Mljet National Park (Mljet Island, Croatia) – 10 things to do and see

Mljet National Park (Mljet Island, Croatia) – 10 things to do and see

Discover everything you need to know about Mljet National Park on the Croatian island of Mljet. Find out the best highlights, including top things to do and see!

Mljet National Park is a beautiful park that covers most of the northwestern part of the island of Mljet in Croatia.

Although Mljet National Park is best known for its two picturesque saltwater lakes, it has much to offer, including exploring the riverside trails by bike, hiking and caving.

In this guide I reveal the best things to do in Mljet National Park as well as some useful tips and information about how to get here, what to expect and where to stay.

About Mljet National Park (Croatia)

The island of Mljet is located near the Pelješac peninsula, which is part of the southern part of the Dalmatian coast. Known as Croatia's greenest and one of the largest islands, Mljet is home to diverse Mediterranean vegetation and Aleppo pine forests covering an area of ​​approximately 5300 hectares.

To access the park, local authorities require an entrance ticket, which can be purchased at a kiosk in Sobra, Pomena or Polače.

Entrance fee for Mljet National Park: 70 kuna (approx. 9.2 euros)Opening hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (high season) and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (low season)

The main natural attractions of this natural park are the two saltwater lakes Veliko Jezero (Big Lake or Big Lake) and Malo Jazero (Small Lake). These lakes cover a large area of ​​about 4 kilometers.

In addition, within Veliko Jezero, visitors will find a small island called Sveta Marija or Islet Melita, which is home to a beautiful 12th-century former Benedictine monastery called Crkva Sveta Marije.

Directions to Mljet National Park

As the southernmost of the larger Croatian islands, travelers must take a boat to get to Mljet.

The most popular ways to get here are on one of the popular Croatian cruise and sailing routes, chartering your own boat, or taking a day trip from Dubrovnik or nearby islands.

There is no official entrance to the park. Instead, visitors can enter the national park by bike or taxi from the main port in Sobra or via the entrances in Pomena and Polače.

Below I'll go into each of these options in a little more detail.

1. On a Croatia sailing cruise

By far the best way to see all of Dalmatia's amazing highlights is to book a Croatia sailing cruise.

Although there are many to choose from, I had a great experience with Sail Croatia. Considered one of the best on the Adriatic, this company offers several ship and sailing options including Navigator (for parties), Explorer (for adventure) and Elegance (for luxury).

In order to see as much as possible in a week of sailing, I chose the Explorer cruise from Dubrovnik to Split, stopping in Mljet on the second day.

2. Day trip from Dubrovnik, Korčula or Hvar

Another great option for getting to Mljet is a day trip from Dubrovnik or one of the other popular islands.

Due to the distance, most of these tours are a full day affair, which is great as you'll also see a lot of the Croatian coast along the way.

Travel Tip: If you find yourself in Dubrovnik, Robert from Hidden Marine runs one of the top-rated speedboat tours with the option to visit Mljet National Park and the famous Odysseus Cave.

3. Public ferry

One of the great things about traveling the Croatian islands is the extensive network of public ferries.

You can find several ferry connections to Mljet from places like Bol (Brac), Dubrovnik, Hvar, Split and Stari Grad.
Ferry to the nearby island of Vis

Map of Mljet National Park

The green island of Mljet covers a fairly large area with several paved footpaths and cycle paths as well as a variety of hiking trails.

Below is the map of Mljet National Park, which you can find near the entrance. This covers the entire national park, which makes up the upper third of the island. You will notice that the hiking trails are also well marked on this map.

Activities in Mljet National Park

So, with the logistics out of the way, let’s dive into this list of things to do in Mljet National Park, Croatia!

As you will notice, Mljet National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in Croatia and is a little different from other popular places like Plitvice and Krka.

To visit most of the popular attractions, viewpoints and areas, I recommend spending a full day here.

1. Rent a bike to explore the national park

By far one of the best ways to explore Mljet National Park is to rent a bike.

That's because there are many hiking trails perfect for horseback riding and exploring. This is how we got around the park and I would consider it essential if you want to visit more than just the main lakes.

Bicycle rentals can be found in the main port and in the park itself. The cost is around 200 kuna per day.

2. Malo Jezero (the small lake)

Malo Jezero is the smaller of the two saltwater lakes in Mljet National Park. However, this lake is arguably the most beautiful due to its bright, turquoise waters that almost reminded me of Sugba Lagoon in the Philippines.

You can walk around the outer perimeter of this small lake and swimming is permitted.

