Island of Pag Holds Some of the Best Beaches in Croatia – We’ve Listed Them for You!

Get ready for the crystal blue sea, beautiful nature, lots of relaxation, water and beach activities, and non-stop partying. On Pag island you can have it all – the choice is up to you.

“Where is the nearest beach, and how far is Zrce beach from our apartments? Can we walk to Zrce beach? What is the best beach on the island?” These are some of the most common questions our guests ask when they check-in.

We just smile and tell them that one of the most beautiful beaches on Pag is located 100 meters from our apartment. And it is enough to just look out of the window or balcony.

Zrce Beach is located about two kilometers from our apartments, so it can be reached on foot with relatively little effort. For the rest of the beaches, we recommend having some form of transportation. The best are bicycles, moped, scooters, quads – or you can rely on a taxi or a shuttle bus.

Islands’ best beaches in Croatia

The island of Pag is not a big, but it has a rugged coastline. This is also one of the main reasons why Pag has, without a doubt, some of the best beaches in Croatia.

In our opinion, the best Croatian beaches are the natural ones, whose specific landscapes and positions were formed by sea, sun, wind, salt, and other weather and geological conditions, and the island of Pag is full of these beaches. Of course, there were some modifications on some of them, but mostly not without care for nature and landscape.

The ones we are going to recommend are very easy to get to. These are the beaches we had previously visited, or we have first-hand information from our friends and acquaintances – but these are also the beaches that are well-known amongst tourists.

If you like secluded beaches and small coves, you’ll need a boat, because access by land can be very difficult or even impossible.

Please note that some descriptions may vary from year to year.

Kolanjski Gajac Beach and Branicevica Beach (Gajac)

Foto: Sunwell apartments

Kolanjski Gajac beach and Branicevica beach are connected by a 1.5-kilometer-long promenade and are a part of the tourist villages Kolanjski Gajac and Gajac. Because of their administrative borders (the border between two counties), the beaches have two names, but those administrative borders do not have any meaning for visitors.

The beaches are pebbled and offer a view of the islands of Cres and Losinj, as well as the smaller islands of Maun and Skrda.

Foto: Sunwell apartments

The beaches are regularly maintained, and you can find numerous beach bars along the beach promenade during the summer.

You will also come across vendors that sell simple foods like ice cream, corn, and fritule (traditional sweet pastry), while next to the beach on Branicevica you will also find a restaurant with decent food and friendly prices.

Foto: Sunwell apartments

During the summer months, you can rent water scooters and pedal boats; children can play in the water park and find fun in a small amusement park and on the children’s playground. The beach has a volleyball and basketball court, an outdoor gym, and a bocce ball courtyard. Also, certain parts of the beach are pet-friendly.

Another interesting thing is that during the year 2023, the existing promenade should become a part of a five-kilometer-long, newly built promenade by the sea that leads to the small towns of Kolan and Mandre, which will certainly be a new opportunity to see the surroundings and do outdoor activities.

See the location of the beaches here. 

Strasko Beach

Foto: Adriacamps.com

Strasko beach is an extension of Branicevica beach, although it is not reachable on foot from the promenade in Gajac. Strasko beach is similar to the beaches in Gajac, but it is a beach under the concession of a neighboring camping resort. Therefore, the entrance requires to pay a fee.

However, with the paid entrance you can enjoy the camp activities: outdoor swimming pools, various catering and sports facilities, as well as facilities for children. It is one of the few beaches on Pag that has a natural shade, perfect as a shelter from the summer heat.

See the exact location of the entrance here.

Planjka – Trincel beach

Foto: otok-pag. hr

Planjka Beach is located seven kilometers from Sunwell Apartments and it is one of the most popular beaches on Pag (along with Zrce Beach). Unlike the latter, Planjka is a beach meant for spending some quality time with your family.

The beach is well maintained, with fine sand and a very gentle entrance to the sea, making it ideal for children. Beach has a blue flag, but on the island of Pag, you don’t have to worry to come across polluted sea, unless there is some extraordinary situation.

