Niki Baker and Martin Webb check out an active Croatian vacation
Taking in the views with a group of new friends
Let’s face it, fitness isn’t just about going to the gym or checking your gadgets to see how many steps you’ve done walking around the office in a day. Most of us like to get away from the treadmill (both actual and metaphorical) once in awhile and enjoy being fit and active out in the big wide world.
Activity holidays are growing rapidly in popularity and there’s a bewildering array of options out there to suit all preferences and budgets. So personal recommendations are always useful when it comes to narrowing down the choices and, if you have an adventurous spirit and like to mix fun with your fitness when you travel – you are on holiday, after all! – then Jamming Adventures in Croatia is definitely worth a look.
In at the deep end
There’s nothing quite like hurling yourself off a cliff or a bridge to get the adrenalin pumping and make you feel alive. Of course, if you want the feeling of vitality to continue, we highly recommend ensuring that you’ll be landing in deep water… or that you’re attached to a bungee.
In the space of one busy week with Jamming Adventures’ co-owner Paul Špehar and his team, you can bike, hike, swim and paddle your way through some of Croatia’s famously stunning scenery and even squeeze in a little scuba diving, bungee jumping and cliff diving for good measure. Paul himself is living proof that it’s possible to be ridiculously active and supremely laid-back at the same time.
With personal roots spanning both Canada and Croatia, he is passionate about giving his guests unique and memorable experiences while showcasing the best of what Croatia’s truly great outdoors has to offer. It’s obvious that Paul considers his latest career choice a wise one, and few would argue.
‘I have the best job in the world when it’s a good group,’ he says. ‘Then it’s not work, it’s hanging out with friends.’
That feeling of hanging out with friends was definitely part of what made this tour such fun. Our group chatted and sang along to music in the minibus and had plenty of laughs. In the evenings, sundowners at a nearby beachfront pizzeria typically led to tables for ten at open-air restaurants where we savoured delicious local specialities… and once or twice led to slightly blurry late night swims and wobbly bike rides.
The spice of life
Kayaking in Croatia’s crystal turquoise seas is at the heart of Jamming Adventures’ activities and, to be honest, it would be a crime if that wasn’t the case, given that the company is based on the island of Murter – gateway to the gorgeous island-strewn waters of the Kornati national park.
But variety is the spice of life, and this activity holiday offers enough of that to give all of your muscles a decent workout, including a few that you never knew you had.
Kayaking along the coastline in Croatia’s clear blue water
Paddling a kayak along the coastline to a secluded inlet for a spot of swimming and snorkelling in the warm Adriatic; hiking out to explore a huge abandoned fortress; cycling to a forest park to swim beneath waterfalls and walk through the trees; trekking up a mountain to visit a spectacular and blissfully cool cave… we did all this and more.
Paul and the team offer half-day and day tours as well as short breaks and longer holidays; perfect if you want to build some fun activities into a broader Croatian vacation.
Whatever your tastes, interests and fitness level, there’s plenty to see and do here in a country that boasts incredible diversity.
When to travel
Getting to Croatia is cheap and easy, with a choice of airports and several budget airlines from which to take your pick. The nearest airport to Murter is Zadar, halfway down the country’s Dalmatian coast.
Active holidays in southern Europe are best in the tourism shoulder seasons of spring and autumn, when you can avoid the worst of the energy-sapping heat and beach-hogging holidaymakers that characterise July and August. Conditions are pretty close to perfect for cycling, hiking and kayaking from April to June and in September/October, and temperatures still have a pleasant habit of rising above thirty degrees Celsius.
OMQ verdict
So yes, we got some serious exercise and had an absolute blast along the way. But don’t just take our word for it: check out the website, read the reviews. Better yet, go and have a Jamming Adventure all of your very own.
Oh My Quad founder Pennie Varvarides is a personal trainer based in London specialising it strength and conditioning, combat skills and weight loss. She has a background in martial arts and magazine journalism.