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With his own eleven settlements and more then 3 000 inhabitants, island Pašman is one of the most attractive islands for excellent holiday and quality life. With growth of the island in the end of the last century there have been opened possibilities of developing a tourism, so today tourism togather with fishery is the most important business. This is the island of beautiful olive groves, old traditional stone houses, and sandy beaches. The island is connected with bridge to island Ugljan, and with car-ferry with Biograd. Size of the island is 60,11km2. On south west side shores are mostly steeply, while on the north east side there are more tamed. Interesting are the phenomenons of sand cliffs, which on domain of settlement Tkon make attractive landscape. In Pašman chanel there are number of islets: Garmanjak, Školjić, Komornik, Muntan, Veli Dužac, Čavatul, Vela Bisaga, Galešnjak, Ričul, Babac, Planac and St. Katarina.

On south west side the island is surrounded with aquatorium of Middle chanel which separates it from Kornati archipelago and island Dugi otok. In Middle chanel aquatorium there are also number of islets: Gnalić, Žižanj, Ošljak, Kamenčić, Vela Kotula, Mala Kotula, Runjava Kotula, Gangaro, Košara and Maslinjak. The highest point of the island Pašman is Bokolj, 272m. Excellent ferry connection from Biograd till Tkon (only 15min of drive), this island makes accessible, and that is the bigest reason of constant grow of number of visitors and new inhabitants. Tkon was built compactly. In the past, it was formed on a hillock, and today it spreads all the way to the sea. It was first mentioned by the name Katav in 10th Ct. by Constantine Porfirogenet, Byzantine emperor. In one of the documents, dating c.1363, the settlement was mentioned by the name ‘Cun’ – Kun, which is also a nowadays name used by the local inhabitants. Official name Tkon has been used since 1840. Tkon bases its development on ferry port, where more than half of million passengers and more 200 000 vehicles pass through the village during the year.If you are visiting Tkon, you have an excellent opportunity of visiting the only men Benedictine monastery in Croatia, the monastery of Sts Kuzma and Damjan on mount Ćokovac, which is easily approachable walking afoot. Close to Tkon, on mount Kalvarija (Calvary), there is a small church The Lady of seven mourns (Gospa sedam žalosti), which is also very nice to see. About 2 kilometres away from Tkon, there is a fort ‘Pustograd’, built in 6th Century. Southwestern side of the island is easily approachable by partially asphalted road and by a macadam path. There are about 4,5 km from the centre of Tkon to the other side of the island. There are several beaches in Tkon.

They are all sandy, and the best one is in the nudist camp. Kraj spreads next to two beautiful sand beaches; it is surrounded by olive-groves and vineyards. Franciscan monastery of St Dujmo, dating 14th Ct., made in Gothic architecture, marks the settlement. To avoid Turkish invaders, Franciscans were fleeing from Bosnia. Their parishioners were following the Franciscans and afterwards they settled within the monastery. As though they were not fishermen but agriculturists, the Franciscans taught them growing mulberry grows and silkworms. In Kraj, there is a popular beach called Tratica that is especially suitable for children and older people. Pašman is situated just opposite islet Babac in Pašman chanel. Pašman has spread and on the bay Lučina, where is the main beach. Every place has its particularity, and Pašman has it in form of Mr. Branislav Mađerić. Modest artist, excellent photographer with joy will take you with his little boat on islet Babac, where is a display of arts carved in olive wood. The fastest current in canal is between Pašman and islet Babac. This natural phenomenon favours in growth of mussel „Kunjke“ (lat. Noah Arca), and it is one of favorite places for fishing. Banj, like the most of the settlements on the island, was once formed in the island’s inland at the bottom of peak Bokolj (170 m), where the church of Our Lady of Loretta is placed. Nowadays, the centre of the settlement is by the seaside, around the church of St Kuzma and Damjan, it officially belonged to Benedictine abbey on Ćokovac. In these parts, many archaeological finds dating Roman Age were discovered, that can tell much about this settlement’s history. Banj was first mentioned c 1265 by the name BAGNI (the name comes from Latin word BALNEAE), that means thermal spring or plenty of water, which is logical considering the fact that the whole village is plentiful with natural spring water, only at a few meters of depth.

