Hidden Coves for Snorkelling
The best swimming spots on Cres cannot be reached by car. If you accept a short walk or a boat ride, you are rewarded with crystal-clear water and rocky shores that are great fun with mask and snorkel.
Our three favourites:
• Plave Grote (Žanja bay below Lubenice): easiest by rental boat or water taxi from Martinšćica. On foot from Lubenice it is a steep 30 to 40 minutes down and more like 1 to 1.5 hours back up. You swim from the beach to the entrance of the roughly 20-metre-long cave, which has a small pebble beach inside.
• Mali Bok near Orlec: a pebble cove between high rocks, about 20 minutes from the village on a steep path. Mornings are quietest.
• Sveti Blaž in the north: a pebble beach with rugged karst rocks and views to Istria. About 3 hours on foot from Cres town, so better by boat.
Important for all three:
• No cafes, no showers: bring water, food and sun protection.
• Hardly any natural shade, so a parasol helps.
• According to the tourist board, all three beaches are dog friendly.
Insider tip: pack water shoes, as the rocks are sharp, and in a bura switch to sheltered coves on the west coast.