Bisevo Blue Cave: Croatia’s unique natural wonder
Hardly any tourist would stray to the small Croatian island of Bisevo if it weren't for one of the country's most beautiful natural wonders.
Bisevo Blue Cave / The fact that the Blue Cave of Biševo is relatively easily accessible to tourists today is thanks to its discoverer. However, he resorted to rather harsh measures.
Anyone who travels from the Croatian mainland to the island of Biševo usually has only one goal. Because on the small island in the Adriatic Sea, which is almost uninhabited today, lies one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the country. More precisely, in the sea in front of the island, because this is where the Blue Cave of Biševo is located. But it is thanks to a single man that it is now easily accessible for tourism.
It was 1884 when, according to the official Croatian tourist website, the Austrian diplomat Eugen von Ransonnet discovered the Blue Cave of Biševo. According to Atlas Obscura, local fishermen have known about the cave for centuries. But it is from Ransonnet who decides to make them accessible to a larger audience. And for that he resorts to, shall we say, sweeping measures.
A second entrance thanks to dynamite
Because he has an entrance to the cave blown up with dynamite. Previously, it had only been possible to enter via a natural entrance. This still exists today, but is under water. So von Ransonnet, like everyone before him, must have discovered the Blue Cave of Biševo during a dive. But now it was possible to take a boat into the magic grotto. And this still fascinates tourists from all over the world.
But why these rabid methods at all? What makes the Biševo Blue Cave so special? It is the interplay of sun and water that makes the cave shine in an almost unearthly blue glow. The sun’s rays falling into the grotto brighten the sea water. Because the floor of the natural wonder consists of limestone, it reflects the light. Thrown against the cave walls, this creates the magical glow in interaction with the waves. The probability of this is highest in the morning hours until noon.
Paid natural wonder
The Blue Cave of Biševo is so popular that, according to the tourist travel website “Croatia”, you can head for it from various destinations. The most popular way is to travel via the neighboring island of Vis, which is only a few nautical miles away. If you want, you can also come from Split, for example, which, including the way back, is probably the same as a day trip.
The Blue Cave of Biševo itself can then be reached by rowing boat, because no larger ships fit through the hole blasted in the cave wall. Admission to the natural wonder is subject to a fee and is currently up to seven euros for an adult, depending on the season. Arrived in front of the cave, you have to reckon with a boat queue. Because beauty has its price.
This is also the opinion of the users of the Tripadvisor portal. On the one hand, they are full of admiration for the attraction, but there are also numerous complaints about the organization of the excursions. Accordingly, visitors currently only have a few minutes in the cave, but sometimes have to wait much longer. You can also read some complaints about unfriendly boat drivers. If you want to avoid such quarrels as much as possible, you should visit the Blue Cave of Biševo in the early season.
