Skradinski Buk and Roski Slap: More Waterfalls and a Visit to the Visovac Monastery
08 September 2009 | Croatia's Dalmatian Coast
Having anchored just south of the town of Skradin, we hopped in the dinghy early and boarded the National Park excursion boat to Skradinski Buk, the first and longest set of terraced waterfalls. We were all captivated by the spectacular cascades spilling over barriers of travertine (which, we learned, is limestone sediment) and tumbling into turquoise pools surrounded by reed and semi-submerged forest. Our walk along the network of wooden pathways and riverside trails took us past stone watermills, interesting 'ethno' museum displays and onto a kiosk where we bought tickets for a second excursion to the northern stretches of the river.
That tour included a stop on the tranquil islet of Visovac where we visited a Franciscan Monastery nestled among a thick cluster of cypresses. Our English speaking guide explained the monastery's early history (occupied by the Franciscans since 1445) and showed us some of its archeological collection, paintings and library of historical manuscripts, including a beautifully illustrated 15th century Aesop's Fables, one of only three such in the world.
From Visovac, the boat continued another 10km upstream to Roski Slap, a series of smaller waterfall cascades called "the necklaces" by locals. Bright sunshine with a cooling breeze made for a perfect walk by the falls' branches, backwaters and islands ... a truly spectacular afternoon. Just to get a bit more exercise, we opted to walk back from the first boat launch stop to town, about 3km along the river to town. Though a tad weary we were all game for an evening out and, after a quick freshening up, were back in town for some very tasty and traditional Croatian fare at Konoba Toni.