Complete guide to visiting Moon Bay Beach in Slovenia

Moon Bay is often considered the best beach in Slovenia and just by looking at the view from the viewpoint on the way there, you can understand why. Moon Bay is a very secluded beach with crystal clear waters that attract people from all over the country and international visitors alike.

Since we live in Slovenia, we are always looking for nice places to go for a swim during the summer months and Moon Bay is definitely high on our list. In this guide, we’ll provide some tips on how to get to Moon Bay and what you should know before visiting.

Where is Moon Bay Beach located?

Moon Bay Beach is located in the small village of Strunjan in Slovenian Istria, a coastline that stretches from Italy to Croatia. Strunjan is located right in the middle of the most visited coastal cities in Slovenia: Piran, Portoroz, and Izola.

What makes Moon Bay Beach special is that it is quite secluded, it is only accessible via a short hike as it is part of the Strunjan National Park.

How to get to Moon Bay Beach?

It is not possible to get to Moon Bay Beach directly by car, so you need to be ready for a little hike. The good news is that the hike is short.

The Strunjan National Park is quite extensive and there are several walking paths inside it that would end up in the Moon Bay beach. The fastest and easiest way to get to Moon Bay is through the trail from Strunjan, which is the one we recommend taking.

The hike from Strunjan to Moon Bay beach

The trail to Moon Bay starts next to the yellow church called Church of the Apparition of the Virgin Mary (marked in the upper map as Parking option 1). 

From the church, you have to continue straight on the same road. You will pass a restaurant called Okrepčevalnica pri Križu and you will see a gate closing the car access – just continue straight through the parking lot until you see a white cross.

From this point, you will start seeing the view open up showing you an incredible angle of the Moon Bay beach, as you see on the next picture. Continue to your right and the path should be very straightforward. From this moment, it will be a steep way down but the path is easy to follow, consisting mostly of steps.

Other hiking options to get to Moon Bay beach

There is also the option of walking from the main beach in Strunjan Bay to Moon Bay through the shore. This path, however, is not very straightforward as you may have to step in the water during some parts.

If you decide to take this path, be careful about the tides, especially if you will be visiting during the off-season like winter.

We are personally not big fans of walking on those small little rocks, so we prefer the main path described in the section above.

There are also people that hike from Piran to Moon Bay instead of taking the bus from Piran to Strunjan. In this case, you can expect this to be an almost full-day trip.

Parking options in Strunjan for visiting Moon Bay Beach

There are three options of places to park in Strunjan for visiting Moon Bay beach:

There are free parking spaces located right in front of the church where the trail starts. However, there are only a few parking spots available at this place so you have to be lucky or come very early to secure a place.

The restaurant Okrepčevalnica pri Križu also offers daily parking, which costs 10 € per day.

The main parking down at Strunjan Bay is a great option and is where most people park their cars when visiting Moon Bay Beach. The parking lot uses regular parking meters, so you just pay for the hours you spend there. The parking costs 1,50 € per hour.

Best time of the day to visit Moon Bay beach in Slovenia

One thing you need to know about Moon Bay is that during the morning, half of the bay is in the shade as the sun is still low. Around 11 am (in the summer), the sun comes up and the whole extension of the beach is then in the sun during the rest of the day, until late afternoon.

The shoreline is very narrow and has almost no natural shade.

We personally recommend going to Moon Bay Beach early morning so you can enjoy those few hours with shade before the sun kicks in. It gets quite hot in there, so make sure you can tolerate the strong sun and have plenty of sunscreen.

Since Moon Bay is well known as the best beach in Slovenia, it gets quite busy during the summer. 12-16h is the busiest period on the beach.

Best time of the year to visit Moon Bay beach in Slovenia

Moon Bay Beach is a place that can be visited all year round but with different purposes. 

For swimming, the best time of the year to visit Moon Bay Beach is during the summer.

For the hike, you can still visit Moon Bay beach during the off-seasons but it will have a much different atmosphere. During the winter, for example, it gets very empty but still provides breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea and the Slovenian coastline.

Visiting Moon Bay Beach: what to bring with you

The greatest quality about Moon Bay Beach is that it is very secluded, but this is also its main flaw because this means there is no infrastructure at the beach at all.

So if you are planning to spend a day at the beach, here are a few things you will want to bring with you:

• Bring your own umbrella or tent (the beach is made of rocks so you may have to be a bit creative to affix the umbrella but we’ve seen it work)
• Sunscreen – lots of it. After midday, there isn’t any natural shade
• Bring snacks and drinks with you, especially water as it gets hot
• Beach shoes are great here because the beach is made of little rocks that hurt your feet quite a lot (especially for the kids)
• Floaties! There is literally not a single wave at Moon Bay Beach, making it the perfect place to be floating around

Also, remember that this is a natural beach – there are no toilets or showers available. 

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Swimming at Moon Bay Beach

There is no better feeling than taking a dip in the crystal clear waters of Moon Bay beach. Swimming here is safe and calm, perfect for children too. 

However, you must be aware that because this isn’t a beach with lifeguards present, it’s important to take extra care when swimming with kids.

The temperature of the water at Moon Bay Beach is chill and pleasant during the summer, but it gets quite cold during the winter. I would only recommend swimming on Moon Bay Beach during the summer and hot months of the year.

Read also: Best beaches in Slovenia

What to visit nearby after going to Moon Bay Beach

After visiting Moon Bay beach, how about you take some time to explore more of the Slovenian seaside?

Here are some things to do in the area:

• Visit the Slovenian salt flats
• Go to Piran, the most beautiful coastal city in Slovenia in our opinion
• Go swimming at Portoroz beach
• Go stand-up paddling
• Explore Izola, a very cozy seaside town in Slovenia

What is the best place to stay for visiting Moon Bay Beach?

If your main goal is to visit Moon Bay Beach, the best cities to stay in are Piran, Portoroz, or Izola. From each of these coastal Slovenian towns, it will take you only a short car or bus ride to Strunjan and from there, you can do the hike to Moon Bay beach.

We personally prefer Piran as you will have many options for restaurants to go to and cute places to stay. However, from the accessibility point of view, all three would serve you just fine.

Best places to stay in Piran:

1. Hotel Piran – One of the most iconic hotels on the Slovenian coast is located right next to the main square in Piran. It is a bit more expensive option, but in our opinion, it’s totally worth it.
2. Apartments VIP Residence – If you would like to rent a nice apartment with a pool, a bit outside of the center of Piran, we definitely recommend this option.
3. Studio Apartment Moro – If you are looking for a bit cheaper, but nevertheless a great option for a stay, we recommend checking this place! This recently renovated studio is located right next to Punta Piran Beach.

Visiting Moon Bay Beach is a great experience – and you can take that as a strong recommendation even coming from a Slovenian like me.

We love finding secluded places to go to and Moon Bay Beach was definitely one for the list. We hope this guide has helped you plan your visit to one of the best beaches in Slovenia.

Happy travels!