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Playa de las Americas, Tenerife © canaryforum.com |
Overview: Playa de las Americas is Tenerife's largest tourist playground, a purpose-built hedonistic haven for holidaymakers of all ages and stages who come here for fun in the sun from all over the world. The resort is situated in the south of the island near the Reina Sofia Airport. It has grown vastly during its 30 years of existence and now covers three different zones: the original Playa de las Americas, San Eugenio and Toviscas. There are three natural beaches in the resort area and three man-made ones, all covered with dark volcanic sand and extremely crowded during the summer season. The beaches are linked by a long promenade, which winds along the busy waterfront, backed by dozens of high-rise hotels and holiday apartment blocks. A mini train runs around the resort stopping at scheduled points every hour, and there are plenty of free buses to assist visitors in getting around, making the most of the entertainment venues, shops and sports facilities that abound. Don't expect to soak up any Canarian culture while holidaying at Playa de las Americas, but for those who enjoy the hullaballoo of a packaged, carefree summer vacation, the resort will exceed expectations.
Shopping: There is a vast array of shops in Playa de las Americas and holidaymakers can indulge in duty-free delights in the numerous electrical stores and clothing shops. Shoppers should be aware that salesmen can be quite aggressive - bargain hard and remember that the shop next door probably sells the same stuff. The supermarkets offers most of the well-known brands, many imported to cater for the British tourists. Those in the mood for some haggling should go to the Torviscas Market (Thursday and Saturday from 10am); there are great bargains to be had and it's great for presents, but shoppers should get there early as it can get very crowded. A trip to Santa Cruz (one hour by bus) is worthwhile for those looking for designer clothes.Nearby Attractions
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For scenery a visit to the northwest tip of the island of Tenerife, around the picturesque village of Masca, is hard to beat. The village is set in the Teno Mountains, clinging to the slopes of a deep green ravine beside a narrow road... see full details | |
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On the east coast of Tenerife, south of Santa Cruz, stand six mysterious step pyramids of which archaeologists have yet to discern the origin. The pyramids were initially thought to be just remains of agricultural stone terraces, or random piles of stone cleared from... see full details | |
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The Parque Nacional de las Canadas del Teide was declared a protected area in 1954 and has become recognised as offering one of the most spectacular landscapes of the world, including an enormous volcanic crater with a circumference of 30 miles (48km), out... see full details |
Activities
Boat Trips from Tenerife: There are a huge number of companies offering boat trips to
tourists and these vary from a 'booze cruise' on a
cruiser offering lunch, drinks and watersports to a trip
around the island on a sailing boat or catamaran. One of the main
attractions is the chance to see whales and dolphins in the wild.
Visitors on most trips spot whales; dolphins are not so much of a
certainty but are generally seen - often very close to
the boat. Trips go from either Puerto Colon in Playa
de las Americas, or from the port at Los Cristianos and most
operators offer a free bus service from the larger hotels in
the main resorts.
Big Game Fishing around Tenerife: The Canary Islands are one of the best spots in the world for
big game fishing and there are a number of companies who offer
fishing trips in Tenerife. 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).
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