Mljet National Park and Elaphiti Islands Speedboat Trip Dubrovnik

Mljet National Park

Mljet is the greenest of the southern Dalmatian islands, with more than 70 percent of its surface covered in forest. Its western part was declared a national park in 1960, the oldest protected marine area in the Adriatic. The park is famous for two saltwater lakes, the Great Lake and the Small Lake, linked to the sea by a narrow channel, and for the tiny islet of St Mary with its 12th-century Benedictine monastery.

A Mljet day trip from Dubrovnik usually takes a full day by ferry, but the speedboat gets you there early, when the island is still quiet. During your time on Mljet you can explore by bike or on foot, swim in clear water and enjoy the pine-scented trails. The national park entrance ticket is not included and is bought on the spot if you choose to enter the park.

Odysseus Cave

Odysseus Cave is a large sea cave on the southern coast of Mljet, with a wide hole in its roof that lets sunlight pour into the water. Around midday the light turns the pool inside a glowing turquoise, one of the most striking natural sights on the Croatian coast. Local legend links the cave to the Greek hero Odysseus, who is said to have been shipwrecked on the island, and the name has stuck for centuries.

On this trip the boat brings you close to the cave, where you can choose between snorkelling in its clear water and, for the brave, jumping from the rocks with the crew's guidance. Snorkelling gear is provided. It is one of the reasons travellers search for an Odysseus Cave tour from Dubrovnik: reaching it by sea is far easier than the steep path from the village above.

Moon Beach bay on Mljet

After the cave, the boat continues to the secluded Moon Beach bay on Mljet, a sheltered inlet with calm water and pine-covered slopes that run down to the shore. Unlike the busy beaches near Dubrovnik, the coves of Mljet see few visitors, and the water is so clear that you can follow fish over the sandy and rocky seabed from the surface.

Here the crew shares stories about the island, from its ancient history to the small fishing and farming villages that still live from the sea and the olive groves. Mljet is also known for its local dishes, and lunch on the island, at extra cost, is a chance to taste original Dalmatian food. It is a peaceful break before the boat turns back toward the Elaphiti Islands and Dubrovnik.

Sipan, the largest Elaphiti island

Sipan is the largest of the Elaphiti Islands, the chain of small islands just north-west of Dubrovnik. During the time of the Dubrovnik Republic, wealthy noble families built summer residences, churches and fortified houses here, and the two villages of Sipanska Luka and Sudurad still keep many of these stone buildings among olive groves, fruit trees and old farming terraces.

On the tour you stop at Sipan to learn about the heritage of the Dubrovnik Republic and relax on the beach, with a small café nearby for snacks and soft drinks. The island has no big hotels and very little traffic, which makes it one of the calmest places to visit on an Elaphiti islands tour. Many visitors say Sipan shows how life on the islands looked long before modern tourism.

Blue Cave and Kolocep Island

On the way back, the boat stops at a nearby blue cave, where sunlight entering through an underwater opening turns the water an intense blue. You can swim into the cave and see the light glowing beneath you, an experience that photographs can hardly capture. The final stop is Kolocep, the Elaphiti island closest to Dubrovnik, a car-free island of pine forests and two small villages.

Off the rocky coast of Kolocep you snorkel in clear water before the boat heads back to Gruz port as the sun sets over the islands. The best time to visit the Elaphiti Islands and Mljet by boat is from May to October, when the sea is warm and calm. If the forecast is poor, the skipper may adjust the route for safety, and we keep you informed on WhatsApp.