Gran Canaria - holiday choice (Gran Canaria)

Member Name: rogue-1

Product:	Gran Canaria
Date:	20/06/01 (350 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: weather, amenities, location

Disadvantages: can be pricey

It was my first visit to the Canary Islands and Gran Canaria seemed as good a choice as any.

The weather - The weather is stupendous! The island has about 10 days rain per year. The temperature according to the islanders does not fluctuate greatly and their lows are about 18C. While I was there the temperature through the day varied between the low to mid thirties but never really dipping below that. The heat between two and four can become somewhat overpowering, this is the time that the locals typically take their siesta. I would not argue this point, these two hours are usually the hottest of the day and its a good time to do as little as possible.

There are numerous Cita's which are local shopping centres and these again are geared towards the tourist market. Lets face it, the southern part of the Island as a whole is geared towards tourism and nothing else.
There are numerous resorts along the coast, the most popular being Playa Del Ingles, masapalomas and San Augustin. They are busy and the hotels have a constant stream of new white bodies to bake in the sun.

The resorts are great if you want a home from home with everything on your doorstep.
There is a mixture of nationalities but English, Irish and German are very specifically catered for. The beaches are long and golden, the sun can be relentless so make sure you have the sun block and that you apply it frequently. I saw a lot of people who were haphazardly pink and red and suffering from the sun. There is a huge range of watersports to indulge in, and the tourist market is catered to with a variety of day trips of one variety or another.

Its very much a personal choice which you try and what you want from your holiday. if you want peace and tranquility Play Del Ingles or one of its neighbours is not the ideal choice. Go further north, be aware that the north and south of the Island have temperature differences with the South being hotter by in excess of 5 de
grees on any given day. Or venture further south to the port towns of Puerto rico or Puerto mogan both truly idyllic. Morgan being nicknamed little venice, a trip there will explain why.

Two points worthy of mention - Shopping

There are bargains to be had, you can try out your haggling skills in one of the many shopping centres called "Citas". Be aware that the asmicable shopkeeper can turn abrasive to say the least when it becomes apparent that you are not going to purchase. Also the haggling can be time consuming, especially for any of the more expensive items such as electrical goods. There are savings to be had but remember that Gran Canaria though a Spanish territory is not itself part of the EU. This means you are limited in both the amount of cigarettes, alcohol and gifts that you can come back into the country with. Tax duty would have to be paid on the more expensive purchases.

Locals-Harassment
I say locals, there is a contingent, predominantly of women who loiter near the beaches, especially in Playa Del Ingles. They are referred to generally as gypsies.
They will approach with a hello and a smile and try to engage you in conversation, during this time they will tie braclets to your wrist or muuter in tongues with a claim to having blessed you. When this is done they then seek renumeration, they will take everything giving half a chance. Several thousand persetas is not unusual and they can become intimidiating in their groups quite quickly. They favour single or small groups of girls or couples. Do not enter into conversation with them, they will try and grab you to keep you so they can talk and con you. Keep walking. They will try this whenever they see you, do not be surprised.

Car rental on the Island is cheap and its worth taking a few days out to explore further afield. the local bus services are good and they visit the majour tourist resort such as palkamitos park (zoo and gardens) and aquasur (
huge waterpark).

Be aware that water is at a premium on the island, hotel pools look inviting but they are very chlorinated as the water is cleaned as opposed to changed due to the low amount that they have. Swimming is best done in the ocean.

Enjoy!!

Summary: