Europe’s ‘Moon Island’ has open-air nightclubs, Mars-like hiking trails… and £15 flights
CROATIA has around 1,244 islands – and one has compared to being on the Moon.
Pag, which is one hour from Zadar, has a vast rocky landscape – but is also a huge party island with popular beach clubs.
Pag is the fifth-largest island in Croatia and it has beaches aplenty as it has the longest coastline of all the islands.
Unlike other surrounding islands, Pag not only has a bridge connecting it to the mainland, but is split between two counties.
The northern part is part of Lika-Senj County and the southern part belongs to Zadar County.
While both the north and south have busy towns, the island also has a vast landscape that’s been compared to the Moon.
Toni Hrelja, founder of Croatian rental company Villsy.com, said: “People expect Croatia to be green and Mediterranean.
“Then they arrive on Pag and feel like they’ve landed on the Moon, or even Mars. It’s raw, dramatic and completely unexpected.”
The Mars comparison can be seen via the ‘Life On Mars Trail‘ which starts at the village of Metajna, with multiple trails around the island passing bays and beaches along the way.
One hiker said: “I loved it, it’s just magnificent” and added “bring something to swim in because it is hard to resist.”
While the island is known for its otherworldly natural beauty, the northern part of the island is also famous for nightlife.
Zrće Beach in particular, which is near the main town of Novalja has even been called “Europe‘s party beach”.
Some of the most famous and biggest clubs include Papaya which is open-air on the beach – it has multiple pools, bars, and dancefloors, and holds summer festivals.
Aquarius is another, which is a bar and restaurant during the day, but from 3pm, hosts huge beach parties.
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Meanwhile, the southern side is more peaceful and family-friendly.
Grad Pag, also known as Pag town, is the largest destination in the south and is known for being much more quiet and calmer than the northern town of Novalja.
Vlašići Beach is on the south of the island – it’s quieter than beaches in the north and is known for having pretty clear waters.
When it comes to getting to Pag, the easiest way to visit is by heading to Zadar where visitors can then take an hour car or bus ride.
The cheapest ticket price for a bus trip is as little as £5.
If you hire out a car, you can reach the island by driving across the Pag Bridge from the mainland to the south side.
For anyone wanting to stay on the island, there are Airbnbs starting from £52 per night.
April is a great time for Brits to visit, as the weather is milder than in the height of summer with temperatures around 18C.
It’s when flights are cheap too – in April, flights to Zadar are as little as £15 with Ryanair from London Stansted.
For more on Croatia, here’s another lesser-known island without the crowds of Hvar where you can spot turtles on the beach.
And here’s where you’ll find Europe’s ‘golden island’ once loved by royal families that’s a sleepy alternative to its busy neighbours.