Could Papagayo be be the best beach on the island?

It could be, according to the UK’s Daily Telegraph - to see their photos and read their report click here

A crescent of fine, white sand sheltered by cliffs, Papagayo is said by many to be the most beautiful beach on Lanzarote. It’s hidden away in Los Ajaches nature reserve – an area of volcanic hills – when you look at a Lanzarote map it’s on the southern tip of the island.

Who goes?

Rather too many people in peak season, many of whom are staying in the nearby resort of Playa Blanca.

Playa Blanca Lanzarote

What is there to do?

Sunbathe, swim and snorkel. Gaze across the sea to Fuerteventura. If there are too many people cluttering up the sand, walk to the neighbouring bays of Las Mujeres, Pozo, Congrío or Muelas, which are quieter and popular with nudists.

Bars and bites

Pack a cool-box with a picnic and plenty of drinks: you won’t want to move once you get there. [

Tenerife has topped Cosmos Holidays sales chart with a 60% increase year-on-year, report traveldailyco.uk

Majorca, last year’s number one, is now fourth in the sales list with Florida and Turkey before it.

Other Canary Islands have seen bigger rises in sales, particularly Fuerteventura (250%), Gran Canaria (100%) and Lanzarote (40%).

Menorca

The Algarve, Menorca, Shaem el Sheikh, Zakynthos and Mexico are also within the top ten.

“Whilst early booking trends indicated that this summer was all about the Eastern Mediterranean, the improved strength of the Pound against the Euro has resulted in a last minute surge of bookings to destinations throughout the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands,” said Monarch Travel Group Tour Operations Managing Director Hugh Morgan.

“After the challenges of the past 12 months, confidence has clearly been restored in the market and it’s great to see holiday durations lengthening from last year’s seven and 10 night durations to the traditional 14 night breaks.”

http://www.trivago have recently revealed the top island holiday destinations so far for this summer, and Lanzarote is one of them. Trivago is worth visiting to check out hotel prices.

Tenerife, Spain
Tenerife, the number one destination for British travellers, is the largest of the seven Canary Islands, and also Spain’s busiest resort – the island receives 10 million visitors each year. The island’s crowning glory is the Pico del Teide, the third largest volcano in the world, which rises 3718 metres from the base of the island. From its peak, travellers have a remarkable view of the island’s 350km of coastline, tropical vegetation, volcanic craters and lava formations. Tenerife’s wild nature is undoubtedly the island’s best feature, but the island is also well known for its beautiful beaches. The island has a rich birdlife, and many travellers consider the bird park ”Loro Parque“ a mandatory stop. The Carnival of Santa Cruz – one of the world’s largest carnivals – takes place every year in February.

Cyprus
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and while many associate its name with historical and political divisiveness, millions of tourists visit the island each year for its spectacular sights and attractions. As a result of its turbulent history, Cyprus has evolved into an intriguing and alluring blend of Greek and Turkish identities. The Tomb of the Kings, a network of underground tombs dating back to the 4th Century BC, are one of the island’s most prominent attractions, and the island’s many medieval forts and citrus groves are beautiful to behold. The Karpas Peninsula is also renowned for its breathtaking beaches.

Majorca, Spain
Majorca is part of the Balearic Islands archipelago and is one of Europe’s most popular island destinations. The island is well known for its nightlife and numerous clubs and bars, particularly in the town centre of Playa de Palma and El Arenal. Visitors are drawn to the island’s turquoise blue bays, pristine sandy beaches, antique ruins and historical buildings, such as the Cathedral La Seu and the Palacio Real de la Almudaina in Palma. It pays to escape the island’s touristic heart and venture out into the wild, however; those who do will discover the true essence of Majorca, in the form of idyllic villages, local markets and the traditional Majorcan way of life.

Gran Canaria, Spain
Located 125 miles off the coast of West Africa, the Spanish island of Gran Canaria is often referred to as a mini continent, due to its many different climates. In the south, the climate is tropical and dry; in the north, it is subtropical and dry. The result is a glorious diversity of plant and animal life, giving nature enthusiasts plenty to explore during their stay. Hikers will also appreciate the 2,000 metre high Pozo de las Nieves mountain in the centre of Gran Canaria, which attracts climbers from around the world. Another of the island’s main attractions is the dune beach, located near Maspalomas, a town in the south of the island. Culture lovers should visit the capital Las Palmas in the north of Gran Canaria which has magnificent buildings, such as the Cathedral Santa Ana. Another highlight is the old fortress Castillo de la Luz that is currently used as a museum.

Lanzarote
Lanzarote is the fourth largest island in the Canary Island chain, and was the first of the islands to be settled in 1100 BC. At first glance, Lanzarote’s sparse, volcanic landscape may seem bleak, but for those willing to look a little closer, many amazing attractions are to be found. Lanzarote’s beaches are particularly well noted, and visitors to the Timanfaya National Park can witness the otherworldly beauty of the island’s volcanic craters and lava fields. Unique experiences abound; guests will certainly enjoy the park’s El Diablo restaurant, where food is cooked directly over a volcanic vent, or a trek through the ‘Tunnel of Atlantis’ – the world’s largest submerged volcanic tunnel.

