Born in England but gave up offshore job and associated snowboarding/travelling lifestyle to live wi...
Born in England but gave up offshore job and associated snowboarding/travelling lifestyle to live with my danish girlfriend and 2 year old daughter in Denmark. Life is good.
Member since:05.07.2005
Reviews:38
Members who trust:2
I like active holidays and the Canary Islands have to be about as good as it gets for a beach holiday. I surf and windsurf with more enthusiasm than talent, and enjoy checking out the places I end up in. I have visited Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, and had a good time on both islands - here is what I have experienced:
Climate. I have always travelled in autumn - September/October time and I have encountered consistently warm weather. Not too hot, just nice and warm in the daytime and pleasantly cool in the evenings and early mornings. It's often cloudy on one side of the island too, although with a car you usually seem to be able to drive somewhere sunny. The water is surprisingly cool - cooler than most places in the Mediterranean - and with the consistent winds a thin wetsuit is necessary if you are planning on spending a long time in it.
Scenery. The
islands are volcanic - and it shows. Most of the landscape is barren brown rock, and what little vegetation there is tends to be burnt brown by the sun. In some places the hillsides have been divided up into little square fields by drystone walls and a local farmer can be seen tending his crop of … rocks? Maybe September-October is just after harvest season for crops in the Canaries. On a positive note, there are a lot of volcanic hills on the islands, and it is no problem to park up at the foot of them and take a 30-minute walk to the top, where you will often be rewarded by a great view. The beaches on the islands are good, with a choice of sheltered sandy ones, rocky coves, or long wild and windy ones available to anyone with a car. There are also bigger hills offering yet more spectacular views, especially on Lanzarote.
Towns. The big tourist towns on the islands are the same as big holiday towns everywhere. Noisy bars, people trying to force free drinks into you, drunken Englishmen trying to impress Spanish girls, etc etc. All highly entertaining, if you ask me. There are a fair number of Spanish speakers on the islands, and if you can pick up any it is a great way to break the ice. On one trip a couple of us perfected the phrase "tienes los ojos preciocos" (you have beautiful eyes) and used it on every Spanish looking girl unlucky enough to catch our eye. We made a lot of new friends that week, although its safe to say neither of us came close to finding a Spanish girlfriend. The smaller towns have all the charm and atmosphere that the bigger places lack, so if that's your thing you can certainly find something if you are prepared to hunt around.
Accommodation. I found this to be good value, but then travelling in shoulder season there are fewer people and so you get a better room for your money.
Getting around. There are busses on the Islands, but I have always hired a car. Pre-book to get the cheapest deals, or shop around in one of the bigger towns. If there are 2 or 3 of you a car is a must, it opens up the whole island to explore all week for the cost of a day trip on a bus. The islands are fairly big, you can easily drive for an hour to get away from the crowds, often finding different weather on different parts of the island. When you hire you will have to promise not to drive the car on dirt roads or beaches but as long as you clean it off before you off-hire it there doesn't seem to be a problem. Watch out you don't get stuck though - there can be a lot of loose sand on some of the tracks that run along the coast. There is also a ferry that runs between Lanzarote and Fuertaventura so you can visit both islands on one flight. (Or fly to the other island if you cant get a flight to the one you want to visit)
Watersports. Fuerteventura is world-renowned location for windsurfing, and likewise kitesurfing. Lanzarote is nearly as good, and both places cater for the sport with options to hire or buy kit and plenty of shops and schools to offer advice or equipment (at a price, of course) Lanzarote is a world-renowned surf location, catering for everyone from absolute beginners at Famara surf school to world champs at La Santa. It is also possible to get a ride behind a speedboat on both islands, trying out paragliding or wakeboarding if conditions are right. (though this will cost you)
Negative stuff. Spiky things in the water. There are sea urchins all over many of the rocks, which makes wearing booties a must if you are going swimming or surfing over a reef. Biting things on the land. Take some insect repellent, and be warned that you may need to tame the odd cockroach with a flipflop. Thieves. Especially if you are going surfing, expect your car to get broken into if you leave it at a deserted beach with boards on show. Local music. Ukuleles? Enough said…
In Summary I like it! There is something about being on an island that seems to separate you from the stress of everyday life. Each time I have visited, the plane ride home has found me tanned, tired and happy with a few new stories to tell.
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Very good review! I felt you covered everything here that needed to be covered in good detail. im still trying to persude my bloke that he should take me there.....ill update if i make any progress :) ! x
k8_lloyd 24.09.2005 20:17
I spent a week in Gran Canaria, which was a few days too long... k8
micksheff 21.09.2005 22:30
I Love the Canary Islands but putting reviews in a general categogry on Spain Experience is not a good idea as they tend to not get the reads that they deserve. Nevertheless a good review of a fantastic place.
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We propose some unforgettable holidays in "El Capistrano Villages", in Nerja, the privileged balcony of the Costa del Sol. "El Capistrano Villages" is, possibly, the most beautiful and exclusive Urbanisation on the Costa del Sol.
Advantages: Virtual year round sunshine and only 4 hours away Disadvantages: Some areas rather built up - full of fish and chip shops, singlets and neon signs
Bollinger28 05.08.2005 (14.09.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of General: Canary Islands
Advantages: Virtual year round sunshine and only 4 hours away Disadvantages: Some areas rather built up - full of fish and chip shops, singlets and neon signs
Bollinger28 05.08.2005 (14.09.2007)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of General: Canary Islands
Sep 20th, 2005
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