Croatian coast is full of beautiful beaches and unpolluted nature. Problem is that the most beautiful beaches are relatively unknown and hard to reach. Some locations are not marked on google maps, so guests (locals and foreigners) do not know how to find a most beautiful, hidden beaches. That's why we decided to ask locals and beautiful sea location hunters to share their recommendations with us. Take a look at our list of the most beautiful hidden beaches in Croatia according to local recommendations.
Main photo by Milan Tomicic, Rab
Photo by Mirana Durin. Rab
Spend 2500 ''sunny'' hours on Pelješac
The second-largest peninsula in Croatia is Pelješac. It is located in the south part of Croatia, near Dubrovnik - Neretva County. Precisely, between the Neretva Canal, the Bay of Mali Ston, Mljet and the Pelješac Canal. Peninsula Pelješac has over 2500 hours of sunshine days on average which means that there are almost the sunniest days in Croatia.
Photo by Fedor Kompas: pogled na Pelješac s otoka Ilije
Seawater transparency around Pelješac varies between 5.5 and 11 meters, can you imagine how attractive it is? No wonder that visitors come there in search of beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and hidden places near the sea. Locals recommend the following beaches: Duba, Lake and Diana. Beach Jezero (the lake) is difficult to reach, there is no land access so you have to visit it by boat. It is ideal if you are looking for solitude, but take everything you need with you because there is no trace of civilization.
Photo by Marina Grljušić. Divna – plaža na Pelješcu
Duba beach on Pelješac is almost as beautiful as Jezero beach but you can reach it easily by vehicle. you can reach it by taking the local road that branches off from the state road D415 near Gornja Vrućica and passes through Donja Vrućica. You have to drive on the state road D415 until you see Gornja Vrućica – then you have to get off on the local road and drive toward Donja Vrućica until you see auto camp Divna. Beach named Divna is very close. Enjoy.
Sea is almost completely transparent on all those Croatia islands. Isn't it so compelling? Photo by Vesna Subotinec.Veli Rat na Dugom Otoku
Proizd is another name for a beauty
At the entrance to the Bay of Vela Luka, the small island of Proizd (near Korčula) will welcome you. What kind of day can you even spend on this island except magical and beautiful? The Richest site puts this island in 9th place among the 40 cleanest seas in the world. The island is uninhabited, which guarantees peace, tranquillity and a lot of untouched nature. However, Proizd has one bar and restaurant on it which is actually a good thing if you want to spend a day there. You can pass through Proizd in one day. If you are spending your vacation on Korčula island keep in mind that boat TAXI drives every day from the centre of Korčula to Proizd and it lasts for half an hour. Have a note that the sun is really strong on Proizd so be careful and take an umbrella with you.
Sailing lovers consider that Croatia is one of the top sailing destinations. Can you guess why is it so? Photo by Milan Tomičić, Rab
You can just sail away almost everywhere and watch the sunset... Photo by Mili Kafin, Dugi otok.
Leave your heart on the island of love in Pašman Canal
One of the favourite destinations for boaters - Pašman Canal, is the cleanest canal in Adriatic sea. It is located in the Zadar archipelago, between the cities of Zadar and Biograd. The bridge connects Pašman island to the island of Ugljan thanks to the Ždrelac pass and is separated from the mainland by the Pašman Canal.
Photo by Sanda Pedišić. Lučica in Pašman island
Pašman is rich with opportunities for sport and pleasure, sailing and diving. The sea is so clear that you certainly will not need diving equipment, but take it anyway because if you dive you will see the remains of a sunken Roman city and old merchant ships, sounds like an underwater museum, isn't it? That's how Pašman's underwater world looks like. Furthermore, the island is rich in flora and fauna. In the centre of Pašman Canal is an island in the shape of heart named Galešnjak. It is a favourite destination for romantic boat trips, engagements, weddings or honeymoon. Magic experience of Pašman island is completed with a scent of Mediterranean herbs that grow in abundance, so besides the crystal clear sea, you will also be overwhelmed by aromatic waves of Mediterranean aromatic herbs. The Pašman Canal has about 10 other smaller, secluded islands that you can visit by boat if you are looking for hidden unpolluted hard-to-reach sea locations.
