Oa perfect solution for the final part of the walk along the Budva coast of Montenegro can be a trip to the island of St. Nicholas - Sveti Nikola. This island has been dubbed "Hawaii" by the locals, most likely because its beaches are as good as those on islands in the Pacific Ocean, or because there is a bar on the beach of the same name. If your foot has not set foot on the Hawaiian Islands yet, then remember that this lonely Adriatic handsome man near Budva is much closer and it might be worth starting with him.
Basic information about the island of Sveti Nikola
The island of St. Nicholas is the largest and most authentic uninhabited island on the Adriatic coast, by sea it is located just a kilometer from Budva. Rumor has it, when the water level in the sea falls, the isthmus opens up and you can get to the island on foot along it.
Thanks to the island, waves rarely come to Budva Bay - it reliably closes the city. The length of the island is about two kilometers, and the exact maximum height above sea level is 121 meters.
Nowadays, there is not a soul on the island, except for its guests, tourists and attendants. However, once people lived here, which is clearly stated by the Church of St. Nicholas, after which the place is named. The church is closed to the public, however, as well as most of the island.
The island itself is densely covered with forests and the bulk of the vegetation is evergreens. Local fishermen assure that there are many birds and small animals in the heart of the island.
How to get to the island of St. Nicholas in Montenegro
The total length of the three beaches of this green island is approaching eight hundred meters, and the area itself is replete with grottoes, bays - in a word, places ideal for solitude.
The island can only be reached by sea, so only water transport should be considered. But there is already choice of the three available methods.
1. Shuttle boat
The first option, the most common and most economical - a trip on a shared shuttle boat. The cost of such a trip is 4 euro (round trip), water transport is at your service from 8 am to 6 pm. Boats leave every half hour. Travel time is no more than 5 minutes. You can return back with any of the following flights.
2. "Boat panorama" - boat trip
The second option is more suitable for you if, in addition to a beach holiday, you want to slowly explore the surroundings. It is possible to purchase a trip for 5 euro on tourist boat.
The trip goes along the route: Budva - St. Stephen - St. Nicholas (Hawaii - Budva. That is, it includes a walk along the Budva Riviera, followed by a stop on the island of Sveti Nikola.
The ship departs from the Slavic beach, more precisely from the pier located on it, next to the Caffe Gral cafe. Then the boat sails to the island of St. Stefan, goes around it from all available sides, and heads towards the island of Sveti Nikola. There will be plenty of time to swim and take photos in a beautiful coastal setting.
Departure of boats "Boat panorama" from the Slavic beach takes place every hour, starting at 9.00 and ending at 16.00. Please note that departure back to Budva is made only three times a day: around 12, 14 and 17 hours.
3. Individual boat rental
The third option, the most expensive and most comfortable, provides complete freedom of action. It means individual boat rental. With this choice, you have the opportunity to explore not only the island from all sides (which is a fairly quick event), but also arrange a long excursion along the coast, followed by a visit to the island. The cost of individual boat rental starts from 20 euro at one o'clock.
Of all the solutions available, the €5 tourist boat option seems to be the most interesting. At least the difference in price between a route and a tourist trip of one euro is fully compensated by the variety of the second one. In addition, you can get acquainted with the island of St. Stephen, a trip to which by taxi will cost more than the cost of the purchased ticket.
What is on the island of St. Nicholas: infrastructure
The infrastructure of the island is not as small as it might seem. There are sunbeds, costing 10 euros for a set of two sunbeds and one umbrella. There is a pier, a shower room, as many as two ordinary changing cabins and a rescue observation tower. In addition, there are three beaches, steep and not very rocks, greenery, sun and clear sea.
Of course, there is a small cafe called "Restaurant Hawaii"which operates only during the season. Prices in the cafe are a little high, which is not surprising, because there is nowhere else to buy something here.
The Hawaii restaurant offers good seafood dishes. They are prepared here just as well as in star establishments on the mainland. Waiters serve quickly and behave politely. There is no Wi-Fi in the cafe. There is also a toilet there. It is free for visitors to the institution, for the rest the entrance costs 50 cents.
