Baska Voda – vacation on the Makarska Riviera: how much does it cost to stay in Baska Voda, beaches, and attractions around Makarska Riviera.
In September 2021, we traveled around Croatia for 10 days. We split the trip into two parts to see South and Central Dalmatia. In South Dalmatia, I was looking for a convenient place with reasonable prices and good beaches for a long time. She finally chose the village of Bashka-Voda.
I decided to write why we enjoyed our vacation in Baska Voda on the Makarska Riviera. How we chose our accommodation and why we chose the village of Baska Voda. What beaches and attractions did you see around the Makarska Riviera? How much did this vacation cost? What we managed to see during five days of vacation on the Makarska Riviera, which beaches we liked, what to see in the neighborhood, and what restaurants serve delicious food.
Makarska Riviera – the best beaches in Croatia
Why did we decide to spend half of our planned vacation on the Makarska Riviera? Because it has the most beautiful beaches in Croatia, crystal clear sea, and many interesting sights that you can leisurely see in five or six days.
Makarska’s beaches are made up of small pebbles and pine trees hanging over the beaches. I have never seen such beauty anywhere else. Pine trees grow all over the Mediterranean. But then they lower their furry paws almost to the water. You don’t need an umbrella – you can spend part of your time in the sun, and if it gets hot, you can hide in the shade of emerald pines.
By noon, the smell of pine resin combines with the sea breeze, and the water turns turquoise in direct sunlight. It is so beautiful that it is difficult to find words. But you can convey it in photos))
Another feature of Makarska Riviera is a pedestrian path that stretches from the town of Makarska to the village of Brela. It’s great to walk along it in the mornings and evenings. Endless beaches and wild lagoons stretch along the path, where nudists swim and bask in the sun. There are also many restaurants, cafes, and cool viewpoints with picturesque benches along this hiking trail.
We walked from Baska Voda to Brela and back, covering 11 kilometers. The same goes in the opposite direction. We would go to the distant beaches towards Makarska and return to the apartments for lunch. I like this kind of activity very much, I walked a similar footpath completely on foot in Montenegro along the Budva Riviera.
Getting to Makarska Riviera
There are several options: by car, bus, or plane.
You can get to Croatia by car in two days if you travel from Kyiv via Hungary. We traveled from Odesa a little longer: it took us two days to get there via Romania and Hungary, because it was the fastest way.
I recommend reading about the peculiarities of traveling to Croatia by your own car.
Buses to Croatia – in summer there are many options for bus routes to Split and Dubrovnik on Omio. Or book bus tickets with travel agents that organize trips to Croatia.
Rent a car at Split Airport – book in advance on the website Rentalcars.com. From Split to Baška Voda, you can take the free D8 highway to Makarska Riviera. In fact, it takes an hour and a half to get from Split to Makarska. But be prepared to stop at every turn – the views from the Adriatic Highway are so beautiful.
Alternatively, you can come by car, which we did in September 2021. But make sure you calculate all the travel expenses before making such a decision. Here is where I described my calculation – how much it cost us to travel by car, including all expenses. But we have no regrets – on the way we also saw Romania and the most beautiful mountain road Transfagaras.
Baska-Voda – quiet, cozy and affordable
Baska Voda is located in the northern part of the Riviera, between the village of Brela and the town of Makarska. It’s quite quiet and peaceful compared to the neighboring Makarska and Brela. For some reason, housing prices are lower, which was also a plus in favor of choosing Baska Voda.
The village stretches along the sea, with the old center and marina in the middle and beaches on the edges. There are several hotels, but mostly private apartments. It seems that the local population lives all year round on what saves them from renting apartments during the season. Apartments closer to the center are located in a cluster of neighboring buildings.
Those on the slope are cheaper, more spacious and have a view of the sea. And walking 10 minutes to the beach is not difficult, and the feeling of space is greater.
An apartment in Baska Voda was looking for on Booking – I had a rather unusual request:
three full beds (or one double + one single). The three of us traveled with our adult daughter. All options for three are a bedroom + a sofa in the living room. Or two rooms, which is twice as expensive as triple occupancy.
As a result, I found this great apartment with a large bathroom, a washing machine, and a fully equipped kitchen. One small disadvantage is the cramped parking lot, but we easily fit in and left with our neighbors.
The cost in September is 50 euros per day for three people (in summer it is 2-3 times more expensive).
I advise you to read: Apartments and hotels in Baska Voda, Croatia – where to stay for your vacation
Nearby there is a traditional bakery where we bought croissants every morning, and two supermarkets with inexpensive groceries. For fish, I went to a small fish market near the waterfront, open from 7:00 to 11:00. Next to it is a small grocery market with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Beaches of Baska Voda
The beaches in and outside the village are slightly different. I’ll tell you about the ones we attended with pleasure and the ones we missed without regret.
