If you are looking for fun packed holiday packages, why not book your 2012 holiday to Gran Canaria to coincide with the Carnaval Las Palmas De Gran Canaria. This is one of the biggest carnivals in the world, attracting 100′s of thousands over a two week period.

Carnaval Las Palmas De Gran Canaria 2012

Carnival events include;

The Carnival Queen Election Gala on the 3rd February.
In the Parque Santa Catalina – The Children’s Carnival on the 4th February – A contest of children’s troupes celebrating choreography, rhythm, costumes and of course the hard-work and enthusiasm put in by the children throughout the year.
In the Parque Santa Catalina – The Canine Carnival on the 5th February – This popular event is a parade of costumed dogs and their owners.
In the Parque Santa Catalina – The Gala Gran Dama on the 5th February – Open to candidates over 60 years of age, this lively gala is a fun night filled with great performances.
In the Parque Santa Catalina – Murgas Competition on the 6th, 7th and 8th February – Held in 3 phases the Murgas (street musicians/musical theatre groups) re-enact social and political events which have taken place throughout the year in an ironic and satirical manner.
The Pre-selection of the Drag Queen on the 14th February.
The Drag Queen Gala (Gala Drag Queen) on the 17th February followed by an all-night party. Marvel at the glittering, sparkly costumes, feather boas and towering high heels.
The Big Parade (Great Carnival Parade) on the 18th February followed by another all-night party.
The Grand Gala of Carnival (Gran Gala Del Carnaval) on the 20th February.

Entierro de la Sardina

The festivities end with the traditional Burial of the Sardine (Entierro de la Sardina) on Las Canteras beach on the 21st February. Revellers parade through the streets in outfits which can be quite scary before congregating on the beach to bury the sardine and watch the amazing firework display. Watch out for the many holiday deals to the Canary Islands that are always on offer throughout the internet.

Recent research has shown that around a third of adults suffer from insomnia and nearly sixty percent do not have adequate sleep. Representatives of the Corallium Spa believe that the Womb Room will provide an effective solution for those suffering from restless nights.

The Corallium Spa is located at the Lopesan Cota Meloeras resort in the southern region of Gran Canaria. The Womb Room aims to recreate the journey of life starting with where it all began, the womb. The Womb Room is reached by a pink carpeted corridor which represents the neck of the uterus. Blood coloured waterbeds which give the impession of the amniotic sac greet you in the dimly lit treatment room. The floor of the treatment room is covered by a pink carpet with bold a bold splash of red fabric which slowly rotates to give the impression of a large umbilical cord. Gentle background music is played in the treatment room to recreate the sound heard from inside the womb.

Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort, Spa and Casino

The Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort, Spa and Casino is a 4 star premium hotel which sits on the sea front close to the Nature Reserve of Dunas de Maspalomas on Gran Canaria.

Corallium Spa

The main attraction is the Spa Corallium Costa Meloneras where guests can enjoy exotic treatments on their holiday packages to the Canary Islands.

This well equipped spa has a fitness centre with all the latest technology for cardio and fitness activities and a beauty clinic which offers a full range of facial and body treatments. The spa offers treatments using natural water at varied temperature and has a hydrothermal circuit which has been designed to eliminate toxins, promote rejuvenation and harmony, improve the workings of the entire body muscles and also strengthen the immune and cardiovascular system of the body. Circuit temperatures range from 4C in the domain of ice to 90C in the African sauna and also passes through a Kneipp pool of 14C, a float pool of 35C and a Turkish bath and steam bath of 45C. This treatment transports the guest from the North Pole and the Arabian desert to the tropics and the North Pole, resulting in the wellbeing of the human body and soul.

If you want to be pampered and have your body and soul cleansed then don’t forget to pay the Spa Corallium Costa Meloneras a visit whilst on your cheap holidays to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.

If golf is your passion then the Campo de Golf de Maspalomas on the island of Gran Canaria is the place for you. Situated at the southern-most point of the island and surrounded by the Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve, this golf course is the perfect location to practise your swing in beautiful surroundings.

Campo de Golf de Maspalomas

 The golf course is very long and flat with wide lanes and has hosted International events. Even on really hot days a round of golf is made totally enjoyable by the mild sea breezes.

Created by Mackenzie Ross, Campo de Golf is an 18-hole 73 par course which overlooks the sand dunes of Maspalomas and offers amazing views across the Atlantic Ocean. Fringed by palm groves the Campo de Golf also has a two-storey driving range, a putting green, restaurant and cafe. Visitors can hire clubs, bags and carts and take lessons here while on their Gran Canaria holidays.

Campo de Golf

The course is within easy reach of some great top-class hotels, beaches and up-market restaurants. The resorts of Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles are less than a mile and a half from the course. Enjoy a round of golf in the morning and then relax on the beach in the afternoon.

