Oprna Bay is a true gem of Croatia and one of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Krk. This idyllic cove by the rocky hilltop is a true oasis and perfect for relaxing and enjoying the crystal blue waters of the island. Read our full guide to plan your visit because you cannot plan a trip Krk island without visiting Oprna!
What is Oprna Bay?
Oprna Bay is a stunning cove located 3km north of the town of Stara Baska, one of the most charming villages and areas of Krk Island. The most popular spot is Oprna Beach, which attracts tourists from the whole Krk Island. However, there are several other beaches located in Oprna Bay, all of which are described in detail in this post, so keep reading!
The beaches can be reached after a short hike, and can satisfy pretty much any type of traveller. The main Oprna Beach is great for families and couples, whereas Zaglav Beach is designed for pet lovers to bring their animals, and the more remote beaches are ideal for the more adventurous backpackers looking for the thrill of the find! You can also rent a kayak to explore the coast, play volleyball, hike or go snorkelling.
Planning a trip to Krk Island?
Read also: Stara Baska – The best spot in Krk Island, Croatia
How to get to Oprna Bay?
Oprna Bay is located just 15km south of Krk town. The drive will take you about 20 minutes, and the road is entirely paved. On a side note, the road is spectacular! It features some of the best views you have on Krk island so you’ll definitely enjoy the ride.
While the drive is very simple and straightforward (there is only one road going from Punat to Oprna Bay), finding a parking spot is slightly trickier.
Oprna Bay: Parking Info
To reach the beaches, you’ll need to park your car either at a small paid parking lot (1km away) or along the main road, as there is no other parking option available. Some signs indicate that parking on the side of the road is forbidden, but it seems a widely accepted solution by everyone here. Make sure to park your car as close as possible to the slope.
PRO PARKING TIP: If you get here early you may be able to find a few parking spots in a tiny area on the side of the road, before the street narrows. Check out its exact location here!
If you decide to park on the side of the road just keep in mind that as the road goes up, the trails to the beaches become steeper and steeper and the paths are quite slippery. We’d suggest to park as close as possible to the Škrila Sunny Camping, since that’s the easiest (and flattest) way to get to the beaches of Oprna Bay. Read more about trails below.
Trails to Oprna Bay
From the road, you can take one of the many trails that have been created by visitors over time. These pathways are not marked in any way, but the trails are clearly visible and easy to find. It doesn’t matter which one you choose, they all lead down to the beaches.
However, as mentioned above the more you park up on the road (left of the image), the more these trails are steep and slippery! You can avoid the risk of falling down by simply starting from a lower point (i.e. near Zaglav Beach or near the Camping, on the right side of the image), and walking on a mostly flat path.
In the image below you can see how many different trails there are. The ones on the left are the steepest and more demanding ones, while the ones on the right are the most accessible.
From the road, it’s just a 15-minute walk to Oprna Beach, so it’s overall very easy to reach the beach.
We understand all this information may be a bit tricky if you haven’t been, and that’s why we created a map with all the info mentioned above, including the parking options, the beaches (next chapter) and the best trail.
🗺️ HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Click the top left icon to get more info about this map. Use the star icon next to the title to save it in your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, then go to “your places“, tap on “maps” and you will see this map on your list.
Best Beaches of Oprna Bay
There are several beaches in Oprna Bay, most of which can be reached on foot. In this blog post we’ve featured the main 5 beaches you should check out with relative information, but there are some more you can explore continuing west.
Mini Zaglav Beach
The first beach you will encounter is the Mini Zaglav Beach. This is a minor, smaller beach which is also very easy to reach. It’s about 100m from the road, and it’s less than 30m long. The beach is made of larger pebbles, which isn’t very comfortable, but the water is very clear.
It’s a good spot for snorkelling, and it may also be a good option during high season when other beaches are packed.
Zaglav Beach
Just next to Mini Zaglav Beach is the main Zaglav Beach, a bigger cove that is also dog friendly. This, in fact, is the only beach where it’s technically allowed to bring your pets, even though we’ve seen dogs also at other beaches.
