Ulika camping is the last naturist site that we had not visited in mainland Croatia. There are still two on the islands that are on our list but they are quite a distance and logistically difficult for a short trip so they will have to wait a while longer.
Camping Ulika is run by Istra Camping and lies 8 km north of Porec on the Istrian coast. The camp is well laid out and well taken care of with nice and spacious marked pitches as well as a free for all area and some lovely mobile homes with small pools. There are four restaurants, a supermarket, some shops, a nice bakery and a hairdresser to take care of all your basic needs as well as enough old, but clean, sanitary blocks dotted around the site.
The camp gives off a very peaceful atmosphere but we were there on a somewhat cool Easter weekend only a couple of days after opening so there was hardly anyone there and not all the facilities were open. I am sure there is a much different feel to the place in high season when its completely full and people’s respect wanes somewhat!
We arrived early on Easter Friday and after an easy check-in found a wonderful pitch overlooking the ocean with the infeasibly large site map given to us by the receptionist. And with the weather much better than forecast we were able to enjoy the sun for most of the day and taking a short run before again enjoying the afternoon and evening views from our pitch.
On Saturday we woke early to blue skies and slightly less wind and after an early morning run exploring the lovely nearby peninsula north of the site and then an equally lovely breakfast, we took a long walk around the whole camp to get a good feel for the place.
The sports facilities looked ok but the 5€ free for a pathetic and not upgraded mini-golf and the same price for the use of the table tennis tables seemed very excessive. The pool was filled and looked great, but again a charge of 10€ for a sun lounger for the day was an unnecessary expense for a campsite to charge. But a positive was that the supermarket prices were not hiked too high and it was well stocked and as an added bonus you didn’t have to dress to go in there which is always an issue at naturist campsites.
Sunday we took the bikes out for a very nice ride along the coastline paths to the Mirna canal and back. Passing through little coastline villages and marinas, there are many options to stop for lunch or a beer along the way. The tracks were a little wet in places after the recent rains but mostly perfect for a good mountain bike and very scenic with ocean and countryside views.
Monday was spent around the van, walking around the camp, and just enjoying the warm spring weather. Something we have dearly missed over the winter months in Austria.
Camping Ulika was definitely somewhere that we enjoyed and would re-visit. The camp out of season was relaxed and the facilities, although basic, were clean and working well. We enjoyed the openness of the camp and not having to dress or cover up to go in the bars during the day or the supermarket and reception. There are many running and cycling trails available nearby and enough space to find some peace. We did not like the extra charges for basic things that should be included in the already high price, but every campsite we visit these days charge for absolutely everything they can get away with. And until people stop paying, it will just continue.
But in general a really nicely laid out site in a great location and plenty to do. And now that nearby FKK Koversada has moved away from naturism to textile camping and taken thousands of naturist pitches away, a place that will for sure only get more popular in the next years.
Its felt like a very long 3 months since our return from Spain and I was in need of an adventure so I packed the van and headed south through Slovenia and Northern Croatia to the Bosnian border. The drive there was quite surreal and somewhat unnerving as this area was where most of the heavy fighting was done during the Yugoslavian war, and even though it was over 30 years ago, you still got the feeling of danger all around.
Vast open countryside with armoured bunkers along the roadside. Derelict buildings littered with bullet holes and still flying decaying Yugoslavian flags. Police cruising everywhere with roadside stops looking for immigrants and smugglers coming over the Bosnian border. This really was no-mans land and I was heading for the abandoned Željava Air Base, a relic from the cold war and code named Objekta 505.
This was a top-secret bunker concealed under mount Plešecica and at full capacity was large enough to hide up to 60 warplanes. There is a stripped out and vandalised C-47 transporter plane which you can climb aboard and two derelict runways which you can drive down which was quite a cool experience.
The bunker itself is a little creepy when you enter. The MIG fighter opening in the nuclear blast proof doors is very interesting but once inside its pitch black and even with a torch its still unnerving to walk through. This is still the external border with the EU and the area surrounding the airbase is part of the Balkan smuggling route for illegal immigrants, so you must be wary even with all the police presence. But a very interesting place to visit and recommended if you are in the area.
Zadar
I have never been to Zadar but heard many good things about the town and surroundings. I wanted to stay at the all year campsite for the main reason that in off-season you get to use the gym and spa in the neighbouring hotel. The campsite was relatively clean and tidy but it was nearly empty so that should not have been a problem. The hotel gym was basic but it opened at 7am and I used it every day and the spa was very much unloved but the sauna was welcome each evening after training.
The old town of Zadar was really very nice and you can spend a pleasant few hours wandering the streets and ocean front in the spring sunshine. The Organ steps being a lovely place to sit for a while with the sound of the waves gently playing out some soothing notes. I’m not sure what it would sound like if the sea was very rough though!
