Scotch Steve

Hope someone can help.

Planning to go on holiday in late March, wanting to go somewhere short hall and hot, have already been to Tunisia and would like to go somewhere different this year so kinda ruled out Morocco as well.
The only place that seems to fit the bill are the Canaries, problem being I've heard too many bad things about the place, Blackpool'esque etc.
Basically I want to go somewhere where I feel I'm abroad, without any Rose & Crown pubs, fish & chips etc and somewhere interesting in terms of things to see and do whilst being a bit more laid back/quiet.
Can anyone advise if I'm likey to find a resort like this in the Canaries or alternativley advise of somewhere else that is at least 20/70 degrees at the end of March.

Personally I'd rather be in the alps for a week but the other half wants to go somewhere where hot so any info/advice appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Steve

dhorwich

Fuerteventura is abit more laid back than tenerife, lanzerote or gran canaria e.t.c... tenerife has more english people there than spanish..!

Dan

[Edited by dhorwich - 1/19/2003 12:11:52 PM]

ScoobyWon't

I've lived in Tenerife for the last 4 years - that statement is false.

Besides the locals call themselves Canarians not Spanish. A lot want independance from Spain. Getting back to the question...

Fuerteventura would be best if you want to go All Inclusive, there isn't much else on the island but kilometers of sand.

Lanzarote is quieter than Tenerife and Gran Canaria, popular areas are Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise.

Depending on your wallet size/interests then Tenerife has Puerto de la Cruz in the north with 5* hotels, it's normally cooler than the south of the island and soemtimes rains.

South Tenerife is the warmer area and has been extending westward. If you are a golfer then staying in Costa Adeje would be ideal as they have some beautiful hotels and are have 5 courses all within a 25 minute drive.

Over the last 4 years I spen out there I was the developer of these sites: Holiday info and accommodation/flightshttp://www.canary-isles.com. Golf Holidays: http://www.canaryislands-golf.com. Also worth a read is http://www.islas.com

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I'd vote for Tenerife - Mrs C and I went at Christmas and had a great time. You don't have to go to the bits that are like Blackpool!

Although it's true that a lot of people spend their time on the beach during the day and clubbing all night, there's plenty of other things to do on the island. Just rent a car and go exploring.

Selected highlights from our photo album are here - enjoy!

A.

dhorwich

I bet in the height of holiday season it would be close..!! its just to common now, i used to go there with my mate and his mum and dad in 1994, 1995 and 1996, they had a timeshare which they have now moved else where due to the amount and type of people who go there.. They used to go regular when it was not so popular and they watch the changes year by year and saw how it declined..

Dont get me wrong i had a laugh when i was there but its just one row of bars and thats it for nightlife... I would not recommend it, the only decent thing there was burger king..!

One memory i have is sat outside mcdonalds and watching 'rats' running up the trees outside..!!!

just my 2p worth of 3 holidays there..

Dan

Scotch Steve

Thanks for the replies and links, really helpful getting some first hand info.

Scobby Won't, we definately don't want to go all inclusive, in which case should we give Fuerteventura a miss??

Andy, great photos!! weather looked good for Dec too. Still don't know where to go, but if we were to go to Tenerife what's the best way to hire a car, before you go with holiday, in resort via rep. or via a local company, I've never done it before, also a rough idea of price would be useful, thanks.

Anymore for anymore??, the more info the better.

Cheers

Steve

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Steve,

We booked in advance through a company called Holiday Autos. It was about £100 for the week including insurance - only fuel is extra, and that's cheap. Car was a rather nasty poverty-spec Saxo - totally gutless, but we were glad it was small. The roads are narrow and twisty, and occasionally very bumpy too.

Consider staying on the north coast at Puerto de la Cruz, or the south coast at El Medano (map here) - the roads are better than elsewhere on the island, so you might find getting around easier. Although it's a small island, getting around can take a long time.

Andy.

47 NAT

I've been to Gran Canaria- Puerto Rico, Tenerife-Los Cristanos and Lanzarote-Costa Teguise in the past 18 months. I used this site to see what the places were like so at least you know what to half expect and get some good tips as well. http://www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk/frames.htm

There not the most picturesque places and theres a lot of grey and red rock about as well as some real leg-killing hills, but if your into the sun then give it a go. I didnt mind the first 2 islands, but couldnt stand Lanzagrote.

