This summer we spent our holidays in South Dalmatia, on the exceptionally beautiful island of Mljet. We spent 14 days on the island, seen all the main sights and visited most places on the island. If you are interested in seeing how the days were spent, you can see a brief summary of our vacation here.

We visited Mljet for the first time. Why did my wife and me decide to go visit the greenest island on the Adriatic Sea, you can read here. We decided to travel to Mljet at night. This was a smart decision, so we could avoid crowds on the road. Early in the morning, at 6.30 we arrived to Prapratno on the Pelješac peninsula, where we took the 7AM ferry. You can see the course of the trip and the calculation of travel costs here.

Accommodation on the Mljet island

If you are interested in accommodation on Mljet, I suggest you book your apartment here at the desired date. We also booked our super apartment in Saplunara on Mljet via Booking. Safe and easy.

About Mljet island

Mljet island is an extremely quiet island. You will not find mass tourism on the island. Also there are no hotel complexes there. Only one hotel exists on the island in Pomena. Most tourists are accommodated in apartments, camping is also possible in Kozarice, Babino polje and Ropa. The island is very suitable for hikers and cyclists. There are many unpaved roads that are difficult to pass by car. Mljet, however, is a rather hilly island. The highest point Veliki vrh measures 514 meters above sea level. The main road between Pomena on one side of the island and Saplunara on the other side takes you to a fairly high altitude, so while driving, you can enjoy the panoramic view. We sure did.

Some basic information about the Mljet island:
– Area of the island: 100 km², the eighth largest island in Croatia
– Length and width of the island: 37 km and 3 km
– Coastline: 135 km
– Population: 1111 inhabitants (in 2001)
– Highest point: Veliki grad 514 m

Top 5 most beautiful beaches on the Mljet island

There are several exceptional beaches on the island where it is definitely worth to spend the day. The best feature on most beaches of the island is the shade, that you can find almost everywhere. Also, beaches are not too crowded. In more hidden bays you can even be alone completely or share the beach with only a few visitors.

Below is the selection of our 5 favorite beaches on Mljet. Certainly there are other beaches and bays that are worth visiting, but they were not mentioned below.

My wife and I are a bit sorry that we did not descend to the bay in Ropa on the south of the island. Somehow, we did not find enough information on how to access the bay, so with our little children we did not dare to get on this path.

1. Velika Saplunara

Velika Saplunara is a sandy beach and is located in the immediate vicinity of the Saplunara village. On the beach you can rent sun loungers with sunshades to provide shade right next the water. If you take a few steps from the beach, ther is a pine forest where natural shade is available. You will also see a wooden playground underneath the pine trees, which was most enjoyed by my little girls. You can reach the beach by passing through the village of Saplunara and by the main road, you will notice a restaurant on the right, where you can park free of charge. To get to the beach, you need to descend the stairs through the already mentioned pine forest. If you are staying in Saplunara, you can walk from the other side to reach it – the path is next to the only shop in the village. The beach has a stunning view of the open sea, so you will see a few boats enjoying this beautiful bay during the season.

Here you can see video about Mala and Velika Saplunara.

2. Mala Saplunara

If you take another 500 meters on the road from Velika Saplunara you will reach the end of the asphalt road. Then take a short drive (50 meters) along a macadam road and you will arrive to Mala Saplunara, where you can also park for free. On the beach you will notice a “Beach bar”, which is managed by Mrs. Ana, who owns Posta apartments, where we were staying. The Posta apartments are in the immediate vicinity, 50 to 60 meters away. The beach is sandy and smaller in comparison to the Velika Saplunara beach and also has no view of the open sea. We loved the shade on the beach though. Our girls were playing in the wather in the shade every morning. This ment a lot to us because we do not want to expose ourselves to the strong sun. On this beach we were bathing a loth, because it was really close to the apartment. We also used the “Beach Bar” almost daily, the prices were perfectly normal: ice cream from 7 to 15 kunas, beer and radler to 15 kunas.