I had planned a week of cycle tours taking me far and wide but after the third day I was counting my luck that I was still in one piece and decided to put the bike away. The problem was that there were no cycle paths at all, no sidewalks on the seafront, and the limited off-road tours were bogged down after torrential rain the past weeks. But by far the worst issue was the abundance of road and construction works that was happening. New infrastructure installations and new apartments on every single free plot of land, it was quite amazing. But the nock-on effect was that cycling was quite dangerous as all the traffic was frustrated and impatient. So the time in Zadar was enjoyable but its geared toward the general and family tourist and not really outdoors people or cyclists.
Island Pag
Deciding to leave the campsite earlier than planned I headed to the Island of Pag. Also never having been here before I wanted to end my trip in good weather and hike the famous Island trail. I found this trail quite a few years ago when looking for off-road running races but I never got to run it and now my aging body unfortunately wont let me! So I thought that I would just hike it instead.
Arriving on the island at a beautiful sunset it was tough to keep your eyes on the road but after a far more difficult drive than planned I eventually arrived at my park-up as it was getting dark. Not knowing how amazing it was until I woke up just before dawn the next day.
I had parked on the headland near the small town of Metajna and there I stayed completely alone for the next three days. It was such an amazing location and in the off-season totally ignored by everyone. From my base I made two days of hiking all around the area covering every path and distant corner of this quite bizarre headland. The trails are just incredibly difficult to hike being sharp loose rocks and it really takes a lot of effort and a toll on the body but the plus side is that if you do see anyone you know that they really want to be there. And you are guaranteed that you will not run into your average unfit tourist on this trail.
I was so fortunate that in two days and over 40 km of naked hiking I experienced 20 degrees, no wind, and the most remarkable thing was that I did not encounter one single person in all this time. Just unbelievable. I also visited all of the remote beaches the highlight being Malin beach where I spent the majority of my time.
Here I just lay in the warm sun and listen to the complete and utter quiet and without exaggeration there were periods of time where there was not a single sound, not even a bird in the sky. Something I don’t think I have ever experienced before in such a place. The beach also has the advantage of having a natural fresh water Spring with pure drinkable water which is a real bonus being so far from anywhere and if my day there couldn’t have been any better, a dolphin decided just to cruise by as I was getting ready to leave. Thank you!
A really amazing location and if you love nature then a definite place to visit even though it is incredibly remote and very hard going but so worth the effort. I know that this beach is overrun in the summer with taxi boats dropping off the masses and causing havoc but in off- season you wont find anyone who doesn’t belong there. A real corner of natural paradise that is a worth while visit if you are on the island of Pag and a true naturists dream.
My birthday was approaching and although we don’t make a fuss about anything these days we still wanted to go away in the van as it has been a sad sight just waiting in the parking lot through my operation and rehab the last 6 weeks. It needed a damn good clean and to evict the ants that had made it their new home. But after a week of deep cleaning it was once again gleaming in the sunshine and raring to go.
We wanted to go to the ocean and preferably to Valata but after checking the prices for various camps that we like, we just could not believe the cost of a piece of dirt for one night at the end of June. So we decided on pretty much the cheapest option for the facilities on offer and also for somewhere we had never visited before which is always exciting.
Naturist Camping Solaris is a very famous naturist resort in Istria and lies around 12 km north of the tourist town of Poreč. It is an extremely large Camp which has a Capacity of over 4ooo guests and something that has always put us off from going there. But we decided to try it and make a decision for ourselves as we have been quite surprised before, especially with Valata which is also huge.
The first good thing about the site was that they allowed us to park overnight outside their camp free of charge which was really great as we were arriving quite late on the Thursday evening. The next nice thing was that they let us into the campsite at 7am and just park on the road until our booked pitch became available at 12. This was also great as we could go in, take a walk and get our bearings, take a dip in the ocean and have breakfast. And also I could work out how the hell I was going to get the van manoeuvred into the pitch as it was a little tight to say the least.
After breakfast we went to the pool and took a couple of loungers and an umbrella to lay in the sun for an hour. At this time the pool was still relatively quiet except for the water aerobics class. And with a lovely view over the ocean it was a very nice place to relax before breaking away to put the van in the pitch and set-up for the weekend. The afternoon was spent at the pool and diving in and out of the ocean before watching a wonderful sunset with a glass or two of wine.
The following day was my birthday and we had a morning coffee at the shoreline at dawn then did pretty much nothing for the day except lie in the sun and take dips in the pool to cool down. As well as a treat of a burger and fries at the pool restaurant where we could eat naked which was a nice touch from the campsite as with other sites you normally have to dress to eat even during the day.