Do you want to swim in the turquoise blue sea? Photo by Mirjana Đurin.
The beauty of the Maldives on the tame Adriatic sea
Long Island (Dugi Otok) – the island which forms the outer string of islands in the Zadar archipelago, abounds in beautiful beaches and other beauties. We will single out Veli Žal Beach (Big Bay).
Photo by Mirjana Đurin. Dugi Otok
Veli Žal beach in Dugi Otok is called Croatian Maldives. Locals say that it is one of the most beautiful beaches on Dugi Otok, but it is not crowded. The only deficiencies of beach Veli Žal are the lack of natural shade and frequent gusts of wind. Please note that if you are arriving by car you will pay 15 kn for 2 hours, 30 kn for a whole day.
Expanses of crystalline sea and secluded beaches, there is no better place to rest. Photo by Mirjana Đurin
Beauty and purity of Veli Žal beach outstrip other beaches on Dugi Otok. The beach has good sea access, it is covered with pebbles, there are rocks on the side and sand under the water. Veli Žal beach provides a view of Mežanj island, and sunsets you will experience there are divine!
Drvenik Mali is intended to those who feel like Robinsons
The island Drvenik Mali is located within the Split waters - west of Drvenik Veli, between which is the Drvenička Vrata. There is no civilization, so they say that it is not suitable for tourism development because there is almost no paved road... Only 50 people live on it, and there is no water supply and sanitation. It does not sound like it could become top popular destinations, what do you think? Somehow, when we consider the lack of modern civilization on Drvenik Mali we remember the abundance of Mediterranean wild plants with an intense aroma, wild beaches and turquoise blue sea which is absolutely clean. Have a note that carob and olives grow at almost every turn... So not only you can enjoy crystals clear sea there, but you can also collect carob in abundance from which you can prepare homemade desserts (as a local). What do you think about that? Since you can walk the whole island on foot in one day (its area is 3.43 kilometres square and the coastline is 12.024 kilometres) - it will be to easy to choose the most beautiful beach there, but if you want recommendations - locals recommend beach, Vela Rina.
Choose a small Croatian place near the sea or one of its islands when you want to enjoy the unpolluted nature. Photo by Tihomir Geršner
Starigrad Paklenica - child of the sea and mountain, brother of rivers Vela and Mala Rijeka
Under the Velebit mountain, and right near Zadar city (north Dalmatia), you can find real jewel – Starigrad Paklenica (Old town Paklenica). Environment combines sub-Mediterranean and mountain climate, so a holiday in this area enables a combination of recreation, hiking, biking and lounging on the beach. Starigrad Paklenica is located at the foot of the rivers Vela and Mala Paklenica whose source is on Velebit. The most interesting beach here is Seline – it looks like the popular Zlatni Rat, but it is slightly smaller. It is surrounded by the turquoise blue sea if you turn to the mainland - you will see the mountains, if you look towards the sea you will see blue vastness... Do you need any other reasons to spend your holidays in Starigrad Paklenica?
RAB - paradise island with 22 sandy beaches
Rab – an island located in Kvarner Bay (North Adriatic). The northern part of island Rab is full of sandy beaches which, in combination with surrounding hills and turquoise sea, look divine.
Paradise beach on Rab - the name speaks for itself. Photo by Milan Tomičić
You don't have to be afraid of crowds because the beaches are extremely spacious. Rab island has 22 sandy beaches - Paradise Beach stands out (it looks very exotic), but is extremely popular, so it can be crowded. Lopar is location on Rab which has the sandiest beaches on it - if you are looking for solitude then walk to the northern part of Lopar and try to find beaches Ciganka, Sahara, Stojan and Dubec.
