Nugal Beach Makarska: Croatia's Most Beautiful Hidden Cove

Nugal is a pebble cove on the coast south of Makarska, set between high limestone cliffs and backed by pine, and it is reached either by a walk along the coastal path from the town or by boat. The cove is one of the better-known naturist beaches on the Makarska Riviera, and its setting, between the cliffs and the pine, is more dramatic than the main town beach.

The walk from Makarska follows the coast past the town beach and up over the headland, a path of about forty minutes that drops into Nugal at the far end. The cove is pebble, the water is deep and clear, and the pine runs down to the back of the beach. There are no facilities on the cove itself.

The Makarska Riviera runs below the wall of Biokovo, and its main beaches are the long pebble curves in front of the towns. Nugal is the quieter alternative, the kind of cove you walk to, and its cliff setting is a contrast to the open town beaches.

For photographers, the cove between the cliffs reads best from the coastal path above, and the pine-and-stone composition is the shot on the beach. Take water and reef shoes, and go early in the day before the path and the beach fill.

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