Sunday the wind had picked up due to a storm somewhere out at sea and a quite disgusting Algae slime had formed on the shoreline. This had forced most of the campers away from the ocean and to the pool area so that was an uncomfortable place to be and very overcrowded. So we hung out at the van, took some walks, and had a couple of cold beers through the day whilst painting and listening to music before being treated to an amazing sunset for our last night.
The following morning we packed up and parked the van outside the camp before returning inside to have a couple of hours at the pool. The camp by now was nearly at its capacity of over 4000 people and was becoming very loud so we showered and left Croatia for the summer returning to a cold and very wet Austria by evening!
It was a very nice break and although the campsite was not that great in general, the location of the pitch we had was amazing. Direct at the ocean with incredible un-obstructed views. But you get what you pay for and although it was cheaper than our preferred campsites in Croatia, it still set us back a whopping €60 per night! And with the incredibly inflated supermarket and restaurant and bar prices, this type of camping is getting extremely expensive just for a few days.
But maybe in off season and with the luck of some good weather, it would be a nice place to be. Just buy all your food and drink before you arrive and dont eat out as a burger will set you back €16 and a single portion of fries €5. We didnt even bother looking at the drinks prices…
This year is not going quite as planned. But hopefully with the summer here and with another operation safely behind me, I am back on track and we are making alternative plans.
A few weeks ago we managed 4 days at Valata resort in Istria (diary entry) and as we have already written an extensive post on how great this place is there is no need to go into detail again. Except to say that the facilities are now even better as they have upgraded some sanitary blocks and re-developed one of the beaches which is very nice.
Unfortunately their prices are still continuing to rise and in moderate season you will be expected to pay upward of €70 for a pitch. Let me say that again. Thats over €70 per night to park on a parcel of dirt. And thats if you can actually find one thats worth parking on without having your neighbours sitting on your breakfast table or having to take your hiking boots with you to get to the beach.
Also the supermarket prices have risen and an hour of tennis is now a quite remarkable €17! So they have effectively priced us out of going there except at the end of April or the last week of September, and then only for a few days. For us thats quite sad as we would love to spend an extended trip there to truly enjoy the facilities and area.
Its quite unbelievable how prices are rising in Croatia, and Europe in general, all caused by covid and the new van life boom. The ACSI card is no longer worth having as the “off-season” times are being constantly made shorter, and the pitches that are being made available for card holders are getting worse and worse.
We also took a trip to naturist campsite Mali Raj in Slovenia. Again we have written about this lovely camp beforebut also in March I made an interview article for British Naturism magazine in the UK of which I am also a member as well as the INF in Austria. It is published in the June Summer issue if you are a member, and if not you can download our article below.
Our plans for this year may have been forced to change but we are still positive and hopeful that we will be back to the second part of our trip to France and Spain later in the year. So stay tuned and any comments on our posts are always welcome.
Summer had gone by without even noticing it was here in the first place. Terrible weather, storms, devastating local flooding. So it was time for us to take a break and spend some time together away from our area. I was in a situation to take some longer time away but Leela not so much, so we had to make a Tour Plan.
Part I – Millstättersee
First was a weekend at Millstättersee to try to unwind for a couple of days. We visited this FKK campsite last year (diary entry) and liked the views and the Lake side bathing area. This time we didn’t do any cycling but only ran in the mornings, spent the day at the lake, and the evenings at the van. Nice and simple and just what we wanted.
The campsite was as the previous time and we had a lovely couple of days together and at 5pm on Sunday we said our goodbyes. Her returning to home and me heading in the opposite direction to continue to my next destination.
Part II – Italian Dolomites
Leaving Kärnten late on Sunday afternoon I had quite a lovely drive through East Tyrol to the Italian border at Cillian and then into the Dolomite Mountain range where my first stop was to see the towers of Tre-Chime.
I had a nice plan to park-up at a location where it should have been quiet and hike up to the hut and around the towers the following morning. Wow was I in for a surprise! It’s the second week of September and already off-season with the kids back in school. So I fully expected to only see like minded outdoor enthusiasts and maybe some retired people on tour, but I was not prepared for the sensory onslaught and sheer amount of people on the mountain. I did eventually find a parking place and enjoyed a couple of beers watching Wales win their first game in the World Cup, before going to bed way too late for me and slightly drunk!
Waking early it was full gas to have breakfast, make sandwiches and be on the trail by 7am. But incredibly the toll road was already queuing for over a KM at this time. Fortunately my hiking path took me away from the road and a very pleasant hike through lush forest to the hut. And heres where the fun starts.
