Level of difficulty 4 paddles |  Gastronomy 3 pitchers |  Length 12 km |  Time 2.5 - 3.5 hours

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The picturesque island capital of Krk is an ideal starting point for extensive SUP tours across the sea. From here you can explore the surrounding coast just as easily as you can target nearby neighboring islands.

General information

• Krk Town tourist information 
• Krk Island tourist information
• Krk Wikipedia
• Climate
• Wind, waves, weather

Navigation rules

Boat and ship traffic as well as bathers always have priority. If you make any stopovers along the natural beaches, please avoid rubbish or at least take it with you.

Dangers and risks

Medium breezes and stronger winds are quite normal here and can make paddling very difficult or even impossible. Accordingly, under such weather conditions expect increased waves right into the bay. The wind usually pushes in from the NE or ENE and can push the paddler to the rugged shore in many places, so always watch the wind, the water and the weather beforehand!

The entire Croatian Adriatic is known for its fall winds (Bora/Bura), which make paddling impossible in winter.

A strong sea current is hardly to be expected here, but it pays off to check online in advance to be on the safe side.

Since Krk has an important port in the region, there is a lot of boat and ship traffic. In the harbor area always paddle near the shore to give way to boats. Only paddle on the sea if you feel ready and able to do so.

The shores of the bay and the island of Krk as a whole are rocky and sometimes sharp-edged, which is why it is not always possible to find a suitable place to land. The stone coast also requires wearing bathing shoes or something similar to prevent injuries.

Especially when there is wind and waves, kneel down to get to the shore so you don’t get carried away by the wind. This is mainly because the bays, gravel banks and landing sites are often relatively narrow and surrounded by rocks.

The red lighthouse in Krk should not be paddled too closely, because there are rocks under the water surface.

If you don't have any open sea experience, at least don't paddle out there alone, or just paddle back and forth along the coast instead. Waves, ships, motor boats, yachts and winds can quickly overwhelm inexperienced paddlers.

Of course, there are a lot of bathers on the beaches here. Although these mostly move in the defined swimming areas, sometimes they also like to move further outside. The same applies to paddling beginners, who should be avoided accordingly if necessary.

Directions

Along the roundabout in the center of Krk, take the exit to Šetalište Svetog Bernardina Street running along the marina and after 230 m and just before the quay turn right to the Hotel Maritim. After the hotel turn right again and at the next crossroads you will find the parking lots on Ježevac Street.

Parking

Basically, there are enough paid parking lots in the town center, with the parking spaces at the waterfront being the cheapest.

The car park next to the local sports field is free, but just outside the town center. From here you can walk to the beach in fifteen minutes, but the way back uphill is a bit annoying.

Free parking can also be found along the gravel roads on the peninsula Prniba, if you should decide to start your tour from there.

Swimming

The town has countless official bathing spots and beaches, but also a little further away there are natural bathing spots under pine trees, between rocks and in small bays. Especially the Prniba peninsula in the direction of Punat has a lot to offer by the sea and along the bay of Punat, far more than you can find on maps.

The (swimming) season starts in early May and, depending on the weather, can last well into October.

Tour

From Porporela Beach along the shore towards Punat. From there across the sea to Pláž Andrea and along the shore back to the start.

Length

12 km

Time

2.5 - 3.5 hours

Start and landing

Porporela Beach in Krk.

SUP rental

Unfortunately, you will not find many rental providers online, but only on the beach, such as at the Aquafollie Water Park in Krk.

Rent Kayak SUP
Rental station on the Porat/Malinska beach (north of the island) – rental throughout the island
Phone +385 (0)92 360 6623

Xena sports
Plaža Ježevac, 51500 Krk

Downwinding past the island's capital

The spacious bay around the island's capital Krk is a true natural paradise. Here a somewhat unconventional paddling course is possible, which leads across the open sea and reveals far-reaching maritime views.

However, as in so many paddling areas in the Croatian Adriatic Sea, it can be quite a torture if you want to catch the optimal time to paddle. After all, you want to enjoy nice weather with pleasant wind and water conditions. Unfortunately, even in summer it is often quite windy for days (up to an average of 12 kts and gusts of wind up to 20 kts) and then paddleboarding has to be postponed again and again.

This tour can be started at any conceivable point along the bay, but you should watch the wind direction and decide accordingly in which direction the passage over the open sea should be paddled.

A good place to start is on Porporela Beach behind the harbor and it probably offers you the cheapest parking lot in town along Ulica Ježevac Street (approx. 70 c/hour, as of 2022).

Even if the beach is already heavily occupied, there is still enough space under the pine trees to prepare your equipment for the tour. The wind here in summer typically comes from the NE or ENE, which is why it is usually a more sensible choice to paddle the open sea from this direction as well. Of course, this only applies to higher wind speeds of two Beaufort and above, when the waves are getting stronger.

Unfortunately I have no choice but to try it at about 9 kts or 3 Bft on my last day of vacation. Therefore, it makes sense to start paddling against the wind and the waves, going along the shore towards Punat in order to hopefully get a decent tailwind on the open sea.

