Can be wild or relaxing depending what you're looking for! (Tenerife)

Member Name: gpollock

Product:	Tenerife
Date:	14/02/09 (128 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All year round good weather

Disadvantages: Pickpockets

It's pretty hard to compete with the previous review of Tenerife which more or less covers every detail but i'll try and give my own, somewhat compact version! Tenerife is a good place to go for year round sunshine. I've been a couple of times in the summer months and a few times at the end of January. The end of January is actually a nice time to go to get away from the miserable weather here and you can enjoy the beaches and the nightclubs with a bit more space! There are still plenty of people about though.

Playa de Las Americas is the bigger, more lively resort with plenty of bars along the Veronicas Strip and some others nearby. They are very typical of what you would expect to find in a holiday resort - promotions people standing on the streets trying to pull you in with the free shots or two for one drinks - usually the cheapest gin or voda which burns your insides! Linekers, Yates's, Jumping Jacks and Busbys are the popular ones. There are plenty of hotels and apartments to choose from. Some nice ones down by the beach but some can also be quite a distance up the hill so if you don't fancy a steep walk choose carefully!

There's a wide range of restaurants to choose from in the resort. One which I remember well was called the Ship which wasn't too far from the Laguna Park 2 apartments. Its speciality was really good steaks at reasonable prices. The Chateaux Briand was very good!

Los Christianos is the resort beside Las Americas and is within walking distance. It would be more suitable for families and those wanting to avoid the nightlife of Las Americas. There is still plenty to do at night though with quite a few good bars and restaurants. I would also recommend taking a bus to one of the other parts of the island for a day. Peurto Colon the main town is ok with plenty of shops and cafes but it seemed quite run down looking. There are some other small fishing type villages which are nice to stop off at for a few hours with more traditional local restaurants and bars. The Waterpark in Las Americas is a good day out too - no matter what age you are and it is quite handy to get to - within walking distance.

Warnings:
As the previous reviewer mentioned you do need to be careful of pickpockets! The 'Looky Looky' men will be friendly when chatting to you, trying to sell their watches, sunglasses and chains but be careful. Some of them will shake your hand whilst slipping their other hand into your pocket to steal your wallet. A lot of them carry knives too so if they do rob you it's advisable not to challenge them.
Also watch out for the prostitutes (this one probaby just applies to the guys!) The prostitutes down near the Veronicas area will hassle you if you are a group of guys and start pulling on your arms to try and drag you down an alleyway with them! They ususally hunt in threes or fours so be careful as one of them will try and pickpocket you while the others grab you! If you're with a girl or a family they aren't likely to bother you!

All in all it's not a bad place for a holiday. It has it's tacky parts to it which you can choose and manage to avoid if you wish. The main benefit is the good weather and it can be reasonably cheap.

Summary: Good enough place to holiday