I have no actual idea how many cars, vans, campers and buses were parked up there but I have never seen anything like it before. There was also every conceivable person here as well. Everything from flip flops, trainers, sweatpants, jeans, a girl in a dress, the Instagram hunters in full matching luminous gear all the way through to complete winter mountaineering packs. Not to mention the E-bikes, dogs both on lead and being carried in handbags and a Chinese man in full black Burka. Presumably to stop the sun. Quite unreal if you weren’t there. Oh and didn’t I mention the Drones… The F * * * * * G drones! Even though there is a complete ban on them in the national park.
The views up there are quite spectacular in every direction. The mountain range is quite unique from any other with the rock formations giving an incredible vista against the crisp blue morning sky. The weather was just perfect and although it was still relatively early it was getting quite warm. So after a quick sandwich to re-fuel as I had already hiked over 5km, I began the circular walk around the towers so you can get a full idea of how large these rocks are.
The path begins like a road which takes you to the next hut but then its a short climb to the viewing platform from where you get a first glimpse of the 3 towers. It really is an incredible piece of rock and well worth the physical effort of getting there. Or just drive there like everyone else.
As you drop down some meters you get an even better view of the scale of them and as the sun was still behind, a marvellous view of the outline against the blue sky.
From here the main path (basically a road) heads further away to the Instagram photo platform but by this time I had enough of the crowds and took the more difficult path through the boulder field and re-joined the masses again at the next hut before a last gimps of the rocks and returning to the start.
By now it was swarming there with bus fulls of tour groups and the late sleepers. The noise for me was getting too much as a group of 20-30 German Porsche “enthusiasts” were hearing up and down the street showing off their overly priced and quite pointless private parts. So it was time to head back into the forest, eat the rest of my food by a beautiful river and make my way to the van.
I guess you should take the time to visit Tre Chime if you are in the Dolomites as it really is truly magnificent. But if you love nature and peace and quiet. You are going to be very disappointed.
After a shower and a cold beer by a lovely lake I had a couple of hours in the afternoon sun deciding what to do next. And after a nice hot meal with a view I put everything away and was on the road to my next destination.
Lago di Sorapis is probably second behind Tre Chime on the Instagram to do list so I was fully not expecting to be alone there. Nevertheless I took the short evening drive to where I was expecting to park but as per the previous night there was just no chance. I have never seen so many cars and campers on a mountain pass and I have followed the Tour de France many times! So I drove 2 km further to the huge car park of the ski lifts and although there was a lot of construction work going on, had a very peaceful night with a spectacular view from the van window.
Up a tad later than I would have liked due to the previous days energy output and a couple of beers, I was packed and on the trail a little before 8am. The extra couple of km’s done and I was at the trailhead reasonably alone still with just a few people who generally looked like they knew what they were doing.
The trail starts, and indeed continues, in just the most spectacular scenery. The mountains are incredible in every direction which means making progress can be a little disjointed due to all the stopping to look at the views and photo taking. The first sections are through lush forest on easy going paths before it becomes steeper and more technical in places as you get closer to the lake. But easily manageable if you are fit and have a good head for heights as well as sure footing.
The weather once more was perfect with very warm temperatures no wind and blue skies and on reaching the lake these conditions made it look even more picture perfect. I was a little surprised to see the amount of people already hanging around but most I think had been staying at the hut and were viewing it after their breakfast.
I stopped for a while to eat my lunch and take in the surroundings but unfortunately again the peace and tranquility was spoilt by the general loudness of the new generation in such environments, but by far the worst is the constant flying of drones. What an absolute nuisance to the mountaineer and nature lover. The bans and fines should be somehow enforced. But after my lunch I took one last walk around this majestic lake and made my way back down the mountain and back to the van for a welcome shower and food.
It really was a fantastic trail and to have that lake at the end of it a delight. Both Tre Chime and Lago di Sorapis are must sees if you are visiting the Dolomites and are a mountain lover. Just have the patience of a Saint whilst on the trail, even in so called off season.
Over my dinner I could see that the weather was really changing for the worse the next two days so I decided to leave a day earlier than planned and head to the ocean for the next part of the plan.
Part III – Baška or maybe Punat…
It was a beautiful drive down through the Dolomites on a lovely evening. The traffic was kind and even the Highway was no stress all the way to Traviso, even if there was a little anxiety with the fuel range reading zero and me having a further 50km to get to the border with Slovenia for 50 cents a litre cheaper Diesel.
Stress over and as it was still early enough and a lovely evening I decided to continue driving to Croatia and stopped for the night at a lovely spot under the KRK bridge and watched the sunset drop slowly behind the boats in the Harbour.
