Let me be your tour guide (Gran Canaria)

Member Name: TigerTiger

Product:	Gran Canaria
Date:	01/08/01 (3358 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great weather all year round, An island of contrasts and lots to see and do, Great nightlife

Disadvantages: Full to the brim of English tourists (and Germans), Can get ripped off, Not great for vegetarians

The Canary Islands are one of the most popular holiday destinations for English holiday makers, as well as those from the rest of Europe. People are attracted to the fact that sun is guaranteed pretty much all year round and that there is something for everyone, from beaches, to breath taking scenery to a fabulous lively nightlife. There are in fact 7 canary Islands (not many people know that, they seem to think of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura), however, there are also Gomera, La Palma (increasingly popular) and Hierro. Having had a hot and enjoyable time in Tenerife last autumn I decided to go with a group of friends to Gran Canaria this year and I have to say I had an even better time and out of the two Islands I would recommend GC over the Tenerife. So, here is why…

~~The Island of Gran Canaria~~

Gran Canaria is situated in the Atlantic ocean just off the coast of Africa. It has been described by some as a mini continent as the scenery changes so frequently and sometimes only within the space of a few miles. This is certainly something that struck me as you could be traveling down the road in a complete desert and then all of a sudden you were in lush green surroundings. Similarly to the Island of Tenerife the north of Gran Canaria is very lush and green, with lots of farmland, banana plantations and attractive rural towns. However, in contrast the south side of the Island is very arid and the home to the large holiday resorts. The central sections of the Island are filled with pine trees and mountains which offer some of the most breathtaking views and I recommend everyone spends a say there, but more on that later.

~~The Capital: Las Palmas~~~

The capital of Gran Canaria is Las Palmas and it is just outside of this city that the airport is based. Las Palmas struck me as being a combination of many European style cities, some looked French, other parts Italian, yet some distinctly Spanish. What I
did love was the way that all the building were so colourful. Often in the canaries all buildings are painted white or cream, here the houses on the hills were painted all colours of the rainbow. Las Palmas is definitely worth a day trip if you have the time, especially for the shopping. Just outside there is a big shopping centre called Atlantico and here you will find many clothing bargains, especially in Lacoste and Mango. From the main tourist resorts in the south of the Island it will probably take you 30-40 minutes to reach Las Palmas and about £30 in a taxi (hence hiring a car for a day at least is a good idea). AS well as shopping though Las Palmas has a lot more to offer. IT has some sites of historical interest, including a 16th century cathedral, the Christopher Columbus Museum and the Canarian Museum which is home to relics from the pre-Hispanic era. For all those plant and nature lovers there are endless places of interest, the Doramas Gardens, Pueblo Canario, Parque Sante Catalina and the Botanical gardens just outside at Tafira.

~~Playa Del Ingles~~

The chances are if you are heading off to Gran Canaria you will be staying in one of the large holiday resorts, Playa del Ingles being the largest and indeed second largest resort in Europe after Benidorm. Playa is situated on the southern coast of the Island, about 20 minutes from the airport. It is surrounded by miles of golden sand which leaves plenty of room to relax on the beach, however, even though the beach is vast in peak times you can still struggle to find somewhere to lay your towel (be warned). Just a short walk down the promenade takes you to the famous dunes of Masapalomas, where there is enough beach for everyone. A walk in the other direction will take you to the beaches of San Agustin, which are also nice.

Playa has something for everyone there is little doubt and holiday makers of all ages and interests frequently have a great time there. The resort itself i
s a mass of large hotels and apartments, indeed the first time I ventured out here for the night I thought I would never find my way around. There are many places to eat and relax if that is your thing, or there is also a lively and eventful nightlife. You are certainly spoilt for choice eating out. Many evenings we left Playa to eat in some of the smaller ports, however two places that are great for those evenings when you want to spash out are El Portalon and Rias Bajas. The Harley Rock Café is also a popular American style diner situated on Avenida de Tenerife.

