CROATIA

Petra Shepherd joined Travel Channel for its launch back in 1994. She looks after our research and works on all original productions. Petra’s one of the most recognisable faces in the travel industry and when she’s not on the canapé circuit promoting the channel, she spends every free moment travelling. She’s visited over 70 countries and prefers back packing to 5 * luxury, unless of course it’s in the name of research!

Following war and a decline in tourism in the 1990s, Croatia is well and truly back on the map. The Yugoslavian coastline was hugely popular with visitors from all over Europe throughout the 80s, and now with the launch of a variety of new routes into the country, it looks set to attract an ever-increasing number of tourists. BUT, for the moment, particularly in late September which is when I visited, it's still relatively peaceful and unspoilt. It's a destination that lives up to its tourist board slogan "Croatia - the Mediterranean as it once was" but who knows how long that will last. Statistics for 2005 show a 45% increase in the number of overnight stays on 2004 by Danish holidaymakers, a 49% increase from Sweden and in just four years, the number of visitors from the UK has doubled. I'd get there quick.

East of Italy, Croatia is where Central Europe meets the Mediterranean. It's small but has one of Europe's most dramatic coastlines, nearly 2000 km long with more than 1000 islands. The setting for my stay, the resort of Makarska was certainly spectacular. Located on a large cove bordered by Cape Osejava in the southeast and the Sveti Petar Peninsula in the North West, the bay is dominated by Mt Biokovo, the highest point in Croatia. Makarska lies at the centre of the 60 km long Makarska Riviera and it's about an hour by car to the north of Split. Considering Makarska is one of the larger resorts in Croatia, I was very impressed; no fast food outlets or overdevelopment, no high-rise or tacky beachfront stalls. The government is determined to regulate development, preventing overbuilding or inappropriate construction whilst actively supporting the refurbishment and upgrading of traditional style properties and smaller, family run hotels. My hotel, the Hotel Meteor, was an older, more traditional property located smack on the beach (it's reassuring to know that new buildings in Croatia must be at least 70 metres away from the sea) and boasting a decent sized pool. My room was also a good size with the added benefit of a balcony with a sea view.

The sparklingly clear Adriatic is definitely one of Croatia's greatest assets. People always seem to rave about sandy beaches but in my opinion, unless you're five or under, sand is not fun. Horrible with suntan cream or oil, and a blue sea quite often becomes murky when the sand is churned up. Croatian beaches are predominately shingle or smooth pebble so the water is unbelievably clear. The late marine god Jacques Cousteau described the water as the cleanest in the Med. Only the water around Malta and Sicily comes close. Being an avid swimmer, I'd found nirvana. Not only was the water gin clear, it stayed millpond calm as well throughout my stay, not a ripple, and I felt as though I could have swum to Italy. Rubber beach shoes are a must by the way, and you can pick up a pair easily at your resort.

Makarska has a picturesque old town, plenty of easy walks along the coastline and more challenging hikes in the foothills. It even has a Malacological Museum (yes, I had to look it up as well), which apparently has the largest collection of snail shells and mussels in the world.

Any visit to Makarska (or in fact any of Croatia's mainland resorts) isn't complete without a boat trip to one of the islands. Ferries operate from the mainland but it's easier and just as cheap to go on what's commonly known as a "fish picnic". Numerous boats offer tours from the main port at Makarska, and all of them more or less do the same day trip between Jelsa, a small town on the north coast of the island of Hvar, and Bol on the island of Brac. The "fish picnic" part is basically lunch served on deck en route between islands. Don't worry. If fish isn't your thing, there are chicken and pork options too. The town of Jelsa is built around a natural inlet, its main square dates from the 16th Century and is surrounded by Renaissance and Baroque buildings. It really is very picturesque and you'll want to be on deck armed with your camera as you come into port. Bol on the other hand, is one of the most famous seaside resorts on the Adriatic with what is without doubt the most famous and easily the most photographed of Croatia's beaches. It crops up in every brochure and is called Zlatni Rat or Golden Cape. It's a unique phenomenon, stretching out into the open sea in the shape of a tongue. The shape is constantly changing thanks to the winds and currents. Zlatni Rat is said to be the only beach in the world that runs vertical to the coast. Now the bad news; I found it a little disappointing. I'd expected it to be longer and having seen so many other stunning vistas in Croatia, it was a bit underwhelming. Still, it was a treat to have the beach and the crystal clear surrounding waters to ourselves. It's a very popular place and does tend to fill up quickly during the high season.

Makarska is not a "fly and flop" sort of resort, there are far too many interesting places to see, which you can easily access on a day trip. Along with the cruise, you could also visit Split, Dubrovnik, the Krka Waterfalls, even Mostar. However, having been so impressed with the coastline, I decided to see if the scenery inland could match it, and opted for a spot of white water rafting along the Cetina River. It's not the sort of white knuckle white water rafting you get in New Zealand or Canada, both of which I've done, but I have to say the large number of overhanging branches certainly gave the experience a certain "terror" element. The river is also pretty narrow in places. It rises just east of Knin and flows down to meet the sea at Omis with some impressive gorges and rock formations along the way, the most dramatic being those outside Omis. A lot of the river is relatively calm but you do encounter some first and second-degree rapids. Oh, and you do get wet.

Finally, it was time for some culture. Trogir is a beautiful little town and by little, I mean little! You can walk all the way round it in less than half an hour. The very well preserved and car-free historical centre is situated on a small islet between the shore and the island of Ciovo, and definitely deserves its Unesco World Heritage Site status, which it received in 1997. It's a living museum surrounded by medieval walls and full of buildings and monuments testifying to a rich history. Be sure not to miss the 13th Century Cathedral of St Lawrence.

As the increasing visitor numbers show, holidaymakers from all over Europe have embraced Croatia as one of their favourite holiday destinations. For many, it's their new Med "find", and hopefully will remain popular; the overbuilding or over commercialisation that has blighted other parts of the Med being absent. In 2007 a growth in green tourism is expected as regular visitors venture further afield adding inland destinations to their coastal holiday. I however am hooked on the coast and the crystal clear waters. See you in Croatia.

To find out about the very latest developments and news from Croatia, check out our recent interview with Niko Bulic, the Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board on World Travel Market News.
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Petra travelled to Spilt from London Gatwick with Easyjet and stayed at the Hotel Meteor in Markaska and the Hotel Concordia in Trogir