Pakoštane, the Vrana lake and the campsite belt behind the beaches

Two kilometres inland from the beaches there is a lake, and between them a strip of campsites that doubles the local population every July. Almost everything that happens here happens in that strip.

What this area is

Pakoštane is a municipality in Zadar County with 4,100 residents at the 2021 census, spread across four settlements: Pakoštane itself (2,180), Drage (933), Vrana (778) and the island of Vrgada (209). The town covers 6.4 km² with an urban area of 7.4 km².

To the north lies the Vrana lake nature park, with the historic settlement of the same name about 6 km away. The coast itself is a tourist strip of gravel beaches and pine woods, and the campsites behind them are what shapes the traffic from June onwards.

Boundary: the county town with its motorway and bridge, the islands and ferry crossings opposite, and the coast further south with its national park each have their own entries. This one covers the settlements, the campsite strip and the road between them and the lake.

What tends to happen here

Campsite entrances on a through road. Vehicles turn across traffic into and out of the sites, often towing caravans and often at the end of a long drive. Rear-end and turning collisions cluster at these entrances, and the position of both vehicles before anything moves is what settles them.

Manoeuvring inside the sites. Pitches are narrow, awnings and guy lines extend beyond the vehicle, and reversing damage with no identified party is the single most common claim here. Photograph your vehicle where it stands and the pitch around it, because on a campsite nothing else fixes the geometry.

The lake road and its surroundings. Inland the road runs between the water and the fields, unlit and used by farm traffic as well as by visitors looking for the park. Animals, cyclists and vehicles stopping to look at the view are all part of the ordinary picture there after dark.

Where the vehicle is inspected

Recovery from this stretch goes towards the county town or south along the coast, depending on the hour and on the season. Ask at the scene where the vehicle is being taken and write down the name of the operator, because in August tracing it later takes days.

We come to the vehicle. Appointments here are normally possible within one to two days, though in the peak weeks the coast road itself is the limiting factor rather than the distance.

If the damage happened inside a campsite, the site office is worth asking about cameras on the same day. Recordings are kept briefly, and once the season ends nobody is there to look for them.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly can a vehicle be inspected around Pakoštane?

Usually within one to two days. In the peak weeks the coast road sets the pace rather than the distance involved. Tell us where the vehicle was recovered to and we will arrange the appointment around it.

Someone reversed into my caravan on the pitch and drove off.

Photograph the caravan where it stands, the neighbouring pitches and any marks on the ground, before moving anything at all. Ask at the site office about cameras the same day, because recordings are kept briefly and the season empties the place quickly.

I was hit while turning into a campsite entrance. What matters most?

The position of both vehicles before either is moved, and the sight line along the road from the entrance itself. These turnings are where most of the local claims arise, and the geometry of the junction usually decides the case rather than the accounts given.