The next morning was an early start so after a coffee I was on the road down to the south of the island. First stop was to wash the van as it had taken some collateral damage the last weeks driving then to a supermarket just outside Baška where I was very surprised that at 8am they had no fresh produce and very little alcohol. So I just bought the very basics and made my way to Bunculuka camp site a further few minutes down the road and when I arrived I realised why the supermarket was so empty. The place was absolutely rammed.
We both have been going to this camp for many, many years, and I have never failed to get a choice of pitches at any time of the year. But the receptionist said “No” absolutely full, every single pitch taken or reserved and already a queue of vans lined up to take the next one out’s pitch. Just total and utter chaos and a very unpleasant atmosphere everywhere.
So I hung around for a couple of hours, used the showers, took a dip in the amazing ocean and bought some bread from the bakery. Wondered around searching for a place but to no avail. Enough was enough so I returned to the receptionist who could not understand why I was leaving, picked up my passport and was unexpectedly on the road again a lot sooner than I would have liked.
Next on the original plan would have been to go to camp Konobe in Punat which is only 30 minutes drive to the west of the island. There we have also been many times and indeed we got engaged there last May. So after a normal arrival, a choice of nice pitches, and a quick look around, I was already setting up in a beautiful pitch with an amazing view and hopefully not moving for the next week or so.
The rest of the day was spent doing chores that a week on the road and in the mountains catch up on you. Camper service, washing clothes, essential shopping and a clean up of the van so that it was at least respectable for when Leela arrived for the weekend.
I spent the next couple of days in very pleasant weather, running, SUP, listening to music, reading and just hanging around in this incredible location. And when Leela arrived, we done exactly the same. A wonderful time together that went way too quick and a sadness when she had to leave on Sunday evening.
I spent the rest of the week there alone in sometimes nice but mostly bad weather with a very wet font all around. But nevertheless it was very nice just to sit and enjoy the view and do some planning for our Trips in 2024.
If you talk about Naturism in Croatia then for sure Valalta camping will be mentioned. It was founded in 1968 and is the largest nudist camp in the whole of Croatia, occupying over 5 km of pristine Coastline. And it’s just HUGE!
We normally do not like such places and try to avoid any campsite that can accommodate more than a 1000 people but after treating couple for massage at our local FKK campsite and hearing about their recent trip there we decided to give it a try over the following long weekend.
The first thing that hits you when you arrive, after the huge sign outside the campsite for a swingers club, is that there are no reservations for the place. You just arrive, check in, and drive around until you find a free pitch that suits you. It’s uncomplicated and incredibly easy for the camp and the sheer mass of numbers allows them to operate this way. But unfortunately its a real pain in the arse for the visitor, especially if you have never been there before.
The camp is just HUGE and with a rabbit warren of tiny streets its almost impossible to decide on a pitch whilst also concentrating on your driving and avoiding the half asleep and hungover guests standing in the middle of the road first thing in the morning. But after 30 minutes searching we finally settled on a pitch that also had a sea view which we were hoping for.
The next hour was spent setting up and finally having some breakfast before returning to the check in to give our pitch number and taking a walk around the site together with a visit to the very impressive and well stocked supermarket which pretty much had everything from camping chairs to their own self made wine and beer.
Continuing on our 5 km walk we checked out the impressive sport complex with tennis, soccer and basketball courts. The two mini golf areas, swimming pool complex, car wash, shops and finally the hilltop viewing towers overlooking the Lim Canal. Then returning along the coastline, past the marina, bars, seaside pools and beaches, before returning to the van. Did I mention that this place was HUGE?!
The rest of the day was first spent going for a run through the nearby forest, lounging at the van and lying by the pool before the main event of cooking steak and chips for dinner which we had been looking forward to.
The next day we had a long bike tour planned so after breakfast and preparing a packed lunch we headed off. First through thick forest along the side of the canal then cutting inland through some real charming mountain bike paths before reaching the coast again around 10 km below Rovinj. Here we connected with the lovely coastal path that ran through a terribly overrun and loud camping before stopping for our lunch at nice FKK beach and grass park under the trees.
Back on the bikes following this sublime path to Rovinj where we had planned another stop to look around the town as we enjoyed it so much last year when we visited for the day. But there must have just been a cruise ship arrival as it was completely full so we just rode on through the masses without stopping this time.
Joining the coastal path again after the town it was a short ride through some lovely forest before rejoining the road at the swingers club and then back to the van with the last of the afternoon spent lying at the pool. A really nice and recommended tour if you are staying at the camp.
The weather on Saturday was not so great so we relaxed around the van and took a long walk around the full extremities of the camp. After lunch it began to open up again so we made a fun few rounds of golf before taking to the tennis courts to try out our new rackets!
Sunday we had to leave and of course the sun shone all day without a cloud in the sky! So we just lay by the ocean in the morning and took a couple of swims and after lunch we left the pitch and made the most of the pool area before reluctantly peeling ourselves away for the journey home.
