Where the Neretva finally meets the Adriatic Sea, a wide and shallow bay opens between the towns of Ploče to the north and the village of Blace to the south, with the small settlement of Komin sitting at the river's edge inland. This is the river mouth — ušće Neretve — a place of great natural beauty, warm winds, and sandy shores unlike anything else on the Croatian coast.
The river deposits sediment as it slows before the sea, creating a large sand spit that extends almost a kilometre into the bay. The water here is flat and extraordinarily shallow — at the edge it barely reaches the ankles — gradually deepening further out. The sandy bottom, the warm shallow water, and the gentle entry make this an ideal place for families with children, who can wade and play safely while the adults enjoy the surroundings.
The mouth of the Neretva is widely regarded as the best kitesurfing spot on the entire Croatian coast, sometimes called the Croatian Brazil for its sandy beaches and reliable wind. The dominant summer wind is the maestral — a daily thermal wind caused by the temperature difference between the warming Neretva valley and the cooler sea air. It typically begins blowing between noon and 1 pm and continues well into the evening, making afternoon sessions almost guaranteed from May through September. The sirocco (jugo) from the south provides an alternative when the maestral weakens.
There are two main kite centres at the mouth. Neretva Kiteboarding, established in 2011, sits at the bottom of the bay with slightly less wind and more shallow water — well suited for beginners. Kiteboarding Komin, further out into the bay, offers stronger and more reliable wind with a mix of flat water, small waves, and sandbanks — a playground for intermediate and advanced riders. Both centres offer multi-day courses with equipment included, as well as rescue boats, storage, showers, and facilities. Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is popular in the mornings before the wind picks up.
The area around the river mouth has an auto-camp directly at the water, making it popular with kite surfers and campers who arrive by motorhome or tent. The nearby village of Blace, about 5 minutes by car from the main kite spot, offers apartments and small accommodation options at reasonable prices and has a handful of restaurants. Rogotin, on the road between Ploče and Metković, is another quiet village with accommodation and the well-known restaurant Teta Olga, famous for its traditional neretvanski brudet — a rich fish stew with eel, mullet, and frog, eaten with polenta, a dish deeply rooted in the culture of this valley. For supplies, the nearest town with a supermarket, ATM, and petrol station is Opuzen, about 10 minutes away.
The Baćinska jezera — a chain of seven interconnected lakes near Ploče — are within easy reach and offer a calmer alternative for swimming, kayaking, and boat trips in unspoiled surroundings.
The river mouth is located about 10 km from Ploče and approximately 1.5 hours' drive south of Split. The nearest airports are Split and Dubrovnik (about 90 minutes). Access to the beach and parking are free.