Crete
The island of Crete is probably best known for its legends ties to Greek legends such as the Minotaur and the tragic tale of Icarus and Daedalus. The ruins of the Minoan palace of Knossos, of Venetian fortresses and former trading ports all point to the island’s rich history and cultural legacy. Yet this ancient island has much to offer the modern world as well: Cretan art, literature and music styles (typically performed with a lyre) are very distinct, and have contributed greatly to the diversity and evolution of Greek culture. Visitors to Crete would be remiss if they did not explore the island’s many ruins and heritage sites, and the island’s fresh produce and Mediterranean cuisine will provide a tantalizing treat for the senses.

Good news for those considering a holiday in Lanzarote at the moment - leading tour operators Thomas Cook and Thomson have some great deals available - visit yourlanzarote.net to access both of them plus First Choice.

As the Daily Express report:

HOLIDAY firms are set to slash the price of package deals by hundreds of pounds after a slump in bookings over the summer, experts said yesterday.

A focus on the World Cup and fears over travel disruption have left tour operators with leftover stock.

Discounts on brochure prices are expected to reach up to 70 per cent.

Even families hoping for a break before school starts in September could save as much as 50 per cent on a week in a European destination such as Tenerife.

TUI Travel, owner of Thomson Holidays and First Choice, yesterday revealed a two per cent drop in UK sales over the past three months, normally its busiest time of year.

And it announced the volcanic ash cloud disruption had hit its last-quarter profit by £105million.

Chief executive Peter Long added: “It remains difficult to predict how the later-booking pattern will change over the next 12 to 18 months in the light of the current economic environment.”

A spokeswoman for TUI confirmed there would be “great value deals” during autumn. Among its best was a week on the Greek island of Rhodes in October, starting at £189 per person.

Thomas Cook was also expected to record a drop in sales today.

Long-haul holiday firm Hayes and Jarvis said the downturn in summer sales would mean a “glut” of heavily discounted deals, bringing down the cost of travelling to exotic countries in the Far East to under £500.

From the Daily Mail recently:

It’s the excuse we all needed to indulge in that well-earned break - scientists say holidays can help us live longer.

A new study has linked travel with increased happiness and better health suggesting trips could even be prescribed in the future as a way to beat depression.

The Australian research identified how travel can affect three different elements of happiness, meaning the joy of a holiday extends well beyond those days spent lazing on the beach and could help prolong our lives.

Dr Sebastian Filep, an expert in travel and wellbeing at Victoria University, found that motivations for travel, experiences at the destination and the post-holiday reflection all contributed to the pleasure of a jaunt abroad.

The first caused positive emotions in the traveller, the second gave them a sense of purpose and the third a sense of involvement - all key ingredients of happiness.

The in-depth analysis was undertaken with 60 different travellers and a further 200 backpackers for a chapter in a forthcoming book, Tourists, Tourism and the Good Life.

The results conclude that travelling really does make people happier, which improves our health and helps us live longer.

The full process from booking and organising the break to remembering the trip and looking at holiday snaps helps people feel better about their lives.

‘I see an opportunity for a greater connection between tourism and health where holidays become a more important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle,’ said Dr Filep.

‘We know from studies in the US that experiencing positive emotions reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, or that optimists live longer than pessimists.

‘So happiness is good for overall physical and mental health and holidays are a good vehicle for experiencing happiness.’

Dr Filep even went as far as to say that: ‘Holidays may possibly lead to people living longer, as holidays make people happy.’

Although he is not advocating prescribing trips over anti-depressants, he did think they could play a part in the treatment of depression.

‘I see holidays as part of the overall treatment for making people happy because we now have research evidence that demonstrates a clear link between holidays and happiness,’ he said.

‘Happiness is the opposite of depression. If thinking about a holiday, going on a holiday and remembering a holiday plays a role in making people happy, than I certainly think prescribing holidays or travel could help beat depression.’

For more details about Lanzarote holidays visit yourlanzarote.net - included is a Lanzarote map

Viva Espana! Struggling Spain is bouncing back with increased bookings, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

After reports that Brits were still shunning the Costas to save money, online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com this week revealed that destinations in Spain and the Canary Islands are among its biggest-growing breaks year on year.

Gran Canaria has seen the largest boost, with bookings up 479%. Fuerteventura has also seen many more visitors in 2010, bookings were up 340% compared with July 2009.

The other Canary Islands have also seen visitor numbers rise – Lanzarote is up 132% and Tenerife by 92%. Mainland Spain has also attracted more visitors than in 2009, with bookings to the coastal region of Costa Blanca up by 160% this year.

Spain has historically been popular with UK holidaymakers but bookings were hit last year due to the strong euro.

Lastminute.com’s Mark Bower says: “We’re thrilled to see Spain and the Canary Islands back in our best sellers.”