Just for a change we tried Cyprus and Egypt for 3 weeks over the Christmas period...nice but a tad more expensive for stuff than the Canaries.

Will be looking to go to Fuerteventura soon as a lot of people said its the best one..and also the windiest as well.

Nath

NotoriousREV

Tenerife has loads of hidden places that the "Blackpool" bunch never go near.

My mum lives near Escalona which is about 20 mins from Playa de las Americas but feels like the middle of nowhere. Personally, I love Puerto de la Cruz to the north, the weather isn't as good, but it has a real cosmopolitan feel to it, lovely street cafe's and tree lined squares. El Medano certainly is very laid back, but my faveourite part of Tenerife is up in the mountains, fantastic scenery, hidden restaurants, very few people (I'm anti-social ) but you will need a car (obviously).

I've used Holiday Autos twice a year for the last 5 years and never, ever had a problem although once we paid an extra £10 for a car with a/c and they gave us a 1.0 Micra but it wouldn't make it up the ridiculous gradient my mum lives on so we swapped it for a Punto 55 which had no problem. You can get bigger cars from them if you want and they're still cheap.

Also try visiting the smaller islands. La Gomera is easy to get to (although not cheap anymore) by catamaran and it's a different world to Tenerife. If you get of the ferry at the first stop and then drive to the other side of the island, you go through a tunnel and the scenery looks like Jurassic Park when you come out the other side.

If you get hassled by the time share, just tell them you have Residencia (as long as you're not milk bottle white and look like a tourist ) and they'll lose interest.

Oh, and they love rallying, there's usually some motorsport going on somewhere on the island at some point and you'll often pass a little garage in the middle of nowhere containing fully prepped Escort Cosworths and Evo's and Scoobies, as well as a million Max Powered SEAT's.

[Edited by NotoriousREV - 1/19/2003 10:31:59 PM]

Dougster.

Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote gets my vote.

Old town is nice and there is no touts allowed. Go to Tropical in the main strip as it's always busy and friendly.

Wouldn't go to Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife as your right next to Mt Tiede and its 10000ft and brings in the cloud. It doesn't have a local beach either.

Fuertaventura is where I'm going to try next after hearing many good reports of the beaches.

Got me in the mood so I might see you there!!!!!!!!

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

I lived in tenerife for a while (los christianos) but agree with what others say about going to the north of the island. It's a completely different ball game up there.

After a while of being there(down south) I was ashamed to be british.

ScoobyWon't

Regarding hire cars, if you search the Internet for companies over there rather than the UK companies acting as agents you can get a Saxo for around £8 a day.

I normally use Poul's Autos in Callao Salvaje http://www.poulsautotenerife.com. They will meet you at the airport or leave the car in the car park for you if you require. I'm not sure what thay are charging these days but they are the cheapest I know of.

The time I spent in Fuerteventura in toursist areas gave me the impression that most of them were ghost towns. Nobody about! I saw more goats than locals and toursist combined. Outside of the all inclusive resorts I'm not sure if there is much to see/do.

ScoobyWon't

Thinking about it... I'd go to Cyprus, even though I do own an apartment in Tenerife. And it's not timeshare !

Ru$$Rip

Tenerifey - Its like being at home but hotter! They do sell that Garlic Bread though - yes garlic and bread!!

Dont forget to put your plants in the sink before you go.

red_dog104

Fueteventura is lovely, especially the south of the island (although there are alot of Gemans down there!!) Beautiful beaches. Perfect if you fancy a bit of nudey sunbathing!!! I Liked Lanzarote aswell. Puerto del Carmen (old town) is really nice. I stayed in a self catering appartment complex called Los Pueblos. It was really nice.

Crete is nice! Alternatively, if you want a totally non-Blackpool holiday, North Italy, Ligurian Riviera is nice (it's on the same coastline as Nice). I have family near Genova (sea side place called Albisola) It's small, old and a bit run down but it's lovely!!

Just realised how many times i said "Nice"!!!! Oh well!

