Beaches facing Budva
Three main beaches, some 840 m in all.
Alexkom000 — CC BY 4.0 · BuhaM — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Natalia Semenova — CC BY 3.0 · DinoMNE — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dirgela — CC BY 3.0
Sveti Nikola is the uninhabited, wooded island off Budva, its northern tip about 800 m from the old town. Nearly 2 km long and up to about 400 m wide, it rises to 121 m in seaward cliffs. It is named after its small church of St Nicholas, patron of sailors; locals call it Školj, from the Italian for islet, or Hawaii, after a former restaurant. The church probably dates from the 16th century; rebuilt in 1864, it was nearly destroyed in the 1979 earthquake, then restored. Tradition credits its founding to plague-stricken crusaders returning home in the late 11th century. Another legend has St Sava throwing pebbles to reach his storm-bound ship, creating the Tunja sandbank, barely half a metre deep at low tide. Boats land at the northern end, where three main beaches, some 840 m in all, mix sand, pebbles and rock, with beach bars and sunbeds in summer. The rest is pine, juniper and maquis with rough paths; coves under the seaward cliffs are boat-only, and kayakers circle it in about 5 to 6 km. If the rarely open church is unlocked, cover shoulders and knees. Water taxis run roughly June to September from the old town harbour and Slovenska and Bečići beaches, taking about 10 minutes; the last boats back leave around 18:00 to 19:00. Bring water and closed shoes; if kayaking, set out in the calmer morning, before the afternoon wind. The old town faces the island, with Mogren Beach just west of it; Sveti Stefan is about 3 km east as the crow flies.
Three main beaches, some 840 m in all.
Restored after the 1979 earthquake.
On the seaward side, by boat only.
Off Budva Old Town, Budva Bay
Two pairs of fallow deer were brought from the Brijuni islands in the mid-1960s, along with mouflon, hares and pheasants, and the herd reportedly once reached about 50. A 2019 local report said poachers had probably killed them all, though some recent guides still mention deer, so a sighting is not assured.
There is no accommodation, so it is a day trip only. In summer, seasonal beach bars on the main beaches serve snacks, grills and drinks at prices a little above the mainland, with the only toilets beside them; all of it closes out of season.
