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Hotels in Baška Voda

Family resort with shallow water below Biokovo

Baška Voda

LanguageCroatian
CurrencyEUR
TimezoneEurope/Zagreb
Temperature8-28 °C
Dial Code+385
Population3.9M
Area56,594 km²
SocketsType C / Type F
Tap waterDrinkable

Discover Baška Voda

Baška Voda is a former fishing village 9 km northwest of Makarska that has become the riviera's quieter, family-oriented resort. The main difference from its neighbours is the beach: while the seabed drops away steeply right from the shore along most of the Makarska Riviera, here there's a shallow shelf in front of the promenade where small children can paddle. Behind the promenade, lined with pine trees and cafés, stands a strip of low-rise hotels and apartments, with the white wall of Biokovo rising above them. The centre is made up of the small Church of St Lawrence, a harbour with a few boats, and the old hillside village of Bast, from which residents only moved down to the sea once they stopped fearing pirates. Brela, home to the riviera's best-known beach, is 3 km away along the coastal path, and Makarska is a 10-minute bus ride.

What to see

The places worth your time in Baška Voda, and what to expect at each

Nikolina Beach

Nikolina Beach

Centre

The resort's main pebble beach, roughly 800 m long, with pine shade right behind the strip of pebbles and a gentle entry into the water. There's a lifeguard, showers, a paddleboard rental and floating slides. It's among the shallowest beaches on the riviera.

Tip: The best part is the southeastern end under the pines, reached along the promenade, with shade even at midday. The pebbles are coarser than at Brela, so flip-flops or water shoes help for walking on the beach too.

Admission:
free, sunbeds from €15
Time needed:
full day
Promenade and Harbour

Promenade and Harbour

Centre

The pedestrian promenade runs from the harbour along the whole beach to Promajna and continues via the coastal path to Brela. Along it are restaurants, ice-cream parlours and stalls selling boat trips. Fishing boats moor in the harbour, and in the evening the whole resort turns out for a stroll.

Tip: The coastal path to Brela is 3 km, flat, and runs above the sea the whole way — comfortable even with a pushchair. Best in the morning before 9am or after 7pm.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
2 h
Church of St Lawrence and Archaeological Collection

Church of St Lawrence and Archaeological Collection

Centre

This parish church, dating from the late 19th century, stands right above the harbour, and next to it is a small collection of finds from the ancient settlement of Biston, which stood here before the arrival of the Slavs. On display are amphorae, coins and mosaic fragments recovered from the surrounding sea.

Tip: The collection keeps short, irregular opening hours posted on the door, usually mornings only. Cover your shoulders when entering the church — something people in swimwear on the promenade a few metres away regularly forget.

Admission:
from €3
Time needed:
45 min
Bast

Bast

3 km above the resort

The original village from which Baška Voda grew stands 300 m above the sea on the slope of Biokovo. It has kept its stone houses, the Church of St Elijah and a cemetery with views over the whole riviera. People used to walk down to the sea to work and back up to sleep, until the threat of pirates ended.

Tip: The old path up takes an hour on foot and is fairly steep; by car it's 5 minutes along the switchbacks. Go early in the morning — by midday the slope heats up and there's no shade on the way.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
2–3 h
Biokovo Skywalk

Biokovo Skywalk

Biokovo, 30 km

A glass viewing platform cantilevered over the abyss at 1,228 m, in Biokovo Nature Park above the riviera. Below the glass floor there's 700 m of open air, and on a clear day you can see as far as the Italian coast.

Tip: Entry to the park has limited capacity and tickets are booked online for a time slot. From Baška Voda, the route goes via Makarska, and the drive up takes an hour and a quarter along switchbacks with no barriers.

Admission:
from €20 with a car
Time needed:
half day
Vošac Viewpoint

Vošac Viewpoint

Biokovo, 25 km

A rocky summit at 1,422 m on the edge of the Biokovo massif, the riviera's most prominent viewpoint. There's a mountain hut here, and from the edge you look straight down onto the resorts, the islands of Brač and Hvar, and on a clear day even Vis.

Tip: The marked trail up from Makarska takes 3 hours and is demanding, but you can drive almost to the mountain hut along the park road. Bring 2 litres of water per person — there's no spring along the route.

Admission:
included in the park entry fee
Time needed:
full day
Punta Rata, Brela

Punta Rata, Brela

3 km northwest

The most photographed beach on the Makarska Riviera, 3 km northwest: a pebble spit among pine trees, in front of which stands the rock Kamen Brela with a single pine tree on top. The water is deep and exceptionally clear.

