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What's it really like ? Transfer time: Approx 30 minutes Location: 'Beach of the English' is how Playa del Inglés translates and when this resort first began to sprout up they must have seen us coming. Other nationalities who share our sense of mis-adventure also flock here for sun, sea and San Miguels but they can hardly compete with young 18 - 30-something Brits. The resort is also one of Europe's top gay destinations. Mature visitors and families tend to stick together in the quieter areas, but in general this is a heavily built-up resort designed for the young market. Not the place for quiet-seekers unless your accommodation offers a peaceful retreat. Large apartment blocks dominate the town with more than a dozen shopping centres scattered around and a promenade that's rammed with shops and bars. Some areas can only be reached via steep steps and uphill walks. Beaches: Desert-like sand dunes on the outskirts of town stretch for miles and attract tourists from all over the island, including naturists. It takes about 90 minutes to walk along the shore to Maspalomas with the dunes stretching back inland. The main resort beach, a recent 'Blue Flag' winner is reached via steps which can be quite gruelling at the end of a long day, especially for those faced with an uphill walk back to their accommodation. The beach has good clean sand but tends to be crowded. There are beach bars, sun loungers and watersports a-plenty. Days out: Two water parks in nearby Maspalomas for whitewater-knuckle rides. In town are go-karts, camel safaris across the dunes and boat trips. Further afield is the 'cowboy' town, Sioux City and the Caldera de Bandama volcano. Playa del Inglés has a large selection of tourist shops scattered around town or concentrated in a dozen or so commercial centres. Duty free goods are in plentiful supply. Nights Out: Chocca with music bars and pubs especially in the notorious 'Kasbah' centre, which is the livelists place on the island - rammed with night clubs and music bars. Aguila Roja is famous for its Irish bars while British-style pubs can be found in the Gran Chaparral centre. Quieter bars operate along the promenade and there's a casino on the edge of town. A wide choice of places to eat, including fast food, Chinese, Italian and local cuisine. Bucket and Spade Brigade: Plenty to entertain the kids including, good beaches and water parks, plus a traditional funfair in nearby Maspalomas. A tourist train runs the length of the resort. Choose your accommodation carefully if you want to avoid noise and more boisterous company. |
