​Kvarner Bay is a bay in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea (Croatia). The main islands are Cres, Krk, Pag, Rab, and Lošinj, between which you can just about reach by kayak. Interesting history, high cliffs, lush evergreen forests, interesting wildlife, miles of hiking trails, dozens of viewpoints, hundreds of beaches, and hidden coves (...) make this bay the best playground for paddlers in Croatia.

The island of Rab is the best kayaking destination in Kvarner. It is our home away from home. The guides are local guys who know the area and weather conditions well.

The island has a long history, well-preserved infrastructure, intact nature, and rich heritage. The coastline of Rab is 103 km long, but if you add the coastal lengths of the smaller islands around Rab (Sv. Grgur, Prvić, Dolin, Goli otok), it is 130 km. 100 beaches, 38 capes, 15 km of cliffs, and 20 km of forest - these are very good indicators of how interesting the island is.

And the best way to experience it is, of course, by kayak...

Rab Island

The island, 22 kilometers long and 11 kilometers wide, stretches from northwest to southeast and is separated from the mainland by the Velebit Channel.

Mount Kamenjak is the highest mountain on Rab (420 m high) and stretches for about 20 km. It faces the continent and provides shelter from the cold and strong northeast wind Bura. This favorable effect favors the western area, where most of the villages, vegetation, agricultural land, and tourist activities are located. The eastern side (under the mountain Kamenjak, through the Velebit channel) is rugged, but also popular for its pebble beaches, high cliffs, clear and clean sea, and interesting geological shapes and structures.

Rab has a rich history, which is reflected in the architecture of the town center, language, religion, tradition, and gastronomy. Settled by Illyrians in 350 BC, Rab became a Roman municipality in the 1st century BC and developed into the center of the eastern Adriatic coast, called Felix Arba. Its heyday began in the second half of the 11th century and until the 13th century when it was ruled by Croatian rulers and members of the Venetian Republic in the form of a free Adriatic municipality. Later, in the 15th century, it was sold to Venice and, after the Napoleonic conquests, remained under its rule until 1798. Austria regained control of the territory in the 18th century and the island remained part of the kingdom until the end of the First World War. Conflicts, turbulent times, and "changes of ownership" marked the island in the twentieth century, but Rab is now an important part of the Republic of Croatia - also a member country of the European Union.

The island is home to about 9,000 inhabitants (mostly Croats), but in midsummer that number triples.Rab is primarily a tourist destination, so we are a devoted, friendly, safe and relaxing place to spend the vacations.

Lošinj, Krk, Pag and Cres are larger islands of the Kvarner archipelago (Cres is the largest, Krk is the third largest island in Croatia). It takes a few days to reach these islands by kayak, but there are several smaller islands near Rab (Sv. Grgur, Goli otok, Boljkovac, Dolin, Lukovac, Maman, Sridnjak, Šailovac, Prvić, Školjić), all of which are uninhabited and can be reached by kayak. On our expedition trips, we visit most of them, and we are also very close to the mainland. These islands complement the beauty and uniqueness of the main island.

The underwater world is well preserved and provides a habitat for various fish, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sponges, corals, crabs, shellfish, etc. Of the larger animals, we have dolphins and tunas. Fortunately, although we have numerous species of sharks, there are no "great white sharks"! On land we meet (besides domestic animals) deer and big horn sheep, griffon vultures, rabbits, snakes (not poisonous), spiders, rodents, reptiles, and hundreds of different birds and insects.

Climate

Rab is an island of sunshine (2,417 hours per year). It has a pleasant Mediterranean climate and vegetation, with warm summers and mild winters. Snow is a real rarity on the island, and the temperature never falls below 0 °C. Summers are sunny, warm and dry.In May, June and September it is a bit cooler, but you can wear shorts and T-shirts most of the time. Temperatures above 35 °C are not uncommon in July and August. In general, the weather is calm and predictable. For tourists, the season usually begins in late May, and although April, June, and September are great for swimming and sunbathing, the peak months are July and August. Keep these facts in mind when preparing your vacation days!

These are the main winds in Croatia:

Tramuntana
Bura
Levante
Jugo (Sirocco)
Oštro
Garbin
Pulenat
Maestral
"Nevera"
The most "dangerous" of the above-mentioned winds is the "bura" (northeast wind, coming from the mainland) - because of its wild speeds and unpredictability. This cold and dry wind occurs more frequently in winter and early spring. The bora brings cold air from Central and Eastern Europe to our coast and lowers the overall temperature of air and sea. It is very strong in Kvarner Bay and northern Dalmatia, starts suddenly, and blows in gusts to the open sea.

On the other hand, the warm and humid "Jugo" blows from the southeast (African continent) and brings regular rain, but is more constant and predictable. It occurs more frequently in late summer and autumn. It is not a sudden wind like the bura, but takes time to develop, but can reach a strength of up to 20 m/s.