10 Captivating Beaches to Sail to on your Croatian Holiday

Written by Marin @Danielis on April 04, 2017 in Sailing Destinations

The beauty of Croatian coast is known since time immemorial, the Greek who have sailed across the entire Mediterranean found their refuge on the shores of Croatia’s plentiful islands while sailing across the labyrinth of over 1000 islands, islets, and inlets.

There is no denying that when it comes to the beauty of the beaches, it’s best to head south, Dalmatian coast offers a plethora of captivating, dreamlike sea carved stretches of sand and pebbles where you can enjoy the hot Mediterranean Sun and take a swim in a deep azure Adriatic. Here we bring you 10 of the most captivating for you to rediscover.

1. Sakarun Beach, the island of Dugi Otok

dugi otok saharun

The first addition to our list is beach known as the Croatian Caribbean since this 800 meters long stretch of land filled with white grains of sand truly reminds one of the tropical beaches of the Caribbean. The sea is shallow and light blue, so you just might forget where you are and envision yourself on a faraway island in the middle of Atlantic.

The beach is located on the island of Dugi Otok, just of the cost of Zadar  (read our article about Dugi Otok), so make sure to visit it if you’re sailing in its vicinity.

2. Ručica beach, the island of Pag

Rucica Metajna Pag

Image source: http://www.nightlife-cityguide.com/croazia/spiagge-di-pag-piu-belle-zcre-novalja/attachment/le-spiagge-di-pag-piu-belle-rucica-metajna/

This beach offers a unique experience. You will find no shade on the slopes of desolate Pag island. The beach is a mixture of sand and pebbles so you might imagine yourself as finding a salty Oasis in the middle of a desert. There are no facilities in the vicinity, so if you want to experience the silence of solitude, this beach is perfect for you.

3. Zlatni Rat, the island of Brač

Zlatni Rat beach Brac

Quite the opposite from our previous entry, Zlatni Rat (“Golden Cape”) is one of the most frequented beaches in the whole of Croatia and is so famous that you have probably seen it at the back of postcards sold on Dalmatian stands or in promotional videos. Zlatni Rat is arguably Croatia's most beautiful beach with perfect contrast of golden sandy shores and green pine forest where you might get some shade. The view from the beach is picturesque, especially as the sun sets and the sea changes color from blue to red.

4. Queens beach, Nin

nin queens beach croatia

Image source: http://www.zadar.hr/the-queens-beach/

On the stretch of land from Zadar to Nin, you will find many sandy beaches if those are your preference, but the most beautiful of them all must be Queens Beach, near the city of Nin. It is the biggest of them all and is perfect for a family with small children since the sea is so shallow near its shores.

5. Vela Pržina, the island of Korčula

Overlooking the nearby island of Lastovo, Vela Pržina is the most popular sandy beach on Korčula island so make sure to get their early if you want to claim a piece of the land for yourself. Located on the southern side of the island you will get plenty of Sun while admiring the picturesque view of the south Adriatic. If your stomach gets grumbling, do not be alarmed, there are two restaurants nearby where you can help yourself with refreshing drinks and a tasty meal.

6. Uvala Dubovica, the island of Hvar

The port of Hvar has a worldwide reputation for those wanting a memorable night out, but if you’re in pursuit for a lovely stretch of pebble covered land where you can bask in the hot Mediterranean Sun, look a bit to the east and sail to Uvala Dubovica.

The bays' shallow waters make it great for families and the difficulty of access from the land makes sure that the beach is not overpopulated so you may enjoy your loved ones without unnecessary distractions.

7. Spiaza, the island of Susak

Susak Croatia

If you are looking for a faraway island getaway, look no further than Susak island, a tiny island made almost entirely of sand. The distance from the land makes this island a perfect place for Robinson Crusoe types. 

Spiaza, Susak's main beach is a crescent moon beach offering shallow water for more than 500 meters from its shore. It doesn’t get any more castaway than this.

8. Paradise beach, Lopar, Island of Rab

Sandy beaches are a general rarity across Dalmatian coast, but the island of Lopar has 22 of them, the biggest of which is Paradise beach. The name speaks for itself, for you will feel like in paradise while swimming in the shallow sea which changes color from light blue to azure further from the coast of a beautiful, lush island of Lopar.

9. Stiniva beach, the island of Vis

Stiniva Vis Croatia

As we have covered Vis (read our full guide on island Vis) in one of our previous articles on Croatia's most beautiful distant islands, it is no wonder that Stiniva beach has found its place on our list. If you’re a fan of the movie The Beach, you might fool yourself into believing you are on Thailands shores, since the view from the beach incredibly reminds you of one from the famous movie.

Sail between the rocky entrance and enter into a stone amphitheater filled with deep blue sea all the while marveling at nature's beauty.

10. Bačvice beach, Split

More a state of mind than a city, Split is filled with mystical locations that found its place in the local's mythology. Amongst the most worshipped is undoubtedly Bačvice beach, a sandy stretch of sandy beach near the center of the city, a place that has played an important role in the teenage years of anyone who has called the city its home. Immensely popular and crowded, thus less appealing to those wanting a piece of mind, but if you want to feel the vibrant energy of the city and pay homage to the birthplace of picigin, a unique Dalmatian sport that involves a small ball lot fo jumping and other acrobatics, be sure to visit this iconic beach od Split.

Conclusion

There are many more beautiful beaches (read our article for best beaches in Croatia) spread across the whole 6000 kilometers of Croatian coast, but these 10 are surely pearls of the Mediterranean and a necessary stops on anyone's journey across the Adriatic.