and local lamb in the back rooms of old stone houses. The menu is short and depends on what the boats brought in: ask what's fresh that day. House wine from the Pašman vineyards — usually a light plavina red or a crisp local white — is the right thing to drink with it.
Don't expect printed menus, English-language wine lists, or fast service. The point of eating in Mrljane is that the fish was alive that morning and the meal will take all afternoon. Cash is still preferred at most places.
Guide
Getting There
The most direct route is the car ferry from Biograd na Moru on the mainland to Tkon at the southern end of Pašman island — a crossing of about twenty minutes, with departures roughly every hour in summer. From Tkon it is a short drive north (around 15 km) along the island's spine to Mrljane.
The island is also connected by road bridge to Ugljan at the northern end, so you can come via the Zadar–Preko ferry and drive south. Without a car, infrequent local buses run from Tkon. Most visitors arrive on yachts, mooring in the channel or in one of the small marinas at Sutomišćica and Biograd.