[Edited by red_dog104 - 1/20/2003 3:02:13 PM]

Scotch Steve

Thanks a lot for all the replies, all very useful.

At the moment we're seriously considering Tenerife so Andy, Scooby Won't & NotoriousRev thanks for the info on hire cars, it'll likely be useful.

Now for the next question where exactly to stay? had thought about Puerto De La Cruz, but heard about the weather, rain sometimes, so we thought maybe Puerto de Santiago or Los Gigantes, anyone any idea what they're like, are they too out of the way or are they really not as quiet and unspolit as the brouchers say??
Alternativley thought of La Gomera, but didn't know if that'd be a bit too quiet for a whole week, NotoriousRev do you have any further info for or against a week here?

We're looking for somewhere that's quiet and relaxed but with the opportunity to do plenty of things if we want, if that's not a contradiction, ideally with plenty of local'ish places to eat and drink and as few big complexs as possible. The activities we'll be doing are likely to be, walking, reading, sleeping and eating, boring I know but just need a break so any pointers in terms of both where to go and where not to go would be great. (I've already figured out already to avoid PDLA).

Also exactly how big is the island and how easy is it to get round, once the missus finds out about that Loro Parque place we'll have to go at least once.

Thanks again.

Steve

RU$$RIP, thanks for reminding me, will make sure the missus give the house a good clean as well.

MooseRacer

A bit late to this one, but Fuerteventura is lovely. Very quiet, and I'd recommend staying in or near Corralejo in the north of the island - close to beautiful quiet beaches and still within walking distance of the town with it's numerous restaurants, bars and the odd club. The south has probably the best beaches but this way you get the best of both worlds.

If you do go I'd seriously recommend a daytrip to the uninhabited island of Lobos with it's natural lagoons, amazing!

We've been several times, thoroughly enjoyed each one and never found the wind to be a problem.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Steve,

We stayed in an apartment in Puerto de Santiago - and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Although it's not too big, and there are plenty of places to eat and drink, it's difficult to get to the rest of the island because of the terrible roads. Our neighbours were noisy too, although I guess that could happen anywhere.

Consider El Medano, on the south coast near the airport. It's very easy to find and navigate through, relatively quiet and unspoiled, has plenty of restaurants and a nice beach. (My last two photos are of the beach there). It's also just off the motorway, which makes access to other attractions easier.

A.

NotoriousREV

Steve,

I've only ever done day trips to Gomera, but I suspect it would be very quiet. However, since the back end of last year, they've extended the ferry service to the north of the island which may help bring more tourists. For some reaon they started to buld all the tourist areas as far a possible from the old ferry port

ScoobyJawa

Another vote for Fuerteventura Absolute rubbish only to go there if you want all inclusive!
I went with a company called Sunseekers and got a VERY good price - still paid less than the cheapest package deal, however a hire car was included in my price.
There aren't miles of sand. I stayed in Corralejo, which is nice and there are British bars there but not too bad. Eating is pretty good value and its relatively quiet. I went in May and by midnight the streets were nice and quiet - no rowdy nobbers
Outside of Corralejo there is a sand dunes national park which is really cool and km's of beaches. They the rest of the island is very much like the rest of the canaries and quiet, get down south and there are some lovely beaches there too. As mentioned though, the south seems to attract Germans a bit more The locals are a lovely bunch of people too.

Highly recommended.

markr1963

And another for Fuerteventura
Went end of April last year, stayed in fairly basic S/C accommodation (San Valentin appts) on southside of Corralejo about 1 click north of the sand dunes. Took about 30-35 mins to walk into town or 10 mins on the 'noddy train'. Very quiet, no 'brits on the pish'. Brit bars if you want them but worth checking out some of the tapas bars in the back streets.

It can get a bit windy but if you're into kite-boarding/windsurfing or whatever its great. Be warned that the beaches just to the south of Corralejo, towards the dunes, have nude bathing.

Its definitely worth hiring some wheels as the island is only a couple of hours end to end. The south of the island, as already mentioned, seems full of Germans but the beaches are fine and it maybe a tad warmer than Corralejo.

