Kornati and Telašćica from Zadar: Which Boat Trip Is Worth It?
Updated October 20, 2026 · 6 min read
The answer first
For most visitors the full-day cruise with a capped group is the best balance: the Kornati Telascica Cruise (Max 60) & Private Bay costs €45, lasts about 10 hours and has more than twice the reviews of any other Kornati trip from Zadar. A 4.5-hour speedboat is the better choice only if a full day on a boat is too much, and then you should check exactly what it visits.
Two protected areas, not one
The Kornati archipelago is a national park. Telašćica, at the southeast end of Dugi Otok, is a separate nature park. Both charge their own admission. Day trips from Zadar usually cover one or both, so the first question is not the boat but the list of what the price includes. Several listings put the tickets in the title; others leave it to the description. Read the included and not included sections and look for the words “Kornati” and “Telašćica” in them.
The trips compared
| Tour | Price per person | Rating | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kornati Telascica Cruise (Max 60) & Private Bay | €44.55 | 4.5 from 1,599 reviews | 10 hours |
| Full-Day Sailing Trip to Kornati | €69 | 4.6 from 617 reviews | 9 hours |
| Kornati National Park & Telašćica Boat Tour | €80 | 4.1 from 779 reviews | 9 hours |
| True National Park Kornati with Lunch and Tickets | €63 | 4.3 from 310 reviews | 9 hours |
| 4.5-Hour Speedboat Tour of Kornati & Telascica | €31.62 | 4.9 from 92 reviews | 4.5 hours |
Prices and ratings are the ones GetYourGuide shows for these trips. Two things stand out. The dearest day trip has the lowest rating of the group, and the price gap between €45 and €80 for roughly the same day is not explained by the titles. And the best ratings belong to the short speedboat, which has the fewest reviews, so treat 4.9 from 92 as promising rather than settled.
The big boat
The €45 cruise is the one to book first if you want the standard day. The listing stresses a smaller group of at most 60 guests, a friendly crew and a private bay, and it has the largest review base of any Kornati trip from Zadar. A boat of up to 60 is still a boat of up to 60; the pitch is “smaller than the biggest”, not small. Expect a long day: full-day trips from Zadar are reported to spend close to three hours at sea before the first stop, with the Telašćica cliffs, the salt lake Mir and a swim stop on the way. Departures are typically in the morning and the return is in the late afternoon, but the exact times are on the booking page.
The sailing trip
The Full-Day Sailing Trip to Kornati costs €69 and has the best rating of the four full-day trips in the table (4.6). A sailing boat is slower and quieter than a motor cruiser, so the day is more about being on the water. If you get seasick easily, the speed and the swell matter more than the price, and a pharmacist or doctor is the person to ask before the trip.
Speedboats: shorter, faster, more rushed
At 4.5 hours the speedboats (€32 and €35) halve the time away. The crossing is quicker, but the time at each stop is shorter too, and a speedboat bounces more in a chop. Check which of the places in the title the trip really reaches, and whether the park fees are inside the price. Both have fewer than 150 reviews.
What can go wrong
- Wind. A bura or a strong afternoon wind can change the route or cancel the trip; ask the operator what happens to your booking.
- Price versus inclusions. A €45 trip with park tickets to pay on board is not cheaper than a €63 trip with lunch and tickets.
- Shade. Bare islands and open decks mean little shade in July and August.
Our recommendation
Book the Kornati Telascica Cruise (Max 60) & Private Bay for a full day, and the 4.5-hour speedboat only when time is short. Check the park tickets in both.
See availability and prices for the Kornati Telascica Cruise (Max 60) & Private Bay
All other departures are on the Kornati boat tours page; for shorter trips to the islands close to Zadar see island boat tours.
