Vaja Beach
Vaja bay features a charming pebble beach that has clean and smoothly curved pebbles and clear waters making it popular with families with small children. Situated on the northern coastline of Korcula island, the bay offers exquisite views over the channel all the way to Hvar and Peljesac. Refreshments may be obtained from a simple beach kiosk. Out of season, the bay is often visited by hikers and local anglers, fishing during the calm days. The nearest village, Racisce, has a well-stocked supermarket, post office, bakery, and several pizza/cafe/restaurants that overlook the picturesque harbor.
Beach
Vaja is a north-facing pebble beach about a few hundred meters long, popular with families, with amazing views over the coastline, especially in the sunsets (see below photo). The beach is adjacent to local olive groves and dotted with private vineyards. Accessed from the top of the hill car park, the beach rarely gets crowded as the approach to the beach is pretty steep. The small kiosk offers a small selection of cold drinks, snacks, and ice cream. You can also hire parasols or deck chairs for 15-20 HRK (2.5-3 Euro) daily. Dogs are welcome on this beach but should be kept on a leash.
Where to Eat
There is just one small, a solar energy-powered kiosk on the beach (see below photo) that offers hamburgers, sandwiches, and some cold drinks including soft drinks and beer. You can get beer for 15-20 HRK, Coca-cola, and Fanta for 15 HRK. Hamburger & ice cream is also available. To be on the safe side, I would suggest you take your own food and drink or picnic as stock gets sold pretty quickly here particularly if you intend to come here in the afternoons.
Getting here
Located just 2 km West of Racisce, the beach is easily accessible by foot, except for the last, short part of descent via the very steep slope. Getting here by scooter or bicycle is a good option although inexperienced cyclists may find it harder at some steep parts of the route. Driving to the bay and parking here is fairly easy as there are enough parking places above the bay. Access to the beach from the tarmac road involves the steep slope rising and falling sharply which some people may find difficult (see below photo). Also, see detailed info about getting to the island.
The local bus can take you to Racisce from Korcula town. The walking distance from the Racisce bus stop to the bay is about 20 minutes (2 km). Some local boat owner in the village offers water taxi ride to the bay too. If you are not driving, the most comfortable option is to get a taxi that can take you here from Korcula Town in 15 minutes. The usual charge is about 30 euros (200 HRK) one way (per car, not per person)
Parking
The parking is available about 200 meters from the bay/beach itself. In the high season (July&August) parking, which is free of charge, can get a bit crowded. Here is a photo of the approximate location of parking spaces and slope access to the beach:
Map
Tip: If you have time, try to stay in the bay until the sunset, these few minutes of the golden hour will make your day 🙂
Nearest another beach: Samograd (1.5 km away)
Popular Routes: Split to Korcula, Korcula to Split, Dubrovnik to Korcula, Korcula to Dubrovnik
Where to Stay
If you’d like to be based near this beach, you can stay in the local village, Racisce where there are numerous houses that offer accommodation. There are some lovely houses to rent nearby with swimming pools and open views across the channel (like this one). Check other nearest houses to the bay area here.