We very rarely get overly excited about a camp site but we were both really taken by Valalta. We loved the fact that it was based on a first come basis. We were really impressed that there were no dogs allowed on the site which makes it both cleaner and quieter. It was spectacularly clean and well maintained for such a huge site. All the facilities functioned correctly. The sport complex was perfect for us and the location suited our sporting lifestyle with plenty of bike and running tours possible in relative safety. The supermarket was well stocked and the pool area a real bonus.
If we had to pick up on something negative then we would have to say that it is really expensive to stay there and the cost of 15€ for one hour of tennis also put us off playing more than once which we would have liked to have done. But you really do get what you pay for and as they are for sure not short of customers they can get away with charging what they want. That said, we have paid the same before for absolutely terrible sites so it is all relative.
It was a fantastic few days and we will for sure return sooner than later. We have been so fortunate this month to have stayed in two new campsites to us which have been spectacular but for completely different reasons. Firstly Mali Raj in Slovenia (diary entry) for its tiny intimacy and idyllic location and now Valalta in Istria which manages to keep quality in all of its hugeness!
It was the end of October already and we were missing the heat of summer. With a bank holiday in Austria we were choosing somewhere to go for a long weekend when I checked the weather to see a forecast for KRK in Croatia that was very exciting. Sunshine, no wind, 25°C, clear skies! Nothing to think about really.
Driving to Baška on a Wednesday evening in late October we thought would be easy but unfortunately the Slovenian roadworks cost us an extra couple of hours in tailbacks on the motorway so we were arriving on KRK island as the supermarket was closing at 9pm. A quick grab of the essentials for the weekend and we were being escorted out by the large security guard who was understandably desperate to get home and 45 minutes later and we were in Baška and it was now just past 10pm, so past our bedtime! Yes, we are early to bed people but we are also very early to rise people and enjoy the early mornings much more than the late nights.
Waking to the most incredible view being parked directly at the ocean is a joy and something we for sure do not take for granted as we had a just unbelievable park-up and the van did not move for the next 4 days!
With the forecast even better than expected we had four days of clear blue skies and temperatures of up to 28 degrees. It was summer again and we had an incredible time running along the promenade each morning in just shorts, hiking the coastal paths naked and enjoying quiet beaches, swimming in the ocean and bringing our fading suntans back to life. Something we really did not expect at this time of year. But a word of warning if your fiancé is an artist. Don’t fall asleep on the beach next to her or you wake up with watercolored painted nails.
The beaches were nearly all completely empty and I just lay in the sun all day reading and watching Leela paint and sketch and take a few dips into the fresh Croatian Ocean. The evenings were spent watching the sunsets, taking walks into town for some photography and just hanging out in the van watching the ocean only a few meters away.
A really amazing and unexpected few days away and on Sunday we were very reluctant to leave. But after another few hours on the beach and some lunch we were on our way home again. Back in Austria late in the evening it was zero degrees and we really were not happy after only 5 hours earlier we had been lying naked on a beach in 28 degrees.
Welcome to the Austrian winter for the next 4 months!
Holidays in high season… chaos, noise, kids! This is normally every single thing that we try to avoid but this summer it worked out that we were both off for a full two weeks with a summer break so we decided to give it a try!
Wanting to go somewhere different and as everything was already booked up we chose to go back to Istria but this time to a huge campsite which again we never normally do.
We decided on Koversada FKK resort near Vsar. It had decent reviews and the location seemed perfect for our plans. Active options for cycling, running and SUP together with a lot of bathing opportunities and blue flag beaches. Many good reviews on the Facebook group but worryingly many bad also. Some minor theft which we fortunately did not experience but the main concern being men hanging around taking video and photographs and groups of young men staying there but not naturist. unfortunately all of these we did experience.
Making our way down south from Austria late on a Wednesday evening we encountered no traffic and we decided to stay overnight once more at Roberto’s. A wonderful spot which you can read more about on our last post – FKK Kanegra. Leaving early enough for a quick passage through the border we made our way toward Vsar when we saw a Mcdonalds and quickly decided that a Croatian sausage and egg McMuffin with a coffee would go down very nicely and after polishing off double helpings we were on the road to Koversada.
The reception was quite small considering the camp size and as we had already booked in on-line the process was quick and easy. They had given us a pre-booked pitch but as there were many pitches available we decided to take a look around and after a very sweaty and long walk we decided just to take the one they gave us. Partly because it was quite close to the ocean and the neighbours seemed nice, but mostly because we couldn’t be arsed to look anymore! Number 2004.
