Sandy Beaches in Croatia: Here Are the Most Beautiful Ones

March 6, 2026, 1:46 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

Sandy beaches in Croatia? Yes, they exist. However, they are not very common. True sandy beaches are mostly found in Dalmatia, starting from Omis heading south. Occasionally, you can find sandy beaches further north. TRAVELBOOK provides an overview.

In fact, many of the natural sandy beaches in Croatia are small to tiny. Often, they are just small patches of sand at the edge of a pebble beach. Larger sandy beaches are mostly artificially created.

Overall, it’s worth noting that Istria is not the right destination if you want to spend your vacation sunbathing on a fine sandy beach in Croatia. And once you find a sandy beach, you’re certainly not the only one who wants to settle there. In other words, the few sandy beaches in northern Croatia are completely crowded as long as it’s warm. Here you can find out where to find beautiful sandy beaches in Croatia.

Most Beautiful Sandy Beach in Croatia

Rajska Plaza, or Paradise Beach, in Lopar on the island of Rab, is considered the most beautiful sandy beach in Croatia. At 1.5 kilometers long, the beach is an absolute rarity among sandy beaches in Croatia. Many know this, and it shows. Along the entire length of the beach, there are hotels and a campsite. Tip: Visit one of the many smaller sandy beaches around Lopar. They are not quite as crowded. And try to avoid the peak summer season.

Croatia Sandy Beaches — Paradise Beach (Rajska Plaza) extends several meters shallowly into the sea

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More Sandy Beaches in Southern Croatia

The further south you go, the more likely you are to find them. Also on Krk and the hundreds of small islands, there are occasional sandy beaches.

The sandy beach Sakarun shines in an exceptionally bright turquoise and is located near Veli Rat on the northwest coast of the island Dugi Otok. It is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in the Zadar region of Dalmatia. The scenery is reminiscent of the Caribbean, while a dense pine forest along the beach provides pleasant shade on hot summer days. With a length of about 800 meters, the beach offers a spacious, shallow bathing area, ideal for relaxing and enjoying.

Caribbean feeling at Sakarun Beach on the island Dugi Otok — Caribbean feeling at Sakarun Beach on the island of Dugi Otok

Sandy Beaches in Croatia at a Glance

Below is a list of sandy beaches in Croatia that deserve mention. In Istria, even small beaches are listed that wouldn’t be worth mentioning in Dalmatia. The list of sandy beaches in Croatia does not claim to be complete!

Istria

Bijeca and Island Levan near Medulin
Koversda near Vsar
Zambratija near Umag Premantura next to the campsite
Debelja and Uvala Portic in the nature park Kap Kamenjak

Island Krk

Cizici, Komoriska, and Melina at the Bay of Soline
Sveti Marak near Risika
Silo near Pecine
Drazika near Krk

Island Rab

Rajska Plaza in Lopar near the campsite San Marino

Dalmatia

several near Dubrovnik
Sabunike near Skrapavac
Vruljica before the bridge to Island Vir
Resort Holiday Zaton near Zadar
Punta Rata near Makarska
Prapatno near Prapatna, Rocan near Selce
Bacvize near Split
Velika Plaza near Omis
Laguna in Nin
Velika Plaza near Ulcinj

Smaller Islands

Kostanj on Ugljan
Telascica on Sali
Stoncica, Komiza and Zaglav on Vis
Grebisce on Hvar
Postira on Brac
Simuni and Trincel on Pag
Sunj on Lopud
Slanica on Murter
Lojena on Kornat
Lumbarda, Vela Przina, and Bilin Zal on Korkula
Saplunara and Kozarica on Mljet
Lopud on Sipan

Text contribution: Ulrich Lenhard

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TRAVELBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@travelbook.de.