Right from the start I have to assert myself against the braking conditions and paddle to the port side of the lighthouse in order not to be pushed onto the shore. The end of the breakwater with the red lighthouse is bypassed far to the left to avoid the rocks and stone embankments under the water surface.

In the harbor I let myself be caught by a slight tailwind and initially drift aimlessly between the boats and yachts. From here I can also watch the hustle and bustle along the promenade while the city slowly awakens to a new day. For example, you can set sail directly from the quay in a taxi boat. This enables you to explore the caves and beaches of the uninhabited island of Plavnik.

As soon as I leave the port, which is quite sheltered from the wind, and aim for the small bays and bathing spots in the east of the town, I feel the light breeze on my face and have to push trough the waves with powerful paddle strokes. These are sometimes very irregular and require loosely bent knees so that I can compensate for the constant ups and downs.

I feel a bit like skiing on a mogul slope - the upper body stays at a constant height while the legs balance out the waves. Nevertheless, the nose often dips into the water and of course slows down my propulsion. It's a shame that I can't do this tour one day later, because the wind and therefore the waves wouldn't be half as strong according to today's forecast.

As long as you are paddling in the town area you must also pay attention to the delimited swimming areas. The boundary ropes with the floats attached to them protrude up to a hundred meters into the sea and the wind keeps pushing me in their direction. The same goes for the other paddlers here - but many of them stay on their knees and brave the slightly stronger wind.

Upon reaching the naturist beach the urban area also ends and I now paddle along the stony Prniba Peninsula. This is a real natural paradise, which you can also explore along a hiking trail (see spot Krk Town and Punat) in just under two hours. Also from the sea I can see the countless dry stone walls, which have a long tradition on this island delimiting plots of land. Under the pine trees, nature lovers will always find dreamy little bays and water access free of charge, only getting here by car at walking pace over the gravel roads is a bit lengthy.

This is not the case on the water, because I grip the paddle shaft extra deep in order to pull against the waves as powerfully as possible. This keeps me entertained while at the same time marveling at the beauty of the water colors and the shoreline. After passing by a noticeably bigger and deeper Bay close to Punat, the waves also seem to become more uniform, which of course has a positive effect on my paddling rhythm. In addition, my nose now stays constantly above the water, which allows me to build up more speed.

The houses of the port town of Punat are getting closer and closer and shortly before touching the strait before the Bay of Punat I take a short break on the shore of the peninsula. It is important to gather strength for the second half of the tour.

I can hardly await going out to sea and I feel that I'll have a really good tailwind. From here I aim at the other end of the large bay around Krk, which I can roughly make out in the distance, but I don't yet know exactly what to expect there. After just a few paddle strokes, I already notice how well the wind touches my back and I start my small but nice downwinder to the west.

However, the waves can also slow you down if you paddle too slowly and they keep pushing the front of the board down into the water coming from behind. So increase your paddling frequency and ride the waves as best you can!

Thanks to the wind, that's not as strenuous as it sounds and I'm now mainly paddling to starboard. Not so much so that I don't get pushed to shore, I'm too far away for that (up to 1.4 km out), but because I'm better carried by the wind that way. Instinctively I get into a very oblique surf stance and feel the wind hit my back. However, this only works on this side, because as soon as I switch to port, the wind doesn't pick up as well.

The silence out here is unmistakable. All I can feel and hear is the breeze rushing around my ears as I watch my own silhouette in the azure water and my glutes work their ass off in static endurance. Now and then a passenger ship or a yacht crosses my path and churns up the water.

Then I powerfully paddle as straight as possible into and through the waves in the direction of Pláž Andrea. The view to the left falls on the island of Plavnik, about four kilometers away, which can also be reached by taxi boat. Thanks to the wind, I manage the almost four-kilometer-wide sea passage in just over thirty minutes, whereby the wind picks up again shortly before landing on the pebble beach between the rock formations.

At the second turning point of the round trip, I take another short break on the beach and then start off to the left towards the campsites. However, I have to paddle kneeling first, because standing up it would hardly be possible to align myself in the right direction. Stronger paddle pulls are possible while standing compared to kneeling, but the wind is now braking so hard that the last one and a half kilometers to Porporela Beach are a real challenge.

Starting this tour at lunchtime would now be unthinkable and I can get a good workout before I finally let the wind push me onto the beach after about 2.5 hours on the water. To be on the safe side when the wind is strong, you should get on your knees early and slowly glide to the shore.

This tour is just one of many great paddling routes in the area and, after some honest effort, can also be sealed in one of the town's great restaurants. The nearby Veja's at the roundabout is highly recommended. If you are more drawn to the narrow streets of the old town, you could also grab a bite at Konoba Andreja ordering a highly affordable and hunger-quenching burger, or check out the great seafood at Restaurant Katarina while sitting on the tarrace under exotic fruits.

Alternative: If you want to extend the tour, you can paddle straight past the Prniba peninsula to Punat, cut to the right and explore the Punat beaches in a southerly direction. In case you choose to start the sea crossing at the nudist beach Konobe the tour is extended by about 3.5 km. However, if you paddle a further 2 km to the abandoned old Tranjevo lighthouse on Cape Negrit, the tour is extended by about five kilometers.