Campo de Golf de Maspalomas isn’t just about golf and relaxing on the beach. Explore the islands volcanic terrain and marvel at the amazing scenery on a jeep safari. The whole family will love the theme parks around Maspalomas. There are Aqualand and Ocean Park waterparks, Sioux City which is a replica wild west town, Holiday World funfair and go-karting at Gran Karting World and Karting Maspalomas.

Sioux City Gran Canaria

 Both children and adults will be amazed by the wonderful sights on a whale and dolphin spotting boat trip from Campo de Golf. Spot pilate whales, sperm whales and dolphins as you sail around the islands beautiful rugged coastline. There are many excursions available from here including trips to the Guanche Caves, the village of Mogan and to the beaches of Maspalomas, Playa del Ingles, Fataga Ravine and La Charca Nature Reserve. Experience top class shopping at the Veradero Melenaras complex where you can purchase anything from perfumes, designer fashion, sports goods and electrical goods and enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants here.      

Gran Canaria’s southern region enjoys good weather all year round making it the ideal destination for your family cheap package holidays. Even the months between December and March enjoy temperatures which rarely fall below 18C.

Whether you are looking for a golfing holiday, beach holiday or a family holiday there are always lots of holiday deals on offer to the Canary Islands throughout the internet.

Puerto Mogan is a small resort on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria. Situated 20 minutes from Maspalomas, 45 minutes from Las Palmas and just

Puerto Mogan

10 minutes from Playa Taurito, this attractive little town is an ideal resort in which to spend a glorious family holiday.

The town’s central canal is transversed by Italian type footbridges, hence it is often referred to as the Little Venice of the Canary Islands. There is a great diversity in the style of buildings here, from old whitewashed villas and quaint fishermans cottages to modern buildings. In the heart of the town is the church of Saint Anthony which is home to magnificent carvings and statues.

If you enjoy sailing you won’t fail to be impressed by the 225 mooring

Puerto Mogan town

 marina where you will see all different types of yachts and sail boats.

The town itself is a labyrinth of tiny streets and alleyways all waiting to be explored. After exploring the town you can take a leisurely walk around the harbour and enjoy a nice peaceful meal in one of the many restaurants, cafes, bistros and tavernas. Puerto Mogan has some of the best fish restaurants on the island along with restaurants serving traditional and international cuisine.

Puerto Mogan beach

Made from beautiful golden sand imported from the Sahara Desert, the beach here is ideal for all the family to enjoy the suns rays, swim and snorkel in the lovely warm waters.
Puerto Mogan has a dive centre that provides lessons, equipment for hire and diving excursions that include reef, cave and wreck dives.

There are lots of excursions on offer including underwater trips in a yellow submarine, dolphin spotting cruises and tours of the outstanding Gran Canaria mountains.
A must for the family is a trip to the nearby resort of Meloneras where you will find not only beautiful beaches and a promenade but also the Holiday World roller coaster theme park and the adventure waterpark Aqualand.

Puerto Mogan is home to the Anfi Tauro 18-hole golf course with it’s stunning views, lakes, waterfalls and gardens.

Enjoying a sub-tropical climate, the Canary Islands are the ideal location for holiday packages in the sun for the whole family.

During the summer months Puerto Mogan enjoys average temperatures of around 26C to 28C, an average of 10 hours sunshine a day and very little rainfall. During the winter months the temperature varies between 14C and 21C with around 6 hours of sunshine a day which makes the resort a great place to book one of the last minute holiday deals to at any time of the year. Add to the great climate sea temperatures which rarely go below 19C and you have an ideal all year round destination for the whole family to enjoy.

Puerto Rico is a popular resort on the south coast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. Originally a fishing village, Puerto Rico has now become a major tourist resort on Gran Canaria.

Puerto Rico

The resorts main beach is covered with sand from the Sahara desert. As the beach is quite small it can become fairly crowded but this does not stop visitors returning to the resort year after year. For those who prefer something a bit less crowded, there are two swimming pools which are situated in beautiful tropical gardens near the beach. The smaller resort of Playa Del Cura is about 2 miles from Puerto Rico and has a much quieter sandy beach which is located in a peaceful cove. For the more energetic there are lots of watersports on offer here, including scuba diving, parasailing, wind surfing, jet skiing, sailing and deep sea fishing.

Next to the beach is the resorts marina where you will find pleasure boats, yachts and fishing boats. From here you can take a glass bottom boat trip or go on a whale or dolphin watching trip.

The resort has a promenade which is lined with restaurants, cafes and bars

Puerto Rico

 and has three great shopping malls. Most of the eateries cater for the European market but some do offer traditional food and tapas.