Mark

ScoobyJawa

Yeah - and the nude bathing ain't lots of lovely girls - its old, saggy men and women LOL!!!!
A hire car as mentioned above is a must. Have a look at the Sunseekers stuff - there accommodation seems to be much better than the big co's stuff - and they do not use any of the places the package co's use either
We stayed in the Palm Springs Appartments which were nice and about 20 mins walk from the main street.

Scotch Steve

Thanks to all for the replies, looks like Fuerteventura is getting a fair few votes so I will need to look into this a bit more.

Andy,
Thanks for the comments re. Puerto de Santiago, probably won't drive loads so may not be a problem? Had a look for some info for El Medano and it looks like it might be a bit near the airport for my liking, especially those early morning flights but cheers anyway.

Once again thanks for all the replies and info, I think I've got enough to be going on with now, I'll probably have a look at booking something this weekend.

Cheers.

Steve

ScoobyWon't

Puerto Santiago (the 'de' is usually left out) lies between Playa de la Arena and Los Gigantes. Its precarious main thoroughfare, which links the other two towns, is a narrow winding serpentine which could be quite disconcerting to anyone unfamiliar with the area. There are frequent blockages here and I recently saw a coach shatter an overhanging balcony while trying to negotiate the worst bend. It is possible to get from Los Gigantes to Playa de la Arena by going the 'long way round' - via the main island ring road - but then you'd miss all the fun.

In Puerto Santiago you'll find a small fishing port but you're limited in terms of beaches (there's only one worth mentioning, and it's not a big mention!). The resort is rather sprawling, a mixture of homes, hotels and apartments. As you would expect from a tourist resort, there is an assortment or bars, shops, restaurants, a post office, but little in the way of nightlife. As there is a large number of locals resident in the area you'll find some excellent Canarian food available in the traditional restaurants. Like Los Gigantes, the roads throughout Puerto Santiago are very hilly and may not be suitable for the elderly, the infirm or wheelchair users.

Los Gigantes is a very pretty resort. Great care has obviously been taken over its design and construction. With the exception of one multi-storey hotel, all of the resort's apartment complexes and residential areas are low-rise and blend in well with the surroundings. It is a small, tranquil place and has an air of exclusivity about it. There is not much danger of the resort losing this atmosphere and ambience by expanding in any direction either, closed in as it is on all sides, nestling between the area's natural rocky confines and the Atlantic Ocean. We feel it is important to mention at this point that serious consideration should be given to the suitability of Los Gigantes if you or someone in your party is very elderly, infirm or in a wheelchair. This is because the entire resort is extremely steep: the roads through the town fall sharply from the connecting main road above the town, down for a mile or so to the lowest point at the boating marina. There is very little in the way of 'level ground' here.

While we're pointing out Los Gigantes' flaws (of which there are not many, it has to be said), the town's other bugbear is its traffic situation, which can be extremely frustrating at times. The roadsides are generally well paved for pedestrians and apart from one or two badly positioned pedestrian crossings, it's fine. Of course, you must always be careful when trying to cross the road on foot in Tenerife. In a traffic survey of 100 local car drivers who were asked the question "What should you do when approaching a pedestrian crossing?", the reply from 99 of them was "What's a pedestrian crossing?".

The roads in Los Gigantes are very narrow, with a one-way system operating throughout most of the town, and it is next to impossible to ever find a parking space in the centre of the resort. The traffic around the boating marina can be a nightmare (you're not supposed to park there: sometimes there's a guard on duty prohibiting entry, sometimes there isn't). Sometimes you'll encounter a delivery van, taxi or tourist coach blocking the way as well. On such occasions it's best to be philosophical - or failing that, indulge in the popular local game of 'honk-your-horn'.

But moaning aside, there's very little to dislike in Los Gigantes. It has a climate that is second to none in the Canaries, some beautiful scenery and many amenities. Lying at the foot of the cliffs there is a small, clean, black sand beach, which is rarely crowded, despite being suitable for children. Parking near the beach can be a problem, but the chances are that even if you're staying in the farthest corner of Los Gigantes, you'll not be further than a ten minute walk to get there on foot.

Right next to the public beach is the marina, where you will find an array of private boats and yachts moored next to the boats which take visitors out to see the dolphin and whale colonies which live between the west coast of Tenerife and the neighbouring island of La Gomera.

