Croatia | holiday | living - All about Croatia

As I mentioned in our travel story from Vis, one day of our Holiday was spend on a visit to the Island of Biševo, which is a small island situated 4 nautical miles SW of Komiža.

Our visit to Vis was not only for pleasure, my friend Shane, from Lifejacketadventures, had convinced me to help him bringing his kayaks, from Biševo back to Komiža, where he normally stores them when he is not on a trip – so I actually had to work!!

So Tuesday morning at 7.30 we met in Komiža with Shane, his family, and a Swedish girl - Johanna, who also was going to help with the kayaks. From here we took a fishing boat (taxi boat – 25 kuna) which was loaded with goods, tourist, the skipper and his bodies. The sailing time to the first drop of point at the east site of Biševo was around 40 minutes, as we had to go to a bay on the west site of the island we got an extra 20 minutes sailing trip.

Well arrived at the Island, we went to visit some friend of Shane’s, Lile and Davor who has a small house 50 meters from the beach, Lily and Davor are some very interesting people, they are actually from Zagreb, but spend 6 month’s a every year on the Island, where they among other rent out small cottages and have a environmental project running called “Mali Zeleni I Biševo” (the little green at Biševo) you can read about their project here http://www.bisevo.org

The morning we spend with swimming in the nice bay, where Lili and Davor last year removed around 20 tons of garbage!! At noon we went to next bay Porat to have lunch, as you can see on the picture here, we also had a nice place to swim.

As 3 PM it was time for the hard job, Shane, Johanna and I prepared our selves for the kayak trip back to Komiža, I must say I was bit nervous to back in a kayak again, as the last time was (and also first time) was at Vogalonga 2008, but as we first started paddling I forgot about that.

The first stop on our Kayak trip was Modra Špilja(The blue cave) as you can see the cave does not look like much from the outside, and when you get in there in a 6 meter long kayak without a flashlight it is a bit scary, but very beautiful.

After the blue cava we started our crossing direction Komiža, the weather was very nice so we had no problem with the waves. At about7 PM we reached Komiža I was very tired, but glad that I took the trip, as it is not everyday you get the chance to sit in kayak 20 NM from the mainland.

A few thinks about Biševo

• The Main attraction – Modra Špilja (The blue cave) – can be visit by organized trips (Price 100-140 Kuna) or you can take fisher boat as we did.
• Biševo has some very nice Sand beaches – the fisher boat from Komiža would e.g. take you to Porat in the morning and return in the afternoon around 4 PM.
• Only 7 people live the whole year on Biševo.
• Rainwater is the main water supply on the Island
• The wine from the Island should be great.

On the 8th of Juli Stari Grad Plain was added to UNESCO’s list of world cultural herritage

The Stari Grad Plain on the Adriatic island of Hvar is a cultural landscape that has remained practically intact since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks from Paros in the 4th century BC. For 2400 years this area has been used for Wine and Olive growing, The landscape features ancient stone walls and trims, or small stone shelters, and bears testimony to the ancient geometrical system of land division used by the ancient Greeks.

With the adding of Stari Grad Plain, Croatia now holds 7 UNESCO sites:

6 of the Croatian UNESCO site is on the list for world Cultural herritage

• The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik

• Historic city of Trogir

• Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Porec: 

• Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian

• Old City of Dubrovnik

• Stari Grad Plain

.

The last site is on UNESCO list for world Natural herritage

• The Plitvice Lakes National Park

In addision to these 7 sites, Croatia has several sites on the Tentative list

• Zadar - Episcopal complex (2005)
• Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston with Mali Ston, connecting walls, the Mali Ston Bay nature reserve, Stonsko Polje and the salt pans (2005)
• Historical-Town Planning Ensemble Tvrda (Fort) in Osijek (2005)
• Varazdin - Historic Nucleus and Old Town (the Castle) (2005)
• Burg - Castle of Veliki Tabor (2005)
• Lonjsko Polje Nature Park (2005)
• Velebit Mountain (2005)
• Frontiers of the Roman Empire Croatian Limes (2005)
• Lubenice (2005)
• Primošten Vineyards (2007)
• Hermitage Blaca (2007)
• City of Motovun (2007)
• The historic town of Korčula (2007)
• Kornati National Park and Telašćica Nature Park (2007)

Here you find all our favorit links from Croatian - Links about Croatia

Traveling to Croatia

www.solitum.hr

There’s Island and two lakes extraordinary connected …name of that Island is Mljet.

Mljet is rich with forests because of that, he is known as the "Green Island". Fauna is so rich ,the sea is crystal and the sandy and gravel beaches are very attractive for tourist destination. Because extreme natural beauty 1960 he was declared like National Park.

In National Park you will see two lakes located there .It is amazing to see very exotic. Both lakes has only tour boats for turist sightseeings saling around, Private wessels are not allowed.

Walking trails leads you around the lakes. The salt lakes are a unique geological and oceanographic phenomenon of worldwide importance. They originated approximately 10,000 years ago and, until the Christian era, they were freshwater lakes.

Island is really something to sea nobody can stay impassive after only couple hours there.

MORE PHOTOS FROM MLJET !!!

