As you would expect from one of the largest resorts on Gran Canaria, Maspalomas has a wide range of tourist attractions to make your stay in the resort more enjoyable. No doubt the kids will get bored with the beach after a couple of days and families will be looking for something else to fill their time. Probably one of the first places you will head for will be the Aqualand water park, one of the best known Maspalomas attractions, and the biggest water park in the Canary Islands and boasting 13 attractions and 33 slides, the star attraction of Aqualand is the Tornado, with big slopes and fast turns, other rides include Aquamania, Adrenalina and the Rapids. The evening sky of Maspalomas is lit up by the Holiday World amusement park, apart from the usual rides and attractions this holiday complex also offers a 16 lane ten pin bowling alley and a number of pubs, restaurants and discos. Another of the famous Maspalomas attractions is Palmitos Park, severely damaged by fire it reopened in the summer of 2008 and will no doubt return to its former glory offering animal exhibitions and wildlife attractions. Thrill seekers may head for the last of our attractions which is the well known Karting Maspalomas go-kart track, where speed and skill will keep the slightly older visitors happy. Maspalomas Map.
November 11, 2009
November 10, 2009
El Hierro Canary Islands
Roque de Bonanza El Hierro Canary Islands
The most westerly and also the smallest of the major Canary Islands, El Hierro has a population of just 10,000, living on an island with an area of 278km2. A mountainous island with over 500 volcanic peaks, El Hierro was actually considerably bigger at one time, but lost a third of its area during a huge volcanic eruprion which took place 50,000 years ago. First settled by the Bimbache tribe, El Hierro later attracted the attention of Castillion and Norman sailors, who seized the island and sold the inhabitants into slavery. The main source of survival for the islanders over the years has been fishing and agriculture and even these days relies mostly on these as tourism has not really taken off on the island due mainly to the scarcity of beaches. The only town of any size on El Hierro is Valverde.
Lanzarote Resorts – Puerto del Carmen
Located in the municipality of Tias, Lanzarote, the seaside resort of Puerto del Carmen was formerly just a small fishing village with an attractive harbour. With the growth of the Canary Islands tourist industry in the 1970’s, Puerto del Carmen developed into the largest resort on the island and now attracts many thousands of visitors, who come to enjoy the fine sandy beaches, wonderful seafood restaurants and vibrant nightlife. Perfect for Christmas and winter holidays and breaks, the off-season Puerto del Carmen weather is more pleasant than the hot temperatures experienced during the traditional summer season. From the harbour it is possible to take a trip in a glass-bottomed boat or even a trip to one of the neighbouring islands, the harbour is also where the best restaurants are located, especially if you are looking for seafood, your meal will be so fresh it will be jumping off the plate! For the best beaches you cannot beat Puerto del Carmen, the main beach right beside the town is as good as any on the island, and to the east of the harbour there are an additional 12 km of fantastic beaches great in the sunny weather. For water sports enthusiasts there are plenty of facilities for windsurfing and scuba diving plus other popular activities. Puerto del Carmen is about a 10 minute drive from Arrecife airport.
November 2, 2009
Playa Blanca Lanzarote
Probably the most pleasant of the main resorts of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca was developed from a small traditional fishing village located at the south-western end of the island. Much more laid back than such resorts as Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca has a more relaxed feel and is ideal for a lazy beach style holiday, while still being suitable for the more energetic having some good water sports facilities and some interesting historic monuments, in fact overall it is an ideal base for Lanzarote travel in general. Well known for its beaches, Playa Blanca has several and also the renowned area of Playas del Papagayos just 4km down the coast has some lovely little beaches situated in pretty coves. You should definitely take a boat trip to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura while you are there and perhaps also a trip to little Los Lobos. Historic attractions nearby include the Castillo de las Coloradas watchtower at Punta del Aguila and the remains of a Norman settlement at San Marcial del Rubicon, nature lovers may wish to visit the Los Ajaches Reserve where birds and wildlife have been protected since 1991. Excellent for holidays all year long, Playa Blanca weather is mostly sunny and pleasant with less than 6 inches of rain each year. Situated quite a distance from the airport at Arrecife, it may be sensible for visitors to hire a car if other transport is not laid on, this gives the added benefit of being able to tour around the island and visit such places as the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya where volcanic lava still bubbles under the surface. Playa Blanca is about 35 km from Arrecife airport.