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Overview: The vibrant, modern resort of Puerto Rico, on the island of Gran Canaria, revels in excellent weather year-round, being situated on the island's southern tip just across the ocean from the Sahara. Puerto Rico is encircled by hills, its whitewashed holiday accommodation clinging to steep cliff sides above two golden beaches. It includes three large commercial centres overflowing with shops, bars and restaurants, and is flanked by a marina packed with luxury yachts where it is possible to indulge in every kind of water sport imaginable. Puerto Rico has something for everyone: sunny corners for seekers of peace and tranquillity, or a lively venue for a family holiday.

Shopping: Puerto Rico boasts three large shopping and entertainment malls, the largest being the Centro Civico, where visitor's can buy literally anything. There is everything from banks to boutiques, florists and fishmongers, and dozens of duty-free stores selling electrical goods, photographic equipment and perfume at great prices. The other two centres are Agua La Perra and Europa, and both have good selections of souvenir and beachwear shops and at least one supermarket. Opening hours for shops and supermarkets in the centres are from 9.30am to 10pm. The largest market on the island is at Arguineguin, only 10 minutes away by taxi, and is open every Tuesday. This is a good place to test your bargaining power; hagglers should start negotiating at about half the asking price.

 

Restaurants: Like most resorts on the Canary Islands, the Puerto Rico restaurants and fast food outlets cater for a wide range of tastes. Here you can dine on anything from fish and chips to haute cuisine. Most of the restaurants are in the Centro Comercial. Among the most popular are The Indian Head, where snacks are served up with country and western music and karaoke. At La Habana the menu is Tex-Mex and the music Latin American, while the Royal Oak pub is the place for some traditional British home cooking. Upmarket French cuisine is the order of the day at Oliver's, at the harbour, and if you want to sample some Spanish tapas dishes Don Quijote in Edificio Porto Novo will oblige. La Cabana and El Cendor are also highly recommended and those who like to dine overlooking the beach will find some good restaurants on the west side of the bay.

 

Nightlife: Puerto Rico is one of Gran Canaria's hottest nightspots where visitors can party the night away. Happy hour starts as early as 4pm in many bars and pubs, and the clubs don't close until around 4.30am. Popular clubs include Disco Joker and, for those into RnB, Space. Centro Comercial is the hub of the action and where most nightspots are found.

 

Activities: Puerto Rico is the perfect resort for a sporting holiday, offering numerous active diversions, not least of which are a wide range of watersports available at the marinas at each end of the bay including windsurfing, jet skiing and banana rides. Out of the water visitors can enjoy tennis; the courts are in excellent condition and lit at night and rackets and balls can be hired. There are squash courts at the Europa Centre and a gym in the Centro Comercial. Youngsters particularly enjoy the amusement arcades in the three shopping centres, and the mini-golf is popular. A variety of excursions are available to various tourist attractions around the island, while for the adrenaline junkies there is paragliding, skydiving and scuba diving.

 

Negatives: Puerto Rico is built on steep cliff sides and most apartment blocks are reached via long stairways. Those with difficulty walking should ensure they find accommodation on the level. The resort is full of touts and 'promotions staff' from various restaurants and shops vying for business. They can be overly insistent and should be dealt with firmly but politely. Entry into nightclubs is usually free, but drinks can be expensive.

 

Attractions

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

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.