Tip: The car park in Brela is full and paid for from 10am, so most people walk here from Baška Voda along the coastal path in 45 minutes. The rock photographs best from behind, from the north end of the beach in the morning, with the sun behind you.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
half day
Promajna

Promajna

2 km southeast

A neighbouring village 2 km southeast with a long pebble beach reached along the promenade. It's less crowded than Baška Voda, has shallow water and several konobas right above the sea. Behind the beach is a pine grove with shaded tables.

Tip: Worth crossing over here for lunch and an afternoon swim when Nikolina beach is packed. The bus takes a minute, but the walk along the promenade takes half an hour and stays above the sea the whole way.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
half day
Krvavica

Krvavica

1.5 km southeast

Above a bay between Baška Voda and Promajna stands an abandoned children's sanatorium from 1961 — a circular concrete building on stilts, one of the most striking examples of Yugoslav modernist architecture. It has been decaying since the war and is overgrown with pines.

Tip: Entry to the building is forbidden and genuinely dangerous, but it's freely visible and photogenic from outside. Below it is a quiet cove with concrete platforms, used mainly by locals for swimming.

Admission:
free from outside
Time needed:
1 h

Photos: Nikolina Beach — Silverije (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Promenade and Harbour — Silverije (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Church of St Lawrence and Archaeological Collection — Silverije (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Bast — Mario Žamić (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Biokovo Skywalk — Marko Jukić -Majkl (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Vošac Viewpoint — Tomislav Mravičić (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Punta Rata, Brela — Berthold Werner (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Promajna — Pe3kZA (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Krvavica — Zblace (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Centre and Promenade

Best for: a first stay and everything close at hand

The stretch between the harbour and Nikolina beach, with restaurants, shops and the bus stop. Everything is within a 5-minute walk and you won't need a car. It's lively until 11pm, then the resort quietens down — the nightlife is in Makarska, not here.

West side and Baško Polje

Best for: campsites and hotels with a pool

Towards Brela lies a strip of pine forest with a campsite, a hotel complex and quieter beaches. It's a 10-minute walk to the centre along the promenade. It has more shade than any other part of the resort, which matters in August.

Promajna

Best for: lower prices and fewer crowds

A neighbouring village 2 km southeast with its own long beach and konobas above the sea. Accommodation is noticeably cheaper and evenings are quiet. You can reach Baška Voda on foot along the promenade in half an hour, or by bus.

Bast and the slope above the resort

Best for: views and quiet, with a car

Apartments on the hillside and in the old village 300 m above the sea, with views over the whole riviera and its islands. Impractical without a car, since the road down is steep and the walk up takes an hour. In return, it stays cool at night.

Search hotels →

Getting around

From the airport

The nearest airport is Split, at Kaštela, 75 km northwest; the transfer along the coast road takes about an hour and is often included as part of a package stay. Buses between Split and Dubrovnik stop on the main road above the resort, from where it's a short walk downhill to the sea. Split Airport has good connections to major European hubs, and Zagreb is linked to the rest of the country by motorway and rail.

Split (Resnik, Kaštela) (SPU) · 75 km

  • Hotel transfer· 1 h· included in the stay
  • Scheduled bus via Split· 2 h 15 min· €14
  • Taxi from the airport· 1 h· €120
  • Rental car from the airport· 1 h· €45/day

Around town

The whole resort can be walked in 20 minutes, and the promenade links Brela, Baška Voda and Promajna without a single road crossing. Scheduled buses run along the riviera to Makarska and Tučepi roughly every half hour in season, with tickets bought from the driver. A car is only needed for Biokovo and day trips; parking in the village is paid and full in August. Excursion boats leave the harbour for Brač, Hvar and the sea caves.

Bus along the rivieraBrela – Baška Voda – Makarska – Tučepi, every half hour in season. · €2.50
Coastal promenadeA continuous footpath from Brela through Baška Voda to Promajna, flat and pushchair-friendly. · free
Excursion boatFull-day trips to Brač and Hvar with swimming stops in coves, departing from the harbour in the morning. · €45
Rental carNeeded for Biokovo and Omiš; the beachside car park is paid from June to September. · €45/day

Useful apps: Google Maps, Jadrolinija, Bolt, Arriva Croatia

When to go

The season runs from June to the end of September. The sea is above 24°C from July to early October, and thanks to the shallow shelf in front of the beach, the water near the shore warms up earlier than elsewhere on the riviera. June and September are best, when it's warm and the beach isn't packed by mid-morning. In August, sunbeds fill up by 9am and accommodation prices peak. Outside the season, most restaurants and hotels close and the resort empties out.

