Dajaks - The Gondolas of Banja Luka

A ride in Banja Luka's traditional boat, the Dajak, is a unique experience that you don't want to miss when you are in the city.

Welcome to the Banks of the River Vrbas in Banja Luka in this video, we'll be taking you on a ride on a Dajak.

For most tourists a visit to Venice is incomplete without a ride on one of the gondolas.

And the same rule applies when visiting Banja Luka, a ride on Banja Luka's traditional boat. The Dajak is a unique experience that you don't want to miss when you're in the city. The Dajak, by the way. It's now the symbol for the city and you'll see them not only in marketing products but also on roundabouts on the roads and other locations throughout the city.

The name Dajak comes from the wooden pole, some four meters long, that is used to push the boat against the current of the river. A traditional paddle isn't useful or helpful due to the shallow draft. of the river Vrbas.

However, the river's current is notoriously fast.

Today, Dajaks are used within 15 kilometers of the city in the shallow sections of the river Vrbas. Dajaks used to be bigger than they are today, and have been used for centuries to transport goods and people up and down the river. Allegedly, Banja Luka didn't have too many bridges centuries ago, so Dajaks were a means of transporting commercial material.

Once the bridges were built, well, taxes were imposed on the crossings, so Dajaks again became a good commercial option.

In the late 1960s, Dajaks got a modern makeover, which has led to today, where they are used for both relaxation and sport. By the way, the person that steers the diak is called a Dajakaš.

The boats themselves are 7 metres long and made from pine. The most striking details are on the stern and bow of the boat, the spitz, which are made from one piece of wood. Now, steering a Dajak is not very hard. It's just important to master the technique. And while we were on our boat, we were told it won't flip.

It might sink, but it won't flip. In actual fact, that's a joke. They don't flip, and they are totally safe.

Our Dajakaš today is Dragan, who is not only a founder of the Modern Dajak Club, but who has also spent 30 years of his life on the river. He's an exceedingly knowledgeable guy, he speaks English, and can give you a very detailed history, not only of the boat, but lots of anecdotes. And

if you're into equality, by the way, it's not uncommon to see women steering Dajaks on the river Verbas.

Sadly, the traditional skills needed to both repair the boats and build new ones is now under threat. It seems that new generations are not too interested in learning the skills required. Hopefully, though, this won't mean the end of this unique part of Banja Luka city culture.

So when coming to Banja Luka in the late spring to late summer, do take advantage of the unique opportunity to get to know the city from the river perspective, along with an experienced Dajakaš. You won't be disappointed. And now, let's enjoy the rest of the ride.

More Information About Dajaks

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