August 22, 2025, 11:16 am | Read time: 4 minutes
The residents of Ošljak, Croatia’s smallest permanently inhabited island, have had enough. According to media reports, they are frustrated with the scale and poor organization of the influx of visitors to their tiny 0.39-square-kilometer home. Daily, a multiple of the island’s population in tourists descends upon it–and they reportedly behave terribly. Find out how the people of Ošljak are fighting back at TRAVELBOOK.
Ošljak Residents Deny Tourists Entry
The residents of Ošljak didn’t beat around the bush–they simply blocked the disruptive tourists. This was recently reported by the Croatian daily newspaper “24 Sata.” The incident occurred during a protest rally over the weekend. They chanted, “You will not come to our island; it is our living room.”
A fitting comparison, one might say. After all, Ošljak, with its area of just 39 hectares, is quite manageable. But “living room” means more, explains Preko’s community leader Mihovil Valčić to the paper: “Ošljak is not a tourist destination, and no one ever asked us.” An undisturbed life is made impossible for the residents. That’s why Valčić organized the protest.
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Background of the Protests
The island is near the Croatian settlement of Preko and, according to their tourism association, has just 29 residents; various media report a few more, others even fewer. Ošljak is “an example of traditional Mediterranean architecture with a small, old fishing port and the Church of St. Mary from the 6th century,” according to the tourism association. Due to its lush vegetation, Ošljak was declared a forest park in 1985. “Today, the island is connected by ferry to Zadar (Gaženica) and Preko.” Additionally, and this is the crux of the issue, excursion boats regularly dock–with hundreds of passengers.
Now imagine: On some days in the summer months, up to 1,000 tourists descend upon the roughly 30 residents. The people of Ošljak feel this is an invasion. Additionally, Valčić explains, the visitors from outside do not behave. They trample through private gardens, help themselves to what is planted there, and leave their trash behind. A woman reported during the protests that someone entered her house to use the bathroom.
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No Unified Regulation in Sight
The locals speak of illegal landings in a protected area. The boats reportedly do not have permission to dock on the island. Ošljak lacks an official port with proper docking facilities for larger numbers of visitors and has no tourist infrastructure. Therefore, the island cannot benefit from this unwanted tourism: There are no shops and only one privately run restaurant. Public restrooms? None. This explains the unwelcome visit to a local resident’s home mentioned earlier.
And there’s more. Ošljak is located next to sensitive natural areas like coastal sections or small islands that are ecologically valuable. Flora, fauna, and the maritime environment are strictly monitored here. The islanders criticize that every docking of ships with tourists can potentially harm the environment.
The community of Preko has already tried in the past to ease the situation on Ošljak. As “24 Sata” reports, discussions were held with the responsible port authority to regulate or limit the number of tourist ships. Additionally, talks were held with the nature conservation organization responsible for the protected areas in the region about possible measures. No agreement has been reached yet.
Tensions Between Residents and Boat Operators
Meanwhile, tensions between the island residents and the boat operators are escalating. The latter, of course, are interested in transporting as many tourists as possible: Every passenger brings in money. The more often they travel from Zadar to Ošljak each day, the better for them–and the more problematic for the small island.