You can have a drink or a meal at the bars and restaurants that line the front of the marina, or you can walk atop the protective sea wall that surrounds it, thereby getting a good look back at the boats and the town in the distance, rising up into the rocks. Incidentally, in November 1997 there were severe, if short-lived, storms in Los Gigantes - the ocean waves breached the sea wall and sunk a boat.

The town's commercial centre is just inland (and therefore, uphill) from the marina. Although small, it hosts a variety of bars and restaurants, plus shopping for everything from fruit and veg to designer label clothes. In the central square (the Plaza) you'll find a pedestrian zone based around the old church. This also where the majority of events in the towns’ carnival take place.

If you're after a hotel in the south outside of PDLA I'd be tempted by:

Budget: Aparthotel El Duque
http://www.canary-isles.com/en/accom...il.asp?ID=1494
Mid-range: H10 Costa Adeje Palace
http://www.canary-isles.com/en/accom...il.asp?ID=1734
Top banana: Gran Hotel Bahia Del Duque
http://www.canary-isles.com/en/accom...il.asp?ID=1724

Self catering:
Altamira
http://www.canary-isles.com/en/accom...il.asp?ID=1477
Benemar
http://www.canary-isles.com/en/accom...il.asp?ID=1478

Nearby for walking is Baranco del Infierno (Hell's Gorge) at the bottom of this walk is "Otello" a canarain restaurant famous for it's chicken dishes. If you push the boat out here you'll get a bread, sauces, starter, main course, wine/beer, coffee, for around £8 each. Highly recommended! They don't open on Monday as far as I remember.

If you do stay is Costa Adeje there are a lot of nice secluded beaches to walk to. El Churinguito Beach Club (The Pelican Beach Club) is a man-made private beach/bar which was opened around 2000. Anyone is welcome. Lots of golden sand, friendly staff and seating, tables and sunbeds.

Next beach along is Spaghetti Bay this is the only nudist beach in south Tenerife.

Next along is El Puertito (The little Port). This is a nice walk along the cliff tops to a small secluded beach which is genarally tourist free, being popular with the locals and the few working foreigners who know about it. Cheap food and drink too - beer for 50 pence a bottle. Paella for 2 is about £4.

If you venture to Los Cristianos I highly recommend Restuarante Fortuna on Avenida Juan Carlos (along from the church square). In my opinion it's the best restaurant on the island.

Loro Parque is a good day out, bit of a long drive though. In the south there are plenty of places similar. There is an Parque de las Aguilas (Eagle Park) which puts on a lot of bird displays, they also have tigers etc. There is a Monkey Zoo just outside of Los Cristianos (next door to a brothel). Also a Camel Safari if you head out towards Armenime.

If you do venture out to Loro Parque, I'd recommend a visit to The Monastry just outside Puerto de la Cruz in the next town along (who's name has suddenly slipped my mind ). It is now a German-owned converted Monastry (so that's where they got the name from).

The newest attraction is Pueblo Chico (Childs Town) a scaled down version of Tenerife with working models.

Lago Martianez is a popular lido designed by Cesar Manrique (the most famous Canarian artist). It is a vast and beautiful collection of open air salt-water pools, built right on the edge of the town on reclaimed land.

Puerto de la Cruz also offers Botanical Gardens. Never went to be honest.

Pirámides de Güímar (Piramids of Güímar) The Ethnographic Park Pirámides de Güímar offers you the possibility to visit these rare and interesting structures, and will provide you with theories regarding the possible diffusion of ancient civilizations. Just a hint - they were built by Fred. Olsen who runs the local ferry service.

The most famous part of the island is Mount Teide and Parque Nacional las Canadas. You can hike as much as you want all over the mountain and national park.

If you don't fancy driving there are plenty of organised coach parties to chose from.

Hell, after all of this I should rent you my apartment...

Scotch Steve

Scooby Won't,
That's got to be on of the longest post ever!!
Thanks a lot.

A lot of good info in there, looks like it might be a busy week what with all there is to see and do.
Hopefully we'll get our act together and get something booked at the weekend

Cheers

Steve