[VIDEO] The Breathtaking Lastovo Nature Park

Lastovo (Photo: Goran Safarek)

A large part of Croatia’s stunningly beautiful nature has been protected in the form of nature parks.

There are 444 protected areas of Croatia, encompassing 9% of the country. Those include 8 national parks, 2 strict reserves, and 11 nature parks.

The most famous protected area and the oldest national park in Croatia is the Plitvice Lakes National Park, whilst the youngest it the Lastovo Nature Park.

Lastovo (Photo: Goran Safarek)

Back in 2006 the Croatian Parliament declared the Lastovo Islands in southern Dalmatia as a nature park and committed nation, citizens and visitors to taking special care of the region.

The spectacular Lastovo Islands with their 195,83 km2 covering archipelago was the eleventh declared nature park in Croatia. The Nature Park contains all 44 islands, islets and sea rocks in the Lastovo archipelago. This area is one of the most preserved marine areas today in the Adriatic.

Lastovo (Photo: Goran Safarek)

Due to its values and characteristics, it represents “a vast natural and partly cultivated area of land and the sea showing ecological features of international and national importance, as well as pronounced landscape, educational, cultural, historical, tourist and recreational values”.

Lastovo Nature Park is a true paradise oasis of the Mediterranean and is astounding in its nature. The Archipelago consists of the western islets and the island of Sušac, together with islet groups of Donji škoji (Lastovnjaci) and Gornji škoji (Vrhovnjaci).

Lastovo (Photo: Goran Safarek)

The Nature Park was named after the biggest island of the archipelago, Lastovo.

Lastovo (Photo: Goran Safarek)

Goran Šafarek, a Croatian scientist, photographer, and filmmaker, has spent time capturing some of the beauty of Lastovo Nature Park and the fascinating underwater world.

Check out his compilation of footage in the video below.