Karlobag is a small port squeezed between the mountain and the sea. Behind it, the grey wall of the Velebit range rises almost straight from the water, and in front, across a channel that is often hammered by wind, lies the long, bare, moon-coloured island of Pag. There is little flat land at all, so the houses of the town hug the shoreline in a thin strip, and the old harbour, with its boats, cafes and a baroque church, is a cheerful gathering place after the emptiness of the coast road.
Its history is a succession of destructions and rebuildings. A settlement existed here in the Middle Ages, was razed by the Ottomans in the sixteenth century, was refounded under the Habsburgs, and was wrecked again by earthquakes and wars. What remains is quiet and modest, a place of fishermen, boat repairers and a few holiday visitors, with a memorial to the many who were lost in the Second World War and later conflicts. In the hills above, the Velebit Nature Park protects a wild, rocky landscape of beech forest, caves and limestone pavements, and is a long way from the packed resorts further north.
For riders, Karlobag is on the best section of the Adriatic Highway, where the road runs high above the sea along the foot of the mountains. The coastline here is almost treeless, shaped by centuries of grazing and the bura, and the colour of the rock changes through the day from white to pink to grey. The road's curves are long and flowing, and the sea is an immediate presence. You can also take the steep, twisting road that climbs from the town over the Velebit toward Lika and Gospić, a rewarding detour for those with a little time, with hairpins and long views back down to the water. It can be cold and exposed at the top, even in summer, and the bura can close the main coast road for motorcycles without warning.
Karlobag is small, but has a fuel station, a few shops and several restaurants serving grilled fish and lamb. The lamb of Pag, raised on salty, herb-scented grass, is a local speciality, and so is the hard sheep's cheese of the island. Gospić, to the inland side, is the nearest larger town, while Senj to the north has more services. Refill when you can, because the stretches between towns are long and empty.