Although the island of St. Nicholas in Montenegro it is forbidden to bring your own food and drinks, you can bring fruits, sandwiches and drinks with you. No one really monitors or checks.
In addition to the cafe on the beach, there is a bar with a romantic name. "Captain Morgan". An ordinary bar with rather big prices where you can buy soft drinks and a variety of alcoholic drinks.
There are a lot of people on the island, but they successfully disperse and all the time you are there it seems that you are isolated. The feeling of solitude does not leave even during the day, but the best thing on the island is still before lunch - there are fewer people, and the sun is still not hot. This is important here, since it is not so easy to find shaded vegetation and other cool places.
Beaches on Saint Nicholas Island
The beaches of the island are small and large-pebble. Therefore, it will not be superfluous if you take care of special shoes suitable for such conditions. Otherwise, an ordinary entry into the water can be a very problematic event. There are also a lot of sea urchins on the island, as the water here is crystal clear and not at all "icy", as some tourists expect.
Some even believe that this is the best beach in Budva, and the famous Mogren cannot be compared with it in terms of the purity of the water and the diversity of the landscape. Indeed, the beauty of the sea and nature is pleasing to the eye, there is an excellent view of Old Budva and the Budva coast as a whole.
Acceptable entrance to the water immediately to the right of the pier, when looking towards the sea. Another option is to the left of the pier, but you need to go to the end of the beach. Immediately to the left of the pier at the bottom are large slippery stones. But the water is clear everywhere, you can see the bottom at any depth. The water is green and blue depending on where you swim.
On the rocks all the time, not only settled down, but also small cacti bloom. And the air on the island is amazing - a mixture of salty breeze and aromas of pine forest. Many come here not to retire or enjoy nature, but for a photo session, fortunately, the surrounding landscapes are conducive to this.
Tips for visiting the island
It is recommended to come to the island by 9-10 am, no later than 11 am and spend the first half of the day there. Closer to 14.00 it becomes frankly hot and stuffy. Keep in mind that there will be almost no place to hide, and modest rocks will cast only a few shadows.
Don't rely too much on an umbrella, which is also over the sunbeds, it is unlikely to save you from the heat. Of course, it is quite possible to spend the whole day on the beaches of the island of St. Nicholas, but on condition that you are adapted to the heat and a staunch admirer of a hot beach holiday.
There are many places on the island both to just swim and to admire nature. If you have certain skills and abilities, you can climb low hills, visit grottoes or relax, swimming in crystal clear water.
Maybe this island will be a discovery for you. This is not a party place at all and worthy for a relaxing holiday, about which little has been said so far. By the way, this is what the culprit of the story looks like from the side of Budva.
PS Advice from Travel Guide. Leave a visit to the island of St. Nikola for the last days of your trip to Montenegro. And before that, be sure to float to the city of Kotor. All details in the article "Sights of Kotor - what should a tourist see?".
And a short, beautiful, three-minute video of our "hero" from a bird's eye view.
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I read that some people found the beaches on the island not very attractive. But I want to warn you that if you decide to swim in Budva, do not make the same mistake as we did and do not waste your time on a Slavic or Slovenian beach, but immediately swim to the island of St. Nicholas. Slavic beach is an ugly and uninteresting beach that is completely packed with vacationers. The beach is quite large, but mostly filled with sun loungers and umbrellas, which you have to pay for (two sun loungers + one umbrella = 15 euros per day). You can lie down next to your towel, but you won't have much room to squeeze into it. The beach is sandy, but this only spoils it. The sand is dark, does not look attractive at all, and also garbage. Behind the beach is a promenade full of relatively expensive restaurants. Also, the view of the old town and the island of Nikola is spoiled by the many boats moored in front of the beach and the haze that floated over the beach every day during our visit. There are many hectic beaches around Budva, be it Mogren Beach, near the old town, or Ploce Beach (party beach), or Hawaii Beach on St. Nicholas Island, which can be easily and quickly reached by boat. Moreover, the prices for sun loungers, food and drinks are even lower than on the Slovak beach ...