My friends and I are in our twenties and so the nightlife was important to us. After 2 weeks I was certainly not bored with the bars and clubs, my body just couldn’t cope with the copious amounts of alcohol and the two hours sleep a night. There are two main commercial centers in Playa, although there are many smaller ones. The best and liveliest one in which we spent most our time is the Kasbar Centre, however there is also the Gran Chapparal (the British Centre) and Aguila Roja (The Irish Centre) which host a selection of Irish and British bars. We explored both of these, however for variety and true liveliness Kasbar is the only place to be. Here on the 2/3 floors you will find masses of bars and clubs. The most noteable are The Hippodrome which is a massive bar playing dance tunes and Linekars which is once again very large with some outdoor sections which are perfect for those warm evenings, there are also plenty of tables and places to sit which can be lacking in the Hippodrome at times. Two other places which we frequented often were Pascha and Cream, both great places to dance the night away until around 6 or 7. Cream was the only venue we had to pay for and that was about 1000 pts (£4ish). Ibiza isn’t the only place to get some good dj’s, keep looking out for the flyers who tell you who is playing and on what night as you will find some top name dj’s.

Th
ere is also great shopping in Playa with no less than 13 shopping malls. Even me the hard core shopaholic was kept happy. The largest shopping centers are the 4 floor Yumbo and Cita, If you want designer and quality merchandise then you should head for Plaza Masapolomas.

People Most suited to: All types really, although young singles wanting fun will especially love it. Good for the whole family though.

~~Masapolomas~~

Just five minutes down the road from Playa del Ingles is Masapolomas, which is famous for its rolling sand dunes. I have seen some impressive beaches in my life, but these were pretty good, they just went on for miles. Toward the entrance of the main beach area there are camels, which are for hire to trek across the dunes. Admittedly I heard camels can be quite nasty so decided to give this a miss, although I think potentially it could be fun.

We spent a day in Masapolomas and it certainly was very nice. It had a more refined and classy atmosphere to it. Although once again it was a massive expanse of hotels and apartments there were not so many sky scraper style buildings and many were simply 2 levels surrounded by palm trees which gave it a more natural appearance. We even managed to find a car parking space in less than 5 minutes which impressed us all. The beaches certainly are beautiful and my day spent there was one of my best tanning days. Indeed I was even told there is a section of the beach which is designated naturist, if that’s your thing. Sun worshipers in general seem to seek out the sheltered bits of the sand, however heading west of the lighthouse takes you to a popular surfing and windsurfing spot as the rough seas and strong breezes provide ideal conditions. If I had one complaint about Masapalomas it was the sea. I anticipated because of the beautiful sands that you would be able to walk into the sea very easily. However, the bottom of the sea has so many rocks on it I struggled to remain
standing for more than a minute. Although not ideal it is better to wear some kind of footwear if you are going to venture in. Additionally, Masapalomas is host to the Aqua Sur Waterpark, an 18 hole golf course and The Holiday World Amusement Complex. There is also a two storey shopping centre Faro 2 which is an upmarket venue with lots of designer names, including Moschino, Versace and Calvin Klein. This is also the place to find life at night (although not to the same extent as the neighbouring Playa). Another place to explore at night is Paseo del Faro which has chilled out cafes and bars. When we were booking our holiday they told us we wouldn’t want to go to Masapalomas as it was too quiet. However, after spending time there we really found it to be nice and you could see Playa in the distance (about 5 minutes in a taxi), so if I were ever to return I would actually prefer to stay here and have the best of both worlds.

People Most suited to: Families and couples, those seeking something a little more relaxed, classy and quieter.

~~Puerto Rico~~

This is where we spent our 2 weeks soaking up the sun. Peurto Rico is built on a bay on the south west coast of the Island and it climbs up two hillsides with the valley in the middle. Puerto Rico stands for “port of the rich” and although it is a massive expanse of hotels and apartments you can still see why. It offers some of the most beautiful views looking over hills and ocean, with the marina mooring many luxury yachts. The main bay has dark golden sands and the bay itself has roped off sections for swimmers. There are many sun loungers for hire. On the beach itself you can struggle to find any room. However, there is a promenade that weaves round the edge with sun loungers scattered all along and here we spent many a day. To hire a sunlounger for the day is about 300 pts.

Puerto Rico is famous for its watersports and indeed we engaged in a few. You will find t
hese located towards the port end of the bay. You will find pedaloes, banana boats, jet skis, windsurf boards, dinghies and water ski instruction. In addition the resort also offers a diving centre which offers lessons for beginners and organized excursions for more experienced divers. We went jetskiing for an hour and it cost 6000 pts (£22) for a single jetski and 7000 for a double (£25). It was all well organized and someone led you out to where the buoys were situated and then they came to find you when your time was up to escort you back.