Puerto Rico is regarded as the busiest resort on the island, with clubs and bars coming to life at night for the all-night revellers.

Puerto Rico offers excellent weather conditions all year round, with winter temperatures averaging between 18C and 23C and very little rainfall. In the summer temperatures average around 26C with 9-10 hours of sunshine a day.

For a relaxing break with all year sunshine why not take advantage of one of the many bargain holidays on offer to the Canary Islands.

If you are looking for direct holidays, there are always great offers throughout the internet.

This review was supplied to us by our reader Trevor Haigh

“We always wait and search for last minute holidays on the internet, so we were really pleased when we found a really good deal for the Vistamar in Gran Canaria. We spent 2 great weeks here at the end of April and can’t wait for a return visit later this year. As the hotel is built on the cliffs, the hotel runs buses down to the beach about every 15-20 minutes. Our hotel room, although basic, had a lovely seaview and was clean. Food (plenty of variety), drink, staff and entertainment could not be faulted. There was plenty of activities all day long and a great kid’s club for our daughter where she made friends from day 1.”

club hotel riu vistamar

CLUB HOTEL RIU VISTAMAR

The hotel is situated on a clifftop with magnificent views of the ocean, just 1.2 kms from the sandy beach of Playa Amadores.

Location

600m from the Europa Centre with shops and restaurants, 3.1kms from the main centre of Puerto Rico and 100m to the bus stop.

Accommodation

The hotel has 475 rooms all with 2 or 3 beds, air conditioning, fan, satellite tv, telephone, mini fridge, hairdryer, safety deposit box and  a balcony with sea views.
Family rooms are twin rooms with extra beds and take a maximum of 2 adults and 2 children up to 12yrs or 3 adults, the minimum number of guests allowed in a family room is 3
There are also single rooms available.

Dining

Buffet restaurant, special evenings twice a week, optional evening meals on alternating days with Grill or Andalucian cuisine in theme restaurant, pool restaurant.

Sport and Activities

2 swimming pools heated in winter, separate children’s pool heated in winter, sunbeds and parasols, pool towels, sun terrace, gym, volleyball, aerobics, multi-purpose sports pitch, table tennis, billiards, shuffleboard, french bowls, tennis, children’s play area.

Entertainment

Lounge bar, daily entertainment programme, RIU evening programme with shows or live music daily, card room, bingo, children’s mini disco.

Facilities

Internet, exchange facility, 18 hole golf course nearby, laundry service, hairdresser and massage.

Playa del Ingles is Gran Canaria’s largest holiday resort, situated at the south of the island, between the smaller resorts of Maspalomas and San Agustin.

Playa del Ingles

Playa del Ingles ( the English Beach) is a fun resort, comprising of the beach, hotels, bars, clubs, shops, restaurants and fast-food eateries. Although the resort is mainly aimed at the younger market seeking cheap holidays, the climate here does attract families aswell.
The resort has several commercial centres, including the Yumbo Centre (especially for the gay scene and gay nightlife) and Kasbah, a shoppers delight.
There is also a pedestrian promenade here, the Paseo Costa Canaria, which runs all along the beach and links the Playa de las Burras to Maspalomas.

Playa del Ingles is not a cultural area, visitors come here for the beach and shopping by day, and the clubs and bars by night.

Activities on offer here include watersports (jet-skiing, windsurfing and banana boats), scuba diving, skydiving, horse riding, camel riding, golf, tennis, mini golf, go karting, water parks and amusement arcades.

CLIMATE

The average summer temperature is between 26C and 28C, often exceeding  30C.  During  the winter months the average temperature is between 22C and 24C.

Maspalomas is situated on the southernmost tip of Gran Canaria, 32 miles south of Las Palmas and 20 miles south of the airport.

Maspalomas

Maspalomas is famous for its giant sand dunes, which provide the backdrop for a magnificent fine white-sand beach. 

Maspalomas enjoys sunshine for all the year, average daytime temperatures range between 15C in January and February and 24C during July and August.

BEACHES

Playa de Maspalomas beach stretches for about 1.2 miles and is regarded as the most beautiful beach on Gran Canaria.  the island. The beach is divided into distinct areas for families and children, nudists and gays.  The south-facing Playa de Maspalomas joins the east-facing Playa del Ingles at the Punta de Maspalomas. At the western end of Playa de Maspalomas is La Charca lagoon and Faro de Maspalomas (Maspalomas Lighthouse). Further on, to the west, is the rocky Playa de las Mujeres which is a good place for surfing and windsurfing. The next beach is Playa Las Meloneras, a long coarse sand-and-pebble beach.
Watersports on offer in Maspalomas include parasailing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, and speedboat and inflatable rides.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

Campo de Golf de Maspalomas

Golf
There are three golf courses at Maspalomas. The Campo de Golf de Maspalomas, which is surrounded by the dunes, has hosted several international events. Just outside the resort is Salobre Golf, which is set among ravines and volcanic landscapes. Meloneras Golf provides a challenge along its sea-view fairways.

