Once a small fishing town, Playa Blanca sits on the southern tip of the Island of Lanzarote, around 30km from the Airport. The small town is peaceful, and yet vibrant enough to provide visitors with a holiday they won’t forget.
Although Playa Blanca was once a small fishing town, it is still relatively new in terms of being an actual resort, so there is little in the way of historic interest - with the exception of the Castle of Coloradas, situated between the town itself and Papagayo (where you will find an excellent beachs).
Whilst on the subject of beaches, Playa Blanca is not short in this department. Around the centre of the town there are three small beaches - Playa Flamingo (to the east), Playa Blanca (in the centre) and Playa Dorada (to the west, between the town and Rubicon Marina). Perhaps considered the better beaches, Papagayo sits to the west of the town itself, beyond the Rubicon Marina. They are a little harder to get to and require a drive or trip by water taxi.
To the east of Playa Blanca you will find the relatively modern Faro de Pechiguera Lighthouse, which was built in 1986. The sea at this point is often quite rough, although we have also been told it is very favorable for divers due to the rocks attracting various species of fish (there are a few dive schools in Lanzarote - check them out). Also to the east you will find the Montana Roja volcano. This Volcano stands 600 feet tall and visitors can climb this to be rewarded with excellent views of not only the town but the historic crater.
Playa Blanca is also considered a gateway to Fuerteventura as two ferry services run from the local port.
The nightlife in Playa Blanca is generally quite relaxed. You won’t find any large night clubs although the odd bar does open late if you are looking for a good dance into the early hours of the morning.
The walk across the sea front of Playa Blanca is lined with an excellent selection of restaurants and small bars. It is safe to say that the quality of food in Playa Blanca is second to none on the island. If you like your live music then most of the small bars offer a great selection from rock to acoustic sets.
I have touched on the Rubicon Marina a couple of times in this article. The Rubicon sits to the west of the town of Playa Blanca, just after the Playa Dorada beach. The marina is home to a number of large and expensive yachts and is lined with designer boutiques and restaurants.
Although quite isolated there is now a good bus service that runs to Arrecife, the capital of the Island. Public transport on Lanzarote has improved considerably over the last few years. There are also a number of car hire companies, not to mention the organised excursions that take place on a daily basis to the other attractions around Lanzarote.
In summary, Playa Blanca is a great place to stay. It’s peaceful and provides a great relaxing base for your holiday.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Lanzarote - A tale of three resorts
Lanzarote is a popular, all year-round holiday destination. Thanks to its close proximity to the Sahara desert, the temperature rarely drops below 16 degrees Celsius at any part of the year. Add to that, the 16 days of rain a year and its easy to see what the appeal is.
There is plenty to do on the island of Lanzarote, wether its lying on the beach soaking up the sun, visiting one of the many natural attractions such as the Timanafaya National Park, enjoying the night life and huge selection of restaurants,bars and clubs or even taking part in some adrenaline sports such as kite-surfing up at Famara.
When people visit Lanzarote, its highly likely that they will stay in one of the three main tourist resorts - Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise or Playa Blanca (although we hope we are not giving too much discredit to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote).
The three resorts are actually all quite different. Puerto del Carmen (also known as PDC to those in the inner circle) is probably the most popular resort, especially with the British. The long sea front strip of bars, clubs and restaurants means that there is something for everyone, not forgetting the huge beach that runs virtually all the way down the front of the town. Puerto del Carmen has quite recently undergone some renovation work along the sea front strip, including new lighting and a new one way system. We find that Puerto del Carmen is the ideal resort for young adults or groups / parties that are looking to let their hair down whilst on holiday.
Costa Teguise, on the East of the Island is a smaller, quieter resort ideal for families or couples that prefer to take things a little slower. There is a good choice of bars and restaurants here although as there is no real form of shelter it can get a little windy at certain points in the year. There is also an aquarium in Costa Teguise and a water park nearby so there is plenty to do for all ages.
Playa Blanca, sitting on the south-west tip of the island and sheltered by Mountains, is a little more refined. The once small fishing port has grown into a small holiday resort that seems to be more popular with the Germans. The small strip and sea-front walkway which is lined with some excellent restaurants (and yes, I have sampled virtually every one of them) and the Rubicon Marina is host to a bi-weekly craft market which is a must visit. There are three small beaches in Playa Blanca, all of which can sometimes get a little crowded so some holiday makers make their way over to Papagayo which is a larger beach to the east of Playa Blanca.
So which resort is the best for you? It really depends on your tastes and what sort of holiday you are looking for. All resorts have their positives so before you book your Lanzarote holiday just sit back and think about what you want to get out of your vacation before you commit to anything.
There is plenty to do on the island of Lanzarote, wether its lying on the beach soaking up the sun, visiting one of the many natural attractions such as the Timanafaya National Park, enjoying the night life and huge selection of restaurants,bars and clubs or even taking part in some adrenaline sports such as kite-surfing up at Famara.
When people visit Lanzarote, its highly likely that they will stay in one of the three main tourist resorts - Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise or Playa Blanca (although we hope we are not giving too much discredit to Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote).
