Sitting here in cold and rainy Europe has made me miss the beach days spent in Montenegro, so today’s postcard comes to you from the beaches of the Budva Riviera.
JAZ
Our first beach experience was at Jaz beach which is located a 10 minute drive away from Budva city centre. Passing through the winding roads you catch a glimpse of this natural beauty with its deep blue colours. The beach consistency is made up of tiny flat yet very soft round stones – ideal for a natural pedicure. The water is simply refreshing, clear and exceptionally clean. Once you swim a bit further toward the safety marker, you may catch a glimpse of sea algae and little fish. Pedalino, jet skis, and boats are available for rent at this beach and we simply couldn’t resist spending the most relaxing time soaking up the rays on a pedalino. Spending a full day at this beach not only takes away all your worries but you also lose track of time, so I highly recommend this beach for anyone. A special treat for you once you head back to the city is a restaurant located at the top of the mountain with panoramic views of this natural beauty.
BECICI
Our second beach experience was in a small town 5 minutes drive away from Budva city centre called Becici beach. This area is well known for its 5 star hotels and largest Aqua park. The beach itself is made up mainly of rocks and due to the vivid sea life, it was full of floating seaweed and murky waters (not the most pleasant). An excellent facility available at this beach is a boat tour which takes you to the open sea. We gladly hoped on the boat and the short 10 minute ride into the open sea is truly a treat for all the senses. Once we started nearing the rocks, our captain informed us to descend to the bottom deck which resembles a viewpoint for us to admire the sea life. We were then able to jump into the open sea for a swim in the refreshing cool water. Beneath us, an opulence of sea life while above us, the sun’s rays shining down to form a reflection on the aqua coloured waters … creating a little bit of magic.
MOGREN
Our third beach experience was at Mogren beach – located in the Old Town of Budva thus making it the most popular beach among residents and visitors. As we visited toward the end of the summer season, we were very lucky not to encounter a large crowd. From my childhood memories, whenever we spent time at this beach we would visit at 8:00am just to reserve a spot! Similar to Jaz beach, Mogren is composed of little stones and is surrounded by the wild mountains. Getting to Mogren is quite a scenic treat for any adventurer as you pass through the great mountains before finally arriving to the clear, fresh water. As the beach is located in the Old Town, the views are beautiful and one simply has to admire the fortress which was built over 2,000 years ago. These waters are also filled with little fish which peck at your feet the moment you step in (think of it as a free pedicure) and offers plenty of water sport activities for the more adventurous.
PERAZICA
The next beach is a real treat for nature lovers! My friend Branko and his cousin Mirjana took us to Perazica D.O beach which is located approximately 20 minutes drive from the city centre. This beach is still very much undiscovered by tourists and so we were able to truly appreciate the natural surroundings which are hidden away completely by trees and mountains (the beach is not at all visible from the road). Hiking downwards through the trees and rocks we finally caught a glimpse of the pure crystal waters and as we arrived very early (before 9:00am), we were among only 10 other beach lovers. The composition of the beach is made up of very large stones making it quite difficult to get in and out of the sea, however this was the only negative thing about it (and perhaps the hike back upwards to our car…). Once we conquered the stones and jumped into the waters, it was an experience none of us imagined. I brought my goggles which provided us with a first class live view of life under the sea – and it was magical! We swam closer to the rock formations and were able to explore some under water caves and encountered a few crabs in their natural habitat. This is truly a beach experience which I highly recommend when visiting Budva and the fact that it has not yet been commercialized really makes the effect surreal. My biggest advice is to bring a lot of drinkable water as there is no opportunity to buy any, and if possible some underwater shoes to avoid the rocks :). You will easily spend hours in the refreshing waters without any desire to dry off.
SVETI STEFAN
For a more historical beach experience, we visited the beach of Sveti Stefan. Located on an island, the history of Sveti Stefan dates back to the 15th century when it was built to defend the inhabitants against the Turks. Later on in the 1800’s it became the summer residence of the Queen of the Karadjordjevic family of Serbia. Between 2008 – 2009 the residence was refurbished into what it is today, the Aman Sveti Stefan resort, a luxurious resort yet retains the old charms of the village on the exterior facade. While the beach was composed of pure white sand many years ago (I still remember catching little crabs which would hide under the sand)… today it is made up of little stones. The water however is quite transparent and clean the further you swim into the open sea. As the sun sets behind the fortress and the tides of the waves get stronger, it is easy to imagine a charming fairytale in the picturesque island. A real treat is to catch the sunset from the restaurant located on the highway which offers priceless panoramic views.
With 12.5km options of beaches dotted along the Riviera, each one surrounded by mighty dark mountains and carrying its own little charm, it is easy to see why Budva will always remain close to my heart.
xo,
Marina
Visit information:
Aman Sveti Stefan Resort – www.aman.com/resorts/aman-sveti-stefan
Budva Travel – www.budva.travel/en/activities/
Disclaimer: All views are my own and all photographs are © My Sweet Escapes.
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