Dobra Voda is a small village that, over the past five years, has been rapidly developing. Today, it has transformed into a beach resort—still small, but no longer deserted. During peak season, it gets packed with tourists. In this guide, I’ll share the best places to eat, provide a ranking of hotels and apartments, and review the local beaches.
There aren’t any historical landmarks here—none at all, really—except for Roman Abramovich’s villa, but I’ll get to that later.
Table of contents:
- Dobra Voda: General Information
- How to Get There
- Apartments and Hotels in Dobra Voda
- Restaurants and Taverns
- Beach Overview
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Dobra Voda: General Information
Dobra Voda is a small fishing village located on the Barska Riviera.
📍 Coordinates: 42.03691296715648, 19.142825047688767
It sits between two popular tourist destinations:
- 10 km from Bar
- 20 km from Ulcinj
The name “Dobra Voda” translates from Montenegrin as “Good Water.” And indeed, the water here is crystal clear—just like in many other parts of Montenegro.
A Bit of History
Before 2015, Dobra Voda was an unknown fishing village. However, as land along Montenegro’s coastline became increasingly expensive, investors and wealthy locals turned their attention to this area. Popular resorts like Budva were already overcrowded, leaving little space for new development. Meanwhile, land in Dobra Voda was still relatively cheap.
By 2016, construction was booming, and by 2020, the village had undergone a complete transformation. Today, in 2025, the pace of construction has slowed, but the area continues to evolve into a classic beach resort. The peaceful, secluded atmosphere it once had five to seven years ago is now a thing of the past.
How to Get to Dobra Voda
There are no direct buses from major cities or airports to Dobra Voda. However, a few private minibus operators run daily routes between Dobra Voda – Bar and Dobra Voda – Ulcinj, though there is no official schedule. The fare is around €3 per trip.
Good to know:
Dobra Voda serves as a transit point for public transportation. All scheduled buses traveling north to Ulcinj and south from Ulcinj make a stop here.
All of these buses stop in Dobra Voda, so getting to Bar is easy. For more details on Bar, including what to see, where to eat, and the best beaches, check out my separate article.
Apartments and Hotels in Dobra Voda
One unique feature of Dobra Voda is that, unlike other Montenegrin resorts with centuries-old history, this area was developed more recently. As a result, residential buildings were constructed right by the water. Over time, generations came and went, homes were rebuilt, and the first-line properties remained in private hands.
Today, this means many hotels and apartments are built directly on the waterfront, with staircases leading from the hotel terraces down the rocky shore straight to the sea. You won’t find this in many other Montenegrin resorts—most places, like Budva or Bar, have roads or parks separating the beachfront from residential buildings.
Good to know:
In other coastal areas, land on the first line (even on rocky cliffs) has long been unavailable for purchase. However, just eight years ago, land in Dobra Voda was still for sale, leading to the construction of these new, small hotels with incredible sea views.
Below, you’ll find a dynamic ranking of the most popular apartments and hotels in Dobra Voda, based on tourist reviews. Click on each listing to view photos, prices, and guest ratings.
Important Note:
Dobra Voda consists of two parts:
- The older residential area, located on a hill above the main road.
- The newer hotel and tourist district, by the beach, also known as Dubrava.
Both areas are available for accommodation. However, if you choose to stay in a local apartment in the old part, be aware that the distance to the beach is around 2 km, with an elevation gain of 200 meters. If you’re traveling with small children, walking uphill with a stroller might not be ideal!
- The old part of the town is up on a hill above the main road (marked in yellow on maps) and has no beaches.
- The new part (Dubrava) is where all the development is happening and where both of Dobra Voda’s beaches are located.
Restaurants and Taverns in Dobra Voda
Like everywhere in Montenegro, even the smallest villages have plenty of places to eat, so you won’t go hungry here. The two most popular types of cuisine in tourist areas are:
- Montenegrin cuisine (lots of grilled meat)
- Mediterranean cuisine (pasta, pizza, risotto, and seafood)
However, most restaurants offer dishes from both traditions.
It’s important to know:
Portions in Montenegro are huge. If the menu lists a dish as 300 grams, that often refers to just the meat, with sides ordered separately.
