Tui Blue Adriatic Beach: There's much more to Croatia's Dalmatian Coast than incredible waters and blissful blues

I've never quite understood why people go back to the same resort time and time again but the ringing endorsements for our holiday on the Dalmatian Coast were flooding in long before we set off. It was the man sitting in front of me on the plane who was on a repeat visit and absolutely thrilled to be heading back. Me? I went from slightly sceptical to convert in the space of just a week.

If you are wanting dreamy days filled with nothing more than blissfully floating on perfect waters, sipping a cocktail by the pool and feasting while the sun sets on a picture perfect scene, Croatia needs to be your next destination.

I'll be the first to admit that it wasn't on my bucket list but, as soon as I mentioned I was going, it turned out it was a dream destination for lots of my friends too. After listening to a lot of people telling me what not to miss, the holiday we had wasn't the holiday I had anticipated. We didn't follow the crowd and we will have to go back if we want to take in Dubrovnik with all its ancient history and more modern Game of Thrones twist.

What we did do - and this is not really like me at all - is very little other than marvelling at the gorgeous spectacles that envelop you at every turn. We swam (very slowly), we meandered (definitely not fast enough to count as exercise) and we inhaled (deeply) the atmosphere of a country that calms your soul. Utter bliss.

Tourism has been growing steadily in recent years but not to the extent where it feels too much. The locals rely heavily on visitors, confined largely to the glorious summer months, and love nothing more than chatting proudly about their country. They have every right to show off. It is simply stunning.

We stayed at Tui Blue Adriatic on the Dalmatian Coast. It's a couple of hours drive from Dubrovnik and you quickly understand why people rave about Croatia. The white mountains are speckled with evergreen trees and the white-painted homes are bedecked with bright pink blossoms and dazzling purple blooms. The vines weighed down with grapes offer solace from the sun, the figs make the branches of trees on the roadside bow heavy and the olive trees, well there is a reason why Croatian's claim their olive oil is the very best. The hills roll into forest which roll into the most incredible seas.

Croatia promotes itself on boasting Europe's cleanest waters. That isn't exactly a super sexy way to explain that it floats in miles of coastline so crystal clear, it takes your breath away.  

I spent many a happy hour doing nothing more than bobbing around in the exquisite turquoise waters. The sea is calm, the sky a brilliant blue and, even when I was on solid land, it was hard to look anywhere else. The beach is just a few steps away from the hotel but, be warned, these beaches are not sand. The pebbles are smooth but don't try and venture far without waterproof footwear. The stone foot massage, though completely free, is too painful! 

Tui Blue Adriatic Beach is a large hotel that is designed to fit into one of the many coves along the shoreline. It is over 18s only resort and in a fairly quiet cove. Ideal for some but not the place to head if you're a party animal. There is plenty of entertainment though - live music, quizzes, sports and games. But let's get our all inclusive priorities right and answer those all important questions. 

The food: Top notch quality and huge variety

The drink: More than enough choice and good cocktails

The first question you have to ask yourself is whether to dine inside or outside, overlooking the sea and the crux of the cove and with breath-taking sunsets every teatime. The clue, for me, might be in the question.

At peak times it is busy but we were always able to find a table in a perfect spot and the only food that ever had a queue was the ice cream (probably due to slow self-serving guests) and the morning omelettes (which are made to order). The surprising hit of our Croatian feasts were the vegetables which are grown locally, seasoned to perfection and served in a dozen different ways to tickle your palate. Far too good to be seen as side dishes. The salad bar - available at every meal - was also lovely. A massive choice, freshly made, generously pickled, tasting of sunshine and all the twists you can imagine.

The menu is completely different every day. Of course, with most guests being British, there is always pizza and chips. But there are also lots of local dishes unique to Croatia and worth sampling. It is a buffet, you can't go wrong and you don't have to take a huge amount so why not tantalise your tastebuds with something new?

I love seafood and buffets aren't always a good place to hunt but not true at Tui Blue Adriatic. The fish straight from the grill was a winner but then the competition from the black paella and roasted squid was intense. The only trouble I found with my morning cappuccino was being spoilt for choice in where to sip and take in the incredible views.

The rooms are spacious and the layouts work well. The double shower, well lit bathroom and huge mirrors all add a touch of luxury but my favourite addition was the balcony with stunning views of the coast, definitely worth asking for a room on the right side of the building.

This is a hotel designed for relaxation, to have all your needs catered for. The staff are so lovely and the setting so stunning, lots of guests spend their entire holiday on site. However, my trip was designed as a celebration to mark my middle son finishing his A Levels so I thought we should get a bit more Croatian action.

After a weekend of chilling, we jumped on a board to head to the islands. It was incredible. We also braved both rafting and a zipwire through the mountains during our week's stay.

I love travelling and exploring new places. You'll rarely catch me going back to the same country let alone the same area twice. Why would I when there's a whole world to discover?

However, an unusual feeling tugged at me when I woke on our last morning and struggled to drag my eyes away from the flawless view of the sea colliding with the horizon. English certainly does not have enough words for the turquoise shades you witness in Croatia. It was the same when I gazed out of the plane window on the way home at the rainbow of blues surrounding the many island clusters.

Croatia is the ultimate place to relax and feel the beauty of nature seep in through every pore. Put it on your bucket list so you can truly understand. A second visit is now firmly on mine and, while I completely understand that there are incredible sights to be experienced across the country, the temptation of the Dalmatian Coast may well prove too hard to resist.