By ship
There is a catamaran line between Novalja and Rijeka, it's very fast 2,5 hours and very comfortable.
By car
If coming from north or Zagreb, take the A1 highway and follow the direction Split. The highway has two major tunnels, Mala Kapela and Sveti Rok, both over 5 kilometers long. In tourist season, delays are often in front of the tunnels, so be patient, but don't worry, Croatia's tunnels are among the safest in Europe. When you pass the tunnel Sveti Rok and the Maslenica bridge, look out for Pag/Novalja exit. Follow the signs saying Novalja or Pag. If you're coming from Istria, you can use the A1 highway, but use the D8 better known as Adriatic Highway - Jadranska magistrala on Croatian and follow the sign to Pag 50 km after Senj. You can use the ferry or drive 60 km souther and access it via bridge. Listen to HRT-HR1 or HRT-HR2 the only difference is that the second one plays more up-to-date music because every hour traffic information is given in English, German and Italian.
By bus
There are several bus lines from Zagreb or inland to Novalja, but some of them operate only in tourist season. However, Zadar is 60 km away from Novalja, and it's connected to it via bus. Here you can find buses to Novalja from other cities Bus in Croatia