Sue Austin loved Croatia and wants to go back to see more.

The island of Hvar, Croatia

Swimming in a liquid sunset, a boat trip to a medieval town, a hair-raising high speed ring ride and snorkelling amid shoals of fish.

Just a few of the wonderful memories of a holiday in Croatia and all enjoyed from our fabulous camp site. Croatia is one of the latest destinations for Keycamp, the UK’s leading mobile home provider.

Keycamp takes customers across Europe including France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland Germany, Holland and more recently destinations such as Sardinia and new for 2010 Greece and Denmark. It was the strong Euro that drew us away from mainland Europe to Croatia.

It turned out to be an excellent decision. For our teenage children declared it to be the best holiday in many years.

And, when kids of whatever age are happy, parents can’t help but enjoy their holiday.

Keycamp specialises in family holidays although it has something for everyone – from walking guides to wine notes, strategically placed campsites for city breaks or for outdoor adventuring.

But on our menu was a relaxed family week away. And that is exactly what we enjoyed.

We took a low cost flight to nearby Slovenia although we could just have easily flown to Croatia itself or to nearby northern Italy.

Keycamp’s flexibility means you choose how you get to your destination, ferry or flight. Keycamp can also arrange overnight stops, a great idea when driving, at hotels or one of their campsites.

A visit to the incredible Postojna underground caves in Slovenia meant it was early evening when we arrived at camp Lanterna and we picked up a takeaway in the complex before settling down for an early night in our mobile home.

Keycamp offers an option of linen and towels with your accommodation, a must-have when flying and, at most sites a welcome pack for if shops are closed when you arrive.

It was the next day when we experienced the wow factor of Lanterna camp.

Our home for the week turned out to be just 500 paces from the beach, or rather three kilometres of beach and rocky shoreline on the magnificent crescent-shaped bay. It was there we based our holiday.

Sophie and Joe loved the huge inflatable adventure playground in the water on the main beach. But they, like I, probably preferred the fantastic snorkelling off the quieter beaches and headland just a few hundred yards along the coastline.

A limestone country, Croatia has not only its own fair share of underground cave systems, one just a few minutes drive from Lanterna, but it is great for snorkelling and scuba diving.

There were canoes for hire at the campsite and a short walk took us to the public beach where the family enjoyed an exhilarating ride on tyres pulled by a speedboat. Then of course there were the campsite pools, one for the kids and the main family pool overlooking the bay and complete with outdoor jacuzzis.

In the evening there was nothing that could beat sitting on the beach to enjoy the magnificent sunset – unless it was swimming in that sunset or lying on an inflatable amidst it.

It was hard to tear yourself from those sunsets and very unlike us we stayed at Lanterna to eat, either at one of the campsite’s value-for- money restaurants or on the decking of our mobile home.

Keycamp’s luxury mobile homes are equipped with everything to ensure you can enjoy home from home comfort.

This includes a well equipped kitchen, with a full oven and fridge freezer and a barbeque. Keycamp also offers chalets, luxury supertents and even tree houses!

You can pick your accommodation to suit your budget.

Unlike hotel holidays a Keycamp holiday also gives you the chance to enjoy relaxing as a family whether over breakfast or in the evening.

Whether it was challenging the kids to a game of snooker or table tennis or lingering over a meal, a bottle or two of wine or Croatian beer and a board game from the Keycamp games chest we had some great evenings.

When we did drag ourselves away from Lanterna us we did not stray far.

An excursion from the campsite took us on a fabulous boat trip, into a fiord and on to the beautiful medieval walled town of Rovinj.

It was a day to remember. The boat pulled into a port to pick up a catch of fresh fish and, within an hour, we were sitting on board with families from across Europe enjoying a fabulous meal of fish, salads bread and wine.

Rovinj was a gem and we had plenty of time to climb up to the church through the maze of narrow streets charming buildings and town squares.

The town of Porec was just 11 kilometres away from Lanterna which, like nearby Novigrad, had shops restaurants and wonderful ice-cream served up by ice-cream sellers that are also jugglers, making my heart leap when my ice-cream flew through the air before landing in its cornet.

Our decision to stay close to the campsite rather than travel long distances meant we did things like spend an hour or so go-karting just up the road from Lanterna. We even found a five kilometre race for dad to take part in in a nearby village which was having its version of our summer carnival.

We all agreed that, when you have such a beautiful campsite with such an array of activities, it is hard to tear yourself away. It also means we will also have to return to see more of a lovely country with its friendly helpful people.

Facts

• Keycamp offers self-catering holidays to more than a hundred top parcs across eleven European countries, including Greece and Denmark for 2010, plus the USA and nine parcs in the UK.  Each boasts excellent facilities and a choice of stylish mobile home, chalet, Supertent and even tree house accommodation.
• Book before 12 April, and thanks to Keycamp’s Spring Sale, a seven night break at Campsite Lanterna, starting on 15 May, for a family of two adults and up to four children staying in a two bedroom Villaclassic mobile home with decking will cost just £109, accommodation only.
• Ferry crossings or fly-drive packages to Pula or Trieste are available through Keycamp at a supplement.
  For the latest deals, further information or to make a booking, visit www.keycamp.co.uk or call 0844 406 0319.