Camping Bijela Uvala

Where to start... I’ll break this review down into a few sections: the RV, the campground, the pools, the restaurants, and the surrounding area.

Caravan:
Booked through Happy Camp. This is the only reason for the one-star deduction. We were mainly just there to sleep. At first glance, it’s a nice caravan with a covered porch where you can sit comfortably for breakfast and in the evening. It comes with 6 chairs and 2 lounge chairs. There’s also a very rickety table whose legs give way as soon as you move it even slightly. If you’re making a sandwich, you have to be careful that the glasses don’t tip over because of the rattling.
The bedrooms and beds are very small. In the largest bedroom with the double bed, there’s about 30 cm of space on either side to walk past it. There’s one small, narrow closet with three shelves and a hanging rack with five hangers. But there’s only one outlet on one side, so you can’t charge both your phones at the same time.
The kitchen has a large fridge with a freezer compartment, which is handy. Cooking is tricky with just one old, dented pan and a mix of kettles. There’s also no range hood, so on the one day we cooked, the whole caravan smelled like food. It’s also missing some utensils that would come in handy, like a large meat knife or a spatula.
The beds are decent, though very small. The shower has two settings: freezing cold or scalding hot.

Campground:
The campground itself is like a small village. It has more than 2,000 sites, but you don’t really notice it. Especially since there are several swimming pools spread throughout the campground. We always hung out by the big pool, which also has water slides. Until around noon, there are plenty of sun loungers available; after that, they’re all taken, or there might be just a few scattered here and there. Sun loungers cost €4.50 per day. Staff make a round every hour; if you’re lucky and you’re always in the water when they pass by, you don’t have to pay anything. This does help prevent people from reserving spots with towels. The pools are very well maintained, and the campground itself looks immaculate. No trash, the landscaping is well-kept, and everything is nicely laid out. There are two stores on the campground: one large one that also sells fresh bread in the morning, and one smaller one. It’s pricey, but it’s a campground store; if you want to pay less, head to the Lidl or Kaufland, which are a 10-minute drive away. There are also several small bakeries and food stands. These, of course, are also quite pricey: €2 for a large croissant and €4.50 for a frikandel. Watermelon, on the other hand, is dirt cheap. The restroom and shower facilities also look great—I think they were modernized not too long ago. They’re kept clean all the time, too. Unfortunately, there’s no way to charge your car. Lots of playgrounds for kids.

Swimming pools:
There are several swimming pools spread throughout the campground. One large pool with a deep end where you can dive, which also includes a section with water slides and a shallower area. One pool has only a few shallower sections, and there’s a lounge-style infinity pool with a view of the sea. It also features bubble loungers. You can rent a lounge chair anywhere for €4.50 per day. I think it’s ideal. There’s also a restaurant next to every pool, so you don’t have to walk far if you’re hungry.

Restaurants:
There are so many bars and restaurants at the campground that we couldn’t try them all during the 11 days we were there. See also my separate reviews of all the restaurants. I can only say one thing about this: everywhere we ate, the service was friendly, the food was delicious, and there was plenty of choice. Of course, it’s a bit on the pricey side, but then again, it is a campground. With two adults and two children, we usually spent between €80 and €100 on a main course, dessert, and drinks. We did tend to order the beef tenderloin or salmon more often—the slightly more expensive dishes. You can get a pizza, pasta, or schnitzel for as little as €10 to €15.

The surroundings:
The surroundings are simply beautiful. Beautiful, clear water—ideal for snorkeling. Be sure to wear water shoes because of the stones and rocks. Also visit the waterfalls, Poreč itself, and the island of Brijuni with a guide and on a safari. A 10-minute drive away is a large shopping center with all the necessary stores.

All in all, definitely worth a repeat visit, but we won’t be staying in a Happy Camp caravan again.

The campground’s location is very beautiful, and the restrooms are neat, clean, and well-maintained. The campsites are a decent size.

Personally, however, I found the campground far too crowded and very busy. Scooters and other vehicles are zipping around everywhere, which sometimes makes it feel chaotic. In addition, the music often plays late into the night, which interferes with a good night’s sleep.

I also found that virtually everything at the campground costs extra. On top of that, the supermarket is incredibly expensive, making grocery shopping quite pricey.

All in all, it’s a nice campground in terms of location and amenities, but because of the crowds, the noise, and the high prices, I wouldn’t be quick to return myself.

Huge campground, great beach with plenty of shaded spots, crowded pool area (feels like sardines in a can), fantastic restroom facilities, entertainment is okay. And now for the really big downside: several times a week (already 4 times this week! And it’s Friday today!) the place is so loud it sounds like a shooting festival is taking place right next door—and it goes on until about 3 a.m. Apparently, it’s coming from the bar in the lagoon. But honestly, that’s completely unacceptable. You can’t sleep, and all the relaxation you got during the day just vanishes. Fortunately, our three kids aren’t bothered by it, but we adults are all the more so. For that reason, we probably won’t be coming back.

A large, high-quality campground.

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Pros:
- Great location by the sea
- Excellent restroom facilities
- Great pool area

Cons:
- Not enough showers for women. The layout was absolutely inconvenient; you had to wait in line, but there was no clear queue. People were constantly pushing their way in from the other end. Poorly planned.
- From 8 a.m. onward, sleep is out of the question—garbage trucks and other vehicles are driving by.
- The leaf blower (starting at 8 a.m.!) should be replaced with a leaf vacuum. Clear the leaves once = less work = less noise pollution for the guests.
- You have to pay for lounge chairs by the pool
- We had a lodge tent; it lacked storage space in the form of a closet for clothes
- One slat on the bed was broken; it wasn’t addressed until we brought it up—instead of replacing it, they just taped it over once 🫣