Travel guide – playa del ingles and maspalomas

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Overview

‘The Englishman's beach’ is how Playa del Ingles translates – those naming the resort had great foresight as today thousands of Brits flock here for sun, sea and San Miguels. Situated at the south of Gran Canaria island, the resort is one of the largest and busiest in Europe and its main feature is the wide sandy beach that stretches from the Maspalomas dunes to San Agustin in the north. Playa del Ingles has a vast array of shops, bars and restaurants and a very busy nightlife, making it a great destination for those wanting a lively holiday. Although mainly geared for the younger market, families and older visitors are also attracted by the glorious year-round climate and endless beach, but tend to stick together in the quieter areas. Maspalomas is only a mile or two southwest of Playa del Ingles and is a little quieter and less built up than its neighbour. Its main attraction is the staggering four-mile (6km) beach, which is backed by a vast empty expanse of Sahara-like dunes, popular with nudists.

Shopping

There is a fine choice of shops in Playa del Ingles where visitors can indulge in some duty free delights, including cheap electrical shops and stalls selling imitation designer wear and African curios. The shopping is mainly confined to the dozen or so Commercial Centres rather than spread out along the roads and each centre has its own distinctive character. Yumbo is the biggest and most popular and also houses the Tourist Information Centre. Five minutes away are the Kasbah and Metro centres, but the widest selection of quality designer wear is in Plaza Maspalomas. Be aware that some salesmen can be quite aggressive: haggle hard and remember that the shop next door probably sells the same thing. The San Fernando Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning offering all the same sort of stuff. The main shopping centre in Maspalomas is Faro 2, which also has lots of bars and restaurants, but there is more variety in Playa del Ingles.

Restaurants

There is a wide choice of places to eat in Playa des Ingles, from fast food (including McDonalds), Chinese, Italian and local cuisine, and rows of restaurants serving something with chips. One of the favourites is an Irish bar/restaurant called ‘Finnegans’, near the Yumbo Centre, and offers good British ‘home cooking’ and does great breakfasts and Sunday roasts. Koala Burger in the Kasbah has good hotdogs and chips and nearby Bei Lelo, although German, offers good English food. There are a selection of restaurants on the Avenida de Tirajana and Avenida de Tenerife, including the Harley Rock Café – a lively American-style diner. Those looking for some authentic local cuisine should try Casa Vieja in Calle de Fataga. The restaurants in Maspalomas are centred in Faro 2 or on the promenade, but those looking for a more lively evening generally make the short trip to Playa des Ingles.

Nightlife

Playa del Ingles is packed with bars, pubs and clubs, especially in the Kasbah centre, which is home to the famous Cream and Pascha nightclubs, both of which pump out the best in dance music until the early hours. Also in the Kasbah is the Hippodrome, Havana and, next door, Sugar a small cocktail bar that is a good place to start the evening – watch out for the two for one drinks though. The English and Irish centres are also lively and entertaining. The Yumbo centre is orientated towards the gay scene at night and there is a great drag show on every evening at 10pm in Cafe La Belle; the centre is also popular with families looking for a less hectic evening. There are quieter bars along the promenade and a casino on the edge of town.

Activities

For those who have had enough of the beach there is loads of entertainment and activities for all ages, including amusement arcades, minigolf, tennis, golf, scuba diving, skydiving, water parks, go-carting, horse riding and camel riding. Water sports include jet-skiing, windsurfing and banana boat rides.

Attractions in Playa del Ingles and Maspalomas

Sioux City

One of the most popular days out in Gran Canaria, Sioux city was built originally as a stage set for an American western film in 1972, but developed into a Wild West theme park complete with cowboys, Indians, Mexicans and of course a sheriff. There are shows throughout the day featuring bank robberies, saloon fights, cattle stampedes, rodeos and gunfights at the OK Coral. Between shows visitors can enjoy a barbeque or taste the culinary delights of the Three Star Saloon. Every Friday evening there are barbecue evenings complete with country dancing.

Waterparks

There are three water parks on Gran Canaria: Aqua Park in Puerto Rico and Ocean Park and the smaller Aqua Sur in Maspalomas. All offer enough attractions to keep children and adults amused all day, including dozens of slides and swimming pools. Aqua Sur also has a wave machine and a ‘lazy river’ where visitors can float around the complex on an inflatable tyre.

Parque de los Crocodilo

This Crocodile Park is home to more than 300 crocodiles and alligators from all over the world. Visitors shouldn't miss the crocodiles' feeding time - at 12pm, 2pm and 4.15pm. The other half of the park is a zoo, which has sections on monkeys and chimpanzees, tigers, jaguars, camels and much more. There is a restaurant in the centre of the park where visitors can see a show where parrots perform various tricks, including doing a jigsaw puzzle and roller skating! The park is near the town of Aguímes, a few miles southwest of the airport.

Climate

While Gran Canaria has a wonderful climate throughout the year, the south of the island (where the major resorts are located) enjoys its own microclimate with generally better weather than other parts of the island, although the sea breeze can be quite bracing. The average temperature is comfortable all year round, rarely dropping below 63°F (17°C) and more often above 82°F (28°C) during the day. Rainfall in the summer months is almost non-existent, but showers are likely between October and April.

Health

There are no health risks associated with travel to Spain, and no vaccination certificates are required for entry. Spain has a reciprocal health agreement with most EU countries, including the UK, providing free emergency health care at State run hospitals. UK travellers should take a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Note that private clinics are not covered, and the scheme gives no entitlement to medical repatriation costs, nor does it cover ongoing illnesses of a non-urgent nature, so comprehensive travel insurance is advised.

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