Green island Lastovo in the south of Croatia

We weren't deterred and set off for Lastovo at the end of summer. So we can tell you a bit about this small Dalmatian paradise. We love islands, and we fell in love with Lastovo right from the start. Perhaps also because it is so small.

Why visit Lastovo island

So why do people visit Lastovo? Lastovo is a protected landscape area. Upon arrival, we were immediately surprised by its green color and lush vegetation. After the aridity of other Croatian islands, it was a very refreshing change. The entire protected area comprises 44 islands and is supported by the WWF organization. Stargazing enthusiasts and romantic souls will appreciate that Lastovo is a dark sky park. Its remoteness ensures perfect conditions for stargazing. Under good conditions, you can even observe the zodiacal light, a very faint sunlight reflected from cosmic dust particles. And if you're lucky, you might also see bioluminescent sea here. We managed to observe this phenomenon during a Robinson Crusoe-style stay on Hvar island; we weren't so lucky on Lastovo. The island's remoteness also means it has preserved its unique ambiance, and tourist crowds have not yet arrived here. After World War I, the island even belonged to Italy, and during the former Yugoslavia, it was used by the army. For this reason, tourists did not have access here for a long time.

Paradise for yachtsmen and divers

Lastovo is an ideal destination for yachtsmen. You can anchor anywhere here, and the surrounding islets of the Lastovo archipelago offer plenty of excursion opportunities. Lastovo is also a paradise for divers. The surrounding waters are among the richest in the Adriatic in terms of quantity and diversity of fish species. There is even a diving base in Zaklopatica Bay. 

Ferry and travel to Lastovo

Now for the two reasons why people don't visit Lastovo: the long journey and the ferry price. Lastovo is indeed far away, all the way in the south of Croatia. The ferry from Split takes about 5 hours, the catamaran about 3 hours. Especially the ferry price, according to online discussions, deters many people. The residents of Lastovo have also been pointing out this problem for a long time. A one-way ferry ticket from Split will cost you 68 HRK per person and 530 HRK per car (as of 2017). That's simply not cheap. You can also take a catamaran for 75 HRK per person, but in that case, you have to leave your car parked in Split. Another option is to drive to Pelješac and from there take a ferry to Korčula, and then from Korčula to Lastovo. This works out cheaper in terms of ferry prices. In 2016, seaplanes also flew to Lastovo, which is certainly an interesting option. 

Traveling around Lastovo if you go without a car

If you travel without a car, you can get around the island by local bus service, which runs between the settlements of Lastovo, Ubli (ferry port), and Pasadur. You can also rent a car here for a price starting from 250 HRK/day. Or you can rent a scooter or a bicycle. Due to the ferry price, we left our car parked on Hvar, where we had stayed before, and from there we took a catamaran to Lastovo. 

Zaklopatica Bay

We set off for Lastovo with the vision of a peaceful island without an abundance of tourists. And this expectation was indeed met at the end of August. We stayed in Zaklopatica Bay, which is a small and quiet fishing village near the main town of Lastovo. There is no shop in the bay, but you can go for dinner to one of the four restaurants. There is no beach in the bay; locals swim at the edge of the bay among the boats. The apartment owners advised us to go to the neighboring Korita Bay, where we were alone all day. That is, except for two small boats that disappeared after swimming.  In the bay, there is a small section with a gradual entry into the sea; you can't miss it. Water shoes are a must-have – there are plenty of sea urchins here. We also made extensive use of our snorkel here. We haven't seen such a quantity of fish anywhere else in Croatia.