Bacina Lakes

The Bacina lakes are six connected karst lakes behind the coast north of Ploce, fed from below by springs and sitting only a little above sea level. In 1912 a tunnel was cut through to the sea at Ploce to control flooding and drain the surrounding land, which changed the system permanently: the lakes became partly brackish, with salt water entering at depth, and the ecology shifted with it. They are warm in summer and swum in, with eels, mullet and carp in them and a good deal of birdlife on the reedy edges. Paths and a cycling route run around the shores and boats can be hired.

What you actually see

• Six connected karst lakes - fed by springs from below.
• A tunnel to the sea from 1912 - cut for drainage, still there.
• Brackish water at depth - the consequence of that tunnel.
• Warm swimming and birdlife - the way the lakes are used now.

When to go

May to September for swimming; spring and autumn for birds. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The lakes sit beside a busy road and a port town, which is visible from parts of the shore. Access points are informal. Mosquitoes are heavy in the evening. Facilities are limited to a few seasonal places.

Nearby

The Neretva delta is north; Gradac and the Makarska riviera are up the coast.