Home to one of Croatia's top national parks and an untamed paradise, the Dalmatian island of Mljet has only a few residents, just a single major road, and no large towns. Half the island is dedicated to the national park, with nearby seaside villages offering visitors opportunities to hike, bike, swim, and enjoy the scenery. Fables tell of Odysseus spending seven years on this island; once you take the opportunity to visit, you may just want to stay, yourself. Mljet's diving is much like diving throughout the rest of Croatia, with one exception: Here, you can dive in two spectacular inland salt lakes.
Highlights and Features: Mljet National Park
Surrounded by fragrant pine trees, a pair of salt water filled lakes are the highlight of Mljet National Park. These lakes are actually connected to the ocean beyond by a narrow canal; they are beautifully blue and incredibly clear. At one time, they were freshwater lakes; however, the channel separating them formed about 2,000 years ago. Lake Malo Jezero and Lake Veliko Jezero offer clean water, and are travelled only by small boats licensed to carry passengers to the island of Sv Marija, where a 12th century Benedictine monastery has been converted to a wonderful restaurant. Underwater, you'll find beautiful rock formations, ledges, nooks and small grottoes to explore. Maximum depth in the lakes is 46 meters.
On Mljet's southern shore, there are a number of dive sites; availability depends much on the weather. Maximum depth is 86 meters beyond the walls that lead from the shallow plateaus surrounding Mljet, but there is no shortage of things to see in much shallower water. The marine life here is exquisite, with red coral, lush anemones, and beautiful sponges creating a fantastic backdrop against which fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates make their homes. Watch for Mediterranean barracuda, garfish, tuna, and dentex passing in the blue, and octopus, lobsters, schooling damselfish, and wrasse closer to shore.
Travel Tips for Divers
You can access Mljet from either end via either Polace or Pomena; each of these towns have restaurants and accommodations available. There is a small entrance fee for admission to the national park, which includes a boat trip to the monastery. If you choose to take a day trip to the island, you can access it via a car ferry from Korcula or Dubrovnik; these ferries run only during the summer months. Car ferries from Prapratno run all year. If you have no rental car and want to take a passenger ferry, trips are available from Dubrovnik, between June and September, with a connection to Korcula available during July and August.
Most of the accommodations on Mljet are private, and are located either in Pomena or Polace. There is only one hotel on the island - Hotel Odisj, located in Pomena. You can visit - and dive - any time of year, but the best time to come is during the summer months, when the weather is warmest. If you prefer cooler weather and want to enjoy greater solitude, visit during the spring or autumn months.