Northern Dalmatia · Zadarska

Silba

Silba is a car-free island on the way from Kvarner to Dalmatia: two harbours on two coasts, walks under the oaks and the sandy bay of Sveti Ante.

Area (km²): 14
Population: 344
Highest peak (m): 83

Silba lies between Olib and Premuda, on the old sea route to Zadar. The village runs down from the top of the island to both coasts, and above it rises Toreta, a tower with a spiral staircase. There are no roads or vehicles on the island, and in summer even bicycles are put aside.

Žalić harbour on the west coast and Mul on the east complement each other: when one is exposed, the other is calm. Žalić is better in bura, Mul in jugo and westerly winds. In the south of the island is Sveti Ante, a roomy bay with a sandy seabed where boats come to swim and, in calm weather, to spend the night.

For boaters

Žalić harbour (west) and Mul harbour (east), buoys and an anchorage in Sveti Ante bay.

Marinas and harbours

Luka Silba

Fuel

Our list has no boat fuel station on the island.

Anchorages

Uvala Sv. Ante
Sheltered from Tramontana, Bura
Open to Pulenat, Oštro
A two-armed bay in the south-west of Silba, with seasonal paid buoy fields. Good shelter from northerly winds, but open to the west and south, with a shoal off the western point. The village is half an hour on foot along an unlit path.
Luka Papranica
Sheltered from Tramontana, Bura, Levant, Maestral
Open to Oštro, Lebić
A concession buoy field: the concession list gives 13 buoys, sailing sources 10 to 11. One guide states plainly that the bay is not safe in southerly winds. The small harbour in the bay is shallow and used by small fishing boats, and Silba village is a 20 to 25 minute walk away.
Luka Silba
Open to Tramontana, Bura
Silba's east harbour (Mul) is open to the bura: sources advise avoiding it when bura is forecast and moving to Sv. Ante or Olib in strong bura and tramontana. Berths behind the breakwater are described as well protected from other winds, but the harbour is shallow (go bow-to) and near the breakwater the bottom is rocky with shallows. About ten buoys lie off the breakwater (2025), in some years there were none, and at the southern end of the bay a submarine cable or pipeline means no anchoring there.
Južni porat
Sheltered from Tramontana, Bura, Levant
A smaller field of eight buoys south of the Luka Sv. Ante field, in season from mid April to the end of October. Many sources describe both fields together under the name Sv. Ante, so check which bay a statement refers to. For the south end of Silba sources warn of a reef off the south-west point and an isolated danger mark on the approach.

Bays on the island

Bujisina uvala
Čarpusina uvala
Draga
Dražice
Fratrova uvala
Kadetova uvala
Mavrova uvala
Nozdre
Porat svetog Ante
Uvala Borci
Uvala Dobra voda
Uvala Garma
Uvala Kotlina
Uvala Lojišće
Uvala Mala Smardeća
Uvala Pernastica
Uvala Pocukmarak
Uvala Slatina
Uvala Sotorišće
Uvala Ugljenica
Uvala Vela Smardeća
Uvala Vele Stene
Žalić
Zaniska uvala
Sveti Ante

Show on map

Data source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). The data may be incomplete, so check directly on site before you arrive.

Routes that call at the island

Kvarner: Krk, Rab, Lošinj and Cres in a week7 daysapprox. 140 NM

Croatian islands

Neighbouring islands

Olib26 km²
Premuda8.7 km²
Škarda3.8 km²
Planik1.1 km²
Ist9.7 km²
Ilovik5.5 km²

Safety

Emergency at sea

Croatia's national maritime search and rescue coordination centre (MRCC Rijeka) is on watch 24 hours a day. Save the number before you set off.

Before you call, have ready the boat's position (coordinates or the nearest headland, island or bay), the number of people on board and a description of the problem. A call to 112 is put through to the maritime rescue centre.

Get out on the water yourself

Find a boat directly from its owner and arrange the rental with no commission.

View boats for rent

The information is for guidance only and does not replace official nautical charts, pilot books or forecasts. Check the current conditions and regulations before you set off.