Pomena
About this place
Pomena occupies a deep bay at Mljet’s western end, inside Mljet National Park and within walking reach of the Veliko and Malo jezero lake system. Its harbour, Hotel Odisej, restaurants and park facilities form a compact settlement from which the island’s best-known protected landscape can be explored without a car. Bicycles, cars and scooters can be rented in Pomena, while canoes and kayaks are available at Malo jezero. The closest organised swimming is from the concrete beach in front of Hotel Odisej; the pebble beach at Mali most is particularly suitable for children, and Vrbovačka and Kapela offer additional spots on Veliko jezero. The lake system’s main cultural landmark is St Mary’s islet and monastery, reached by the park boat. In 2026, seasonal fast-ferry line 844 links Pomena directly with Dubrovnik and Korčula: the crossings take about 75 and 40 minutes respectively. Drivers reach Mljet through Sobra ferry port and continue along state road D120 to Pomena. Evenings bring fish, Mljet wine and goat’s cheese preserved in oil beside the sheltered bay.
Pomena is a harbour village at Mljet’s far western end and one of the settlements included within Mljet National Park. Its sheltered bay is lined by the fast-ferry landing, Hotel Odisej, restaurants and starting points for exploring the park. Pomena’s distinctive feature is the immediate transition from a sea harbour into Aleppo-pine woodland surrounding Veliko and Malo jezero. The settlement consequently functions both as an island port and as the western gateway to the national park. Unlike Sobra, which receives vehicles by car ferry, Pomena is particularly convenient for passengers arriving by fast boat who want to reach the lakes, bicycle rentals and park boats on foot.
Stays nearby
ApartmentApartmeni Klenovica.eu
Klenovica
Klenovica, 326 km from Pomena
up to 4 guests · 1 bedroom
The host confirms the exact price for your dates and availability.
Things to see
Veliko and Malo jezero define a visit to Pomena, although reaching them from the harbour requires only a short walk through national-park woodland. The principal cultural landmark stands on St Mary’s islet in Veliko jezero, where a church and former Benedictine monastery occupy the small island. A park boat provides access as part of the organised visitor system. Mali most, the narrow crossing between the two lakes, connects a bathing area with walking and cycling routes. In Pomena itself, the defining spatial attraction is the deep sheltered harbour: its left arm contains the fast-ferry landing, while Hotel Odisej marks the western edge of the settlement.
Beaches
A concrete beach in front of Hotel Odisej is the nearest organised place to swim within Pomena itself. For pebbles, walk toward Mali most, where Mljet National Park identifies the beach as the most suitable choice for children. Further bathing locations on Veliko jezero include Vrbovačka Bay and Kapela, while many other shore entries inside the park are rocky. Polače also has a pebble beach, but reaching it from Pomena requires road or organised transport, so it is not a substitute for a quick swim beside the hotel. The lake beaches combine naturally with bicycle hire in Pomena or a kayak rental at Malo jezero.
Bathing water quality nearby
- Ht. Odisej · 293 mexcellent · season 2025
- Skalinada · 530 mexcellent · season 2025
- Kod mosta · 813 mexcellent · season 2025
- Polače · 2.8 kmexcellent · season 2025
Source: European Environment Agency (EEA); data from Croatian authorities. · bathing water profile
Things to do
From Pomena harbour, first walk toward Malo jezero and Mali most, where a pebble beach is particularly suitable for children. Canoes and kayaks can be hired there, while bicycles are available in Pomena for continuing around the lake system. The next stop should be the park-boat landing for St Mary’s islet and its former Benedictine monastery in Veliko jezero. On the return, extend the route past Vrbovačka and Kapela, two bathing locations on the larger lake. Finish the day at Hotel Odisej’s concrete beach or with dinner overlooking Pomena Bay; this entire sequence can be completed without additional road transport.
Food and drink
Restaurant Pomena stands directly on Pomena Bay within Mljet National Park. Its menu emphasises fish and regional dishes, Mljet wines, rakija and goat’s cheese preserved in oil, linking island produce with the setting of a small harbour. The restaurant also advertises a substantial selection of Croatian wines and live music twice weekly during summer, although it publishes no fixed 2026 dates. A waterfront dinner is particularly convenient after returning from Veliko jezero because neither a car nor an island bus is required. In this small seasonal port, diners should confirm on the day that the kitchen is open and a table is available.
Practical information
Practical information
Pomena lies within Mljet National Park, so visits to the lakes and park-boat services operate under the park’s admission system and rules. The park is nominally open throughout the year, but winter reception and ticketing are arranged on request; the principal season runs from 1 June to 30 September, with attendance peaking in early August. Bicycles are rented in Pomena, canoes and kayaks at Malo jezero, and cars and scooters are also available in Pomena. The Mljet municipal tourist board is based in Babino Polje, while information about the lakes and park boats comes from Mljet National Park.
Parking
Pomena is a small harbour settlement inside the national park, with Hotel Odisej, visitor services and the walking approach to the lakes clustered around the bay. Drivers are best advised to leave their vehicle at their accommodation or in a designated area on the village approach, then explore the park on foot, by bicycle and by park boat. The official sources consulted publish neither a single parking zone nor a reliable 2026 tariff for Pomena, so no daily charge can be stated. Fast-ferry passengers do not need parking because the landing is inside the bay and the pedestrian approach to the national park begins beside the settlement.
Getting there and around
Seasonal fast-ferry line 844 links Dubrovnik, Pomena and Korčula daily from 12 May to 15 October 2026. It leaves Dubrovnik at 10:30 and reaches Pomena at 11:45, with the return departure from Pomena at 16:30; the crossing takes about 75 minutes. Korčula is roughly 40 minutes away. The vessel docks at the end of the bay’s left arm and carries passengers rather than cars. Vehicles reach Mljet by Jadrolinija car ferry to Sobra and then follow state road D120 to its western terminus in Pomena. As the service is seasonal, departure times should be checked again immediately before travel.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the fast ferry dock in Pomena?
Line 844 docks at the end of the left arm of Pomena Bay, at Pomena bb.
Which beach is best suited to children?
Mljet National Park identifies the pebble beach at Mali most as the most suitable for children.
Can bicycles be rented in Pomena?
Yes. Pomena is one of three officially listed bicycle-rental locations in Mljet National Park.
How long is the 2026 crossing to Korčula?
Seasonal line 844 takes approximately 40 minutes from Pomena to Korčula.
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Photo credits
- Pomena — Martin Ortmann · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
- Goveđari — Jaganjac · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Polače — Luka Krstulović · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
- Žuljana — F.Krikava, Znojmo · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Apartmeni Klenovica.eu — Apartmani Klenovica.eu · courtesy of the property owner