The beach is ideal for families with children – it has a water slide, children’s playground, pedal boats and to many more fun activities.

For those who like an active vacation on the beach, there is a tennis courtyard, beach volleyball courtyard, and you can also enjoy water sports such as kayaking and sailing. Of course, with the beach bar and fast food that are open during the summer months, you won’t be going home hungry or thirsty.

In the summer you can expect quite a crowd on the beach, but if you don’t mind mass tourism, the beach will satisfy, if not all, then most of your needs.

See the location of Planjka-Trincel beach here. 

Lokunje beach and Vrtić beach

Foto: Travel Croatia Live

If you like a more urban beach setup and the possibility of being within walking distance of Novalja’s center, these are ideal beaches for you. In essence, Lokunje and Vrtic beaches are connected beaches, and they are an extension of the Novalja city waterfront and port, so you’ll need to stretch your legs several hundred meters from it.

Foto: otok-pag.hr

These beaches are located within the bay of Novalja, which is navigable (for larger and smaller boats), so don’t expect a special experience in terms of the sea view (don’t worry, it’s clean), but the view of the center of Novalja is truly wonderful. The beaches are maintained, pebbly, with a gentle entrance to the sea. There are hotels just next to the beaches, so in the summer months you will find some nice beach bars along the beachfront.

There is no free parking by the beach, so you’ll have to park in public parking next to Novalja’s waterfront. It can be quite crowded during the summer months, and parking is charged per hour. However, you can also opt for a shuttle bus from Gajac to Novalja every half an hour as well as a taxi service.

Its advantage is that it is one of the few beaches that have natural shade, but also fixed umbrellas on the beach. Also, fans of water sports can rent a jet ski.

See the location of Lokunje and Vrtic beaches here. 

Babe beach

Foto: Adriatic. hr

Babe is another Novalja beach located outside the Novalja bay, offering a wonderful view of the open sea and the islands of Cres and Losinj.

Foto: Adriatic.hr

The shallow sea is very warm during the summer months, making it ideal for children and all lovers of a calm, warm sea. The beach is pebbly and regularly maintained, and there is natural shade next to it. Beach bars are open during the summer months.

You can find the location of Babe beach here.

Foto: Adriatic.hr

Lun Olive Gardens – Budunavla Beach and Vadikandija Beach

Foto: Lily Muzica-Argentin (Facebook)

If you want a special day at the beach on one of the most beautiful parts of the island of Pag, you will have to drive some 30 kilometers from the crowded Novalja to the Lun Olive Gardens. The beach is located within a nature park, so if you want to get to the beach, you will have to pay the entrance fee to the Gardens and walk about 15 minutes downhill on the gravel path. It is quite secluded, so we suggest asking for its location at the entrance.

Foto: Google

In addition, Lun Olive Gardens are a beautiful park where you can find 2000-year-old olive trees, dating back to Roman times.

The beach is natural, and you won’t find many people on it. You might get lucky and even be alone on the beach. We recommend you bring some water and food with you if you are planning a longer stay, as well as sturdy summer shoes or light sports shoes. Beautiful small villages and towns of Lun and Tovrnele are nearby, and you can find restaurants and bars there.

Other beautiful natural beaches can be found on the way to Lun Olive Gardens, and you will not encounter large crowds there. So, if you like that kind of beaches, we recommend them.

See the map here.

Metajna canyon, Rucica, and Beritnica Beaches

To us these are some of the most beautiful beaches on the island and in Croatia. These natural, extremely photogenic beaches are without infrastructure, but with that special charm that the island of Pag offers.

They are surrounded by the harsh karst, about 20 minutes’ walk from each other. The closest town is Metajna, and the nearest parking lot is just 200-300 meters from Rucica beach, on the other side of Metajna canyon. This makes the access easier, but to Beritnica you will have to walk on well-trodden karst paths. Keep in mind that for that you will need sturdy shoes and at least one bottle of water.

