Miločer / Queen's Beach Anchorage Guide
Also known as: Milocer, Miločer Bay, Plaža Milocer, Queen's Beach, Kraljičina plaža
Miločer is one of the most scenically privileged spots on the Montenegrin coast — a tiny bay backed by the former royal summer villa of Yugoslavia's Karađorđević royal family, set among Mediterranean gardens of pine and oleander. The property was built in the 1930s and King Alexander used it as his summer residence; today it operates as the Miločer hotel and forms part of the Aman resort family alongside Sveti Stefan (0.3nm SE). The beach (Plaža Milocer) is consistently rated among the most beautiful on the Adriatic — fine sand, clear water, and the extraordinary backdrop of the Miločer park and royal gardens. The beach is technically private (hotel property) but anchoring offshore is permitted — Montenegro's public seabed law allows anchoring outside the swimming exclusion zone regardless of the adjacent land ownership. The anchorage is very shallow (2–4m) with mixed sand and rock holding that is only fair — Miločer is for lunch stops, not overnights. The full SE exposure means any southerly weather makes the bay untenable immediately. In calm morning conditions with settled high pressure, the bay is one of the most beautiful swim stops on the entire Adriatic coast.
Quick Reference
GPS Coordinates
42°15.5'N 18°52.9'E
Depth
2–5m
Bottom
sand, rock
Holding
Fair holdingProtected From
N, NE
Exposed To
S, SE, SW, W, NW, E
Best Months
May, June, September
Anchoring Fee
Free to anchor. Hotel cannot charge anchoring fees for the public seabed.
Vignette Required
Yes — purchase at port of entry
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
55m in the main bay is tight for the shallow, compact anchorage. Reduce to 40m if other boats are present. Miločer is explicitly a lunch-stop anchorage — the holding is only fair on mixed sand-rock and the exposure from all southern quadrants makes overnight here appropriate only in the calmest conditions of the year (typically June or early September with stable high pressure). Do not overnight here without checking the Adriatic swell forecast for the following morning.
Main bay — off Miločer beach: 55m recommended — The small bay off Miločer beach in 2–4m on sand and rock.
S of headland — approach anchorage: 70m recommended — S of the headland that separates Miločer from Sveti Stefan in 4–7m on sand.
N inlet — Bora lee behind headland: 40m recommended — A tiny inlet immediately N of the Miločer headland in 2–3m.
Anchoring Zones
Miločer / Queen's Beach has 3 distinct anchoring zones, each with different depth, holding, and exposure characteristics.
Zone 1: Main bay — off Miločer beach
- Depth: 2–5m
- Bottom: sand, rock
- Holding: Fair holding
- Protected from: N, NE
- Exposed to: S, SE, SW, W, NW, E
- Recommended alarm radius: 55m
The small bay off Miločer beach in 2–4m on sand and rock. Holding is fair — anchor on the sand patches (visible in clear water) and avoid the rock shelves. Very shallow — boats drawing more than 1.5m will find depth restricts swing room significantly. The former royal villa (now the Miločer hotel annex) sits on the hillside behind the beach. The beach (Plaža Milocer) is technically private hotel property but anchoring offshore is permitted as the seabed is public domain. Best as a short lunch stop in calm conditions — the exposure from all quadrants except N makes it unsuitable for overnight.
Zone 2: S of headland — approach anchorage
- Depth: 4–8m
- Bottom: sand
- Holding: Fair holding
- Protected from: N, NE, NW
- Exposed to: S, SE, SW, E
- Recommended alarm radius: 70m
S of the headland that separates Miločer from Sveti Stefan in 4–7m on sand. Fair holding. More depth than the inner bay and slightly better protection from the NW. Day anchorage only — exposure to SE Jugo remains total. Used by passage boats making the transit between Budva and Petrovac who want a lunch stop near Sveti Stefan without the lagoon restrictions.
Zone 3: N inlet — Bora lee behind headland
- Depth: 2–4m
- Bottom: sand
- Holding: Good holding
- Protected from: N, NE, E
- Exposed to: S, SE, SW, W
- Recommended alarm radius: 40m
A tiny inlet immediately N of the Miločer headland in 2–3m. The headland gives Bora shelter from the NE in moderate conditions — the narrowness of the inlet significantly reduces wave action from that direction. Very shallow — 1.5m draft maximum. Sand bottom, good holding in the confined space. A perfect tender or dinghy anchorage; suitable for smaller yachts (under 10m) only. Day use exclusively.
Setting Your Anchor
The bottom at Miločer / Queen's Beach is primarily sand and rock with variable holding that requires extra attention.