The three resorts are actually all quite different. Puerto del Carmen (also known as PDC to those in the inner circle) is probably the most popular resort, especially with the British. The long sea front strip of bars, clubs and restaurants means that there is something for everyone, not forgetting the huge beach that runs virtually all the way down the front of the town. Puerto del Carmen has quite recently undergone some renovation work along the sea front strip, including new lighting and a new one way system. We find that Puerto del Carmen is the ideal resort for young adults or groups / parties that are looking to let their hair down whilst on holiday.
Costa Teguise, on the East of the Island is a smaller, quieter resort ideal for families or couples that prefer to take things a little slower. There is a good choice of bars and restaurants here although as there is no real form of shelter it can get a little windy at certain points in the year. There is also an aquarium in Costa Teguise and a water park nearby so there is plenty to do for all ages.
Playa Blanca, sitting on the south-west tip of the island and sheltered by Mountains, is a little more refined. The once small fishing port has grown into a small holiday resort that seems to be more popular with the Germans. The small strip and sea-front walkway which is lined with some excellent restaurants (and yes, I have sampled virtually every one of them) and the Rubicon Marina is host to a bi-weekly craft market which is a must visit. There are three small beaches in Playa Blanca, all of which can sometimes get a little crowded so some holiday makers make their way over to Papagayo which is a larger beach to the east of Playa Blanca.
So which resort is the best for you? It really depends on your tastes and what sort of holiday you are looking for. All resorts have their positives so before you book your Lanzarote holiday just sit back and think about what you want to get out of your vacation before you commit to anything.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
When is the best time of year to visit Lanzarote?
Lanzarote is also frequently known as the Island of Eternal Spring. The reason? It very rarely goes below 16 degrees celsius at any point during the year which means that even during the Winter months it is a very popular holiday destination.
Of course this doesn’t mean that Winter is the only time it is popular with holiday makers, as in the summer the temperature can soar to the dizzy heights. What you might find is that during some months the heat can be accompanied by a breeze, sometimes quite strong, which gives the impression that it is cooler than it sometimes is - if that makes sense. During the windy months its very easy to get sun burnt - so take care!
So when is the best time of year to visit the Island of Lanzarote?
If you speak to any of the locals on the island they will usually answer with the months of September and October. During these two months, the north easterly trade winds, that can be felt during March - August have died down and the overall climate and conditions appear much more pleasant. Having just returned from a week in Lanzarote during April I can certainly vouch that it can be a struggle keeping the umbrella the right way up on the beach!
The months following October, towards the end of the year, whilst still pleasant have always been a little more cloudy in my experience, especially during the morning.
The climate on Lanzarote can be likened to a desert, which given its close proximity to the Sahara is little suprise really! Due to this there is a known natural phenomenon that can occur at any point during the year - Calimas. Calimas is a creation of the unique Micro Climate of the Sahara desert. A dry and dusty layer of atmosphere forms over the desert during Spring and Summer and with the south easterly winds has a major impact on the weather on Lanzarote. Some recorded temperates have pushed up as high as the mid 30’s during a Calima! This is great if you like the heat, but with the dusty air it can be uncomfortable for anyone with respiratory problems.
December, January and February, whilst a little cooler and often pleasant times to visit Lanzarote. Having said that, record high temperatures were recored during early 2011 but were quickly followed by violent rain storms and winds that battered the island.
Its very difficult to second guess the weather anywhere, but generally speaking the best time to visit Lanzarote, is indeed as the locals suggest, during September and October. The temperature is managable, and the winds tend to drop.
Of course this doesn’t mean that Winter is the only time it is popular with holiday makers, as in the summer the temperature can soar to the dizzy heights. What you might find is that during some months the heat can be accompanied by a breeze, sometimes quite strong, which gives the impression that it is cooler than it sometimes is - if that makes sense. During the windy months its very easy to get sun burnt - so take care!
So when is the best time of year to visit the Island of Lanzarote?
If you speak to any of the locals on the island they will usually answer with the months of September and October. During these two months, the north easterly trade winds, that can be felt during March - August have died down and the overall climate and conditions appear much more pleasant. Having just returned from a week in Lanzarote during April I can certainly vouch that it can be a struggle keeping the umbrella the right way up on the beach!
The months following October, towards the end of the year, whilst still pleasant have always been a little more cloudy in my experience, especially during the morning.
The climate on Lanzarote can be likened to a desert, which given its close proximity to the Sahara is little suprise really! Due to this there is a known natural phenomenon that can occur at any point during the year - Calimas. Calimas is a creation of the unique Micro Climate of the Sahara desert. A dry and dusty layer of atmosphere forms over the desert during Spring and Summer and with the south easterly winds has a major impact on the weather on Lanzarote. Some recorded temperates have pushed up as high as the mid 30’s during a Calima! This is great if you like the heat, but with the dusty air it can be uncomfortable for anyone with respiratory problems.
December, January and February, whilst a little cooler and often pleasant times to visit Lanzarote. Having said that, record high temperatures were recored during early 2011 but were quickly followed by violent rain storms and winds that battered the island.
Its very difficult to second guess the weather anywhere, but generally speaking the best time to visit Lanzarote, is indeed as the locals suggest, during September and October. The temperature is managable, and the winds tend to drop.
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