The 10 Best Beaches in Croatia, and How to Reach Each One

The best beaches in Croatia are Zlatni Rat on Brač, Stiniva on Vis, Punta Rata at Brela, Dubovica on Hvar, the sandy bays of Lovrečina, Pržina, Saplunara, Šunj and Sakarun, and Banje, below the walls of Dubrovnik. Most Croatian beaches are pebble, and the few sandy ones are on the islands. Several are easiest from the water: a private boat from the villa reaches the coves that a car cannot. Below, the ten we recommend, how to reach each one, and where to stay nearby; for the houses themselves, see our Croatia villa rentals.

The 10 best beaches in Croatia at a glance

Brač, Brela, Hvar and Vis: the beaches of Central Dalmatia

The islands south of Split hold the beaches most people picture when they think of Croatia: white pebbles, pine shade and clear water.

1. Zlatni Rat

Bol, island of Brač · white pebbles

The spit of white pebbles that runs almost half a kilometer into the channel between Brač and Hvar, about two kilometers west of Bol along a paved promenade; you can also come by boat or by the little tourist train. Its tip moves with the waves, the currents and the wind, and it is protected as a natural feature. A pine grove behind the beach gives shade.

Most summer afternoons the maestral, a steady westerly wind, fills the channel, which is why windsurfers love Zlatni Rat. For a calm swim, come in the morning, before the wind and the crowds.

Bol Exclusive

Bol, Brač · 6 bedrooms · sleeps 16

About halfway between the center of Bol and Zlatni Rat: two residences joined by an inner courtyard, with a pool and a large terrace, for a large family or a group of friends. The minimum stay is seven nights.

Staff and service: housekeeping; a private chef, a boat or yacht, transfers and tailor-made tours are arranged on request.

2. Lovrečina

North coast of Brač · sand

The largest sandy bay on Brač, four kilometers east of Postira, with cafes beside the beach: the one we suggest on Brač for young children. The sea access is adapted for guests with limited mobility, and the bay holds the ruins of the fifth-century basilica of St Lawrence.

3. Punta Rata

Brela, Makarska Riviera · small pebbles

A cape of small pebbles under dense Aleppo pines, protected since 1964, with the Brela Stone, the rock with pine trees growing out of it, on its western side. The pines give real shade in July and August, and the beach has loungers, parasols, showers, a cafe and parking, so it suits a long day with children as well as a swim.

Bello

Brela, Makarska Riviera · 9 bedrooms · sleeps 20

Our house in Brela: four floors built into the hillside and joined by an elevator, with terraces facing the sea on every level, a heated infinity pool of 60 square meters, a gym, a sauna and a jacuzzi. Sized for a multigenerational group or several families together.

Staff and service: housekeeping; transfers and boat days through our concierge.

4. Dubovica

Hvar, about 10 km east of Hvar Town · fine white pebbles

A deep cove below the main road, with fine white pebbles, an old stone summer house and a beach bar. You walk down a steep, stony path from the road; the roadside parking is small and fills early, so from the villas around Hvar Town we book a driver, or come by boat.

For a swim closer to Hvar Town, the Pakleni Islands lie just off the harbor, a short boat ride away.

5. Stiniva

Island of Vis · white pebbles

A small cove almost closed by high cliffs, open to the sea through a narrow gap, with a beach of large white pebbles. It has been a protected natural monument since 1967. From the road above, a steep, rocky path takes 20 to 30 minutes down, and longer back up. Boats cannot enter: they anchor outside and you swim in through the gap, which is the best way to arrive.

In July and August the cove is full by late morning, when the excursion boats arrive together. Come early or late in the day, or in June or September. A strong southerly wind can push swell into the entrance; on those days, choose another cove.

Korčula, Mljet, Lopud and Dubrovnik: Southern Dalmatia

Further south, Korčula, Mljet and the Elaphiti Islands hold three of the sandy beaches on this list, and the easiest way to see them is a boat from a villa on the water.

6. Pržina

Lumbarda, island of Korčula · sand

The largest sandy beach around Lumbarda, about a kilometer southeast of the village, which is six kilometers east of Korčula Town. The water is calm and shallow; Bilin Žal, its neighbor, is sandy too. From our villas around Korčula Town and Žrnovo, such as Villa Cataleya, it is a short drive.

7. Saplunara

East end of the island of Mljet · sand

Two sandy beaches, a larger and a smaller one, in a cove about a kilometer long, with pine and juniper behind them. The stretch is protected, and there are no hotels, only a small village. The ferries land at Sobra, 16 kilometers away by road, so the easiest way to arrive is a private boat from Korčula or the Dubrovnik Riviera.

8. Šunj

Island of Lopud, off Dubrovnik · sand

A wide, shallow sandy bay on the outer side of Lopud, one of the Elaphiti Islands. Lopud has no cars: from the harbor it is a walk of 20 to 30 minutes across the island, partly in the shade of the woods, or a ride in a seasonal golf cart. The ferry runs from Gruž in Dubrovnik; from a villa with a mooring, such as Rosa in Lozica, which looks out over the Elaphiti Islands, a private boat is simpler.

