Velika Plaza — 12 Kilometres of Grey Volcanic Sand
Few tourists know about Velika Plaza, and fewer still make it here. The sand is not golden — it is fine, grey, and loaded with volcanic minerals that locals have used for therapeutic treatments for generations. The beach begins roughly 5 km south of Ulcinj town and stretches, unbroken and largely empty, all the way to the Albanian border. On a clear day you can see the mountains of northern Albania shimmering in the heat haze across the water.
Getting here requires a car. There is no bus. There is no pavement for the last stretch. The parking areas are informal — gravel clearings between the dunes and the occasional beach bar. Sand gets into everything: the car, your shoes, your bag. That is part of the deal. The reward is a beach so vast that even in August you can walk for twenty minutes without passing another soul.
What Happens on the Sand
- Kitesurfing and windsurfing — thermal winds blow 15-25 knots from June through September, with shallow water ideal for beginners and advanced riders alike
- Beach bars cluster near the northern access points, serving cold Niksicko beer and grilled fish. The further south you walk, the emptier it gets
- Therapeutic sand treatments — bury yourself in the mineral-rich grey sand. Locals swear by it for joint pain and skin conditions
- Swimming in water that stays shallow for 50+ metres out, warm from June, and remarkably clean given how wild the beach is
Getting There
Drive south from Ulcinj centre on the main coastal road. Multiple access tracks branch off to the beach along the 12 km stretch. The northern end near Copacabana beach bar is easiest to find. For the emptiest sections, keep driving south until the road becomes a track and the dunes close in on both sides.