Here is some option how to get on Mljet

Airports:

- Dubrovnik, Split

Ferry Jadrolinija:

- from Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Hvar, … to Sobra (Mljet) 
- everyday from Dubrovnik to Sobr
- everyday from place Prapratno (peninsula Pelješac) to Sobra (Mljet)

By Car:

- Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik - Sobra (ferry)
- Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Ston, Prapratno - Sobra (ferry)
- Zagreb, Plitvice (National Park), (Zadar), Split, Dubrovnik-Sobra (ferry)
- Zagreb, Plitvice, (Zadar), Split, Ston, Prapratno - Sobra (ferry)

Lastovo one of the farthest islands is protected park of nature since 2006. It is ideal place for vacation, untouched nature, so quietly and beautiful landscape… ideal for peaceful summer holiday. Most attractive are excursions by boats to Lastovo archipelago, islands and islets, where you can swims near beautiful landscape and have fish picnic.

Lastovo is very attractive Island and there is lot of thinks what you can do there during the summer from scuba diving, fishing and underwater fishing, and many other active things…hiking, trekking, biking.

You can reach Lastovo by ferryboat or catamaran from Split (Split – Vela luka – Lastovo). It is possible also to come to Lastovo via Korčula – with the ferryboat in Vela Luka.

From Split:

• If you arrive by car, then ferryboat is your choice (the journey takes less than 5 hours).
• By high-speed boat, the journey takes 2 hr. 45 min.

What to do this summer at lastovo:

• Music Festival  Lastovo – the Music Island 2008 will be July 24th - 27th. All concerts will be at the ‘Bašta’ - next to the Lastovo Church, and a camping place will be next to the Football playground. This festival we call Dalmatian Woodstock because over the years the most popular rock attractions have been included in the Festival.

MAPA OF LASTOVO

Here you find all our favorit links from Croatian - Links about Croatia

After 1 1/2 month in Rijeka we finally managed to visit our families in Split and Hvar. And it was really best thing to do, because after raining Rijeka, sunny Dalmatia was real salvation. Mostly we were in Hvar. Among other, we took a walk through town centre.

In this time of year there are still no tourists, maybe only few in hotels. This is period of season preparations, houses are painted and decorated. My mother is planting flowers all around the house, she is known for her beautiful flower «jungle» in season time.

My father is turbo working in fields, because they have spent February in Australia, so he doesn’t have a lot of time to plant vegetables this year. Also, in «lemon fields» (few km from Hvar) he is installing self-watering system, great thing especially in summer months.

In the two days on Hvar we mostly eat grilled fish, of course fish caught by my father – fresh fish is very hard to find in Rijeka, so you can imagine our happiness with the menu. Unfortunately everything that is good lasts short: after two days we had to take ferry to Split and go back to Rijeka.

 
–
Katica Križak

The Adriatic Dolphin Project is the longest consistent study of bottlenose. By participating in the Blue World "Adopt a dolphin" campaign you are supporting the Adriatic Dolphin Project and activities of research and protection of the bottlenose dolphins and their environment around the islands of Lošinj and Cres. Your donation will help the continuation of our work to increase public awareness at local and national level through actions such as the Dolphin Day, educational lectures at libraries, schools and kinder gardens, and the promotion of the overall protection of Lošinj archipelago.

If you are a student of biology, environmental science or geography, or a similar subject and you can suggest a thesis or project please contact us.

College credit may be arranged by the student through their department or as an independent research program at their college or university. The project encourages this, and will take whatever steps are required to facilitate such efforts.

The Adriatic Dolphin Project gives you the opportunity to join our research as a volunteer. It is an unique chance to live the experience of meeting the dolphins in their own environment. Volunteers spend twelve days in our field base in Lošinj and actively participate in our daily routine. This includes collecting data at sea, preparation of boat and equipment, logging of data into the computer,preliminary data analysis, preparation of lecture materials and background reading. Eco-volunteers live with the researchers; they are expected to help in practical everyday jobs such as the preparation of meals or field base maintenance. The motivation of these people involved in the program is of great importance for the project as a whole.

There is no typical day… much of what we do is based on sea conditions. When the sea is calm and the weather is fine, you will prepare your lunch after breakfast and then head for the boat to search for the dolphins. When a group of dolphins is located, the animals are followed at close quarters for as long as it is necessary to take data. The moment the dolphins are sighted, everyone on board has a specific task to fulfil. Your task as project participant is to record; the time, the number and breakdown of animals, their behavioural activity and their names as the researcher calls them out. If the sea is not calm, the team remains at the base co-operating in the data handling and analysis as well as in the everyday activities. One of the other attractions of this project is the unique chance you get to learn more about dolphins and their lifestyle. However, the eco-volunteers are free to visit the island and enjoy its beauty and the clean sea. When you need some time off or some privacy, you must indicate this yourself, as there are no fixed days off. The atmosphere at the project is informal and relaxed and by mutual arrangement many things are possible.

You should remember that this is no ordinary holiday and that the researchers are not tour leaders.

If you want to join us as a volunteer check the positions and dates for the year 2008!

Best Regards from Lošinj !