Herceg Novi's beaches, from town to Luštica

Herceg Novi boasts more than 70 beaches along 18 km of coast, according to its tourist board, and you certainly won’t struggle for somewhere to swim. What’s worth knowing before you arrive is that the beaches genuinely worth a whole day are across the bay on Luštica, a short boat ride away. Here they are, area by area.

In town and in Igalo

In the centre, the urban beaches sit below the seafront promenade, such as Milašinović, beside the tennis centre, or Savina; they’re for a quick dip and handy if you’re staying close by. Heading west, the promenade takes you to Igalo and Blatna, the mud beach. The National Tourism Organisation says its healing sea mud is free to use, and the beach has sunbeds, umbrellas, parking and fish restaurants behind. Go for the oddity of it rather than expecting a pretty beach.

Njivice and the coast towards Kumbor

About 7 km from the centre and 3 km from Igalo is Njivice, one of the country’s oldest naturist beaches according to the National Tourism Organisation. You get there by car, and much of it is screened by tall rocks that give natural shade. Close by is the Iberostar Waves Herceg Novi, with its private beach.

Heading east towards Kotor, the coast carries on with beaches the National Tourism Organisation recommends for families, including Meljine, Zelenika, Kumbor, Đenovići, Baošići, Bijela and Kamenari. In Kumbor, the Portonovi resort has a sandy beach with a beach club, which is unusual for this municipality.

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Luštica, the ones worth the trip

The best are opposite, on the part of Luštica that belongs to Herceg Novi. Žanjic, pebbly, with olive groves behind and Mamula in front, is the one the National Tourism Organisation describes as Tito’s former private beach. Next to it is Mirište, and the official Luštica leaflet treats the two as the focus of leisure boat trips at the mouth of the bay. From there boats run to the Blue Cave and to Dobreč bay, usually reached by sea. Rose, on the other side, is a fishing village whose swimming spot, part concrete and part pebble, has water clean enough for the National Tourism Organisation to suggest diving there.

Getting to the Luštica beaches

The boat is the way to go. The Luštica leaflet explains that the Mirište, Žanjic and Blue Cave boats leave Škver in summer only, while Rose is served all year. The National Tourism Organisation adds that boats to Žanjic run roughly every 10 minutes from 9:00 to 13:00, coming back from 17:00 to 20:00. No official website publishes the fare, so ask on the quay. From 1 June to 1 October the tourist board also runs tourist-tax collection points at Žanjic and Rose.

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How do they compare with the rest of the coast?

Herceg Novi wins on coves and clean water and loses on sand to Budva or Ulcinj. My nationwide ranking is in Montenegro beaches.