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- Destinations
- Europe
- Spain
- Gran Canaria
- Maspalomas
Maspalomas
Maspalomas is a popular holiday resort on the southern tip of
Gran Canaria, adjacent to this trendy Spanish island's largest and
most hectic package-tour resort, Playa del Ingles. Maspalomas
though, is the quieter and more upmarket option sporting the best
four-mile (6km) stretch of golden, sandy beach on the island.
Maspalomas is separated from Playa del Ingles by a spectacular
undulating sea of sand dunes, a protected area that provides a
habitat for some rare species of flora and fauna, and a favourite
haunt for nudists.
Along the Maspalomas waterfront the promenade, stretching to
Playa del Ingles, bristles with bars, shops, restaurants and
entertainment venues between luxury hotels and villas. Maspalomas
also boasts an exhilarating water park and nearby are numerous
other attractions like amusement parks, nature parks, a golf
course, an aquarium and theme parks. The resort has become a
favourite holiday destination for the gay community, with a
designated gay zone on the beach and in the sand dunes. The
resort's week-long Gay Pride festivities each May have become
world-renowned on the party calendar.
Information & Facts
Activities
Those who prefer to do more than just laze on the Maspalomas
beach have plenty of options when it comes to watersports, either
above or below the surface, from paragliding to scuba diving. Enjoy
the thrilling Aquapark, the Holiday World amusement park, a theme
park centred on the reconstruction of an ancient Canary village, an
aquarium, zoo and many other diversions. It is also possible to
take excursions to various sightseeing attractions, like museums
and monuments or scenic spots inland, or a boat trip to view whales
and dolphins. A must for a Maspalomas holiday is a camel ride
through the famous dunes.
Language
Spanish is the official language, but English is widely
understood in areas frequented by tourists. Catalan, Galician and
Basque are spoken in the relevant areas.
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.
Negatives
The Maspalomas Dunes are a haven for naturists, so be prepared
to see plenty of naked bodies on the sand. The beach, particularly
the sunbed area, becomes extremely crowded during the height of the
summer holiday season.
Night Life
On holiday in Maspalomas, it is a good idea to make sure you
join the locals in a traditional afternoon siesta in order to take
advantage of the nightlife, which is lively but sophisticated. The
holiday resort offers a plethora of entertaining bars with karaoke,
jazz, salsa, and live bands to spice things up, or theme pubs with
happy hours, like Irish or Californian surf spots. A good selection
of bars can be found in the Maspalomas Plaza. There are a variety
of clubs and discos, two popular dance spots being found in the
Holiday World amusement park. Most Maspalomas nightclubs only get
going after midnight, and offer free entry, although drinks can be
expensive. Those out for a real time on the town, however, will
prefer to head for neighbouring Playa del Ingles where the hottest
spots are, including the well-known Joy and Cream clubs.
Restaurants
Maspalomas cuisine is best experienced at Pizzerria Piz Paz,
Escalerita, El Palmeral or Velero Casa Antonio. Maspalomas has
restaurants aplenty, most very reasonably priced, offering a
variety of international cuisines. Many of the restaurants provide
live entertainment in the evenings and double as bars. Visitors can
enjoy live music or DJs while trying out a range of different foods
from pizza and pasta to Chinese, seafood and Tex-Mex.
Shopping
The main shopping centre in Maspalomas is the Faro 2 complex,
full of designer stores and boutiques. Varadero Shopping Centre is
another popular place to shop in Maspalomas. The surrounding area
is crammed with shopping complexes of similar ilk, about a dozen in
all, the biggest and best known being the Yumbo Centre in
neighbouring Playa del Ingles.
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).