We are not new to this and I honestly thought that we could cope with the pitch having no shade. But after a couple of hours there and realising that our 2 quiet female German neighbours had now increased to 8 very loud and very drunk adults, 2 dogs, and a screaming kid. We decided to move on. So off on the bikes to look for a quiet pitch.
We found 2 shady and quiet pitches. Numbers 802 preferred and 717 second choice. So back to reception to ask and she said that 802 would be free for our whole stay. Pack up everything in 40 degrees, drive to new pitch, unpack everything and set-up awning and all the paraphernalia for a 2 week stay. And one incredibly sweaty hour later and as I was hammering in the final peg. Leela says… whats the number of this pitch Ry? Everything sank. I didn’t even bother to look as I knew I had fucked up. I had only driven to pitch 717 by accident.
Pack up everything in 40 degrees, drive to new pitch, unpack everything and set-up awning and all the paraphernalia. And one incredibly sweaty hour later and as I was hammering in the final peg. Leela hands me an ice cold beer!
We had planned to be there early and set-up by 10:00 am so we could have enjoyed the full day. Instead it was now nearly 5pm and I was exhausted. We had set-up and taken down our pitch 3 times in very hot temperatures but finally we had a cold beer and could laugh at my complete arse-up of a day.
The next day we could start our holiday for real. Checking out the vastness of the campsite, finding the best bakery for morning Bureks, swimming in the clear ocean and general relaxing at the van.
As a note, I had broken a bone in my foot a week before the trip and my movement was quite limited so our active holiday was much more sedate than we would have liked but we tried to make the most of it. Running was not possible for me but Leela ran every morning when I got breakfast together. Returning each day with info about the local area, the best fish markets and the general comings and goings of the campsite.
Of our activities I did manage a couple of bike rides. The first was exploring the forests to the head of the Lim Canal. The dock area turned out to be very nice although a little run-down after seeing better years but a lovely beer in the sun nonetheless. The ride home was superb through the forest in the evening setting sun only stopping to do a little route finding.
The second bike trip was up the coast to Porec. We had hoped that there would be a series of bike paths running along the coastline to enjoy but it turned into an episode of wacky races. Just jumping from path to road trying not to be run over in the process. Porec turned out to be very busy. Too many people and not enough space to host them all. Of course we were not helping by being there either.
So after a stressful ride around the town we found a bakery and sat on a park bench in the shade watching a completely different world to ours go about their business. The ride back was a little calmer as we found some off-road paths that were away from the traffic but we were glad to be once more sitting at the van.
The only other bike tour, apart from riding around the campsite, was a short ride to Vsar which was a lovely little dock village. It was of course overrun but I think quite charming out of season.
We both love stand-up paddling but this proved to be a little more problematic for my foot due to the roughness of the water from the constant boat traffic. But we did manage one long trip quite far up the Canal which is recommended and also a shorter trip around the camp island which was also very nice apart from the roughness of the water.
All together it was a very nice couple of weeks there but something we would not do again in high season. It’s really just not for us. There are options for cycling, running and SUP and of course the ocean is there. But we did not swim mainly because of the amount of jelly fish there were in the water. Something we had not experienced before whilst travelling through Croatia. And unfortunately there were many more bad sides to this campsite in high season.
The utter disrespect that some people have for others never ceases to amaze us. The cleaners on the site are working 10 hours a day in 40 degree heat and for pittance, just so that people can leave the showers and toilets in such a disgusting and filthy way.
This site being so large had quite a cross section of humanity on it. We are naturists, we visit many naturist campsites, beaches and lakes, we are middle-aged and not naive. We are both in a body condition that is not the normal for such places so we tend to attract attention wherever we go. We don’t like it, it’s just the way it is. But we tend to ignore everything that goes on around us.
But many of the people on this campsite were not naturist. They were people who just want to expose themselves to others in a legal environment. I can only talk of the men who are the worst but Leela says that the women were no better, just more discrete.
The looks and staring whilst touching themselves, although horrible, can just be ignored but when repulsive men comment on Leela’s body whilst standing right in front of her and with me there also, just shows how disgusting some men are with their treatment of women as objects.
I really wish that this was an isolated incident but on at least 3 occasions with me there and once when she was alone and on that occasion she told him exactly what she thought of him but this just fuelled his fire and gave him even more repulsive energy whilst taking ours from us.
And I wish it was just us it was happening to but even on the Koversada facebook page there were mentions of men hanging around taking photos and video.
I will dedicate a post to this subject and discuss the differences between the internet perception of naturism laid to you by Instagram and people like Naked Wanderings, British Naturism, etc. who are ignoring the problem and really not talking about the real state of Naturism that would take away from their personal gain. But it exists and it’s not going away.
