Tiny, car-free Susak i s a popular day trip from Mali Lošinj. A thick layer of fine sand blankets the underlying limestone, creating excellent beaches. The island’s unusual culture makes it particularly interesting. Islanders speak their own dialect, which is nearly incomprehensible to other Croats. On feast days and at weddings you can see the local women dressed in traditional multicoloured skirts (a little like tutus) and red leggings.
When you see the old stone houses on the island, consider that each stone had to be brought over from Mali Lošinj and carried by hand to its destination. The island has steadily lost its population in the past few decades (it had more than 1600 inhabitants in 1948), with, strangely, many of its citizens settling in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Travel agencies in Mali Lošinj sell day trips to Susak, or you can ask around the boats moored along the harbour. Otherwise, Jadrolinija has a twice-daily passenger-only ferry from Mali Lošinj to Susak (adult/child 16/8KN, one hour).
