The beach problem
Most Montenegrin beaches are pebble, and many of them shelve steeply — two steps in and it is over an adult's waist. That is fine for swimmers and not fine for a four-year-old with armbands.
| Beach | Entry | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Velika Plaža, Ulcinj | Very gradual, wade 50 m | Sand |
| Bečići | Gentle | Fine gravel |
| Slovenska plaža, Budva | Gentle | Imported gravel |
| Petrovac | Gentle in the bay | Pebble |
| Pržno | Moderate | Pebble |
| Mogren | Drops away quickly | Pebble |
| Kamenovo | Drops away quickly | Pebble |
| Inner Bay of Kotor | Gentle, but cold springs | Concrete and pebble |
Ulcinj's Velika Plaža is the one designed by nature for small children: twelve kilometres of sand, shallow for fifty metres out, and warm because it is shallow. It is also the furthest south, an hour and a half from Budva.
Shade barely exists
Montenegrin beaches are rock and pebble with no trees. The parasol is the product being sold and there is no free alternative — this is unlike Greece or Italy, where a pine grove usually backs the sand.
Bring a beach tent or accept paying for a parasol every day. On a concession beach two beds and a parasol run €15 to €40 depending on the beach and the month.
Age limits on the things they will ask to do
| Activity | Minimum age | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Family rafting, lower Tara | 8 | Calm section, child-size wetsuits |
| Standard half-day rafting | 8 – 12 | Depends on the operator and the water level |
| Two-day rafting with camping | 12 | No electricity, no signal |
| Nevidio canyoning | 14 – 16 | Physically demanding, no way out mid-canyon |
| Zip line over the Tara | Usually 8, with a weight minimum | Ask about the weight, not just the age |
| Boat trips on the bay | Any age | Life jackets are carried, ask for a child size |
For families with children old enough for the calm section, the family rafting and jeep day on the Tara is built around exactly this age group, combining a short, gentle float with a jeep ride so nobody sits still all day.
Driving with children
The distances look tiny and take three times as long as they read. Kotor to Ulcinj is 100 km and three hours in August. The mountain roads are bends the whole way — the Kotor serpentine has twenty-five hairpins and children who are prone to car sickness will find them.
Child seats are legally required and hire companies charge €5 to €8 a day for them. Bring your own if you can; the ones supplied are variable.
Practical bits
- Pharmacies (*apoteka*) are in every town, well stocked, and pharmacists usually speak some English.
- Nappies and formula are in every supermarket. Brands are European and familiar.
- Restaurants welcome children everywhere and eat late — nine in the evening is normal and nobody minds a child at the table.
- High chairs are hit and miss outside the bigger places.
- Water shoes matter more than any other single item. Pebble beaches and sea urchins.
Where to base
Petrovac or Tivat for a first family trip. Both have gentle beaches, short drives to everything on the coast, and enough quiet at night that children actually sleep. Budva has more to do and considerably more noise until three in the morning.
