Whenever Lumbarda and Vela Pržina beach are mentioned, Bilin Žal also makes an appearance, and it’s most certainly worth a visit.
Lumbarda is the eastern-most dwelling on Korčula. If you go past it, and even further east, you will pass through the vineyards (mostly Grk, growing in the sand of the field) and right before cape Ražnjić, to your right is where Vela Pržina is located, and to your left is Bilin Žal.
It’s similar to Pržina in the sense that it’s a sandy beach. The main difference is that Bilin Žal is much smaller. The entry to the water is very easy here, as there’s nothing but smooth sand there, and the water is quite shallow for long – which is awesome if you have kids and want them to play in the shallow water safely, but is really not that much fun for adults wanting to go for a swim. You will have to swim for a while to get away from the people that are in the very shallow water, but once you manage, you will be rewarded by much cleaner and more transparent water in the deep.
There are several places on or near the beach where you can have a drink or something to eat, but anyway, you’re a couple of minutes walk away from the centre of Lumbarda, so it’s not like you need to haul special amount of water or anything with you. On the pier extending into the sea, there is a chair which is used for people with disabilities to be lowered into the seawater, and the access to Bilin Žal is actually quite easy for people who have difficulty walking.
There will be a crowd on Bilin Žal during the summer, but if you want to escape that, we have a solution for you. Walk a bit further east, go towards cape Ražnjić and there’s a strech of coast sometimes called Lenga beach (although I have to say I’m not sure I would call it a beach myself, but it certainly is a lovely place to go for a swim). It’s a section of the coast with large rock slabs, going into the water in a way that allows for easy entry or exit, where there’s plenty of room to put your towel down and enjoy the sun. If you want shade, there’s shade as well, as there are sections where you can get away from the sun. There’s always some people there, as it is accessible by foot, but always much less than at any of the “main” Lumbarda beaches. Note of warning: this used to be an unofficial nude beach, and many people still come to the relative seclusion of these rocks to find privacy and sunbathe and swim in the nude. Fell free to join them, if that’s your thing, but just make sure you don’t get too close to them if it’s not. This part of Lumbarda coast is also a snorkeling paradise, because of the wealth of creatures living close to the coastline in perfectly clear water.
(Photo taken during winter winds, with rock slabs seen in the foreground)