- Approach slowly and check your depth sounder. At 2–5m, deploy minimum 7:1 scope (35m chain at 5m depth).
- Drop into the wind and pay out chain steadily as the boat drifts back.
- Set firmly in reverse — 30–60 seconds at moderate throttle.
- Check the evening Jugo forecast before going below. The Budva Riviera is fully exposed to SE swell — if Jugo above F3 is forecast by morning, consider moving to Budva Marina or Porto Montenegro for the night. Use the scope calculator to confirm adequate chain.
Recommended anchor types: Rocna, Mantus, Spade.
Overnight Anchoring & Anchor Alarm
Overnight stays at Miločer / Queen's Beach are feasible in settled conditions but require vigilance — the anchorage is exposed to S and SE and SW and W and NW and E winds.
Set your GPS anchor alarm to 55m radius before going below. 55m in the main bay is tight for the shallow, compact anchorage. Reduce to 40m if other boats are present. Miločer is explicitly a lunch-stop anchorage — the holding is only fair on mixed sand-rock and the exposure from all southern quadrants makes overnight here appropriate only in the calmest conditions of the year (typically June or early September with stable high pressure). Do not overnight here without checking the Adriatic swell forecast for the following morning.
Usable in calm conditions May–September. May and June are optimal — settled weather, no hotel enforcement pressure, excellent light. July–August: hotel enforcement active, area busy with hotel tender traffic, but anchorage itself is never crowded. September: often the most beautiful month here. Not suitable October–April.
Navigation Hazards
- Near-total exposure: Miločer bay is exposed to S, SE, SW, W, NW, and E — only N and NE provide any shelter; this is one of the most exposed anchorages on the Budva Riviera and should not be used in anything but the calmest summer conditions
- Poor holding on rock: the mixed sand and rock bottom provides only fair holding — anchors can drag on rock in any swell conditions without warning; confirm set carefully before swimming
- Very shallow draft restriction: 2–4m throughout the main bay — boats drawing over 1.5m have very limited safe anchoring area and must use echosounder throughout the approach
- Hotel beach enforcement: in peak season hotel staff will approach if boats anchor within the marked swimming exclusion zone — stay outside the buoy line at all times
- Rock shelves on approach: the headlands on both N and S sides of the bay have submerged rock shelves; approach on a straight bearing from the W, not angled from N or S
Rules & Regulations
- Montenegro cruising permit (vignette): Mandatory for all foreign yachts. From ~€89/month. Purchase at first port of entry.
- Anchoring fee: Free to anchor. Hotel cannot charge anchoring fees for the public seabed.
- Maximum stay: 1 days
- Restrictions: The beach (Plaža Milocer) is private hotel property — do not land without hotel permission (hotel guests have exclusive beach access). Swimming from the anchorage is permitted in the public seabed area (outside the beach buoy line). Do not approach the hotel's private jetty or mooring structures.
- Tourist tax: ~€1–2 per person per night, paid within 24 hours of arrival.
For a full overview, see our overnight anchoring rules by region guide.
Facilities
- Fresh water: Not available on site
- Fuel: Not available — nearest: Pržno village (0.5nm NW) (0.5nm)
- Restaurant: None — nearest at Pržno village (0.5nm NW) (0.5nm)
- Provisions: None on site — Pržno village (0.5nm NW) (0.5nm)
Skipper's Tips
- The finest use of Miločer is a calm-morning swim stop on a S-to-N passage — arrive 09:00 before the afternoon breeze, anchor in the sand section (visible in clear water), swim, and depart by 13:00 before the Maestral fills in from the W
- The Miločer park gardens above the beach are visible from the anchorage — the combination of Mediterranean flora, stone villa, and azure sea is the defining image of the Montenegrin Riviera
- For photography, the best position is directly off the beach in 3m — the villa and gardens frame perfectly behind the beach; morning light (before 10:00) is optimal
- After the lunch stop at Miločer, Pržno village (0.5nm NW, 10 minutes under engine) offers a good afternoon anchorage with excellent konoba — the natural follow-on to a Miločer swim stop
- Do not attempt to land on the beach unless you are a hotel guest — the Miločer beach staff are polite but firm about the private access restriction; the swim from the anchorage is excellent in any case
A note on this guide: Data has been researched from multiple sailing sources and is provided in good faith. Conditions — depth, holding, regulations — can change. Always check forecasts and current official charts before visiting. Use a GPS anchor alarm and never rely solely on a guide for navigational decisions.
Sleep peacefully at Miločer / Queen's Beach
Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously and sounds a loud alarm the moment your boat drifts — essential on the Budva Riviera where Jugo swell can build overnight without warning.
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