Zaglav beach is divided into two parts, one has finer pebbles while the other has bigger rocks. As for most beaches in Krk Island, watch out for sea urchins when you go for a swim! Stepping on one isn’t fun…
Oprna Beach
Oprna Beach is the main beach of Oprna Bay and it’s the one you’ve probably seen in most pictures of Oprna Bay. It’s located about 10-15 minutes from the road, so it’s easy to access for almost everyone. The trail however is narrow and not paved nor smooth, so keep that in mind if you have any difficulties with mobility.
The lookout point of Oprna Beach is beautiful. This beach is hidden from the road, so you can’t really see it until you reach it.
The beach is quite big, measuring 200m in length and 20m in width, and it features a small – and very basic – volleyball playground as well as beach umbrellas, sunbeds and a small changing room. A beach umbrella and 2 deck chairs can be rented for the day for 150KN (€20 EUR, $19.88 USD).
These facilities belong to the Oprna Beach Bar, a small stand located at the beach. This bar however only has prepackaged snacks and beverages, and they are quite expensive so it’s wise to bring your own lunch if you plan on spending a whole day at the beach. A bottle of water (0.5l) costs 20KN (€2.70 EUR, $2.68 USD)), soft drinks cost 25KN (€3.30 EUR, $3.28 USD)) and a pre-packaged sandwich costs 40KN (€5.3 EUR, $5.27 USD)). On a happier note, a cold beer (0.5l) only costs 30KN (€4 EUR, $3.98 USD).
If you – like us – don’t care about a beach umbrella, there are a couple of areas designated for visitors that are free.
👍 PROS: Oprna Beach has some great features. The water is incredibly clear, the beach is made of light fine pebbles and the cove in general is partly protected from waves so it’s safer to swim in. The beach is also very clean, there are toilets and a changing room. While it might not be the best beach bar we’ve seen, having the opportunity to buy a fresh drink was definitely nice and refreshing.
👎 CONS: There is almost no shade if you don’t rent a beach umbrella, with the only shaded area being the roof in front of the bar. Another negative aspect is that the beach tends to be very crowded, especially in August. The photo below was taken at 8:20AM in mid-August, and the beach became very busy just one hour later.
Mini Oprna Beach
At the end of Oprna Beach, near the bar, you will see a trail leading up the hill and then along the coast. Mini Oprna Beach is located just 200m from main Oprna Beach, following this trail. Once again, the path is not marked but it’s clearly visible once you are there, and it’s easy to follow. It may be wise to wear shoes to reach Mini Oprna, flip flops won’t be ideal.
Mini Oprna is probably the most scenic beach of Oprna Bay and amongst the most stunning in Krk. It is a tiny beach, measuring less than 20m in length, but it’s surrounded by high cliffs which donate a unique charm to it. On top of that, the water is incredibly clear and there are many fish under the surface.
⚠️ Pay attention to the falling rocks! While it’s very scenic, the cliff is also very dangerous. Avoid laying and sunbathing at this beach, since one small rock falling from that height is enough to knock you out.
Pečen Beach
Walk even further from Mini Oprna and you will get to Pečen Beach, another small, secluded beach that is highly worth the effort. If you visit Oprna Bay and the main Oprna Beach is packed, check out Pečen. Almost nobody makes the effort to come here, and you will most likely have this beach to yourself.
Pečen Beach is located about 500m away from Oprna Beach, but the trail is not marked. However, in the picture below you can see a horizontal “cut” on the rocks that leads to the beach. Hiking shoes would be recommended, avoid doing it in flip-flops. Remember to bring enough water and snacks on a hot summer day.
Best tips for Oprna Bay
- Come early if you can! Oprna Bay is stunning in the morning when the water is calm and most tourists are not around. You can also get a few hours of beach umbrellas for free since the owners of the bars only show up at 11AM.
- It’s NOT a sunset beach. Even though the beach is facing west, the sun sets behind the cliff leaving Oprna Bay beaches in shade a couple of hours before sunset. You’ll see this beach empty way before sunset.
- Bring water and snacks! It will save you quite a few kunas ($).
- Wear hiking shoes if you plan on exploring the more secluded beaches, your feet will thank us!
That’s a wrap backpackers! For more information about the southern tip of Krk island, check out our full guide to Stara Baska.
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