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Overview: Situated on the south west coast, nine miles (14km) west of Puerto Rico, Puerto Morgan is one of the more up-market resorts on Gran Canaria. The town is an old fishing village that has recently started to be developed into a modern resort town but retains a Spanish feel to it. Tourism is centred around the marina which bustles with local boats, yachts and Atlantic cruisers. There are a selection of bars, shops and restaurants aimed at tourists, but the shops are less tacky than in neighbouring resorts and the restaurants serve some of the best seafood on the island. Backed by the mountains, the old village is a maze of narrow roads and colonial style houses; the couple of canals running through it has prompted tour operators to dub it ‘Little Venice’. There is one small beach in the resort and another, Playa Taurito, three miles (five km) to the east; both have black volcanic sand and boulders. Although there is a disco in Puerto Morgan, those looking for more noise should head to Puerto Rico or Playa del Inglés.

Shopping: Puerto Morgan has all the shops that you would associate with tourist resorts in the Canary Islands but they are generally a little more arty-crafty and sell less of the usual rubbish you find in souvenir shops. Every Friday morning there is a large market in town, which is aimed at locals as well as tourists and sells everything from fresh fish to football shirts.

 

Restaurants: While there is no shortage of fast food stalls and restaurants offering full English breakfasts there are also a few restaurants offering good Canarian cuisine, wines and cheeses. Puerto Rico is best known for its excellent seafood restaurants serving locally caught fish. Most restaurants are located around the harbour.

 

Nightlife: While there is a disco and many restaurants offer some sort of entertainment, most visitors come to Puerto Morgan for peace and relaxation.

 

Activities: Sailing, jet skiing, boat tours, fishing trips and jeep safaris can be organised from Puerto Morgan. It is also one of the best dive spots on the island with two wrecks just in front of the harbour and the Morgan Caves about a mile away where divers and snorkelers can expect to see large shoals of fish, moray eels, barracudas and yellow gunters. Non-divers can take a fascinating submarine trip to discover this underwater world. The actual village of Morgan is about six miles (10km) inland and is well worth a visit; it retains a strong rural Spanish ambience and is home to some good traditional Canarian restaurants.

 

Negatives: Visitors should be aware that there is a lot of building work going on, but this is mostly towards the back of the resort. Those looking for large nightclubs and dance music will need to make the short trip to Playa del Ingles, Puerto Morgan is designed more for those wanting a quieter and more relaxing holiday. The beach is only 600ft (183m) long, with black sand and boulders so sunseekers need to get in a taxi for better beaches.

 

Attractions

Arucas

The delightful town of Arucas sits beneath a dormant volcano on the northern coast of Gran Canaria, and is one of the most popular places for tourists to visit. The neat town is dominated by the majestic Church of San Juan Bautista, carved... see full details

Museo Canario

The main museum in Las Palmas is well worth a visit, boasting the world’s largest collection of Cro-Magnon skulls and a few mummies. The museum also gives a comprehensive overview of the life and times of Gran Canaria’s original inhabitants, the fair-haired light-skinned Guanche... see full details

Palmitos Park

A colourful and entertaining look at nature is presented at Palmitos Park, situated four miles (6km) inland from Arguineguin on the south coast. The park is a subtropical oasis containing thousands of birds, fish, trees, plants and particularly orchids. The orchid house is the... see full details

Parque de los Cocodrilo

This Crocodile Park is home to more than 300 crocodiles and alligators from all over the world. Visitors shouldn't miss the crocodiles' feeding time - at 12pm, 2pm and 4.15pm. The other half of the park is a zoo, which has sections on... see full details

Reptilandia

Those with a soft spot for reptiles should visit Reptilandia, situated a little off the beaten tack, near Agaete in the northwest of the island. It includes a collection of snakes, tortoises, turtles and lizards – the Komodo Dragon here is believed to be... see full details

Sioux City

One of the most popular days out in Gran Canaria, Sioux City was built originally as a stage set for an American western film in 1972, but developed into a Wild West theme park complete with cowboys, Indians, Mexicans and of course a... see full details

Waterparks

There are three water parks on Gran Canaria: Aqua Park in Puerto Rico, and Ocean Park and Aqualand Aquasur, the largest on Gran Canaria, in Maspalomas. All offer enough attractions to keep children and adults amused all day, including dozens of slides and swimming... see full details

Activities

Golf: There are four world-class golf courses on Gran Canaria. El Cortijo and was home to the Spanish Open in 2002 and is just outside Las Palmas. The Real Club de Golf is nearby in Bandama and is Spain's oldest golf club, founded in 1891; it is closed to non-members at weekends. The Maspalomas Club de Golf is located close to the sand dunes within a nature reserve, while the newest club, Salobre, is just 10 minutes drive east of Puerto Rico.

Camel rides: One of the most popular activities in the south of the island is a ride around the Maspalomas Dunes on the back of a camel. The trip usually lasts for around half an hour – the camels generally carry two passengers and walk behind one another as part of a ‘caravan’. Although camels can gallop at up to 35mph (56kph) they usually go at a more sedate pace. Camel rides can also be enjoyed at Fataga.

Jeep Safaris: The most spectacular scenery on the island can be found within the mountainous interior around Mount Tejeda. Jeep safaris take visitors around this area which has been almost completely untouched by tourism and offers wonderful views over rocky peaks, alpine forests and scenic reservoirs. Full-day tours can be organised in the resorts and leave most days of the week. Be aware of the changeable weather - in winter it can be snowing in the mountains while people soak up the sun on the beaches, up to 6,562ft (2,000m) below. Jeep safaris cost around €35 per adult and €25 per child.

Boat Trips: Boat trips of all sorts can be arranged from the resorts. The choice of boats is quite extensive, ranging from an all-day booze cruise aboard a 350ft (107m) liner, to smaller cruisers, yachts, catamarans and glass bottomed boats where visitors can take in the marine life below. In addition to cruising around the coast many boats drop anchor and offer swimming, snorkelling and banana boat rides. Jet skis and parasailing can also be arranged. The highlight of any cruise is usually the sight of dolphins playing around the boat.

Big Game Fishing: Gran Canaria is one of the best spots in the world for big game fishing and there are a number of companies competing for business. While blue marlin are the most highly prized trophy fish there are plenty of other species including white marlin, wahoo, dorado, yellowfin tuna, and mako and hammerhead sharks. Regular catches of blue marlin range from 331 to 496 pounds (150 to 225kg) with last year's record standing at 794 pounds (360kg). Trips cost around €45 including all equipment, but excluding lunch.