After the Plitvice Lakes we wanted to go back to the sea, and this time it was supposed to fit better than in Premantura. So Fred spent hours going through campsites on his phone, reading reviews and comparing photos. What we were looking for was pretty much the opposite of the last place: smaller, more remote, less touristy, no speedboats, no quads – and water we could go out on with the stand-up paddle board. We ended up on the island of Pag.
Getting there was a bit of work. First the ferry to the island – while queuing on the sloping access road we stood there with the handbrake on, and at some point the car simply started rolling anyway. A big fright, but luckily nothing happened. After that came a long slog across the island: Pag is very long, and our campsite was almost at the other end. The last road there was lonely and deserted.
The site itself, Olea Camping, was beautiful. A bit bare, a lot of sand, but laid out in terraces with really good pitches and a view of the sea. Over the days we had several of them and they were all nice – on the first one, the one with the best view, we could only stay three nights, after that it was booked. There we set up completely: solar panel on the roof, tarp up for shade, the car with its tailgate facing the sea. In the evening we simply sat there and looked out. At night there were storms again and again, so we had to take the tarp down every evening. You can find all the details about the site here:
Down at the water there were two beaches, one where dogs were allowed and one without. From the quiet one we went out with the stand-up paddle board again and again, in two different directions along the coast. The water was fantastic: turquoise, clear, a bit of swell – exactly right. Along the coast there is one small bay after the other, we explored several of them and kept landing on the rocks. What impressed us most was the contrast between the red-brown stones and the blue water.
And then, on our second-to-last evening, there was pizza, a sunset and a marriage proposal. Susi said yes. That of course makes Pag a very special place for us – but even without it we would go back any time. Getting there is a bit of an effort, but it is worth it.
