Gain better insight into the workings of the Public institution Kamenjak!....
Answers to some frequently asked questions:
1. Why do you permit vehicular access to Kamenjak?!?
Answer: Entrance to the protected landscape of Donji Kamenjak and the archipelago of Medulin is priced in accordance with the tariff of Javna ustanova Kamenjak and is charged only to motor vehicles. In line with the spatial plan for landscapes of special interest Donji Kamenjak and the archipelago of Medulin, entrance is permitted to 1668 vehicles per day. For this purpose, car parks have been allocated, which are clearly marked on the map of the protected landscape of Kamenjak. Vehicles are permitted to drive solely on marked dirt tracks, and they are allowed to park exclusively in areas allocated for this purpose. Pedestrians and cyclists are exempt from paying an entry fee.
2. Why is no alternative transport available (e.g. bus or train)?
Answer: The problem lies in the fact that Premantura has no area at its disposal which could serve as a car park for all those interested in visiting Kamenjak who would use alternative transport facilities. During the summer months, up to 1500 vehicles daily would have to use a car park outside the protected landscape, which, unfortunately, is unavailable.
3. Vehicular access causes extensive dirt and dust deposits on plant life. Does this harm the plants?
Answer: No, the dirt and dust which settles on the plants is in no way harmful. Indeed, it is a positive occurrence because the dust enriches the soil with calcium, which aids the growth of plant life in the protected landscape of Kamenjak. At the same time, this dirt and dust slows the growth of invasive plant species because it lowers the intensity of photosynthesis and, therefore, also of the growth of plants such as the fir, the juniper and the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima).
4. The dirt roads in the protected landscape of Kamenjak are full of potholes. Why can this not be rectified?
Answer: Kamenjak is loved for what it is, that is, a natural landscape, of which there are increasingly fewer in the world today. No road surfacing will be undertaken for the reason that people could travel faster and cause less damage to their cars. If everybody were to adhere to the speed limit of 20 kilometres per hour, the potholes would not be a nuisance, and cars would not be damaged.
5. Why are there such long queues on the approach to Kamenjak in the summer months? Waiting times can be up to half an hour!
Answer: It is to be expected that every tourist resort encounters heavy traffic during the summer. This goes especially for Premantura and Kamenjak. In August, this problem is extensive because queues stretch along several hundred metres. In order to avoid the heavy traffic, visitors are advised to plan their visit in the morning and afternoon hours instead of around midday, when traffic is heaviest. Please be aware that traffic is heaviest from mid-July to the end of August. Traffic intensity is negligible in the remaining months of the year.
6. What is the ideal time of the year to visit Kamenjak?
Answer: For the most intense pleasure, the months of May and June are advised, when Kamenjak is resplendent in its glory. It is at this time of the year that Mediterranean plant life and the protected species of orchids are in full bloom. The end of April sees favourable sea temperatures around Kamenjak for swimming.
7. Is the entry fee to Kamenjak not too steep?
Answer: Javna ustanova Kamenjak is a non-profit organization which works solely with the funds made from charging entry fees. If the price were to be calculated per head, it would average 5 kuna, which is far below comparable entry fees to similar parks.
8. You charge an entry fee to Kamenjak, but you do not offer anything!
Answer: In the protected landscape of Kamenjak we can relish nature such as it cannot be easily found elsewhere. There are numerous hidden picturesque bays to be discovered, therapeutic fir glens in which to rest, and one of the richest ecological systems of the Istrian seas to be explored. In addition, one can take a stroll along the educational trails and the trail of the dinosaurs, visit an Istrian farm, tour the botanical reservation which boasts some of the rarest plants in Croatia, keep fit on the exercise trail, have a refreshment in one of the safari bars and make use of the barbeque facilities. Kamenjak is visited by nature and wildlife lovers, while those who expect a fairground will have to search for it elsewhere.
Our thanks to all those of you who support our work and for the benefit of whom we aim to be better and more successful in the fight for the protection of our unique Kamenjak!