Anyway with all this negativity about humans we did have a pretty nice time there. We cannot comment about any restaurants as we did not want to eat out and socialise after everything that was happening during the day. But we had a lovely take out pizza from the site. We had an amazing freshly caught Sea Brine from the local fish market that we cooked ourselves and we enjoyed many wonderful sunsets as well as an incredible moon one evening. We will avoid these giant camps from now on in high season and stick to our preferred type of Naturist locations.
Happy Naturist travels everyone, and be careful out there.
We had planned for this long weekend a tour of Carinthia utilising our Kärnten cards with lots chair lifts and hiking. This trip I had been planning for quite some time and we were really looking forward to it. But life is unpredictable and 2 days before I had very innocuously caught the outside of my foot on the leg of a chair in the house and as it turned out, broken my foot.
So hiking was not an option and whilst we were loading the van on Friday afternoon we still had no idea. But now our focus had changed from the mountains to the ocean. We knew that everything would be fully booked as we were just entering august so after an online search for the nearest FKK camp that had a free place we were given the option of camp Kanegra, which was only a few km’s over the border from Slovenia near the town of Umag. We both knew nothing of this place and after changing our kit choice in the van from mountains to ocean which is a whole lot easier as we need no clothes, we were off once more.
Not wanting to drive over the mountain passes with my foot we decided for a change to take the freeway via the Karawanken tunnel. And apart from the Toll, it was a much more relaxing drive than through the mountains.
On the way down and as it was already getting into late afternoon Leela was searching for a park-up for the evening near the border so that we could drive to the camp early next morning. She came up with Roberto’s near the border and in one of the Slovenian wine regions.
We arrived quite late and took the last parking place that was available just in time to watch a glorious sunset over the vineyards with the ocean in the distance. The park spot was great at 10€ and there was a toilet, cold shower and electric if you needed it. We never got the chance to sample any of his wine but were told it was also very good. We had a peaceful night there before heading off to a quiet border crossing after breakfast and arriving at the campsite at a very good time to be able to enjoy the whole day.
Being before 12 we were not able to go to the pitch, and as the camp was completely full we had no choice but to accept the pitch that they gave us but it turned out fine and just far enough away from the shore to avoid the action although because the camp is quite small so you are always near to everything anyway.
We enjoyed a lovely long weekend in the sun and crystal clear ocean. The camp was nice and small, the facilities were clean, and with a small supermarket a short walk away there was everything you needed. As we dont generally go to restaurants we cant comment but the location and outside seating certainly looked as if you would enjoy an evening meal there.
Until next week when we go on our real summer vacation.
Having the van on the driveway finally we of course decided immediately to head off. I had a very good idea of how the van worked as I had owned a similar set-up before, but we knew nothing of this particular make and model.
Tuesday evening was spent sorting out the basics, water, toilet, bedding and filling the kitchen cupboards. And whilst Leela was in work, I loaded food, clothing and our camping things and waited patiently for her to arrive home.
Then with absolutely no thought or preparation we were off at 5pm on a Wednesday evening which just happened to be also my birthday. Next thing we knew we were driving south in our new camper with pots and pans rattling behind us and bottles falling all around me. We drive through Slovenia in the slowly setting sun stopping at a roadside vendor to pick up some wonderful fresh fruit and veg. It couldn’t have been a nicer first journey.
Arriving in Croatia at dusk and with our final destination of Baška another hour or so away we decided to make the first night in the van a wild one! And we found an incredible location just under the KRK bridge at a small dock. Parking up in complete darkness we switched off the engine for the night opened the door and opened an ice cold beer from the fridge to celebrate my birthday and the beginning of our new life in the van.
Going to bed I checked the battery situation and I was surprised to see it was nearly empty. This was very strange after a four hour drive but by this time I didn’t really care and would think about it in the morning.
The following day the excitement was quite high so we were both up and awake at a ridiculous hour. The electrical situation had of course not improved but safe in the knowledge we would be going to a camp and would have a hook-up we decided to worry about it when we got home and just enjoy the weekend. So we went for a short dawn walk on the dock and some naked swimming as we watched the sun rise hitting the spectacular bridge that links the island of KRK to the mainland.
Some breakfast later and we were meandering our way down the island heading for the south most tip. Camping FKK Bunculuka was our destination and we have written much about this camp and Baška before so I will skip the details, only to say that its a really wonderful camp and location and to be finally there in the van was a dream for us.
Only having a few days to spare we packed as much as we could into this time. Running, swimming, basketball, SUP and generally just having a wonderful time in nature and also at the van. Sunday came around way too quickly and we were already packing up to leave, but we knew that now we would be able to plan and go on longer trips soon enough and would return to Bunculuka for sure through the year as this was our favourite place in Croatia to visit.
A truly wonderful first trip in our new home on wheels.