3. Plaža Blace

The most famous and charming beach is Blace beach, which is only 2 kilometers from the village of Saplunara. It is an umblemished sandy beach, about 800 meters long and fused with nature. There are just a few daily visitors on this beach, which adds additional charm to it so I strongly recommend that you visit it. You can reach it by driving from Mala Saplunar, past the Posta apartment, along the macadam road. You can also take a walk or ride a bike if you have it at your disposal. While driving to the beach you will be able to enjoy the view of the open sea and watch the waves bumping along a steep shore. There are also some benches on the way, where you can stop and enjoy a great view. When you will arrive to the end of the road you will notice two, three apartments (not exactly in apealing condition) and a parking lot where you can park – again for free. You will reach the beach on a paved walkway and stairs and as soon as you step onto the beach you will be enchanted. The first impression is like a scene from a movie, it resembles a shot from the movie Blue Lagoon, you watched this movie, didn’t you?

4. Plaža Sutmiholjska

Sutmiholjska Beach is a pebbly beach and is located just somewhere in the middle of the island – on the south side. If you drive from Sobra to Babino polje, you will notice a sign after a while, where you turn left to access the Sutmiholjska Beach. After a beautiful and wide road you will then descend to the beach where you can park for free. And you will be thrilled even before getting out of the car. I know we were. :). The view of the beach from the parking lot is exceptional. Crystal turquoise water and boats of different colors, which are inviting you to photograph them countless times. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of shade on the beach.

Short video about our daily trip to the Sutmiholjska beach – VIDEO

More pictures about this beautiful beach is here.

5. Kopanje ob Malem mostu

I do not know if in this case this would be called a beach, but at the passage between Malo and Veliko jezero lakes in the National Park, you have to jump into the water. There is not a swimmer who would not try to swim in the canal from Malo jezero towards Veliko jezero and fight the upstream current. You will have to do your best to swim to Veliko jezero. Swimming in salt lakes is perfect for all who enjoy warmer sea waters. In the lakes, water is 2 to 3 degrees warmer than in the sea.

Which places are worth visiting?

All the places on the island are mostly villages where the locals mostly deal with renting apartments, fishing and some wine and olive growing. In most villages you will find only one store and a restaurant or two. There is more going on on the western part of the island – National Park, in the cities Polače and Pomena. I did not notice any fish markets on the island, at least there was none in Saplunara, but I quickly found a local fisherman who sold me fresh fish in the morning, directly from the boat. I gave him 100 kunas for about 1 kg of fish (oar, scorpion). Shops in these villages are well stocked, but meat is very difficult to find. It is also very difficult to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. There are no markets in these villages and the supply in the stores is poor.

Below you can see the map of the Mljet island. The part marked with the red color is defined as the National Park.

Saplunara

Saplunara is a village in the far southwest of the island. They say that Saplunara is the last hidden pearl of the Adriatic, which mass tourism has not yet touched. I would agree, although on certain days there were quite a lot of daily bathers, especially on sandy beaches of Mala and Velika Saplunara. The calmest was in the morning and in the evening. At that time, we took a lot of time and enjoyed a relaxing stroll along the completely empty beaches. Saplunara is best known for its sandy beaches, which attract tourists from the sea side (boats, sailing boats).

Okuklje

It is a small village, which today is a popular destination for nautics. For boats this bay represents a very safe shelter, even in case of bad weather. We only visited this village briefly. From the main road, the road descend steeply to the bay, where you can park your car free of charge and walk through the village.

Prožura in Prožarska luka

Prožura is a completely deserted village along the main road. The view of this village is sad, because it is mostly just abandoned houses that are decaying. More interesting to us was Prožurska Luka, which is located near, by the sea. We really liked this coastal village which we visited at sunset. There were some apartments, some smaller cafes and restaurants, otherwise this is a very quiet place. Prožurska Luka is also popular for all nautics, since the bay is quite deep and consequently safe.

Sobra

Sobra is a bay in which on the left side there is a settlement and on the right side of this bay there is a ferry port, where ferry rides daily to the Peljašac peninsula (Prapratno). A catamaran is also riding from this port to Dubrovnik. In the village, which I will remember by a very narrow road, there is one small shop and some restaurants located along the coast. You can also rent an apartment or a room in Sobra. For those who will be on the island without a car, there is also a bus line that can drive you from Sobra to the National park in the western part of the island or to the sandy beaches in Saplunara on the eastern part of the island.