Camel Trek
This is a great way to see the magnificent dunes of Maspalomas. The camel drivers pitch their tents at Faro de Maspalomas, next to the tallest lighthouse in the Canary Islands.

La Charca
This is a sea-water lagoon bordered with palm trees, which is home to many species of nesting and migratory birds.

Aqualand

Aqualand
Located 2 miles north of Maspalomas on the Carretera Palmitos Parque, this is the biggest water park in the Canary Islands, with 50 slides, flumes, rides and attractions including children’s and adults’ swimming pools and mini-golf. 

Holiday World
This is a large amusement park with fairground rides, ten-pin bowling, bars, restaurants, two nightclubs, gym and spa.

Ocean Water Park
This park has 15 different slides, swimming pools and a large wave pool.

Palmitos Park

Palmitos Park
Located 6 miles northwest of Maspalomas, this park is situated in a beautiful green valley, with 150 species of birds, including tiny hummingbirds, toucans, peacocks, hornbills, cranes, flamingos and macaws, a gibbon island, an aquarium, a butterfly house, a cacti garden, an orchid house, crocodiles and much more. The park also has bird of prey shows and parrot shows.

Sioux City
This Wild West theme park is a replica of a Wild West town with its typical houses, church, ranch, bank, saloon and of course an Indian reservation. There is also a small zoo here for the younger children.

Gran Canaria is the most southerly of the seven Canary Islands and lies in the Atlantic Ocean 135 miles off the border between Morocco and Western Sahara, and 715 miles from the Iberian Peninsula. The highest point on Gran Canaria is Pico de las Nieves at 1,949m (6,394ft).

Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is made up of 21 municipalities with the capital, Las Palmas located in the North of the island.

Gran Canaria is the Canary Island’s most populated and third largest island. In the north and interior you will find rolling green hills and flower-speckled meadows, whilst in the south the scene changes to arid plains and sweeping sand dunes.

The island has 122 miles of coastline with 50 beaches, the most popular being San Agustín, Playa del Ingles, Puerto Rico and Maspalomas with its famous sand dunes.

Winter temperatures very rarely dip below 16°C (61°F) and only occasionally rise higher than 32°C (90°F) in summer. The coolest month is January, with average daytime temperatures of 18°C (64°F). The warmest is August with an average daytime temperature of 26°C (79°F). The north of the island is slightly cooler and less arid than the south.

KEY FACTS
Location – 135 miles west of the coast of Morocco and western Sahara.
Time – GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to last sunday in October).
Area – 602 sq miles.
Language – principal language is Spanish.
Religion – There is no official religion, but the majority of the population is Roman Catholic.
Currency – Euro.

Aqua Sur Water Park

WHAT TO DO AND SEE
Aqua Sur Water Park in Maspalomas is the biggest waterpark on the island and has over 6,340 sq ft of pools, 13 water attractions and 33 water slides.

Palmitos Park is a botanical and zoological wonderland with 200 different species of birds plus the Butterfly House, an aquarium, an orchid house and extensive cactus gardens. There is also Primates Island here which is home to a community of white-handed gibbons.

Sioux City Park

Sioux City Park has live shows such as Duel until death, Bank robbery, Town square hanging and Indian rain dance. The park also has a zoo and horse riding.

Maspalomas Beach (over 3.5 miles long) is considered the most beautiful of all the beaches on the island, with fine white sand backed by vast, wind-sculpted dunes.

Crocodrilos Park (Crocodile Park) is home to the biggest collection of crocodiles anywhere in Europe. There are over 300 crocodiles, monkeys, tropical fish and many other animals.

Crocodrilos Park

Holiday World is the largest funfair in the Canary Islands. Here you will find rides, a bowling alley, wellness centre, restaurants bars and arcades.

Museo Canario is in Las Palmas and houses the world’s largest collection of skulls and the remains of the island´s famous mummies.

To watch whales and dolphins in their natural habitat take a whale-watching boat excursion from Puerto Rico.

La Vegueta is the oldest part of the capital, Las Palmas. Here you can see the 17th-century Palacio Regental, now the High Court of Law, and the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Ana.

The Caldera de Bandama

The Caldera de Bandama is a 660ft deep volcanic crater with an observation platform on its peak. Here you can get the best views on the island.

Puerto de Mogán (the ‘Venice of Gran Canaria) is a scenic harbour and is home to gleaming white yachts and playboy toys. Along the quayside you will find lots of excellent restaurants.