There are two shopping centers here, the Europa Centre and Centro Commercial. Both centers are full of activity at night as well, although the Europa centre is possibly more family oriented. The Centro commercial is a huge two storey venue full of shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. We found that eating here was rather like eating in the middle of an amusement arcade, so I would advise maybe finding somewhere a little further out and then coming back into the centre later. Additionally, on the whole the food you find here is quite typically steak and burgers and so you get better choice elsewhere. Another thing that will annoy after a while (as it does on the whole of the Island) are the PR people trying to get you into their bars. By the end of the fortnight I had no patience with them at all. They will try everything to get you in, buy one get one free, free shots, free champagne (errr, I think they mean sparking Perry or in some bars paint stripper wasn’t far off). It is a lively fun place though and you can visit shooter bars, cocktail bars, themed pubs which all close at around 4.30. Then there are a few clubs, including Jokers which will have you dancing until 7am. It is tacky, very loud and you will see many drunken people staggering around, but I guess that is what holidays are all about.

People most suited for: All types, although young 20 something singles may find it better in Playa as the
re seems to be either people in their late teens, couples or families.

~~San Agustin~~

Situated next to Playa del Ingles is the most upmarket resort on the Island San Agustin. Whereas the rest of the Island seems to be expanding into a mass of hotels and skyscraper style apartments San Agustin seems to have escaped and maintains a quieter atmosphere. This is an ideal place for honeymooners in my opinion, it was really quite lovely and even if you are staying in one of the busier resorts it is well worth visiting for a day as the beaches are uncrowded and beautiful. Just slightly further east is the new purpose built resort of Bahia Feliz which is also small and quiet, however, this was built to appeal to the affluent young. Also in this area there are plenty of opportunities for exciting activities like parachute jumping and karting. Another local attraction is Sioux city which has a very popular wild west show.

People most suited for: Couples, those wanting a luxurious quiet break

~~Things you must do and see in Gran Canaria~~

As highlighted there are many resorts in Gran Canaria and certainly no shortage of things to do. There are some things which we did that I would say you have to do.

*The Mountains

Many tour operators organize trips to the mountains. JMC who we were holidaying with organize a jeep trip in which they claim to show you all these things you will never see by yourself, however, we heard many disappointing stories about these excursions and so decided to hire a jeep for ourselves and go. There was six of us and we hired a 6 seater Wrangler jeep and headed off. For a day this cost of £40 between us, which was a lot cheaper than the £30ish that JMC were charging. From Peurto Rico it took us about an hour and a half to reach Tejede which is the village right at the top near the highest point of Roque Nublo. However, we took it easy as the sights were breathtaking and we wanted to take p
ictures. Be warned though some of the roads (if you can call them that) are not very wide and are no more than dirt tracks. We did witness some smaller cars like Vauxhall Corsa’s struggling on these roads and so hiring a jeep or something more sturdy is a wise idea. I also advise driving slowly as most of the road is on the side of cliffs and it would be all too easy to be careless and have an accident. The village of Tejeda is lovely though, very picturesque and there was a lovely restaurant there where we had lunch. WE made a real day of this and headed off down the other side of the Island to Las Palmas. It was really interesting as in the morning you get to look at all the arid desert scenes and then by the afternoon there are pine trees and greenery. By far the best time was standing towards the top on the way down surrounded by pine trees looking down over the clouds. If you only spend one day away from the pool on your holiday do this as it is fabulous. You will come back filthy though from all the dust, so don’t wear your best clothing!

*Puerto Mogan

Puerto Mogan is a picturesque fishing port about 15 minutes from Puerto Rico (2000pts in a taxi - £7). It has been designed so all holiday accommodation blends in with the local houses which have terraces and window sills covered in bright flowers. This is a very quiet place though and so there is not the volume of accommodation as in the other resorts. There is a small square as you enter Puerto Mogan and then you work your way down the little flower filled streets to the marina which is full of expensive yachts. Every Friday daytime there is a market which is very popular and here you can buy lace, leather goods, clothing, African crafts and many other souvenirs. At all other times there is no shortage of nice unusual shops. We ate here on 4 nights as we just fell in love with the quietness and the atmosphere. You could sit on the front looking at all the yachts and lights every
where.