Below are two restaurants I personally like. I wouldn’t say they’re the absolute best, but they serve large portions, have reasonable prices, and the food is delicious.
- Konoba Makina Vucinica – 42.048575313643774, 19.14494739839256. A family-run restaurant in the old part of town. If you walk from the beach, you’ll definitely build up an appetite—it’s a 2.5 km walk with a 220-meter elevation gain!
- Dubrava Konoba – 42.03025548529056, 19.15269055366985. Another family-run tavern. Affordable, tasty, and with generous portions. Highly recommended. Located just 900 meters from the main beach, with a small incline of about 50 meters.
Overview of the Beaches in Dobra Voda
Dobra Voda is a small town with only two real beaches. There are also a few rocky areas that some call “beaches,” but these are more like makeshift swimming spots. Essentially, if you can climb down into the water, it’s considered a beach. Often, this means a small 2×2 meter platform with a ladder leading into the sea. However, below, I’ll focus on the two actual beaches in Dobra Voda.
The beaches are called Mali Pijesak and Veliki Pijesak, which translate to “Small Sand” and “Big Sand.” However, let me clarify right away—these beaches have nothing to do with sand. The photos below will give you a better idea of what the beach surface looks like.
Veliki Pijesak (Big Sand Beach)
📍 Coordinates: 42.034578378455315, 19.142740300120145
This is the main beach of Dobra Voda, about 400 meters long, covered in pebbles. It is a public beach, meaning entrance is free. However, during peak season, about 80% of the beach is occupied by sun loungers, which cost €15-20 per day for two loungers and an umbrella. If you prefer, you can always lay down your own towel on the free areas.
Mali Pijesak (Small Sand Beach)
📍 Coordinates: 42.03935280213026, 19.143461543323372
This beach is divided into two sections, each about 100 meters long, separated by a rocky area and a hotel. It is less maintained than Veliki Pijesak, but sunbeds here also cost €20, and in peak season, it gets extremely crowded.
If you walk about 500 meters further, you’ll find rocky spots with decent water access. Some call this a wild beach, but it doesn’t really resemble a traditional beach.
And that’s pretty much all there is to say about Dobra Voda. There are no historical landmarks here. If you’re looking for activities, the main option is a boat tour along the coast, which includes a view of Roman Abramovich’s former villa—though whether he ever actually stayed there remains a mystery. Some say it’s just a tourist myth to make the excursion more interesting.
Important:
If you don’t have a car, you’ll likely get bored here quickly. There’s barely anything to do in the evenings—the promenade is so short that you can walk the entire length in about 10 minutes. Public transport is also limited, and many interesting places aren’t easily accessible by bus.
If you want to explore beyond Dobra Voda, here are a few easy day-trip options:
- Ulcinj – Home to Montenegro’s longest beach and an abandoned saltworks. (Full guide linked here.)
- Bar – Often called the shopping capital of Montenegro (though in reality, it’s not). A link to the Bar guide was at the beginning of this article.
You can also easily find a minibus to Albania from Dobra Voda. The border is just 20 km away. Some travelers go for cheap shopping, while others cross the border for a visa run. (Details on how to get to Albania are available in a separate guide.)
If you’re new to Montenegro, check out this useful article on current travel trends, covering everything first-time visitors should know.
If you haven’t decided where to stay yet and are looking for a small, laid-back resort like Dobra Voda, here are three other options on the Montenegrin coast. Each of these has better surroundings and landmarks, but they all attract a similar number of tourists:
Final Verdict: What to Expect from Dobra Voda
Don’t expect anything extraordinary from a vacation in Dobra Voda. It used to be a quiet little village, but today, it’s a fairly noisy resort, especially in July and August. If you read somewhere that Dobra Voda is peaceful and tranquil, that only applies from November to April, when there are no tourists.
Hotels didn’t pop up here for no reason—they are always full. More and more hotels keep being built, but the number of beaches remains the same: just two.
In short, Dobra Voda is a beach resort with no major attractions or cultural experiences. Your daily schedule here consists of the beach, a restaurant, and your hotel—repeat.
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- WayAway: Cheap flights and best deals.
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- Budget-friendly vacation packages to Montenegro: CheapOair.
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