It is the end of April, full season on Adriatic did not yet begin. It is the best time for traveling and enjoyment in some peaceful camping!

We decided to try a small, agile camping combination: a van with a bedroom and Windy trailer for windsurfing equipment. We’ll cook outside and use toilets and showers on-site (at least, that was the plan). Our destination is Bol on the island Brač, a well-known windsurfing spot and one of the most beautiful Adriatic islands.

The weather for traveling was perfect: sunny and clear. A few easy hours driving and we reached Split. This was the first time we took Windy for a ride, so I have to say that the trailer behaves very decently. It is stable and easy to drive (much easier than a bigger camping caravan).

Ferry to Supetar on island Brač often operates, so the waiting period was short. And sweet: the salty Sea air, finally!

From Supetar to Bol, you have to drive some 45 minutes. The road is good (it can be better, but it is a work in progress!), and there are quite a few things worth seeing along the way. Next time, probably.

The plan was to check out two camping places in Bol. Namely, for us, Bol is interesting because of windsurfing. However, it is a famous place, quite crowdy and noisy during the high season. That is not our peace of cake. And there is an issue with the windsurfing entrance. The western shore of Brač is rocky, with beautiful hidden beaches suitable for tourists looking for intimacy and quietness. But, if you want to assemble sails and carry boards to such a place, it can be troublesome, if not impossible. So, we want to check what our options are.

There are two camps on the shore: one called No.1 or Mario (it depends where you are looking for it). It is a small camp right near Golden Cape. And the other is Aloa, some 2 kilometers west of the Cape.

We had email communication with the “Aloa Team” a few days before our trip. They told us that reservation is not needed, camp is open, and we are welcome to come. It sounded great, but in practice, it was evident that the camp was not working when we reached the camp’s gate. Well, some people worked at the camp. With heavy construction machinery. They told us (with a smile) that “No, camp is closed – maybe they’ll open at the beginning of May”.

Not cool. I mean, we asked a few days ago. Their website says they are open from 1. April. Later on, after we politely asked for an explanation in one more mail, the “Aloa Team” apologized with an excuse based on a “shortage of workers”.

Ok, we’ll not make a big deal from it. Actually, we plan to visit Bol and stay at Aloa camp in September, because it looks like a beautiful place. So, we’ll give another chance to Aloa, but dear Aloa Team, if you are reading this, please, be realistic. Don’t tell tourists you are open if it is clear that you are not. And update your website information. That’s all that is needed for everyone to be happy.

So, instead of two, we checked only one camp in Bol: No. 1 Mario camp. Fortunately, we did not regret it. Although the camp is small and modest, it is worth visiting for many reasons. Here is our short review and usual camp scoring.

A short review of No.1 Camp, Bol, island Brač

You’ll have no trouble finding it. Just drive through Bol towards the west. When you pass the last houses, you’ll see Golden Cape over the green pines on the right. Take a sharp left turn (you’ll see the sign for Golden Cape, beaches, and No.1 Camp). Drive 500 meters, and you’ll reach the camp.

On the right, you’ll see the entrance to the camp. On the left (yes, across the street) is a reception, a few more camping parcels, toilets, and showers.

You’ll quickly notice two things: the beauty and the perfection of the location (a view of Golden Cape, direct entrance to small beaches – they are FKK beaches, mind you; a heavy pine shade beneficial when it is hot), and the modest equipment in the camp. For example, there is electricity, but you can not use air-conditioning or an oven in your camper or caravan. There are only three toilets and four shower places. A chemical toilet is there, but… well, see the picture.

To be sure, everything is working, and everything is spotless and neat. But, do not expect comfort. Things are old in the No.1 camp. Functional, available, but not shiny or new.

Despite that, we felt “at home”. We especially liked being close to the Sea; everyday walks to the Golden Cape, morning yoga and meditation in the nearby pine forest, and the overall easiness of the place.

However, we can’t imagine how this works during high season. There is a nightclub just a hundred meters away. Noise at night is very probable.

Here are some pictures from the No.1 camo.

Location: It couldn’t be better! On the shore, beautiful nature, simply – fantastic! Our score: 10.

Environment: The Golden Cape is within one-minute walking distance. That’s great, but with a warning about the high season! If you don’t like many people in one place, then… The same goes for the nightclub in the neighborhood. If you come during July and August, better be a partiyaner yourself. Off-season, due to nature, the environment is again fantastic. Our overall score: 7

Accessibility: The camp is easy to find, but it is small. The parcels are also small, and the entrance is… we are not sure the bigger motorhomes or large caravans can enter. Of course, this can be an advantage, if you like it smaller. Anyway, we give only 4 for the accessibility.

Functionality: Due to restrictions on electricity, you can’t use air-conditioning or other “heavy” electrical things like ovens. If you don’t have it (we didn’t), it’s ok, but the score for that is 3.

Comfort: As is already written, comfort is not the strong point of this camp. You’ll probably wait for hot water, and if there are more people in the camp, the probability of waiting for a shower or toilet also increases. All in all, our score is 2.

Hospitality: We liked the No.1 camp, so previous relatively low scores are realistic, but we gave them with a heavy heart. On the contrary, we are happy to give a total 10 points to a very cordial host and owner, Mario.

Added values: 10 + 8 + 8 = 9,1

Our score for sports activities: 10; cultural activities: 8; gastronomy: 8. Average: 9,1

Added values are another area where the No.1 camp deserves excellent scoring.

You can engage in many sports activities around the camp. Water sports (windsurfing, SUPing, kitesurfing, foiling, kayaking, swimming, you name it…). Island Brač is full of bike tracks. You can run in the morning or evening. Or take a hike to Vidova gora right from the camp!

Bol and Brač, in general, are full of historical sites and cultural summer activities. We didn’t have a chance to check it, but it was evident that touristic offers are not only rooms and hotels but also exciting stories about the island and its history.

Gastronomy looks good, with a lot of varieties. A particular recommendation is Biomania street food right on Golden Cape and a restaurant in Bol town. If you are vegan or inclined to healthy food, ask for Biomania. You’ll be surprised. It’s a world-class offer of vegan and bio food!

The overall score for the No.1 camp in Bol is 6,4.

To be sure that you understand the beauty of this place, here are some pictures of Bol we took on our daily walks.