Each of Croatia’s islands is beautiful and unique. Each offers a different experience. After you finish the highlights of the Croatian mainland, consider visiting Mljet, Croatia’s “greenest” island for a retreat.
Why you should visit Mljet
Mljet, Croatia’s southernmost island, is the place to go if you’re looking for a peaceful break surrounded by nature, forests and lakes.
It’s a crowd-free alternative to Croatia’s busier, more vibrant islands. Imagine unspoilt nature, gentle walks, bike rides, and swimming at quiet beaches and beautiful lakes.
Mljet is a perfect day trip from the busy Dubrovnik. It’s an easy ferry ride from the mainland.
Our visit to Mljet National Park
Our yacht slipped into the small settlement of Pomena in Mljet National Park. We had left Dubrovnik early, before breakfast, giving us the morning to enjoy activities on the island before sailing on.
Several other yachts were already docked in the port. The port is one of the closest entrances to the National Park.
The best things to do in Mljet National Park
Mljet National Park is best known for its two turquoise saltwater lakes and the Church of St Mary and Benedictine Monastery, which dates back to 1151 and sits in the middle of the larger lake.
A short 20-minute walk from the port along a paved forest path, then a gravel path brings you to where the two saltwater lakes meet.
Swim in the lakes
The national park has a few swim spots. When we arrived, people were already swimming in the clear turquoise waters of the lakes. A small bridge gives walkers and cyclists access to the two lakes from above, and swimmers access both from below.
Hire a bicycle
Mljet National Park is a great place to cycle around. The paths looping around the park are well signed, letting you enjoy the natural surroundings at a quicker pace.
We noticed it was cheaper to rent the bikes at the port than at the lakeside vendor. The only downside with renting at the port is having to take the bike up the pathway to reach the lakeside bike trail.
Take a hike
We decided to take a hike around the lakes. The hike (more like a walk) followed the cycle path around the lakes, and we had it almost to ourselves.
A 45-minute anti-clockwise walk from the bridge between the lakes takes you along a path to one of the closest points to the small island where the Church of St Mary and Monastery are situated. You’ll be surrounded by lush greenery all the way.
There is also a ferry taxi service/restaurant at this point
For other walking and hiking options on Mljet, see this post.
Take a ferry ride on the lake
Take a ferry ride on the lake and visit St Mary and the Monastery on the island. While we didn’t have time to visit, our readings informed us that the small church is serene and quiet, and the Monastery gardens are equally tranquil.
Explore Pomena
The small settlement of Pomena is home to around 50 full-time inhabitants. The numbers swell in the summer months. We found the port and bay area compact and quiet. It was a nice place to sit and watch the comings and goings in the harbour before we re-boarded our yacht after we walked around the lakes.
Our conclusion
Unspoilt natural beauty and tranquillity are the key features of spending time on Mljet and in the National Park.
Our time on the island was short and limited because of windy weather preventing our yacht from sailing to Mljet the previous day. However, our morning exploring the National Park gave us insight into an island remarkably different from most popular Croatian islands which draw tourists.
If you love nature, enjoy hiking and prefer quiet, laid-back evenings by the water, then you’ll love visiting Mljet, Croatia’s “greenest” island.
Mljet is the perfect Croatian island if you enjoy nature, like hiking and prefer quiet, laid-back evenings by the water.
In case you’re interested
We took the opportunity to experience the Croatian islands and coastline on a week-long sailing on a small ship. It was the perfect way to see and enjoy more of each unique island. Read more through the link below.
If you’re keen to see more of Croatia, read some of our other posts on things to do.