Best time

June and September

What to avoid

August, for the crowded beaches and prices

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day11°12°15°19°24°28°31°31°26°21°16°12°
Night5°5°7°10°14°18°21°21°17°14°10°6°
Rainy days1110101097447101212
Sea14°13°14°16°19°23°25°26°24°21°18°16°

Food & drink

The cooking here is Dalmatian and unfussy: grilled fish, octopus under the peka, lamb from Biokovo, served with chard and potatoes. Restaurants on the promenade have sea views and prices to match; konobas in the village's inland part and in Bast are cheaper and serve house wine from the demijohn. The bakery by the harbour bakes burek from 6am, the cheapest breakfast around. Ask for the price per kilo before ordering fish from the menu — it's charged by weight.

What to try

Peka

Meat and potatoes slow-cooked for 3 hours under a cast-iron bell covered in hot embers. Arguably the best Croatian dish there is, but it's ordered a day ahead and for a minimum of 2 people.

Brudet

A thick fish stew made from several kinds of fish with tomatoes, served with polenta. A fisherman's dish made from whatever didn't sell that day, so it's a little different each time.

Crni rižot

Risotto with octopus or cuttlefish, coloured black with cuttlefish ink. Tastes of the sea and reliably stains your teeth — don't wear a white T-shirt.

Janjetina s ražnja

Whole lamb turned on a spit, sold by the kilogram at roadside stalls inland. Half a kilo per person is a portion; the bones are included in the weight.

Škampi na buzaru

Prawns cooked in white wine, garlic and breadcrumbs, eaten with your hands. Order it where they bring a bowl for the shells and a wet napkin — a sign they do it properly.

Pršut a paški sir

Cured ham from Dalmatia or Istria, and hard sheep's cheese from the island of Pag, where the sheep graze on grass salted by the bura wind. The standard cold starter to go with a glass of wine.

Ćevapi

Grilled minced-meat rolls in somun flatbread with onion and creamy kajmak. The cheapest filling lunch in the country, and the only thing you'll find in the resort after midnight.

Fritule

Small fried doughnuts with raisins and lemon zest, dusted with sugar. Sold by the paper cone on the promenade and the cheapest dessert on the coast.

What it costs

Coffee on the promenade

€2.50–3

Burek or pizza

€8–12

Dinner at a konoba

€18–28 per person

Beer, 0.5 l

€3.50–4

Sunbed and parasol

€15–20 for 2 sunbeds

Paddleboard per hour

€10–15

Full-day boat trip

from €45

Night in a 4* hotel

€100–150

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsCEuroplug, two round pinsFSchuko
Voltage230V / 50Hz
Tap waterTap water is drinkable — Tap water is safe to drink throughout Croatia and tastes good; along the coast it comes from karst springs. There's no need to buy bottled water — just fill a bottle each morning at your apartment. In restaurants, though, tap water usually isn't offered and bottled water is charged for.
TippingTipping is customary, but modest: in a café you round up, in a restaurant around 10% for good service. Card terminals mostly don't have a tip option, so it's worth carrying a little cash. In taxis, just round up.
Driving on theright
SafetyThe Croatian coast is among the safest in Europe, and pickpocketing is rare even in season. The real risks are different: beaches are sharp limestone pebbles and sea urchins live in the shallows, so water shoes aren't a luxury. The bura wind can pick up within an hour and knock inflatables — and even experienced swimmers — off balance, while the afternoon maestral can blow sunbeds off the shore. Jumping into the water from rocks without checking the depth first is the most common cause of injury the emergency services deal with here. The European emergency number 112 works, and operators speak English.
Opening hoursIn season, shops in the resorts are open from 8am to 10pm, including Saturdays. On Sundays, a law requires most shops to close — they're only allowed to open on 16 Sundays a year of the owner's choosing, so bakeries, newsagents and petrol-station kiosks stay open while supermarkets don't. Any Sunday shopping needs to be done on Saturday. Restaurants and cafés aren't affected by the rule.
Customs & etiquetteSwimwear belongs on the beach — walking around town centres in swimwear or without a shirt is banned by local bylaws across Croatia, and fines are genuinely issued in Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar, starting at €100. Cover your shoulders and knees when visiting churches. Croatians are proud to be Croatian, not "former Yugoslavia" — don't be the one to bring up the 1990s war. Breakfast is light, lunch is around 2pm and dinner after 8pm.
A few local wordsHello — Dobar danThank you — HvalaPlease — MolimThe bill, please — Račun, molimCheers — Živjeli

How to plan your days

1 day

A Day in Baška Voda

  1. 1Morning at Nikolina beach, while there's still shade under the pines.
  2. 2Lunch at a konoba away from the promenade.
  3. 3Afternoon walk along the coastal path to Promajna and a swim there.
  4. 4Early evening at the harbour and a stroll along the promenade.
  5. 5Dinner with fish priced by the kilo, checked in advance.

