Bilin Žal (also written Bilin Zal or Bili Žal) is a small sandy beach on the north-east side of Lumbarda, the wine village at the eastern tip of Korčula. The water stays shallow a long way out over a smooth sandy bottom, which makes it one of the island's easiest swims for young children. It is also small and popular with local families, so in July and August it pays to arrive in the morning.
What Bilin Žal is like: soft sand in the middle, rock at the ends
The beach is about 130m long (Time Out calls it a "tiny strip of sand") and faces north-east across the channel to the Pelješac peninsula and the Škoji islets. In the middle, soft, fine sand carries on underwater, so you can walk in barefoot without aqua shoes. Children can wade a long way out; adults have to swim some distance to find depth.
Both ends turn to pebbles and low rock ledges, with bigger slabs at the eastern end towards Lenga.
How to get to Bilin Žal Beach
The local bus from Korčula town to Lumbarda stops about five minutes' walk from the beach, which is about 7.5km by road from Korčula bus station on the harbour.
- Bus: Arriva (Autotrans) runs the local bus from Korčula bus station to Lumbarda. Arriva's route page gives the trip as 15 minutes and the fare as €2.70.
- Timetable: Korculainfo's timetable, last updated in April 2026, lists 11 departures a day from Korčula between 7am and 6.45pm and 12 back from Lumbarda, the same every day of the week. Check Arriva's site for the 2027 times.
- From the bus stop: the bus terminates at the Holy Cross church, at a fork among the vineyards. Take the left fork; the beach is about five minutes' walk away.
- On foot from Lumbarda village: about 1.2km from the centre, past the edge of the Grk vineyards.
- By bike: about 25 minutes from Korčula town. Bikes can be hired in town.
- By car or scooter: follow the narrow, asphalted road from central Lumbarda towards Ražnjić, which runs downhill along the vineyards to the coast.
- Parking: Places of Juma described a small car park right by the beach in May 2025, and cars also park along the shore by the konoba. No source gives a price. The beach is very busy in summer, so in July and August take the bus rather than count on a space. Checked November 2026.
There is only one step from the road to the sand, so access with a pushchair or wheelchair is good.
Konoba Bilin Žal, sunbeds and toilets
Konoba Bilin Žal is a café and restaurant about 40m from the water, serving coffee, cold drinks, seafood and local dishes. It occupies what Time Out describes as a semi-ruined 15th-century bishop's castle.
The beach has toilets, and sunloungers and parasols for hire, though no prices are published. There is no natural shade, so hire a parasol or bring one; the Lumbarda tourist board notes that the stone wall along the back of the beach gives some shade in the afternoon. For a cheaper picnic, Lumbarda village has a small supermarket about 10 minutes' walk away.
Water quality and wind at Bilin Žal
Bilin Žal is one of the beaches the Dubrovnik-Neretva County public health institute samples through the summer. On 1 August 2026 the county advised against swimming because a sample exceeded the limit for E. coli, as HRT reported.
The failed sample had been taken on 30 July, DuList reported on 6 August. Repeat samples on 1 to 3 August met the standard, and the county said the pollution had ended.
Before swimming in summer 2027, check the latest result on Croatia's national bathing water portal. Checked November 2026.
Clarity depends on the crowd. The sandy bottom clouds easily, so the water is less clear when the beach is busy. It is much clearer in the deeper water past the shallows.
The bay is sheltered from the maestral, the north-westerly that builds on summer afternoons, and from the southerly jugo. It faces straight into the bura and the levanat, which blow from the north-east and east.
Bilin Žal or Vela Pržina?
Vela Pržina, Lumbarda's larger sandy beach, is on the other side of the peninsula, about 10 minutes' walk away. Time Out calls it "arguably the finest beach on the island".
| Feature | Bilin Žal | Vela Pržina |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About 130m, sand in the middle | Longer stretch of sand |
| Outlook | North-east, towards Pelješac | Open sea views |
| Facilities | Konoba, toilets, sunbed hire | Cocktail bar, restaurant, jet skis, aquapark |
| Parking | Small car park, no price published | Large paid car park (2025) |
| Feel | Quieter, local families | Livelier |
Bilin Žal gets busy, but it is rarely as crowded as Vela Pržina at its peak, and the water is calmer.
When to visit Bilin Žal Beach
For 2027, aim for June or September. Climates to Travel gives average sea temperatures at Dubrovnik of 22°C in June and 23°C in September, against 25°C in August. May (18°C) and October (20°C) suit hardy swimmers.
The beach gets very busy in summer, with visitors from Korčula town as well as Lumbarda. In July and August, arrive in the morning for space on the sand and clearer water. On any day, check the wind forecast and skip a bura day.
Who Bilin Žal suits, and who should go elsewhere
Bilin Žal is a good choice for families with toddlers, nervous swimmers and anyone staying in Lumbarda or Korčula town without a car. The shallow sand, the short walk from the bus and the konoba on the shore make an easy half-day.
Skip it if you want room to spread out, deep water close in or a long walk on the sand. For that, cross to Vela Pržina, or walk about 15 minutes east along the shore to rocky Lenga for snorkelling.
The best plan: take a morning bus from Korčula town on a calm June or September day, swim before the beach fills, then have lunch at the konoba.
Our ranking of Croatia's best beach islands explains why Korčula's Lumbarda sand is rare on the Adriatic, and our guide to the best beaches in Croatia covers the rest of the coast.
