‘Wanna come on holiday?’ They said?…….
‘Yeah, where to?’ I said……..
‘Tenerife’ they said…….
‘Errrr’ I said…….
‘Why not?’ they said…..
‘Just don’t fancy it’ I said….
OK, enough already with the ‘they said-I said’ stuff.
I went to Tenerife in April; a resort called Los Christianos. About a 15-20 minute ride from the Airport, and the smaller sister resort of Playas De Las Americas.
And although I wasn’t expecting it, I loved Tenerife.
Don’t ask me why I had never fancied it before, I don’t know, and after spending a great two weeks there (and now in the middle of making arrangements to go back!!) it’s even more of a mystery to me as to why I thought I never liked it in the first place??
Anyway, I’ve been….I loved it….. so let me tell you why………………..
Apart from the all year round sunshine, Los Christianos has a lot to offer people of all ages. There is not an abundance of nightclubs however; they are just down the road in Playa. But I think that if you are seeking a nightclub filled holiday Los Christianos is not perhaps your best choice, especially when you have other
resorts that cater just for those types of holiday.
Looking back, I would say that the majority of tourists were made up by people with children (well, I had 3 with me !!)
***Location***
Los Christianos, which will be known as LC from here on in cos I’m really fed up with keep typing it, is situated in a bay surrounded by hills on two sides. The main resort centre is a maze of shop lined streets all meeting to a square that the promenade runs through. The promenade goes on for miles (well it definitely felt like it when out walking one day!!) and will take you into Playa, I don’t know how far it actually does go on for, I never attempted to reach the end!!
The further back you go into LC the higher you go, and there are several apartments built on the hill behind the resort. Typically the apartments that we stayed in, time-share – ‘The Beverly Hill Heights’ were most probably the furthest back, but to be quite truthful with you, it wasn’t really a problem. It was a lovely stroll down but on the way up (unless drunk and not really thinking straight) we usually grabbed a taxi.
***Getting Around***
Ah Ha………Tenerifian taxis, although to base my opinion of taxi drivers on the 2 weeks worth that I encountered does not in anyway mean that the drivers in other parts of the Island are as fast and as totally ignorant to the ‘cringing praying and holding on for dear life’ British tourists that find themselves in the backs of their cabs as the ones I met! I was fine, but my Mum and Dads faces were, on numerous occasions, a picture, which in turn for me was totally hilarious (what sort of person laughs at her parents fright I hear you cry, well I’ve ‘done’ Turkish and Tunisian taxis, so the Tenerifian taxis were nothing!!) They are really cheap, and if I remember rightly it only used to cost about £1.50 - £2.00 for a 5-10 minute trip. Although what it cost in terms of worrying I don’t know?
***Eating out***
There are an abundance of cafes and bars.
All offering their own speciality, but I have never been to a resort that has so many Chinese restaurants and takeaways, and further more, they delivered free too. I found this totally weird after always in the past, having either Hotel, B & B or Half Board accommodation where it was a strict no no to bring food into your room or apartment. There is a Macdonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and a KFC, just like home from home really??!! The majority of bars on the front were all British, and I don’t think there was one that didn’t offer a wide screen TV and the chance to watch what ever football match was on!! By saying that I don’t want you to think that the place is swarming with football supporters, it isn’t, these bars weren’t particularly busy its just that there seemed to be more of these British run places than the local offerings. The cafes and restaurants were of all nationalities and offered food at very reasonable prices. The speciality of most being the full cooked breakfast and they were ridiculously under priced (but not for us!!) at about £1.50 for the whole works. At night, the same ‘greasy spoons’ mostly had live entertainment of some kind, whether it be a singer, comedian or the dreaded Karaoke!!
***Eating In***
The majority of accomodation in LC is Time Share and believe me when I say that some of these are like home from home, well ours was anyway. They everything that you could want with regards to home comforts, Microwave, Satelite
TV, etc, etc, anyway, I’m getting off the point, what I’m trying to say is that even if you don’t want to venture out at night, maybe got a
touch of sun stroke, or the kids are playing up and as punishment they aren’t going to be joining all their new friends down in the kids room, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t eat is there?? So, why don’t you order in!!?? Yep, the list of takeaways that deliver are endless in LC, I must admit, I baby sat a couple of nights and enjoyed a Chinese, an Indian and a Thai in the comfort of the apartment with out even getting dressed (and before you say it…….. I mean meals!!) Of course this might not be allowed in some other apartments so check before you order. I’d hate to think that some poor family had been evicted from their ‘holiday house’ because some p*a*t on ‘ciao’ said it was OK to order in!!??!!
***Beach***
The beach is clean, with plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas. I didn’t actually make use of these so I can’t give an accurate account of the prices of hiring these items, although, I’m guessing at around a £1.00 a day? That’s the usual price for mainland Spain so I might be way out? Sorry! The beach is a fine greyish sand rather than the golden stuff I prefer, and when its wet it’s just like mud (ugh – how can kids play in that??!!)
