Which are the best beaches in Montenegro? In 2026, 36 beaches carry the international Blue Flag for clean water, safety and services: 18 in Budva, 11 in Ulcinj, 4 in Bar, 2 in Tivat and 1 in Herceg Novi. In the official test of 1 September 2026, 100 of 114 monitored beaches had excellent water. On public beaches, half of the area must stay free of sunbeds.
The Blue Flag is awarded each year by an international jury in Copenhagen; for 2026 the first flag was raised at The Chedi Luštica Bay. The lists below come from the 2026 awards and the official monitoring of Morsko dobro, the public company that manages the coast, checked on 25 September 2026.
Which beaches carry the Blue Flag in 2026?
| Town | Blue Flag beaches in 2026 |
| Herceg Novi (1) | Hotel Iberostar, Njivice |
| Tivat (2) | The Chedi Luštica Bay; Plavi horizonti, Pržno bay |
| Budva (18) | Big Brother, SBS, S&I Beach Life and Poseidon on Jaz; Time Out on Slovenska plaža; Dukley, Zavala; Dolce Vita, Sunset, Sveti Toma 2 and Samsara Deluxe in Bečići; Galija, Crvena glavica; Pura Vida, Drobni pijesak; Hotel Ananti, Drobnići-Reževići; Ponta, Petrovac; Lučice; B5, Bridge and Nazaré Beach, Buljarica |
| Bar (4) | Vela Beach, Čanj; Centar, Sutomore; Best Sunset, Veliki pijesak; Paradiso, Utjeha bay |
| Ulcinj (11) | Toni Gril, Miami, Evropa, Saranda, White Beach, Hills, MCM Beach, Cabo Beach, Havana, Barbossa and Copacabana, all on Velika plaža |
A Blue Flag does not mean other beaches are worse; it means the beach operator applied and met the programme's criteria on water, safety, equipment and environmental information.
How clean is the water by town?
| Town | Beaches monitored | Excellent on 1 September 2026 |
| Budva | 34 | 32 |
| Herceg Novi | 22 | 19 |
| Ulcinj | 18 | 16 |
| Kotor | 15 | 12 |
| Bar | 15 | 13 |
| Tivat | 10 | 8 |
No beach was rated poor in any round of 2026. Round-by-round results and the beaches that fell below excellent most often are in our guide to sea water quality in Montenegro.
What are the rules on sunbeds?
| Rule | What it means |
| Half the beach free | On public beaches at least 50% of the area must be free of sunbeds and parasols; hotel beaches may be fully equipped |
| Prices set by the operator | Morsko dobro does not set sunbed prices; the operator must display them on an information board |
| Free after 17:00 | The board must state that beach furniture is not charged after 17:00 |
| Complaints | Breaches can be reported to Morsko dobro, which can warn the operator or end the lease |
Which beach suits you?
If you want sand, head to Velika plaža in Ulcinj, where all 11 of the town's Blue Flag beaches are; if you want many organised beaches close together, the Budva riviera has 18, from Jaz to Buljarica. Sea temperatures month by month are in our guide to the weather in Montenegro, and prices for jet skis, parasailing and paragliding over the beaches in Glatko's guide to Budva water sports.
Frequently asked questions
How many Blue Flag beaches does Montenegro have in 2026? 36: 18 in Budva, 11 in Ulcinj, 4 in Bar, 2 in Tivat and 1 in Herceg Novi.
Which town has the most Blue Flag beaches in Montenegro? Budva, with 18 in 2026, from Jaz to Buljarica.
Where are the sandy beaches in Montenegro? The best-known is Velika plaža in Ulcinj, where all 11 of the town's Blue Flag beaches are.
Do you have to pay for a sunbed on every beach? No. On public beaches half the area must be free of sunbeds, and beach furniture is not charged after 17:00.
Is the sea clean on Montenegrin beaches? Mostly: on 1 September 2026, 100 of 114 monitored beaches had excellent water and none was poor.
Who awards the Blue Flag? An international jury in Copenhagen, after checking each beach's documents and compulsory criteria.
Sources
The 2026 Blue Flag list and the first flag at Luštica Bay come from reporting by Danas. Water results come from Morsko dobro's monitoring map, and the sunbed rules from Morsko dobro's explanation of its beach rulebook to Dan. Checked on 25 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; check each beach's information board for prices and rules.