Nugal is no secret. We will not pretend it is. Everyone who asks around knows about it, everyone who has ever Googled “hidden beaches Makarska” and everyone who has seen photographs of turquoise water framed by pine trees and rock. And yet, while other beaches around Makarska burst at the seams in summer, Nugal remains different. Quieter. Cleaner. The reason is both simple and brilliant: you cannot get there by car. Around twenty minutes on foot through a pine forest is enough to make ninety percent of tourists give up and go somewhere else. For the ten percent who do not, Nugal is waiting. And it does not disappoint.
What Nugal Has That No Organised Beach Can Offer
Nugal is a natural amphitheatre surrounded by rocks that shelter it from the wind, making it remarkably quiet even when the maestral is blowing at full strength. The sea is so clear you can see the bottom while still standing on the shore. Motor boats avoid the shallow waters close to the coast, which means underwater visibility is perfect for snorkellers. Sailors have known this for years and prefer to anchor right by the shore rather than in organised marinas. You can arrive on foot through the pine forest or by boat from the sea, and when you step onto the pebbles and look around, the only thought that crosses your mind is: why did I not know about this place sooner.
The Nudist Reputation and What Nugal Actually Is Today
For years Nugal was talked about almost exclusively as a nudist beach, and that reputation kept the crowds away for a long time. Today that is only partially true. The naturist tradition exists and is respected, but the beach welcomes everyone: couples, friends, hikers coming down from the trail, snorkellers looking for clean water.
How to Get There, Where to Park and What to Bring
The car park sits along the main coastal road between Makarska and Tučepi, around seven kilometres from the centre. From there a marked trail leads through the pine forest, a twenty to thirty minute walk with one steeper section right at the start that immediately tests how serious you are about making it.
Bring water, as there is no shop or tap on the beach. A sunshade is welcome since the pine shade only covers part of the beach. Come early, by eight in the morning the car park is nearly empty, the trail is peaceful and the beach is almost entirely yours. The one beach where you will find yourself wondering in August whether the season has even begun.
