Playa Del Ingles translates as ‘the Englishman’s beach’ and the resort lives up to its translation, Playa del ingles is extremely popular with the British. Situated at the south of Gran Canaria island, the resort is one of the largest and busiest in Europe and its main attractions are the wide sandy beaches that stretch from the Maspalomas dunes to San Agustin in the north.

The seafront is lined with bars, shops, hotels and restaurants, the resort is ever growing and although the skyline is filled with high-rise buildings there is plenty do see and do, and with a year round sunshine who can resist? The seafront is lined by the lovely pedestrian promenade, the Paseo Costa Canaria, planted with lush gardens.

With its conglomeration of high-rise hotels, apartment blocks and shopping malls, Playa will not win any awards for architecture or sophisticated ambience, but the ever-growing resort, purpose-built for pleasure and leisure back in the 1960s, is hard to beat for a good value summer fun break. Although mainly geared for the younger market, families and older visitors are also attracted by the glorious year-round climate and endless beach, but tend to stick together in the quieter areas.

Who Goes There?
The resort is geared for the younger market, but it is also attractive to sun lovers as it has a great climate all year, families would also enjoy the variety of activities on the island.

Shopping
There are a number of commercial shopping centre’s in which you will find duty free stores, imitation designer stalls and anything else you can think of, the best quality and biggest selection of designer clothing can be found in nearby Plaza Maspalomas. Every Wednesday and Saturday there is a market held, this is called the San Fernando market.

Nightlife
Playa Del Ingles is full of bars, clubs and pubs, there is something for everyone. For families there are a number of bars along the promenade offering entertainment without being too hectic. For the younger market there are endless amounts of bars, clubs and pubs to choose from, nightclubs such as Cream and Pascha are open to the early hours, there are also English and Irish bars for those who like a touch of home.

Restaurants/Cuisine
Again Playa Del Ingles caters for all tastes with a range of restaurants varying from fast food, for the on the go holiday makers, to fine dining for those of you who enjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner. Traditional English/ Irish/ Italian/ Chinese and local Spanish cuisine can be found at one of the many restaurants lining the promenade and centre.

Activities
There is always something to do in Playa Del Ingles, activities include amusement arcades, golf & mini-golf, scuba diving, skydiving, go-carting, horse/ camel riding, water parks, jet-skiing, windsurfing and banana boat rides.

Attractions
The attractions in Gran Canaria offer everything; the water parks, there are three, Aqua Park in Puerto Rico, and Ocean Park and Aqualand Aquasur in Maspalomas are must for thrill seeking water lovers. Parque de los Cocodrilo is home to over 300 crocodiles and alligators, one half of the park is a zoo and the other is the crocodile park, crocodile feeding time is 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 4:15pm, this should not be missed. In the zoo area you will find chimpanzees, tigers, jaguars and much more. This park is near to the town of Aguimes so look out for it.

Weather
While Gran Canaria has a wonderful climate throughout the year, the south of the island enjoys its own microclimate with generally better weather than other parts of the island, although the sea breeze can be quite bracing. The average temperature is comfortable all year round, rarely dropping below 63°F (17°C) and more often above 82°F (28°C) during the day. Rainfall in the summer months is almost non-existent, but showers are likely between October and April.

Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). The Canary Islands: GMT (GMT +1 in summer).

Money
Spain's official currency is the Euro (EUR). One Euro is divided into 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change and major hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops. ATMs are widespread and are generally the cheapest and most convenient method of obtaining money.

Transfer Time
Transfer Time is approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Flight time
Between 4- 4.5 hours.