Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Love at first campsite
JAYMELOUISE HUDSPITH GOES GLAMPING ON THE CROATIAN COAST
IT’S camping, but not as you know it. As a city girl, the idea of sleeping under canvas filled me with dread – even if you do throw the word luxury in front of it.
But a quick Google search, and a few images of sunny beaches and crystal blue waters later, I was in – a decision I would not regret.
The Arena Grand Kažela Campsite has revolutionised camping – and not a tent or sleeping bag in sight.
As soon as we arrived at Camp Kažela, I was relieved to check into a luxurious seafront cabin, air-conditioned and, most importantly, with a real double bed.
The small but cleverly designed cabins are decked out for up to a family of five with ample storage, a fully functional kitchen, two bathrooms and a living room with a smart TV for Netflix bingeing.
I started to think I’d had camping wrong my whole life. This modern take on the usually more basic activity, allows holidaymakers to relax and experience the serenity of sleeping under the stars in total comfort. I felt completely away from the world, and loving life on my own in my selfcontained cabin – but relieved to have staff at hand to help with every need I could possibly have.
As an avid Game of Thrones fan, I hope I will be forgiven for automatically thinking of Dubrovnik (aka Kings Landing) when I think of Croatia, so I knew very little of the coastal town of Medulin, but there is a lot more to it than meets the eye – including jet skis.
There can be no better feeling than zipping across the ocean at speeds of up to 65mph. It was just the adrenalin rush I needed after an early flight and not much rest. Suddenly, I was full of energy. And once my heart stopped racing, and my feet were back on dry land, there were several other activities to get stuck into just a few steps from my front door.
During the build-up to the trip, the moment I most anticipated was stepping out of my front door, walking ten feet to the ocean and taking a dip.
Of course, typical with my luck, on day one I went for my swim – and stepped on a sea urchin.
Note to self, always pack swimmable shoes or stick to the resort’s pool, which is precisely what I did after that.
The resort’s Olympic-length relaxation pool and surrounding day beds turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.
No really. The lovely doctor at the nearby Pula hospital said to use a needle to remove the stingers and stay off my foot. Poor me, I just had to enjoy the sun and quality ‘me’ time.
Every day here was a new adventure. A stone’s throw from the resort is the beautiful Levan island – a small island which has been turned into the ultimate party paradise.
Littered from shore to shore with tiki huts, day beds and naturally a fully kitted out cocktail bar, with boat parties to enjoy, it was more than worth the ride over.
The Arena Grand Kažela Campsite has a number of restaurants and bars, while guests can choose from Camping Home Next, Home Green and Camping Villa plots.
One of the aspects that impressed me most was the resort’s eco-friendly nature.
Most of the buildings are made using eco-friendly materials, and some huts even brought the outside in with a feature wall of real tree bark. The creators have brought together the wonders of the outside world with the modern one and at no point during my trip did I believe that I was experiencing anything other than luxury.
My one regret? That I didn’t make a dash for the resort’s water slide.
Arena Kažela and its modern campsite has won me over, and I may find myself camping, in luxury, again sometime soon but I don’t think I will ever warm to the idea of traditional camping. The idea of sitting cold and soggy, on a blow-up bed, in a muddy field is my idea of hell.