Published on Aug, 2023
A beautiful day--my favorite of our five days in Croatia--on the water by boat and swimming, with a quick dip at the Blue Cave at the Elaphiti Islands and then on to multiple points in Mljet Island, including stunning Mljet National Park (for hiking) and swimming in the Odysseus Cave of lore. (Note--because boats can't get super close to the caves given all the swimmers who are coming in and out, you do have a swim just a little bit of a distance, which was not challenging for me as a strong swimmer, but may be for others. Talk to the tour operator about floatation devices that may be available if you need assistance!)
Our excellent Captain Paulo put together a great itinerary, which also including a stop by the Island where he was born. Provided some great information on the sites and the area at well-timed intervals--and made sure we were always hydrated! He recommended a spot on Mljet for a late afternoon lunch--the beautiful family-owned Ante's that grows hundreds of a varieties of delicious tomatoes (fish and vegetables also delicious--unfortunately couldn't order much of menu it's traditional bell cooking that needs 2 hours advanced ordering ... ).
We did have some weather, and Paulo expertly navigated some choppy waters. Note: Be sure to talk to the tour operator in advance about the best times to go out with regard to time of day and weather if you have back issues, etc. Based on a recommendation by the tour operator about weather conditions, we postponed our trip by a day. In advance (advanced communication was good) ... Paulo also recommended we leave early in the a.m. on our tour day, which can be helpful.
All in all--a fantastic day.