In the very center of the village is theNicolina beach, which is quite crowded even in the low season. The beach itself was not impressive, although it was here that we came in the evening after arriving in Baska Voda. Restaurants, shops and a promenade are nearby.
Beaches in the direction of Makarska
Plaža Oseka beach is on the left if you are facing the sea. Very cool, with small pebbles, there are umbrellas and sunbeds for rent and plenty of free space for your bedding. there is a playground and a toilet at the end of the beach.
The next beach towards Makarska is the nudist beach FKK with larger pebbles, which have been trampled into a convenient entrance to the water. German and other pensioners without swimsuits are putting out here. If you want, you can always join them in swimsuits or without clothes.
The Baško Polje beach is small, rather wild. It is located on the territory of a former old sanatorium. There aren’t many people here, and there are old piers from which it’s great to dive into the water.
Beaches in the direction of Brela
Bratuš Beach is a nice beach near the eponymous neighborhood of Baška Voda. There is a paid parking lot, few pine trees for shade – you will need an umbrella. A beach with fine pebbles and a pleasant entrance into the water. It is mostly used by guests of hotels located up the slope.
Plaža Soline Beach – adjacent to the village of Brela. The beach itself is very beautiful, but the place is so over-promoted that it looks more like Zatoka. A bunch of people, stalls with inflatable whales and ice cream – and this is in mid-September, when the season is on the decline. In general, I didn’t like it, but maybe at the end of September there will be fewer people here.
I advise you to read it: Brela – the most beautiful beaches of the Makarska Riviera
Restaurants of Baska Voda and Makarska Riviera
A vacation in Baska Voda on the Makarska Riviera cannot be called a budget one. We rented an apartment to avoid spending too much money on going to restaurants. But not trying seafood in Croatia is a real sin. So here are a couple of places where the food is really good.
Restaurant Aga (Villa Aga Apartments, Nemira V 13) – located near Omish, we stopped by on the way to the urchins. Low prices for fresh grilled fish, a beautiful sunset were watched while sitting at the table. The average check is 40 euros for three: fish, salads and a jug of white wine. The restaurant has its own parking lot.
Konoba Feral (Obala Kneza Domagoja 30, Brela) is located in the village of Brela. Very tasty seafood, prices are slightly above average, but the place is exceptionally cool. There are awesome octopuses here! But the place is very popular – book a table in advance, otherwise you may wait a very long time.
Restaurant Palac (Obala Sv. Nikole 27, 21320, Baška Voda) is located on the waterfront of St. Nikola. Nikolai. Oddly enough, we found a great tasty restaurant in the most party place of Baska Voda. The price tag is the same as everywhere else – for a large seafood dish, wine and beer, we paid 40 euros for three. But it’s really good.
Attractions near Makarska Riviera
We spent our leisure time on the Makarska Riviera as follows: in the morning we went to the beach, swam in the sea, then chose the nearest locations and walked or drove to them. So one evening we walked to Brela and back.
One day we managed to go to Dubrovnik – My daughter really wanted to see the city where Game of Thrones was filmed. We set aside one day for this purpose and on the way to Dubrovnik we stopped by the town of Ston and Mali St on – there is a huge fortress wall that you can walk along at your leisure, and a great view of the Ston salt mines opens from the top.
Another evening was spent on a trip to the Blue and Red Karst Lakes, located near the town of Imotski. We also stopped by the Vina Đuzel winery and had an interesting tasting of local wines.
We also managed to visit the town of Omish – to see the mouth of the Tsetine River and the Tsetine Canyon. I highly recommend this place – a beautiful and unusual landscape. There are also sandy beaches in Omish, which is a great place to relax with small children.
The rest of the days we continued our vacation at another cool Croatian resort – Primosten. There are also small pebbles and pine trees here, and details about the rest, beaches and attractions of Primosten can be found here.
Useful links for traveling to Croatia:
Car rental – I am looking for inexpensive options on Rentalcars.com
Booking hotels and apartments – traditionally on Booking.com
Travel Medical Insurance – online on the EKTA
What else to read:
- Zadar – the city and airport to start your trip to Croatia
- Trogir – one day in the little pearl of Croatia
- 10 European destinations where it’s warm in winter
Could you advise if the path aling the coast from Baska Vida to Brela is walkable with a baby stroller? Also how ling is the walk in Makarska also ok with stroller? Thank you very much.
Hello Liene! The path aling the coast from Baska Vida to Brela is absolutely walkable with a baby stroller. But the path to another way – to Makarska it is not. It has many parts only for walking by feet – not for wheels.
Great,thank you :) now have to decide where to stay best in october😊,still not an easy choice 🤩
If you choose between Baska voda and Brela, I recommend Baska Voda. Because Baska’s streets not so steep like in Brela. In Brela, the terrain is more mountainous, although if you choose a hotel right by the beach, there will be no such problem. In Baška Voda there are more shops, there is a small market with fruits, vegetables and seafood