In the shadow of Snowdonia, Hafan Y Môr offers fun for all the family.
It’s a gorgeous drive from Manchester to Haven's 500 acre caravan park in Pwllheli, which has its own sandy bay, overlooked by cliffs, and loads of facilities for rainy days.
Among them is Splashaway Bay, which recently had a £3m makeover.
Three flume slides, play areas for young children, a multi-lane slide, bubble pool, lazy river, wave pool, and a lane pool feature at the biggest water park in the region.
New for 2019 is the Dragon Lakes Adventure Village, with facilities including Junior Segways and Segway Adventures, a mini 4x4 safari driving experience, a climbing wall, brand new boat hire, bungee jumping, soft play, trampolines, aerial adventure courses, a sand play area and a multi-use sports and games area.
When we stay as a family of four, the aerial treetop assault course, with its zip wire across the lake, is hugely popular, others while away the time with crazy golf, fencing, and pedalos on the lake.
There’s a wide range of accommodation at the site - pine lodges, humble caravans, and luxury lodges like the one we stayed at.
In the new Fairway development, it’s spotlessly clean and spacious, with plush carpet, big sofas, comfy beds, and flatscreen telly, and convenient for the beach - although it’s a little drive back through the site to the heart of the action.
During our visit the food offer was quite limited - pub grub, Papa Johns, Burger King and Starbucks - but the offer has since been improved with the Coast House development, which has various dining options under one roof, including a new pub, the HMS Glendower, and the little shop on site has a decent enough range for self-catering if you’re determined not to stray off site.
If you do leave the reservation there’s plenty to do. Gelato and a mini-train ride in Portmeiron, the Italianate village where cult sixties series The Prisoner was filmed - and Festival No. 6, staged more recently - is a 25 minute drive east, and Porthmadog, home of the Welsh Highland Railway, is close at hand.
For a bigger beach than the one at Hafan Y Mor venture out to Barmouth - with its flat sandy expanse. Harlech - with its medieval castle, high on an outcrop, backing on to the Irish sea, has a beauitful, four mile stretch of beach.
Also, close by you’ve got Pwllheli beach, with its golden dunes and breathtaking views across Cardigan Bay, where seals, dolphins and porpoises play.
Further afield you’ve got Llandudno, where activities include the Great Orme tramway, the cable car, the Grade II listed pier and the seafront promenade. Inland, the ice cream parlours, craft shops, pubs and cafés of the honeypot village of Bews-Y-Coed are well worth a visit.
Back on site you’ve got your classic holiday park entertainment - the bingo is popular - with the new addition of the Theatre Company, comprised of professional singers and dancers who stage classic pop-themed productions. There’s also karaoke, a games show night and a family disco.
All in all, Hafan Y Môr - Welsh for Haven by the sea - has all the ingredients of a classic seaside holiday - and judging by the accents of our fellow holidaymakers - much of Manchester and Liverpool seem to agree.
Chris Osuh was a guest of Haven. Haven are offering three-night May half term self-catering breaks at Hafan y Mor Holiday Park in Pwllheli from just £374 (saving 26%) per family.
Price is based on a family of six sharing Deluxe accommodation and includes family friendly entertainment. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit www.haven.com or call 0333 202 5250. For holiday home ownership, Haven’s holiday homes start from £75,000 inclusive of site fees, rates and insurance along with a glass veranda to compliment the holiday home and work up to £185,000 for a top of the range luxury lodge.