Babino Polje

Babino Polje is the largest and also the oldest village on the island, which has about 400 permanent residents. The village does not have direct access to the sea. It is located parallel to the main road. If you go from Sobra to the National Park, you have to turn right from the main road to enter the village. The settlement is scattered along the local road and it extends over two kilometers across. Babino polje is also the starting point for all of those who are going to take the trip to the Odisejeve špilje (Caves of Odyssey), that you can reach by descending south on the marked path from Babino polje down to the sea. Odisejeva špilja is the closest access to the sea for the inhabitants of Babino Polje. The southern coast of the island in this area is rocky and very difficult to access. Locals from the village have accessed the open sea through the Odisejeve špilje with boats.

The thought that I would have to live in the village of Babino polje, was a little scary and a bit unimaginable.

We had to pass through the village twice, because me and my wife were fascinated by it. It is as if time has stopped here. Really.

Polače

When you arrive to the National Park in the west side of the Mljet, the first place to reach is Polače. There were a few more sailboats and other seagoing vessels here. There were also several catering offerings noticed. I was very surprised that at every step you can rent a bike here (also elsewhere in the National Park). Cycling around the park and especially around salt lakes is very popular here. I tried all this with my daughter Hana. Read more about it below.

Pomena

Pomena is slightly larger than the town Polače. You will find even more catering offers here. You can also find a souvenir stand in the town. Here is also the only hotel on the island – Hotel Odisej. The ferry and catamaran also drive from Pomena. From here we went on a trip to Dubrovnik with a catamaran. Here you can rent a bicycle with children’s seats at every turn as well, which is very practical if you have small children.

Goveđari

Between Polače and Pomena, there is an exceptionally small village called Goveđari, in which there are about 10 really old houses. A similar feeling as in the town Babino polje, time certainly runs slower here.

We stopped in all the villages mentioned above and did a little of sightseeing . When we drove from Saplunara and into it, we passed through the villages of Maranovići and Korita. Both of them are located on the main road and are quite small.

For the next trip to this exceptional island we left the villages of Ropa, Blato and Kozarica, the ones this year we did not have time to visit.

Odisejeva špilja (Odyssey cave)

One of the most frequently visited tourist attractions on Mljet is definitely the Odisejeva špilja cave. It is located on the southern part of the island, near Babino polje. Odisejeva špilja is an oval shape and is 4-5 meters wide from the sea side and only has a good meter and a half of height (between the sea and the height of the ceiling of the cave). If possible, visit this place in the middle of the day, then sunlight shines into the cave and creates a turquoise blue spectrum of colors, reflected in the sea in the cave. It’s definitely worth seeing and taking pictures. Unfortunately, we were on this trip late in the afternoon, so this light was not so pronounced.

In the past, Odisejeva špilja served as a shelter for fishing vessels. Namely in this part of Mljet, the coast is very steep and difficult to reach, so the fishermen from Babino polje sailed through the cave with boats to the open sea and then return back to the mainland.

Regarding the Odisjeve špilje, there is a legend saying that Odysseus traveled past here with his ship and sank. He would swim to the island and find himself in a cave and that’s how he saved his life. At that time, the nymph Kalipso ruled the island, and Odysseus succumbed to her charms and beauties of the Mljet island itself and stayed here for 7 years.

In memory of this legend, you will find an improvised house at the Odisejeva špilja, on which Hotel Kalypso is written wittily.

Because the coastline here is very steep and nature has created various shelves on the cliff, you can try to jump into the water. You can test your bravery jumping to water from different highs. We did.

More about our adventures on that day you can find here.

Short video about Odyssey cave – VIDEO

National Park Mljet

As much as one third of the island represents the National park, which extends in the far northwestern part. The National Park includes the following villages: Polače, Pristanište, Goveđari, Babine Kuće and Pomena. When you drive to the National Park, the first place you will reach is Polače, which is two to three kilometers from the lakes. You can just leave a car here and walk to the lakes. Alternatively, you can rent bicycles (recommended) and ride around the lakes and take a look at all the sights of the park. Bicycle rentals are very popular in the park and you can rent them all over the place. In some places they also have seats for children and baby caravans, which was a benefit for us.

