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The island of Mljet is the greenest Adriatic island. One third of the island area is national park that covers 100.4 sq. kilometers. The island has 1,300 inhabitants in 14 settlements. It is separated from the Peljesac peninsula by the Mljet Channel. On the north-western part of the island is the sunken valley of the Mljet Lakes - Small and Large. Small Lake has the area of 24 hectares and maximal depth of 29.5 meters. It is connected with Big Lake by about 30 meters long channel. Big hake has the area of 145 hectares and the maximal depth of 46 meters. It is connected with the open sea by shallow, 30 meters long channel Soline. Through both of the channels flows strong sea current that every six hours changes direction, because of the tidal changes. In the Middle Ages, that change of the direction of currents was used in Soline channel for running of the mills. In the inland of the island are four more small, sunken Karst valleys that inhabitants of Mljet call blatine or slatine (the eel hunting areas). Forests cover 72% of the total area of the island. The main settlements are: Babino Polje, Prozura, Maranovici, Korita, Blato, Ropa, and Govedari. They are mostly located in the inland beside fertile fields. Their ports are the closest coves on the coast. Recently the coastal settlements also developed: Sobra (the ferryboat port), Polace, Kozarica, Poma.
The island became the national park because of the exceptional natural beauties and richness of flora and fauna. Numerous beaches (sand beaches in Saplunara), fish and lobsters hunting areas, and abundance of cultural and historical monuments, make it very attractive tourist destination.
There is longitudinal road, 60 kilometers long, that goes across whole island, and the asphalt road from Polace (ferryboat port) to Veliko jezero.
The traces of settlement and graves from the Illyrian period were discovered in the vicinity of Babine kuce, near Veliko jezero. In the antiquity, the island was known under the name of Melita. It was the imperial estate (emperor August). You can see the archaeological finds from antiquity all over the island. In the 12th century, the Benedictines built their abbey and church on the small island in Veliko jezero. The church of the former Benedictine abbey on the small island has the characteristics of Apulian Romanesque style. The atrium with high reliefs was probably built at the transition from the 12th to the 13th century. In front of it is the renaissance portal with the coat of arms of the Gundulic family from the 15th-16th century. The stone tower with embrasures above atrium and sacristy are from the same period. In the time of the Baroque, two side chapels with altars were added to the church. In the belfry is exhibited the collection of stone monuments. In the 16th century, the old monastery building with cloister and large cellars, was incorporated in renaissance building on two floors. The church is restored and the monastery that was deserted long time ago is turned into hotel.
The island has permanent ferryboat connection with the mainland: Trstenik (the Peljesac peninsula) - Polace (the island of Mljet), and Dubrovnik - Sobra (Mljet); as well as the daily ship line to Dubrovnik (from Polace), and a few times a week ships go to Rijeka and Dubrovnik. [...]