Half-day speedboat trip from Zadar with drinks

The best part of this four-hour speedboat trip is its simple island-hopping plan. You leave Zadar, trade city streets for open water, pause in Preko for coffee and a walk, then spend an hour swimming and snorkeling around small Ošljak. It gives you two very different island stops without taking your whole day.

I like the small-scale feel of a speedboat and the fact that drinks, fruit, fuel, a skipper, and snorkeling gear are included. I also like the flexible attitude promised by the skipper, who can shape the outing around your wishes when conditions and timing allow. The main drawback is the extra €10 port fee per person, which you need to add to the advertised $30 price.

Key points at a glance

• Two island stops in four hours: Preko offers a village walk and coffee, while Ošljak is used mainly for swimming and snorkeling.
• A fast ride with real time in the water: The first boat ride takes about 45 minutes, followed by 75 minutes in Preko and an hour at Ošljak.
• Drinks are part of the day: Ice tea and beer are included, along with fruit and snorkeling masks.
• A useful Zadar meeting point: Find the pier in front of the INA gas station at Obala kneza Branimira 27.
• A flexible skipper-led outing: The English or Croatian-speaking skipper may adjust the experience to suit the group.
• Budget carefully: The $30 price does not include the €10 port fee per person.

Why this Zadar boat trip works well

Zadar is a fine city for wandering, but the Adriatic begins right at its edge. This trip lets you make a quick escape to the islands without arranging ferries, taxis, beach transfers, or equipment on your own.

I see the appeal in the balance. You are not sitting on a boat for four straight hours, and you are not rushing through a long list of stops. The ride takes you to Preko, where you have time for a coffee and a walk, then to Ošljak, where the emphasis shifts to swimming and snorkeling.

That mix suits you if you want a half-day away from museums and old-town paving stones. It also works well for a warm morning when the sea is calling and you would rather keep the afternoon free.

The trip is guided in English or Croatian, and the skipper is described as friendly and accommodating. One useful detail is that the skipper can tailor the outing to your wishes. Do not read that as a private custom tour with unlimited flexibility, but it does suggest a more personal experience than a rigid sightseeing cruise.

Meeting the boat at Obala kneza Branimira 27

The departure point is the pier in front of the INA gas station at Obala kneza Branimira 27 in Zadar. That is a practical landmark, but give yourself enough time to find the exact boarding spot. A pier beside a fuel station is easy enough to identify once you are nearby, though it is not the sort of grand harbor entrance you can spot from every street.

The boat returns to the same meeting point. That makes the outing easier to fit around other plans because you do not need to arrange a second pickup across town.

The experience lasts four hours, but starting times vary. Check the available departure time when booking, then plan your morning around it. The supplied information describes a morning departure, so this is best treated as a morning-to-early-afternoon activity unless your selected time says otherwise.

There is also a €10 port fee per person. It is not part of the $30 advertised price. That is not a large extra cost compared with many full-day boat outings, but it changes the real budget, especially for families or groups.

The first 45 minutes: leaving Zadar by speedboat

Once aboard, the first ride takes about 45 minutes. The speedboat is the transport, not just a floating viewing platform, so you will cover the distance to the islands quickly and spend more of the four-hour schedule ashore or in the water.

That speed is one of the strongest reasons to choose this trip. A slower boat could turn the crossing into the main event. Here, the ride gets you out among the islands without using most of the day.

You can relax in the Mediterranean sun during the crossing, and drinks are available on board. Ice tea and beer are included, with fruit also provided. This is a modest but useful touch. You do not need to plan the entire morning around finding a shop before departure, although you should still bring anything you personally need for four hours in the sun.

A speedboat ride can feel more exposed than a large ferry. If you are sensitive to sun, spray, or motion, take sensible precautions. The provided details do not specify seating, shade, or boat size, so ask the operator if those points matter to you before booking.

Preko: 75 minutes for coffee, a walk, or a swim

The first island stop is Preko, a village on Ugljan Island. You have about 75 minutes here, enough time to choose how active you want to be.

Preko works as the social and cultural pause in the trip. You can get coffee, stroll through the village, swim, or snorkel. That range is valuable because not everyone in a group wants the same thing. One person can take a walk while another heads into the water, then you can meet up before departure.

I would use this stop to slow down. The speedboat gets you there quickly, but Preko gives you a chance to experience an inhabited island village rather than treating the coast as scenery viewed from a moving boat.

The stop is not presented as a long guided history tour. You should expect free time rather than a formal lecture or a packed cultural program. That is good news if you want independence, but less useful if you are hoping for detailed historical commentary about Ugljan Island.

Seventy-five minutes passes quickly once you include getting off the boat, finding your bearings, having coffee, and returning on time. Keep an eye on the meeting time. The skipper may be accommodating, but the boat still has to maintain its schedule.

The 20-minute ride to Ošljak

After Preko, the boat makes a shorter 20-minute run to Ošljak. This is a pleasant transition because the two stops have different purposes.

Preko gives you a village, a possible coffee, and several ways to spend your time. Ošljak is the quieter water stop, where the plan centers on swimming and snorkeling. You are not being asked to repeat the same activity in two places.

The trip includes snorkeling masks, so you do not need to bring your own equipment for the basic activity. Still, the supplied information does not mention fins, flotation devices, or underwater instruction. If you usually swim with specific equipment, confirm what is available before departure.

Ošljak: one hour in the water

You have about an hour at Ošljak for swimming and snorkeling. That is long enough to enjoy the water without turning the whole trip into a beach day.

