Proizd – a heavenly island next to Korčula

We had high expectations for Proizd, and this little island managed to exceed them all! The photographs we present in this article can only partially capture what you will experience there. They cannot faithfully convey even the visual aspect of this islet, and the visual is only a small part of the overall experience. Having visited many places so far, we can say without hesitation that on Proizd, you will find one of the most beautiful corners of the world. There are always those who don’t perceive it that way, so it is, like everything we write about, largely subjective 🙂

Let’s start from the beginning

A visit to Korčula is not complete without visiting its two satellites – Badija and Proizd. These are the two most famous islets out of the 50 or so that surround Korčula. Badija is located on the eastern side of the island and is reached from the town of Korčula. Proizd is located on the western side and is reached from Vela Luka (departure location for boats to Proizd: 42.961928165606565, 16.71599463776243).

There are regular boat lines to Proizd, which in high season usually run every hour between 10 AM and 1 PM. Schedules vary, so it is advisable to call the day before. If there is increased guest interest, extra lines are possible, with boats departing more frequently. Return trips usually start after 4 PM.

Several boat operators run the line to Proizd and they all coordinate with each other, so purchased tickets are valid for any of them. Thus, it is possible that you went to Proizd with one operator and another will bring you back. The ticket price in the summer of 2024 was 15 EUR per adult, and the journey takes about 40 minutes.

The journey to Proizd itself is interesting, as the entire western end of the island of Korčula is revealed. On the way, you pass by the celebrated islet of Ošjak, and on the open sea, Sušac to the south and Vis to the west are visible.

The main “points” of Proizd are the pier on the south side and three beaches on its northwestern side.
Going from the westernmost point, these are Donji bili bok, Srednji bili bok, and Veli bili bok.

A walking path leads to the beaches, starting from the pier and passing southwest of the only catering facility on the island. The distances from the pier to the beaches are approximately 450 m to Veli, 700 m to Srednji, and 830 m to Donji bili bok. The path through the central part of the island passes through the shade of a pine forest.

The path is well-marked, with wooden benches and trash cans placed in many spots. The signs are carved, wooden. We extremely liked all these details, and they could serve as a model for many similar trails in Croatia!

The smell of pine forest and the song of crickets are standard for Dalmatia, but they never get boring. The feeling of wilderness and isolation are what give Proizd its special charm.

The path forks every now and then, and its branches lead to individual beaches. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk between individual beaches. The final parts of the path are sunny, as they pass through low vegetation.

The feeling of wilderness and isolation are what give Proizd its special charm

There is not much shade on the beaches themselves either. It is mostly made up of scarce shelters behind rocks and bushes on the edges of the beach. It is advisable to bring a parasol and a sufficient supply of drinking water.

Veli bili bok

Veli bili bok is the closest beach, and it is also the most crowded. Large pebbles look attractive but are not very comfortable for walking. Entering the sea is particularly painful. However, once you cross that barrier, you will enjoy the cleanest sea you can imagine!

Sporadic areas of turquoise sea will provide a special experience that you will remember for a long time. It was interesting to observe how every detail of the bottom can be seen even at the greatest depth. “Floating” in the sea and the play of light reflecting off the white bottom have a hypnotic effect. You can’t get enough of the sea here.

Donji bili bok – FKK

Nudist beaches were an indispensable part of the tourist offer on the Adriatic in the 70s and 80s. Places with the FKK sign were respected and one did not go there dressed. Over time, the inflation of respect took its toll, so even the last bastions of nudism fell. This is also the case with Donji bili bok. There we found a colorful group of dressed, half-dressed, and undressed people. Several anchored boats completed the “buzz”. We took a look, took a few photos, and moved on.

Donji bili bok is beautiful! The color of the sea is exceptional, as is the view of the open sea. Being alone on this beach must be an incredible experience. Here you will find a combination of stone and pebbles. We didn’t descend to the sea to check the grain size of the shingle, but it seems that the pebbles are quite a bit smaller than those on Veli bili bok. This beach offers something for everyone’s taste.

Srednji bili bok

This is the second “beach” in order, going from the pier. The word “beach” is in quotes here for a reason. We have already written about “nature’s playgrounds,” as we like to call them. These are special places where nature, in its unbridled creativity, plays in the most incredible ways and creates works of art that are beyond any competition (see the article about the Stone Gallery on Velebit). Srednji bili bok is one such place. It is unique and incredible in every way. Words and photographs cannot faithfully describe it, but we will state our observations and impressions anyway.

Srednji bili bok is a stone slab that descends under an ideal slope towards a sea of incredible clarity.

Nature has experimented here with sea colors that we didn’t manage to capture with the camera. Lovers of any part of the spectrum between light green and dark blue will find a corner for themselves here.

In parts of the shallows, you will find completely colorless sea. The verse “clearer than the wind” meets the literalness of its meaning here.

In some other parts, turquoise becomes the theme of creation.

If you thought turquoise was one color, well, it’s not. It contains an entire sub-spectrum within it.
On a famous Greek beach, people cite “electric” blue as its specialty. Nature obviously mixed it into this palette on Proizd to use it elsewhere in the world, because on one part we encounter it as well. A bit further on, Parisian blue starts, continuing into increasingly darker shades of navy.

Srednji bili bok is a stone slab that descends under an ideal slope towards a sea of incredible clarity.

The mentioned stone slab is a true work of art. Every part of it is “carved” with special care. You can view it like a gallery, even though it’s a single exhibit.

It is huge, so several groups of swimmers can disperse in a way that each feels as if they are alone on it!

Looking towards the sea, in its upper right part, you will find a couple of spots with shade provided by the rocks. The shade here will protect you in summer until about 1 PM. After that, you are exposed to the mercy of the summer sun.

One of the extremely fun activities is running across the slab. We have crossed it countless times in all directions. Exploring its relief, you will find countless places where you can “nestle” as if in some perfect bed. A towel here is just an obstacle! The feeling of connection with the wilderness of nature is complete.

The openness and exposure of this beach to the open sea is somehow special, but at the same time, you feel safe and protected. Crazy!!!

Where you need to be careful is the actual entrance to the sea. Parts of the rock can be slippery there, but after a short exploration, other types of beaches will become passé! In one part on the right side (looking towards the sea), the rock is shaped so that you can use it like a slide!!! For exiting, we liked two points in the middle and left parts the most, where nature “carved” two types of steps with the help of which the exit is simple and fun. Brilliant!!!

For lovers of jumping into the sea, the slab is ideal in the section around the middle!

There were the fewest people on this “beach,” as most apparently shy away from the unconventional. For us, this added to the beauty of the experience 🙂

Until now, we considered the most beautiful beaches to be those with the finest shingle, surrounded by rocks and wilderness. We know of at least twenty such places, and you will never find them on official lists of the most beautiful on the internet. And luckily so, as they are still quite hidden!

After staying on Proizd, it is legitimate to ask if it’s time to change our stance? Srednji bili bok showed us that nature should never be taken for granted. Is the most beautiful beach still a rocky one then? As we stated at the beginning of the article, there are places that are unique and beyond any competition. Perhaps that would be the most accurate answer to that question 🙂