NERETVA – BEST KITESURFING SPOT IN CROATIA
Neretva is the most famous kitesurfing centre on the Croatian coast, located about 10 km from the town of Ploče. Kitesurfing on Neretva started in 2006 and was discovered by Slovenians. Where the river flows into the sea, a large sand dune has been created that extends almost a kilometre into the sea and offers plenty of low standing water, which is needed when you are new to kitesurfing, and the calm “flat” water is also enjoyed by all kiters. There are several schools in the large bay, and we chose this location for our kite courses as it is the most exposed point, extending deep into the middle of the bay and therefore offers the windiest position. There is nothing like it in the whole Adriatic Sea, so during the spring and summer months, it is becoming an increasingly popular destination for both local and international kiters from all over the world. Thanks to its unique location between the Neretva River valley and the Pelješac peninsula, it is one of the windiest spots for all water sports enthusiasts in need of wind.
WIND
The most common and best-known wind is the mistral. This is a thermal wind that blows almost every day in the afternoon. It is caused by the temperature difference between day and night. At night the Neretva Valley and the mainland cool down, but in the morning the sun starts to warm the area up again and the warm air over the valley starts to rise, replaced by cooler air from the sea, resulting in moderate to strong winds blowing from the sea towards the valley. It starts blowing sometime between 12 and 1 p.m. and on better days it blows well into the evening, sometimes even late into the night. When the weather deteriorates slightly, the mistral decreases and the wind direction reverses and it starts to blow from a southerly direction. This wind is called Sirocco. It is usually a little weaker on the first day, but over the next day or two it gains strength and blows stronger and stronger, creating excellent conditions for learning to kite and impressing even the most demanding kiters. This is why we have on average 80-90% of windy days for kitesurfing on the Neretva. If there is no wind on a given day, we use it to rest or to visit other sights in the area.
ACCOMMODATION
The closest village to the kite spot on the Neretva River is Blace, where most of the kiteboarders are staying. It takes only 5 minutes by car to get to the spot. There are plenty of apartments for rent there, however, due to the increasing popularity of the spot they can get quite full in the summer months, so we recommend you to book them quickly to get the accommodation you want. To check what’s on offer, you can click on the following links Booking Blace, Airbnb Blace, Smjestaj Blace, or you can book a simple accommodation where there’s always something going on for a good price in the cabin house where we are staying. The price per night starts from 12 €.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
When you’re not kite surfing on the Neretva River, there are plenty of other activities to do. In the morning, when there is usually no wind, Stand-Up-Paddling (SUP) is very popular. The water is very calm and offers excellent conditions for exploring the hidden coves and numerous islets in the surrounding area. Another popular activity is also Stand-Up-Paddling on the Baćin lakes, which are only a few kilometres away, or exploring the many water channels amidst the mandarin plantations. You can take a guided tour and a culinary day out on the Neretva canals by boat or enjoy a boat trip to the island of Pelješac in the town of Ston, famous for its local dishes at the Konobas with an excellent selection of shellfish. On a windless day, you can use it to visit a tunnel dug into a hill, which was a shelter for submarines during the Yugoslav People’s Army. Even the adrenaline lovers will be impressed of it, as there’s a good water jumping area. The bravest can jump into the water from a height of 18 metres. It is also a good place to install a “slackline” which can be stretched and fixed between the anchorages so you can take a nice walk above the water. On your day off, you can visit the city of Mostar, which is only 1 hour away, and in the afternoon, you can cool off under the natural waterfalls of the Kravica Lakes.
CULINARY OFFER
There are several restaurants in Blace. Konoba Ante offers a fine selection of Dalmatian seafood. Pizzeria Azzuro serves good pizzas, while the Beach and Chill Bar offers hamburgers and other food where you can linger and enjoy late into the evening. And many times, for real homemade Dalmatian specialities, we go to the local chef, who makes sure we are neither hungry nor thirsty.
NIGHTLIFE
If you’re not too tired after a day on the water, you can meet friends for a drink in the evening at the bars, which often have live music. And for the weekends, you can come back to one of the spots where you can dance to the sound of loud music. Electronic music lovers will also be in for a treat, as its rhythms will persuade some people to party until sunrise.