If you are driving forward from Polač, you will soon arrive at a larger parking lot (just close to the Marina), where you have to leave the car and take the path to the lakes by foot, rent a bike or wait for an electric train that drives to Mali Most. Here you can also buy a ticket to enter the National Park, which costs 100 kunas per person for adults (valid for 7 days). We decided to take the train that took us to Mali Most. Under Mali Most is a narrow, watery and artificially deepened canal that connects the main attractions of the park: Malo jezero and Veliko jezero lakes. The good characteristic of these salty lakes is that the water here is up to 3 to 4 degrees warmer, which is great news for those frozen people, like my wife.

While Neža (my young daughter) fell asleep in a trolley, I rented a mountain bike with a child seat and with Hana (my older daughter) we went on a journey around the Veliko jezero lake, which lasted a little less than an hour. The cycling rote around the Veliko jezero was really great. The ride runs almost the whole way in the shade, slightly twisted, mostly asphalt and is also undemanding for those who are not sporty.

After cycling, we bathed at Mali most and tried to swim from Malo to Veliko jezero. Due to the strong current, this is a rather demanding task and there is almost a real competition going on here, who will be the first swimmer to swim in the Veliko jezero. For those who love rowing, you can also rent kayaks here and paddle across the lakes with them. Unfortunately, we did not have time for that, even our girls are too small for such activities. It would be too stressful.

The special attraction of the National Park is the island of the Holy Mary (otoček Svete Marije), located in the Veliko jezero lake. On it stands the Benedictine monastery from the 12th century, with a tower and a church. A boat rides from the Mali most to the isle of the Holy Mary. Riding with a boat is always a special experience for the children, but my wife and me we also enjoyed a beautiful view. There are two bars on the island, where you can buy drinks or ice cream. Then you can take a walk along the path next to the wall and take a closer look at the monastery and the church. There is also a large amount of benches where you can relax and enjoy the gentle breeze and the exceptional view of the turquoise sea water of the lake. Every hour you can take a boat ride back to Mali Most or you can go use a small boat that runs in the direction of the place of Prištaništa. It is only a 10 minutes walk from here to the main parking lot in the park.

At that moment, it was already a long day for us, but we still wanted to see the town of Pomena. We drove through a very special village called Goveđari.

The only hotel on the island Hotel Odisej is located in Pomena and the place was the liveliest of all places on Mljet. I think that this is the only place on the island, which has some souvenirs. Along with the bikes, you can also rent scooters and cars here – the Fiat Punto convertible looks awesome.

If you want to take advantage of everything that Mljet National Park offers, one day is not enough. But in any case, you can see all the famous sights in just one day, which we have proven, even with small children.

I left a hike to the highest peak Montokuc, rowing along on the lakes and viewing of the village of Babina Kuća for our next visit of the island.

Video about our daily trip to the National Park Mljet – VIDEO

Na Mljet z otroki

All of us who have small children want our holidays to be as interesting and entertaining to our little ones. When I searched for information about the Mljet Island, I found several comments on online forums that the island was not suitable for small children, and the reasons listed were more or less ridiculous. Of course, everything depends of your lifestyle. If you want to stay at an excellent hotel for vacations, take a bath in the hotel pool with slides, have a children’s animation and walk through dozens of souvenir stands in the evening on the promenade, then the Mljet Island is really not suitable for you. If you do not like all of the above, and at the same time you like the beach with fewer visitors, then the Mljet Island is ideal for you.

For us, Mljet Island was the best possible way to spend our family vacations. There are much less tourists on the island than on the continent and other more popular islands. In Saplunara, on both beaches you have wooden playgrounds, and you can buy drinks and ice creams on both beaches too. Both beaches are completely sandy, so it is ideal for little ones, as they can move freely along the beach and jump carefree in the water.

A special experience is the sandy beach Blace. On it there is a “house” with a “courtyard”, where in the pine forest near the beach there are chairs and a table made from stumps and an improvised swing. Ideal for lunch in the natural shade, we had a breakfast here. Great experience.

My 3 and 5 year old daughters enjoyed each day and did not miss the everyday things that they used to do at home. If you hesitate that the Mljet island is suitable for children, my answer is a big YES. If you have any questions about this, I am at your disposal.

Want more information about Mjet island?

(All this articles are in Slovenian language)