Fodor's Expert Review Sali

Once an out-of-the-way fishing village, Sali draws tourists thanks to its location in and near such natural splendors. It is home to several old churches, including the 12th-century St. Mary's Church, whose Baroque altar was carved in Venice. Adding to the village's appeal is its annual Saljske užance (Donkey Festival) during the first full weekend in August, which includes an evening ritual during which lantern-lit boats enter Sali Harbor and there are donkey races and tovareća muzika (donkey music) produced by locals blowing or braying raucously into horns. Spending at least a night or two here can provide a relatively peaceful nature-filled respite from the rigors of tourism on the mainland or, for that matter, on more tourist-trodden reaches of the Zadar Archipelago.