3. Veliko Jezero (The Big Lake)

Veliko Jezero is the large lake in Mljet National Park. Connected by a narrow canal, Veliko Jezero is much larger and deeper than Malo Jezero. Along the edge you will find many beautiful, secluded swimming areas that are very inviting.

4. Benedictine Monastery on the Island of St. Mary (Crkva Sv. Marija)

One of the best things to do in Mljet National Park is visiting the island of St. Mary (Sveta Marija).

This is a small island in a bay section of Veiko Jezero (the big lake).

To get here you need to take a short boat ride from the bike path or Pristaniste ferry port and cross the large lake in the middle.

For those on the footpath, look for a red flag that you can pick up and wave to signal boaters to come pick you up. This ferry is included in your entry ticket and therefore you do not have to pay any additional costs.

Once you arrive on the small island, you can explore the old monastery and the attached restaurant. This is also a great place for swimming!

5. Mali Most (The Little Bridge)

At the eastern end of the large lake you will find Mali Most (translated as Little Bridge), an old bridge that crosses a narrow canal.

Now Mali Most only serves as a significant part of the route that circumnavigates the lakes, but it is also a great place for swimming. Due to the narrow water passage, tidal currents become very strong, meaning you can drift in and out of the lake.

Mali Most in its original form

6. Hike up the hills

Hiking is one of the main activities in Mljet National Park. If you scroll up to the map above you will see many marked routes, namely A, B, C, D and E. These are well maintained routes with prominent markings making them easy to follow for all skill levels.

Since we only had one day in the park, we decided to hike to the highest hill closest to the salt flats. This trail is called Mt. Montokuc and is a green hill covered with Aleppo pine forest and reaches a height of 256 meters above sea level.

From the top we had excellent views over the entire northeastern part of the island, including Veliko Jezero and Malo Jazero. To the south, the lonely bays of Blace and the two rocky outcrops Utrnji Školj and Vrjanji Školj could be seen.

Tip: Scroll to the top of this post to view the trail map.

7. Spilice Cave

While driving through Mljet National Park, we discovered a large cave that even Google doesn't seem to know about.

This cave is called and extends to a depth of at least 70 meters. To get here, follow the paved path to the right after crossing Mali Most on a counterclockwise route of the lake.

Continue about 300 meters and you will see a small path leading up and into the forest. In less than 3 minutes you will reach the entrance to the cave, which you can enter and explore at your leisure.

Tip: The deeper sections of the cave get very dark, so I would recommend taking a headlamp if you have one!

8. Visit Govedari, Pomena, Polače and Soline

There are several small villages in Mljet National Park. Chances are, you'll pass several of them on your bike ride. The most notable villages within the park and its surroundings are Govedari, Pomena and Soline.

Here you will find many local restaurants, souvenir shops and local houses.

Polače is the oldest settlement on the island of Mljet, dating back to the Greek and Illyrian periods and currently has several buildings from the Roman era.

It is also possible to book sporting activities, including kayak rentals (or tours), a hiking tour or a boat tour from Pomena.

9. Odyssey Cave

Although the Odyssey Cave is not technically part of Mljet National Park, it is one of the island's biggest attractions.

This cave is steeped in Greek mythology as told by one of its greatest ancient poets, Homer. In fact, the name comes from the ancient story of Odysseus and Calypso.

You can find the Odyssey sea cave on the southern coast of Mljet near Babino Polje. There are also many sandy beaches in the area, so it's worth checking out!

10. Enjoy the sunset

I think it's safe to say that Mljet attracts the kind of crowd that wants to unwind and enjoy nature.

After a long day of hiking, cycling, kayaking or sailing, one of the best things you can do in NP Mljet is simply enjoying the Dalmatian island sunsets. Unfortunately, the national park is usually closed in the evenings.

However, I recommend going down to the pier in Pomena to enjoy breathtaking sunsets.

Overnight accommodation in Mljet National Park

Although there are many places to stay on the island of Mljet, if you want to explore the national park, I recommend staying in Pomena, Polače or Goveđari. Below you will find the best accommodation options in NP Mljet.

• Hotel Odisej – an der Küste in der Nähe von Pomena gelegen, bietet dieses Hotel eine atemberaubende Aussicht in der wohl besten Lage der Insel.
• Apartments Slavica – fantastische Apartments nur 2 Gehminuten vom Strand in Pomena entfernt.
• Villa Klacina – fantastische Villa mit Pool und Blick auf den großen See in Mljet!

More Croatia travel guides & adventure inspiration

I hope you enjoyed this quick trip guide with 10 unmissable activities in Mljet National Park, Croatia!

Check out some of my other Croatia travel guides and travel inspiration posts below.

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