Peacock Island, Benidorm > Reviews > Nemo, Nemo !!

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	A chance to escape the hustle and bustle .
Disadvantages:	Can be very busy and very very hot .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Picture this, a very hot day in Benidorm, a slightly hungover husband and three very bored foster sons, the youngest of which keeps running off down the beach with my husband in not so hot pursuit !
Shall we go on a boat lads? he asks,before exhaustion sets in. One "yes please!" and two grunts in reply - off we went to the harbour. A very patient, sympathetic spanish sailor type issued the tickets costing approximately £20.00 in total and we went to queue for the boat. They leave every hour or so, so it may be neccessary to check boarding times.
After negotiating the gang plank with pushchair, bags galore and three very excited youngsters, we decided to sit on the upper deck so as to enjoy the sea air. the crossing only takes about 30 minutes, and the view of Benidorm from the sea is breathtaking, with the mountains framing the whole area. After disembarking on the tiny island there are a few choices of what to do. As it was almost lunchtime, we decided to re-fill rumbling stomachs before exploring. The restaurant is very popular with the locals as the food is excellent. We chose a range of sea food eaten with local bread and the children were spoilt for choice with burgers, chips, pizza etc on offer. The cost was suprisingly good value for money and we didn't have to wait long for our lunches at all.
Bellies filled, we decided to venture on to the "submarine" part of the trip which is included in the price. This is a boat where the hull is below the water level with only glass separating you from the sights of the sea and its inhabitants. I found this 20 minute trip a little claustrophobic, but was amazed at the thousands of fish swimming around us. As the island is a nature reserve, many divers explore the waters and it was very amusing for the boys to see people swimming alongside their windows!! The whole experience was almost too much for our 2 year old, who entertained the whole party by constantly marvelling at the fish, with shouts of "Nemo! Nemo!" as the shoals swam back and forth!
Back on terra firma, we then set out up the rocky path to see the peacocks and other feathered friends. We found the pushchair a bit of a nuisance and wished we had left it behind on this day's trip. The paths are as nature intended!!
On returning to the little harbour to await our passage back to the high life of Benidorm, the children were fascinated by the numerous people diving off the rocks and enjoying the sunshine. All in all, the trip was a great success and I would recommend it to anyone - just one tip, don't bother with a pushchair, you really don't need one and be prepared to laugh your socks off if you have little ones on the "submarine" with you!!