9. Banje

Dubrovnik, east of the Ploče Gate · pebbles

The city beach of Dubrovnik: about ten minutes on foot east of the Ploče Gate, then down a flight of steep steps, with the walls of the Old Town behind you. The public part is pebble and rock; part of the beach is run by a beach club with loungers. It faces south and has no shade, so the morning and the evening are the best hours.

Villa Annalisa

Ploče, Dubrovnik · 5 bedrooms · sleeps 10

In Ploče, with views of the Old Town, the island of Lokrum and Banje. Three terraces look over the Old Town, with a heated pool, a pavilion for dinner and a summer kitchen.

Staff and service: housekeeping; a private chef, butler service, tours and wine tours are arranged on request.

Near Zadar: Dugi Otok

10. Sakarun

Northwest coast of Dugi Otok · white sand

A bay of white sand on the northwest of Dugi Otok, near the villages of Veli Rat, Soline and Božava, with pines for shade and two cafes for drinks and light snacks. It is very shallow: 250 meters from the shore the water is still only about three and a half meters deep, which makes it one of the best beaches in Croatia for small children. The ferry from Zadar to Brbinj takes about 1 hour 40 minutes; boats can also moor in the bay.

Seeing the boat-only coves

Stiniva, Saplunara, the Pakleni Islands and the Elaphiti Islands are all easier from the water than from the road. We book a private boat and skipper to the villa’s own landing where there is one, or to the nearest quay, with lunch arranged ashore or on board. Leave the start of the day free: wind can delay a crossing for a few hours, and the morning is when the coves are empty.

For a week on the islands, choose the villa by the water you want to explore: Brač and Hvar for Zlatni Rat, Dubovica, the Pakleni Islands and Vis; Korčula for Lumbarda and Mljet; the Dubrovnik Riviera for the Elaphiti Islands and Banje. The coastline as a whole is in our guide to the best places to visit in Croatia.

Villas with their own way into the sea

Beaches in Croatia are public, so no house owns a beach. These villas sit at the water’s edge, with steps, a platform or a path down to the sea from the garden. Like Villa Pearl on the Dubrovnik Riviera, whose terraces step down the rocks to the sea, they make the morning swim a matter of a few steps.

Aqua Vista

Hvar, Majerovica · 10 bedrooms · sleeps 20

At the water’s edge a kilometer west of the main square of Hvar Town, facing the Pakleni Islands across the channel. A heated infinity pool on the terrace, and below it a platform with direct access to the sea.

Staff and service: housekeeping; a private chef, butler service and transfers are arranged on request.

Villa Sansarea

South coast of Korčula · 6 bedrooms · sleeps 12

On the quiet south coast of Korčula, looking across to the island of Lastovo, with an infinity pool of 50 square meters, a gym, and stairs down to the sea with sun beds and a mooring for a boat.

Staff and service: concierge and daily housekeeping of two to three hours are included; a private chef, pre-stocking and airport transfers are arranged on request.

Villa Palma

Molunat, Dubrovnik Riviera · 4 bedrooms · sleeps 8

On four and a half hectares of olive and orange terraces above the western bay of Molunat, south of Dubrovnik. A path leads down to a small beach in the rocks with a natural sea pool for children, about fifty meters from the house.

Staff and service: concierge and guest support around the clock are included; housekeeping, with linen changed weekly.

More houses on the islands, several with a heated pool for May, June and October, are in our Croatia villas with a heated pool.

Tips for Croatia’s beaches

• Water shoes. Most beaches are pebble or rock, and the sea floor is too. Pack a pair for everyone.
• Early and late. In July and August the famous beaches fill by late morning; the first swim of the day and the last hour of light are the best.
• Shade. Punta Rata and Zlatni Rat have pines; Banje and many coves have none. Bring a parasol, or ask us to send one with the boat.
• Wind. The afternoon maestral suits Zlatni Rat’s windsurfers; a southerly can make the swim into Stiniva rough. The skipper chooses the cove on the day.
• Public by law. Croatian beaches are part of the maritime domain and open to everyone. Loungers and parasols are paid where a permit or concession allows them.
• When to go. June and September give warm water with fewer people; July and August are the busiest. Month by month, see the best time to visit Croatia.
• When to book. For a villa near the beaches in June to September, nine to twelve months ahead; six to nine months for spring and autumn.

More Croatia guides

• Croatia villa rentals
  Our collection, with a shortlist in 24 hours.
• Best places to visit in Croatia
  Coastlines, old towns and island life.
• The best time to visit Croatia
  Season by season, and how far ahead to book.
• Croatia villas with a heated pool
  For May, June and October swims.
• Travel to Croatia from the USA
  Nonstop flights, the border and the transfer.
• Is Croatia safe?
  What to know before you book.

Best beaches in Croatia: your questions answered

Updated October 2026. Sources: the tourist boards of Bol, Brela, Postira and Dugi Otok; ferry times from Jadrolinija; the maritime domain law as summarized by Croatia Week. Walking times and crossings are typical summer figures; we confirm them for your dates.