2 days

2 Days with Brela

  1. 1Day 1 as above.
  2. 2Morning walk along the coastal path to Brela.
  3. 3Punta Rata beach and the Kamen Brela rock, photos in the morning.
  4. 4Lunch in Brela, back along the path in the afternoon.
  5. 5Evening climb up to the village of Bast for sunset over the riviera.

3 days

3 Days with the Mountain

  1. 1The first 2 days as above.
  2. 2Early morning drive to Biokovo Nature Park for your booked slot.
  3. 3The Skywalk over the abyss and the Vošac viewpoint on the ridge.
  4. 4Back to the sea in the afternoon, a swim and dinner in Makarska.
  5. 5If time allows, a day of rafting the Cetina Canyon in Omiš.

Day trips

Makarska

9 km · 15 min by bus

The riviera's main town, with the Marineta promenade, a harbour between 2 headlands, and a shell museum in the Franciscan monastery. It has a wider choice of restaurants and the only real nightlife in the area. Buses run every half hour, with the last service back around midnight.

Omiš and the Cetina Canyon

30 km · 30 min by car

A town wedged between cliffs at the mouth of the Cetina river, once a pirate stronghold. People come here for whitewater rafting through the canyon, ziplining across the valley, and the climb up to Mirabela Fortress above the rooftops. The drive along the coast road is scenic in its own right.

Split

75 km · 1 h by car

Diocletian's Palace, dating from the 4th century and still lived in today, with a cathedral inside the emperor's mausoleum and the Riva promenade. Buses from the main road above the resort run every hour. A day is enough for the palace, Marjan hill and lunch by the fish market.

Frequently asked questions

Is Baška Voda suitable for families with small children?+

It's one of the most family-friendly resorts on the riviera. In front of the main Nikolina beach there's a shallow shelf where small children can paddle safely, which isn't the case along most of the Makarska Riviera — there the seabed drops away steeply right from the shore. The beach has a lifeguard, showers and shade from pine trees.

Are there any sandy beaches here?+

No, the beaches are white pebble, as along the whole riviera. The pebbles in Baška Voda are coarser than in neighbouring Brela, so water shoes are worth having even just for walking on the beach. The advantage of pebbles is clear water that doesn't get clouded with sand.

How far is it to Makarska?+

9 km — 15 minutes by bus, which runs roughly every half hour in season. By car it's a 10-minute drive along the coast road. People go to Makarska for a wider choice of restaurants, the market and the nightlife, which Baška Voda itself barely has.

Do I need a car in Baška Voda?+

Not for a seaside stay — the resort is easy to explore on foot, the promenade runs to both Brela and Promajna, and buses run the length of the riviera. A car is worth having for Biokovo, Omiš and Split; otherwise it's more of a hassle, since parking is paid and full in season.

Can you walk to Brela?+

Yes, it's 3 km along the coastal path and takes 45 minutes on foot. The path is flat, runs above the sea the whole way, and is fine even with a pushchair. It's a better option than driving, since the car park in Brela tends to be full from 10am onwards.

When is the sea warmest?+

In August and the first half of September, when the water is 25–26°C. Thanks to the shallow shelf in front of the beach, the water near the shore warms up earlier than on the riviera's steeper beaches, so swimming is comfortable from mid-June.

Is there nightlife in Baška Voda?+

Minimal — and that's the main reason people come here. Bars on the promenade close around 11pm, and after that it's quiet. Anyone wanting clubs and bars until morning has to go to Makarska, reachable by bus, with the last service back around midnight.

What's the building above the bay at Krvavica?+

An abandoned children's sanatorium from 1961, a circular concrete building on stilts that ranks among the most striking examples of Yugoslav modernist architecture. It has been decaying since the war and entry is forbidden for safety reasons, but it's freely visible from the outside.

Visa Requirements

Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.

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Emergency Numbers

Police192Ambulance194Fire193

Language

Croatian

Currency

EUR

Timezone

Europe/Zagreb

Dial Code

+385

Population

3.9M

Area

56,594 km²

Voltage

230V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Right

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