Saplunara on Mljet island may be the last hidden jewel left in the Adriatic. Just when you thought every single white sand beach on a pine-rimmed cove had long since been colonized by sea-seeking visitors, Saplunara remains isolated and largely untouched. Its beauty is truly a balm to the soul.

The name Saplunara comes from the Latin word, sabalum, that means sand. There are four sandy beaches, two larger and two smaller sandy beaches. As the largest remaining coastal sand habitat in Croatia, Saplunara hosts several plant species that exist nowhere else in Croatia. As such, it is considered a protected area with signs begging you not to litter or camp. A forest of Aleppo pines and junipers stretches from the sandy shore inland where there is a small settlement. There are no hotels or restaurants but there is a sprinkling of private accommodation.