While you are in Banj, you have an excellent opportunity of climbing Bokolj peak (170 m). When you come to the peak, you come to see a beautiful sight of National Park ‘Kornati’ archipelago and the Pašman Channel. Barotul is a little, quiet settlement placed in the cove of Taline. Barotul is one of the most peaceful settlements on the island. Pure nature, sand beach, accommodation in private houses and hospitable people, vegetable growers and fishermen, will make sure that you forget your everyday occurrence and problems.. Barotul is best known among the nautical fans (Regatta ‘Barotul Cup’). Only 10 minutes of walking from the port towards NE, you come to see a nice pine wood and a rocky beach. This place has always been an illegal nudist beach. At the closest point, the island Garmenjak is parted from Barotul only 70 m. It is a special experience to swim to Garmenjak and enjoy the coolness of pinewood shade. On the peak of Garmenjak, there is a ruin of former primitive construction dating Iron Age. Mrljane are famous on three grounds; place of excellent seamans and largest number of private shiperrs on all of Adriatic, and place with bigest beach on the island. On the beach, there is a spring, where the water comes out from the sand and goes to the sea. In times past, local women used this natural phenomenon for washing laundry, and as a reminder of those days, there is still an original stone for washing with the groove for soap standing at the spring. One of the first marks of Christianity on the island is a small Church of St Mihovil dating c 1018. Beside for ship-owners, the village is also well known for great number of olive-grows. In the last few years, olive growing and production of virgin olive oil keeps developing. Ugrinić is one of the smallest settlements on the island, administratively belongs to the County of Tkon. The settlement developed in the bottom of mount Ćokovac, around a little old port, which belonged to the family Ugrinić.

This family’s house, so-called Ugrinića Dvori (The Hall of Ugrinić family) is dating 16th Ct., and it is situated in the middle of the island, looking south-west, around 1200 m away from sea and nowadays settlement. You can enjoy a nice walk to the house using a path ideal for sightseeing old olive grows. As the family grew, new members were moving in NW side of the island, and during the time, they established an entirely new settlement. Considering the fact that they were all relatives, they were building the houses compactly, very closely one to another, and once again were making a community. All these houses were built in typical Dalmatian way. They are made of stone, which is somewhere almost one meter thick; the houses are terseness. These two facts provided better isolation and protection of different invaders during the centuries. The main occupations of the inhabitants, as well as in other places on the island, were agriculture and fishery. A walk from Ugrinić to Tkon lasts 15 minutes the most, and walking to mount Ćokovac, were a Benedictine monastery is situated lasts also 15 min. To the Hall of Ugrinić (Ugrinića Dvori) a relaxing walk lasts half an hour. Except above mentioned settlements on the island Pašman you can find and places Mali Pašman, Neviđane, Dobropoljana, Ždrelac and Gladuša. Island Pašman abound in cultural monuments and rich history. Live maritime circulation through Pašman chanel has always brought on this area new culture, traditions and new customs. One of the most important monuments are Benedictine monastery on hill Ćokovac and Franciscan monastery in Kraj. Fort Pustograd is saved since Byzantium time on south part of the island beneath which was situated the best nature harbour. One of the most important mediaval monuments are Ugrinća dvori from 16ct. Benedictine monastery on mount Ćokovac above Tkon is a first (null) category monument and the most valuable cultural monument of island Pašman as well as Croatian.

Benedictine monastery of Sts. Cosmos and Damian (Sveti Kuzma I Damjan) on mount Ćokovac nearby Tkon on island Pašman was built by Theodore (Teodorik), bishop of Biograd, on the foundation of an early Byzantine fort and early-christian church. Ćokovac is the last active Benedictine monastery in Croatia and famous Glagolic centre. At Easter holidays, hundreds of young people from the island and the whole region come to Ćokovac, where they celebrate Easter in a special way. The monastery is opened for visitors every day from 4 PM until 6 PM, except on Sunday.
Building of the monastery in Kraj probably began in 1394, and it began with its function in the second half of XV Ct. The monks helped the parish priests on Pašman, Ugljan and Biograd region. Plenty of local achievements have been done with the help of Franciscans: building of the port, a school (it began working in the monastery) for whose foundation they had given the land, reading-room (opened in 1907), foundation of economy, growing of mulberry-trees for breeding silk-worms, advanced cultivation of vineyards and olive-grows. In the monastery, there is an exhibition of books and manuscripts, works of art, church pottery and clothes, handmade objects and archaeological relicts. Besides the museum, the monastery today is one of most representative places for keeping various concerts and other artistic programs. About 2 kilometres south from Tkon a fort ‘Pustograd’ is situated. The fort has been there since 6th Ct. Pustograd had, in those troubled times of Byzantine Empire, served as a military fort whose purpose was to control and protect Pašman Channel from sudden attacks of pirates and other enemies.

As just under the hill and fort Pustograd is a natural port Triluke, which had been one of the most important ports on the island and had often been attacked, than the people who would happen to be there at the time of danger, would hide and find themselves safe in the fort. The fort had been built of stone blocks almost one meter thick and with minimal openings/holes, which served for reconnaissance and defence. The object had two floors. Partially passable path, which starts from nudist camp Sovinje leads to the fort. Here we bring you the descriptions of five best beaches on the island. Several criteria were considered: arrangement, capacity, location, attendance, approachability and sea quality. It is made on tourists’ and local people’s opinion. All beaches on the island are beautiful. There are kilometres of beaches across the Northwestern side of the island and each one of them could be the best when some minor interventions would be made. Southern part of the island is made of rocks and gravel except in coves Soline and Kobiljak.
01.Vrulja, Mrljane
02.Sovinje, Tkon
03.Tratica, Kraj
04.Tarokić, Ždrelac
05.Plaža, Dobropoljana