There is no shortage of fabulous restaurants either, especially if you like seafood. We did find the most magnificent restaurant though which we went to twice and it is set back a little bit from the marina in a little square and it is called the Clipper Ristorante Italiano. It is not cheap, but the food is some of the best I have ever had and the staff will do anything to help you, as well as attempting to make you something that isn’t on the menu. I am vegetarian and a lot of the time I struggled to find something other than salad and canarian potatoes to eat. At this restaurant though they provided me with many options and it did not trouble them at all.

*Boat Trips

Once again your holiday reps will be dying to sell you one of these at £20 plus. We decided to go on the JMC Sun seeker cruise and it was actually a good day. Ok, the holiday reps were intent on it being a booze cruise, but if you take yourself to the top floor and lie there sunbathing they will leave you alone. The trip that we took went round past Peurto Mogan and you got to see Mount Tiede and the Tenerife coastline. I did hear that you used to be able to see dolphins, but they have been forced further out for some reason now, so that was a shame. Most boat trips provide you with food and drink all day, although I am convinced the drinks were watered down! Just before lunch we were given the opportunity to jump off and go for a swim in the sea which was lovely. Warning though they say these trips offer you 3 days tanning in one and I have no doubt this may be true as I don’t burn, but I did that day. If you walk down to the harbour at Puerto Rico there are so many boats offering trips that it is a good idea to see what you get on each and get the best deal. Also, we saw that they did night cruises which gave you the opportunity to see the sunset and then they took you to Puerto Mogan for dinner.

~~General things you should know about Gran C
anaria~~

*The weather

Yes, this place is hot all year around. I just got back this past weekend and we have had 2 extremely hot weeks, with it reaching 114 one day (I thought I was going to die!!). I have skin that tans easily and usually I would wear an 8 or a 10 factor cream the first few days before going down to 6. However, here I worse 25 initially as even I was getting burnt. The sun is very strong and even the best tanning skins will suffer. Luckily at nighttime it does get cooler, however having a fan in your room is great as at times it was sticky.

*The Moroccan Women

We were warned about some Moroccan women who inhabited the park in the day time trying to get tourists to buy their bracelets. Avoid these at all costs, even if this involves walking in the other direction. I have heard some bad stories about the whole group literally forcing a bracelet on to a passer bys arm and then not releasing them until they paid about £15.

*Happy Hours and Buy One get One Free offers

You know when you first get on holiday you are not used to the currency and so you end up handing over anything for drinks, well a lot of bars know this and take advantage. They will lure you in telling you that you can buy one drink and get another free, when really if you calculated the price you are paying for 2 anyway! Be warned as this is very common. Also, be warned that places do water the drinks down.

*Taxis

Most of Puerto Rico where I was staying is situated on steep hills, so I couldn’t have survived without taxis. Taxis are so cheep in Gran Canaria though that it is worth paying for one rather than trekking up the hills in the daytime heat. Taxis are recognizable by the green light on the roof and the official plates marked SP (Servicio Publico). When the green light is on you can flag one down. One day I was caught out though getting a taxi as they refused to take me as all I had on was my bikini to
p. So, always make sure you have a t-shirt with you to put on or you may end up walking up the hill regardless of whether you want to or not.

*Power cuts

These are very common and usually don’t last very long. Most places seem prepared with candles so nothing to worry about, just be warned!

*Money

-The Peseta is the currency.

-Coins come in values of 1,5,10,25,100,200 and 500. Notes in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000.

- Travellers cheques are the best way to take your money as there are no shortage of places willing to change them. You will have to shop around for the best deal thought. The highest exchange rate is not always the best deal. In most resorts, even the quieter ones there are no shortage of cash machines though. However, you will get charged on each transaction.

~~Conclusions~~

This was my little guide to Gran Canaria, which in my opinion is the best Canary Island I have visited so far. It may have the lively nightlife, but it wasn’t quite as tacky as Tenerife. It just had everything going for it whatever your interests and circumstances. If you want guaranteed sun and a good time then I totally recommend it. I am not sure If I will ever go back as I don’t like going to the same place twice when there are so many other places to see in the world, but it certainly was one of my best holidays to date. I went with JMC and I have to say I was very pleased with the way they dealt with us as well, ok they were trying to sell their trips and that got a little annoying after a while, yet on the whole our reps were helpful and friendly.

Summary: