Vela Rava

Rava Island is 16 nautical miles from Zadar and is, with its area of only 3.62 ^km2, one of the smallest islands in the Zadar archipelago. The number of inhabitants is extremely small, barely a hundred people, and the only inhabited centers are two small villages, Mala Rava and Vela Rava, connected by two paths. The island is wild, totally devoid of cars: to move from one place to another, the inhabitants mostly use old tractors or small boats.

The island’s main port and the most sheltered is Vela Rava. Located in the center of the island, it is set within the Marinica Bay that faces towards the island Dugi Otok. The port of Vela Rava is a small port but still very popular with boaters from all nations as it is considered very safe. While the libeccio can indeed be dangerous when it blows with too much intensity, the ports offer excellent protection from the bora.

Within the bay and along the coast are several small jetties reserved for private boats. Within the port of Vela Rava only local boats have the possibility to anchor; some buoys belong to the Keko restaurant instead. An alternative is the possibility of mooring with anchor and stern at the quay, in the outer part of the mandrake pier: the places available with this option are few, only five. The dock for yachts in transit is free of charge but totally devoid of services.

There is also no room to give anchorage within the port since the ferry from Zadar docks twice daily. This ferry moors at the southern bank of the main quay and any moored boats would hinder its maneuvering.

On the large main pier reserved for large boats you can find an old, now disused school, the village post office, and a small supermarket where groceries and necessities can be found.

Forty meters away from the village is the town cistern, where the island’s drinking water, available in very limited quantities, is stored. A small road departs from the main dock, leading to the town proper, and continuing on to the only other town on the island, namely Mala Rava. A second small road departs from the moorings instead.

The port of Vela Rava lacks any kind of service but is still appreciated by boaters mainly because of the beauty of the island, which is rich in fig and olive trees; in fact, excellent olive oil is produced on Rava Island.

What makes Rava a unique island is the so-called center of the world: a large hole in the earth located where a large mulberry tree once grew. Inside this hole, the islanders periodically pour a few drops of olive oil with the belief that this helps the world rotate more easily.