This stop should appeal most if you value simple time at sea over a long list of attractions. You can cool off, use the included mask, and look beneath the surface. The trip description promises spectacular scenery around the final destination, but it does not specify particular underwater sights, marine life, or a named snorkeling site. Keep expectations focused on a pleasant island swim rather than a specialist snorkeling expedition.

The hour also gives you a clear choice. You can get in the water, remain on the boat, or use the stop to relax in the sun. The activity is not described as strenuous, and the skipper is there to manage the boat and route, not to lead a technical water-sports lesson.

As always with a boat outing, weather and sea conditions matter. The available information does not set out a bad-weather procedure, so ask about conditions if your plans are tight. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, which gives you some protection when planning ahead.

What the included drinks and gear add

The included extras are practical rather than lavish:

• Fuel
• Professional skipper
• Snorkeling equipment, including masks
• Ice tea
• Beer
• Fruit, as described in the trip details

Fuel matters because you are not watching a low headline price grow with a separate fuel charge. The skipper is included too, so you are paying for an operated excursion rather than renting a boat and taking on the route yourself.

The drinks help during the crossing and the swim stops. Beer will suit some people after the water, while ice tea gives you a nonalcoholic option. The information does not mention a full meal, bottled water, or unlimited refreshments, so plan food and personal drinks accordingly.

Because this is a four-hour trip, you may not need a packed lunch. A small snack can still be useful, particularly if you are traveling with children or tend to get hungry after swimming. That is practical advice, not an included feature.

The skipper makes a difference

A boat trip can be reduced to transport if the person at the helm treats the schedule as fixed and impersonal. Here, the skipper is described as friendly, accommodating, and willing to tailor the outing to the group.

That is the most important positive detail about the human side of this experience. You should expect guidance in English or Croatian, help with the basic flow of the day, and some effort to respond to what the group wants.

The available feedback describes a skipper who tried to give the group the best day possible and adjusted the tour to their wishes. No individual skipper name is provided, so I cannot promise a particular guide. The quality of a flexible boat trip depends heavily on the person operating it, and this is one reason to value that detail.

Still, flexibility has limits. The boat needs to reach its stops and return to Zadar in four hours. If you have a specific request, ask at the start rather than assuming every preference can be accommodated.

How much value do you get for $30?

At $30 per person, the base price is appealing for a four-hour outing that includes fuel, a professional skipper, two island stops, drinks, fruit, and snorkeling masks. Once you add the €10 port fee, the total is higher, but the package still gives you a lot of activity for half a day.

The value is strongest if you would otherwise pay separately for transport to a beach, a ferry to an island, snorkeling equipment, and drinks. The speedboat also saves time. You reach the islands and return to Zadar without giving up a full day.

The price is less attractive if you only want a long swim at one beach. In that case, a local beach may cost less and give you more time in the water. You are paying here for the boat ride, the island combination, the skipper, and the ease of having the route organized.

Remember that the fee is in euros while the advertised tour price is in dollars. Exchange rates can affect the final amount on your card. Add the port charge before comparing this outing with other Zadar boat trips.

Who should book this outing?

I would recommend it to you if you want:

• A short escape from Zadar
• A fast ride rather than a slow sightseeing boat
• Two different island stops
• A balance of village time and swimming
• Included snorkeling masks and simple drinks
• A flexible half-day schedule

It suits couples, friends, and families who can agree on a mix of walking and water time. Preko gives non-swimmers something to do, while Ošljak gives swimmers a proper hour in the sea.

It may not suit you if you need a fully narrated cultural tour, a full meal, a large shaded vessel, or a serious snorkeling program. None of those features is promised. The trip is best understood as a relaxed island outing with a friendly skipper, not as an intensive guided study of Ugljan.

Booking details worth knowing

You can reserve now and pay later, which helps if you are arranging several activities in Zadar and want to keep your plans open. The stated cancellation policy allows a full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours in advance.

Check the starting time carefully because availability determines the departure slot. Arrive at the INA pier meeting point with time to spare, and keep the return point in mind: you finish back at Obala kneza Branimira 27.

The port fee is the detail most likely to surprise you. Budget an additional €10 per person from the start. Also remember that the provided details confirm ice tea and beer, but they do not describe a full lunch or a broad drinks menu.

Should you book the Zadar to Preko and Ošljak trip?

Book it if you want a compact, good-value island day without committing to a full-day cruise. The route has a sensible rhythm: 45 minutes across the water, 75 minutes in Preko, 20 minutes to Ošljak, an hour for swimming, then a return to Zadar.

I especially like the contrast between the two stops and the skipper’s reported willingness to adapt the experience. Add the €10 port fee to the price, bring sun protection and any food you need, and treat the outing as a relaxed speedboat ride with swimming rather than a formal cultural tour. For that purpose, it is an easy choice.

FAQ

How long does the speedboat trip last?

The activity lasts four hours. Check the available starting times when booking.

Where does the trip begin?

The boat leaves from the pier in front of the INA gas station at Obala kneza Branimira 27 in Zadar.

Where does the trip finish?

The activity ends back at the same meeting point at Obala kneza Branimira 27.

Which islands does the trip visit?

The route includes Preko on Ugljan Island and Ošljak.

How long do you spend in Preko?

You have about 75 minutes in Preko for coffee, walking, swimming, or snorkeling.

How long do you spend at Ošljak?

You have about one hour at Ošljak for swimming and snorkeling.

Are drinks and snorkeling equipment included?

Yes. The trip includes snorkeling masks, ice tea, and beer. Fruit is also available during the outing.

Is the port fee included in the price?

No. You must pay an additional €10 port fee per person.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live tour guide service is available in English and Croatian.

Can you cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.