Foto: Foto Travel Croatia

You won’t regret it. This is a place where you can rest and take beautiful photos of the untouched Pag nature.

Don’t expect to be alone on these beaches, as they are relatively well-known, especially to the local population. But with crystal clear sea and beautiful nature, a rest for the body and soul is guaranteed.

For those who want a little more adventure, the Life on Mars trail is very close to Rucica and Beritnica beaches, as is the Stogaj climbing rock.

See the location of Metajna, Ručica, and Beritnica beaches here. 

Foto: Travel Croatia Live 

It is certainly worth mentioning the Plat-Drazica beaches and the Veli Zal beach, which are located on the way to the town Metajna in the village of Zubovici.

See the location here.

Foto: Travel Croatia Live

Jadra beach

Foto: otok-pag.hr

Jadra beach is close to Stara Novalja, about 11 kilometers from Sunwell Apartments. It has a view of mountain Velebit and the island of Rab. It is located at the very entrance to the Velebit channel. Considering the location, you cannot expect a very warm sea, not even in the summer months.

Also, avoid it when the strong bura wind is blowing – this is a well-known northern wind from mountain Velebit. However, this beach offers a special charm. Its rocky coast is partly maintained with pebbles, making it ideal for visitors who love rocks and/or pebbles. The beach is quite rugged and has small coves, which are suitable for children. Crystal clear sea is guaranteed.

See the location of Jadra beach here.

Cista beach

Cista beach is one of the closest beaches when it comes to our apartments. Located only six kilometers away from the apartment, this is a small sandy beach located on the same side of Pag bay as Zrce Beach, but it is more suitable for family tourism. It has a beach bar which operates during the summer months.

The beach has a pebble and sand constitution, with a gentle entrance and clear sea, but during the summer months, it can be quite crowded. However, if that is not too much of a problem for you, you will like this beach. It is very easily accessible by car, and the parking fee per day is simbolic. But for a beach lounge chair you will have to pay eight euros per day.

See the location of the beach here.

Between Zrce beach and Cista beach, there is Prnjica beach, with similar characteristics to Cista beach. But on several occasions in the year 2023, we’ve noticed that the fence on the access road to Prnjica Beach was closed. So we assume that it was closed to visitors as well. We do not have any other information about the beach. But if you’ll have the opportunity to visit it in the coming years, we surely recommend it.

See the location here. 

Sveti duh beach

Foto: Terrapark.hr

This is another beach located in Pag’s bay, on the same side of the coastline as the beaches of Cista and Zrce.

It is a well-maintained, pebble-sand beach next to a new camp resort, so there are various facilities related to the camp, however the beach itself is public-accessible.

As far as we know the entrance is free, but a parking fee is charged (we are not one hundred percent sure). The beach and the sea are great for families with children.

Foto: Terrapark.hr

See the location of Sveti Duh Beach here.

Zrce beach

Foto: Tripadvisor

And, finally, the end of our list, is the most famous Zrce beach. Located about two kilometers from Sunwell Apartments, depending on the entrance, this is a beach with the best infrastructure. It is the beach with nightclubs where electronic music parties are held during the late spring and summer months. It is primarily intended for the younger population looking for non-stop entertainment.

Foto: Visit Croatia

In addition to the clubs, there are restaurants and other beach bars on the beach. You can also choose to go bungee jumping, do water sports, and many other accompanying activities. Zrce beach festivals are well-known around Europe and across the globe.

Although it is allowed to come to the beach with children, we do not recommend it at all. Children are also prohibited from entering the clubs. We will write more about Zrce Beach in additional texts.

See the location here.

So, this is it as recommendations go. Keep in mind that there are many more beaches on Pag island. Every place along the coastline has its own beach or even several beaches. It is impossible to visit them all, but we’ve tried to give you an idea about some of the most beautiful Croatian beaches, which are located near Sunwell Apartments.