Swimming at Lake Skadar: Best Spots, Season and Tips

Can You Swim in Lake Skadar?

You can, and most summer visitors do. Lake Skadar is a freshwater lake, so there is no salt and no sting after you dry off. The water quality is good across most of the Montenegrin side, helped by the springs that constantly refresh the lake.

The thing to understand is the shoreline. Much of the lake edge is dense reed and floating vegetation, which is great for birds but poor for swimming. The good swimming spots are open-water coves and rocky bays where the reeds give way to clear water. Many of the best ones are only reachable by boat. For the wider picture of the lake and its national park, see the Lake Skadar complete guide.

Water Temperature by Season

The lake is shallow and sits low in a warm basin, so it heats up fast in summer and holds that warmth.

• April to May: 16 to 20°C. Cool, brief dips only.
• June: 22 to 25°C. Comfortable.
• July to August: 25 to 27°C. Warmest, best for swimming.
• September: 22 to 24°C. Still pleasant.
• October: 18 to 21°C. Cooling, for the hardy.

For a month-by-month view of air temperature and weather alongside the water, see the best time to visit guide.

Best Swimming Spots

The lake has no large developed beaches, which is part of its appeal. Instead you find a scatter of coves and bays, some by road, the best by boat.

Clear-water coves by boat

The standout swimming is at hidden coves along the northwestern shore, where deep, clear water sits over a pebble bed. You can see the bottom several metres down. These spots are quiet because the only way in is by water, and they sit away from the bird nesting zones.

Dodoši

Near the abandoned village of Dodoši, the lake runs cold and exceptionally clear from spring water. It is a favourite swimming stop on the water, with room to dive in straight from the boat. The dedicated Dodoši tour builds in a swimming stop here.

Murići and the southeastern shore

On the far side of the lake, the pebble beach at Murići is one of the few road-accessible swimming spots, set below the Albanian-border mountains. It is more developed than the northern coves, with a small beach and seasonal cafés.

Rijeka Crnojevića river section

The river channels near Rijeka Crnojevića are calm and shallow, with a gentle flow. They suit a cooling dip rather than a long swim, and they put you among the lily fields and stone bridges.

Swimming on a Boat Tour

The simplest way to combine swimming with the rest of the lake is to swim from a boat. A private tour can stop at a clear cove on the route, so you get the wildlife, the canyon and a swim in one trip.

Several routes include a swimming stop. The Dodoši tour is built around one, and the full 67 km lake circuit reaches hidden coves you could not otherwise find. Bring a towel and swimwear, and Captain Dusko will pick a calm, clean spot away from the nesting areas. Compare every route on the tours page.

Safety Tips

The lake is gentle, but a few sensible rules apply.

• No lifeguards. This is a wild lake, not a managed beach. Swim within your limits.
• Watch the reeds. Avoid swimming into thick vegetation, where footing and visibility drop.
• Keep clear of nesting zones.Marked buffers around the pelican colony are off limits, for the birds' sake and yours.
• Mind the sun. Open water reflects light strongly. Use sunscreen, a hat and water.
• Children near the boat. The clear coves are calm and shallow at the edge, which suits families, but keep young swimmers within reach.

The water itself poses little hazard. There are no tides, no jellyfish and, on the open lake, no real current.