***Stuff to Do***
LC has a……….. Not sure of the word here…….to write ‘
Marina’ would make it sound slightly more posh than it actually is…..To use ‘dock’ makes it sound worse than it is……..Oh, it’s a big concrete thing………I know, I know it’s a Quay……..
(see I’m not stupid) where they offer all manner of boating trips. There were ‘open topped boats’, ‘glass bottomed boats’ ‘
speed boats’ ‘
fishing trips’ and ‘dolphin watching trips’ (of which we went and actually
saw 2, of course the rest of the family said that they were baby Whales, but this is my op and I’m sticking with Dolphins!!) amongst others.
These are much better priced to book them on the Quay so don’t bother booking with your Hotel or Apartments reception.
Also there are an abundance of other trips and excursions that you can take. A trip up
Mount Tdi perhaps?? Take a jacket, its cold when you get to the top, that’s if the weather is good enough and the top is actually open – there’s a
cable car that you need to get to the top of the mountain and it isn’t open all the time, but when it is, its bl**dy cold!!!
Camel rides – there are two Camel parks both situated within close proximity of LC, on the out skirts bascially. And the
Zoo. As with the boat trips I’d look around first and see what sort of prices are being offered before you go ahead and book with your
hotel or apartments.
***Shopping***
My favourite part of any holiday is the shopping!! And boy could I have a field day here??! This is an electrical paradise. As you may or may not know, the Canary Islands are a Tax Haven…… none of that dreaded V.A.T that we have become accustomed to. So basically, each day is SALE day. We are talking ridiculous prices for some high quality merchandise. I have never seen so many camcorders in one place (well unless I go to a camcorder convention, I don’t’ think I will again??!!) they are so cheap, and we are talking like a 50% price drop than here in the UK. We looked at Camcorders that would have set you back maybe £650-£700 here, but were going for half of that. And of course you have the customary haggling to take into consideration so the final price you pay could have been lower than half. There are all sorts on offer here, Minidiscs (I could have kicked myself here, I’d only bought one a month earlier, and I *cried* when I saw mine for like £50.00 cheaper!!) Gameboys, Playstations, TV’s, Video’s, Hi Fi’s, Kitchen Appliances, I’ll tell you, almost every shop was like walking into a miniature version of Currys or Comet!! I only wish that there was something I needed or wanted in the electrical line, if only to take advantage of the knock down prices!!
There’s also a market in LC on Sundays, and one on Thursday in Playa. We went to both and exactly the same stalls were at both! But who cares right, we have the chance to shop!!!
***One and only down side (maybe?)***
If anybody
reading this that has been to Tenerife, I’m sure you are all, by now, wanting to know when I’ll be getting to the Time Share Touts……….. Well………… now
Probably, in fact, what am I saying, the most annoying and only factor that could put people off Tenerife is the Time-Share Touts!! These are people, all ages but more often or not young British guys and gals standing on street corners, trying to sell you time share apartments.
This I here you cry doesn’t sound so bad, huh, you’ve obviously never been in contact with them before then? They are not on just a few corners; they are on every single street corner that you come to. Each with their own individual way of getting you to stop and talk so that they can engage you in a conversation and then ever so gently lead you onto the topic of……… yep, you’ve guessed it……Time Share.
Its rude, but the only way that you can deal with them is to totally ignore them, keep walking, hold your head up high and don’t let them see you are weak, they are like lions!!! They pounce on the weakest prey, these being the newly arrived holidaymakers, distinguished by the colour of their skin. Or the Tenerifian virgins….. Having never being abroad, or to Tenerife before, if somebody comes up to you on a street and starts to make conversation, well, they are just being nice right? Wrong! They have you in their sights; you are their next victim. If you are not careful they will get you. Don’t say yes to anything. They have however, introduced a new method this year, the conversation starts with the quality of your flight, was it delayed and so forth?? Don’t be fooled, it will go on to…….Time Share!! Or we had the Scratch card, yep, they come up to you and say ‘Ya wanna scratchcard’? The great British public as we are, can not refuse a gambol, you say yes, you win but (amazing that!!) to collect your prize you have to attend a quick demonstration and a talk on…….Time Share!! I got out of this, just keep a scratch card handy, then when one offers you another, just say no thanx, but you can have one of mine you’re guaranteed to win too!! It worked, they thought it was hilarious, and while they are doubled up with laughter (poor souls!!) you make your hasty retreat. Of course, if you are intending to actually buy Time Share, please ignore the previous, if you don’t you’ll probably come home empty handed!!
Right,well, that’s about it on the resort of LC, oh what the hell, I’ll type it for you one more time……….. Los Christianos.
I hope that it will help you intrepid holidaymakers some how some time? If you do decide to go there, I reckon you’ll have great time!! I know I did.
Los Christianos 
