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Chartering to Mljet and Lastovo: national park, nature park and fees
Short answer
The western end of Mljet is a national park and Lastovo is a nature park.
In both, visitors and boats pay fees and anchoring has rules.
The islands lie well offshore in southern Dalmatia, and a jugo can make the trip back slow.
Chartering to Mljet and Lastovo usually starts in Dubrovnik, on Korčula or further north in Split. Mljet is long and densely wooded; its western end, with two saltwater lakes and the bays of Polače and Pomena, is a national park. Lastovo lies out in open water and, with many small islands around it, forms a nature park. Both areas are protected and both charge fees: the national park for visitors and for boats lying in its bays, the nature park for boats staying in its waters. The rates change from year to year.
What matters on board is where you may lie. Park bays have mooring buoys, anchoring is restricted, and the rangers usually come round by boat to collect. Some restaurants ashore lay their own buoys for guests. Lastovo has well sheltered Skrivena Luka but is otherwise exposed to the open sea. When the jugo blows from the south east it sends a long swell into the south facing bays and puts the wind on the nose for the trip back to base. It can last several days.
At handover, ask which fees currently apply and whether the base sells park tickets, and carry cash. In the parks, take a buoy rather than dropping the anchor on seagrass where it is banned. Plan the return to base with a spare day in hand. You are personally liable as skipper for damage to buoys, pontoons and other boats, so make sure your own skipper liability insurance applies in Croatia.
Worth remembering
Fee paid, buoy taken
a quiet night in the park
Anchor on seagrass
trouble with the rangers
Around Mljet and Lastovo the park fee is part of the passage, like the diesel.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Is there a fee for Mljet National Park?
Yes. Visitors pay an entrance fee, and yachts lying in the park bays usually pay too. The current rates come from the park authority or your charter base.
What applies in Lastovo Nature Park?
There are rules on anchoring and a fee for boats, checked on the spot by rangers. Your base will know the current position.
Why plan a spare day around Mljet and Lastovo?
Because a jugo from the south east can blow for days, with swell in the bays and a headwind back to base. A spare day means you do not have to beat into it.
Related
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