Rt KAMENJAK – Donji Kamenjak – Cape Kamenjak
Cape Kamenjak is located in the far south of Istria (15 km south from Pula). Kamenjak is nature park famous for its beauty and cleanliness - visitors from all over the world come here, especially those who want to enjoy magnificent sea panorama, crystal clean seawater, underwater world or magical sunsets... Cape Kamenjak is a very popular destination - almost everyone who has been to Istria heard about it. There's a lot of beautiful locations suitable for swimming, but we will point out Njive bay. Njive is covered with pebbles, the sea is alluring light blue colour, and pure. If you want to capture magnificent sunset – come here with a camera.
Photo by Alieta Vojnović. Njive beach.
If you look carefully towards the open sea you might see dolphins. Dolphins are protected species in Croatia. If you swim a little further from the shore and dive deeper, you may encounter flocks of unusual multicoloured fish, crabs, and even cuttlefish, lobsters and starfish. There's one beach bar on Njive, but we must note that the entrance fee for Cape Kamenjak costs 10 euros during summertime.
Sunsets on Kamenjak will remain you speechless... Photo by Zoran Burazerović.
Hidden beaches of Ližnjan
Ližnjan is a small village near Medulin – 15 kilometres south from Pula. Ližnjan is a very popular touristic destination and there is a lot of hidden location near the sea. When we say hidden, we mean that literary. Those beaches are hidden behind fields and wood around Ližnjan, and macadam road full with gapes leads to it.
Most beautiful beaches around Ližnjana are sometimes hard to reach, but worth the effort! Photo by Suzana Pinjuh
But it is worth to try, be careful with a car and a ride. When you arrive at the sea you will see breathtaking sights and you will jump in the sea immediately. Beach Salbunić is one of those jewels near the sea, but feel free to take a walk down the coast and you will find more beautiful hidden locations. It is suitable for children and there's a lot of places in the shadow.
Fly me to the Pag instead of the Moon
The island of Pag is special in many different ways. It is not a small island that you can visit in one day only by foot, but it is very clean, spacious and full of natural beauty, besides it has 20 kilometres of pebbly and sandy beaches!
Most beautiful beaches around Ližnjana are sometimes hard to reach, but worth the effort! Photo by Suzana Pinjuh
The lack of greenery on the island is a result of its looks like the lunar surface – some of you may like it, but if you like greenery and lots of shadow on the beach than don't pick up Pag for your summer vacation. Besides, Pag is covered with a salt spread by the wind from the Velebit Canal. If you are a fan of desert-like landscapes, clear waters, spacious sandy beaches then you must visit Pag. Make sure you visit Segal Lake and dive in its healing sediment, which heals rheumatics, detoxifies the body and helps with digestive problems.
If you are a fan of desert-like landscapes then visit Pag. Photo by Maja Mandić.
Pirka beach stands out as one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, it is a sandy beach that stands in a bay with the turquoise blue sea. Ručica beach is equally beautiful, a combination of sand, turquoise blue sea and bare landscape make it looks like an exotic African beach. Another breathtaking desert-like landscape is Beritnica Beach. These sea locations are mostly untouched by civilization and extremely sunny, so don't forget your umbrella and other equipment.
Photo by Maja Mandić. Beritnica beach on Pag.
Iž - ideal without mass tourism
It is hard to believe, but small island Iž is still not as well-known and popular, although it is one of the most beautiful in the Adriatic sea. Beaches which Iž abounds are idyllic, clean, pebbly and sandy, the sea is clear, transparent and turquoise blue. The island has 10 bays that are more beautiful than the other: Mala Dumboka, Šolova, Peščenice, Padešćak, Mali Vodenjak, Bršanj, Komoševa, Knež, Dolinje and Svežina. The Island of Iž is located near Zadar – between islands of Ugljan and Dugi Otok. Except for the seaside vistas, you will enjoy views of hilly areas, olive groves and vineyards. Local speech is interesting and original, but it is not available on Google Translate.
Here we will conclude with our list of the most beautiful hidden beaches in Croatia which we have put together thanks to numerous recommendations from locals and enthusiastic visitors. Besides, neither do we know every corner of the Croatian coast.
Do you have your favourite beach in Croatia that you would like to recommend?
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