Map › Montenegro › Ulcinj › Velika Plaža (Ulcinj Long Beach)
Ulcinj Municipality · 12-14km sandy beach on the southern Adriatic coast, stretching between Port Milena and the Bojana river mouth · Ulcinj
Velika Plaža (Ulcinj Long Beach)
also known as Ulcinj Long Beach, Safari Beach, Velika Plaža, Long Beach, Holywood
Nearby Ada Bojana 6 km · Velipojë 12 km · Shëngjin - Kunë 28 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Light or offshore in the morning. The maestral fills from around noon, is at 15-20 knots by early afternoon and dies around sunset.
The wind
locals call it Maestral / Mistral
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: Light or offshore in the morning. The maestral fills from around noon, is at 15-20 knots by early afternoon and dies around sunset.
Typical strength
Builds to 15-20 knots by early afternoon on a working maestral day and gusts to 25. The useful band runs about 12-25 knots, and May and October produce plenty of days under that.
Also on record
18
The quiver, in words
For 75-85 kg, 9-12 m covers July and August, and 12-15 m is the May and September range when the thermal is softer. A 12 m is the kite most riders have up on an average afternoon; a 9 m is the smallest that sees regular use.
Direction to shore
Side-onshore / cross-onshore in the afternoon; Safari Beach/Holywood is also described as side shore.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan31
- Feb16
- Mar15
- Apr20
- May, riders' month18
- Jun, riders' month18
- Jul, riders' month42
- Aug, riders' month42
- Sep, riders' month28
- Oct11
- Nov33
- Dec19
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 31%Jan15°
- 16%Feb14°
- 15%Mar15°
- 20%Apr17°
- 18%May20°
- 18%Jun25°
- 42%Jul27°
- 42%Aug27°
- 28%Sep25°
- 11%Oct22°
- 33%Nov20°
- 19%Dec17°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31% | 39% | 35% | 11.2 kt | NE | 11:00 | 7.1°C | 15.1°C | 62 |
| Feb | 16% | 23% | 21% | 9.3 kt | NE | 14:00 | 8.3°C | 13.8°C | 57 |
| Mar | 15% | 34% | 26% | 9.6 kt | NE | 15:00 | 10.4°C | 15°C | 62 |
| Apr | 20% | 42% | 35% | 11 kt | W | 15:00 | 14°C | 16.7°C | 60 |
| May | 18% | 35% | 27% | 10.2 kt | W | 15:00 | 19.4°C | 20.2°C | 62 |
| Jun | 18% | 35% | 28% | 10.2 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 24.6°C | 24.6°C | 60 |
| Jul | 42% | 63% | 56% | 11.7 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 28.1°C | 26.8°C | 62 |
| Aug | 42% | 56% | 50% | 11.8 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 27.6°C | 26.5°C | 62 |
| Sep | 28% | 48% | 35% | 10.9 kt | WNW | 15:00 | 22°C | 25°C | 60 |
| Oct | 11% | 21% | 18% | 9.6 kt | NE | 14:00 | 18.2°C | 22.4°C | 62 |
| Nov | 33% | 47% | 38% | 11.8 kt | NE | 11:00 | 12.4°C | 19.5°C | 60 |
| Dec | 19% | 29% | 26% | 9.6 kt | NE | 11:00 | 9.2°C | 16.5°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
flat
Standing depth
Waist-deep a long way out over most of the beach, which is why the teaching zones sit here: one centre works a 250 m stretch with a standing area inside it. Depth changes sector by sector, so knee-deep and chest-deep descriptions both hold somewhere along the 12-14 km.
Tides
Tide independent / no significant high-low tide effect reported.
Temperature
23-25°C summer · 14.5°C winter
Wetsuit
Boardshorts or no wetsuit in summer; shorty/normal wetsuit in spring and autumn; normal wetsuit in winter.
Currents
Generally weak along the beach, but the southern end near the Bojana River can have stronger outflow current.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
10 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: huge
Somewhere else
Ada Bojana, 6 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Very long, wide, fine-sand beach with multiple kite centres concentrated mainly in the central and southern sections; northern sections are more beach-club and swimmer oriented.
Space
huge
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Learn out of a kite centre. The schools hold the teaching zones, the rescue boat and the launch help.
- Ride the central and southern sections. The northern end is beach clubs and swimmers.
- Budget 6 hours over 2-3 days as the realistic minimum to come out independent, not a one-day course.
- Ignore the morning. It is light or offshore, and the usable wind arrives after noon.
- Leave a margin at the southern end near the Bojana, where the river outflow runs.
Getting there
Airport
Podgorica (TGD), Tivat (TIV) and Dubrovnik (DBV).
Route
Reach Ulcinj by car or bus, then 5-10 minutes more by taxi or car to the northern end of Velika Plaza, or further south along the beach road and the dirt access tracks to the kite centres. Podgorica airport is about 90 minutes by car; Tivat and Budva run 2 to 2.5 hours, longer in August traffic.
Transfer
90 min
Cost level
moderate
Staying
Apartments, hostels and hotels in Ulcinj; beach huts, bungalows, kite houses, campsites and simple accommodation near Velika Plaza and Ada Bojana.
No-wind days
SUP, beach bars, swimming, Ulcinj old town, local markets, Ulcinj salt pans, rafting, mountain biking, diving, Bar, Budva and Kotor trips.
Photos
FAQ
Is Velika Plaza suitable for beginners?
Yes. Wide sand, shallow water and side-onshore thermal wind make it a strong learning and freeride spot, with several schools along the beach.
When is the best time to kitesurf at Velika Plaza?
May to September is the main season, with June to September the more reliable core window and September often recommended for wind with fewer crowds.
What is the wind like at Velika Plaza?
The Maestral thermal typically blows 10-20 knots, building from around noon and lasting until sunset, with a reported wind probability of around 80% in season.
What are the main hazards at Velika Plaza?
Hazards include swimmers and beach users in the developed northern sections, and stronger current near the Bojana River outflow at the southern end.
Last updated: August 2026