If you’re off on holiday to Lanzarote soon and it’s the first time with a toddler, we’ve found the airlines to be helpful and understanding.

Thomas Cook Holidays have come up with a guide that’s pretty good, and the Daily Mirror reported on it yesterday.

Flying with very young children can be a challenge - it’s frustrating for parents and other passengers when little ones play up.

Cabin crew at Thomas Cook Airlines have come up with the following tips to help families taking Majorca flights this summer…

COMFORT

When taking off and landing, give your baby a bottle or a dummy as this will help stop their ears from popping.

Be prepared if you’re travelling on a night flight. Some parents think their child will sleep but this often isn’t the case as the child is not in their usual environment.

Take a small blanket in case your child gets cold, as some Majorca flights don’t provide them for short-haul trips.

Nappy-changing facilities are in the aircraft toilets and there isn’t much room - dress your baby in clothes that are easy to get on and off.

Consider getting a baby sling for your journey. That way you can carry your tot and have two hands free for luggage.

Pack your child’s favourite snacks so you have food to hand if they want something to eat quickly.

If your child is having an inflight meal, be prepared with alternatives in case they don’t like what they’re given.

If you want to give them milk while flying, pick up some once through check-in/security as this is not often available on board.

Entertainment On Lanzarote Flights

Crayola’s Colour Wonder paper pad and markers are a great way to keep kids entertained. The pens only work on the special pad so you don’t have to worry about your child marking the seats or the walls of the aircraft.

Kids love presents, so wrap up lots of small surprises you can give to your child throughout the flight to keep them entertained.

Bring toys out one by one so that you can keep children entertained with each toy individually.

For more information about holidays with Thomas Cook Holidays visit their site.

They also do Majorca flights

A good review of one of the hotels in Lanzarote appeared recently in the Irish Independent and to read the full article and see the photographs click here

Discovering and deciding to take a holiday in the Princesa Yaiza hotel in Lanzarote was a similar experience to that which occurs when you learn a new word. Once it is revealed to you, it starts turning up everywhere.

No sooner had we settled on this particular hotel than it seemed that half the country had either been there, was going there soon, or (as we encountered a lot) had been going there, devotedly, for years.

We had settled on the Yaiza after a long process of internet trawling and late-night reading of holiday-maker reviews of various locations and accommodations. It’s a process that seems to occur in many Irish homes these days, allowing for endless procrastinating and a sense of holiday fatigue that builds without you going anywhere but onto tripadvisor.com.

The problem was that on this holiday we had really specific needs. We have a toddler, who wants some crack and some kids-pool action, but is still too small for a kids’ club. And then we had me, into the second trimester of a second pregnancy, with no great desire or ability for long walks or outings. In terms of late-spring weather, Lanzarote was ideal and, it seemed, in terms of a home from home, the Yaiza was what we were after.

We’d been to Lanzarote before, a laid-back island which learned early lessons from other islands on the error of erecting high rises and the value of enhancing natural attractions rather than raping them. Apart from a few of the hotspots — which held some appeal in the previous life — it’s a great family destination, with the volcano Timanfaya to visit, easy hops to be made by boat to nearby Fuerteventura, lovely, safe and sandy beaches and the Gaudi-inspired sights created by local architect Cesar Manrique, in the mid-20th Century.

Playa Blanca, in the north of the island where we were based this time, is a little seaside town with a new and chic marina at one end and a promenade of restaurants and bars at the other end, with not a lager lout in sight. And the Princess Yaiza is bang in the middle of the promenade, lending a feeling that, beyond the gates, you’ve everything on your doorstep — on those occasions when you feel like going beyond the gates. Because, really, within the Yaiza, you’ve got everything you could want or need.

From our sun-drenched balcony — most of the rooms are suites, and have a very natty kitchen area, with a full fridge and microwave — we had a great view down the promenade and out to Fuerteventura. We also had a great view of two of the swimming pools, where the toddler could watch her daddy take his morning swim in the sea-water pool, before we headed to breakfast, just about dragging her past the knee-deep kids’ pool and kids’ bubble pool en route.

Breakfast is a great occasion at the Yaiza, with two options of where to eat it, and some competition for the dining room with tables outdoors. The food was great, and we settled easily into the habit of a three-course breakfast — fruit, eggs, then buns — while the child took as much interest in eating as she did in the presence of Kiko, the duck mascot of the kids’ club, who wandered through the breakfast room daily.

Our one was terrified of him at first, but her terror turned to indignation on the days when he didn’t turn up, as if she rather enjoyed feeling offended by him. The rhythm into which we quickly settled saw breakfast followed by some time in the kids’ soft-play area, where tots up to 10-year-olds toss themselves around to the point of tossing up their recently consumed three-course meal.

There were people there without kids, of course, and, somehow, the spaciousness of Yaiza meant there was no conflict or sense of crowding each other. The sea-water pool remained an adult zone, and the kids’ pools were suitably set aside, where everyone could shriek and squawk as much as they wanted.

Directly outside the Yaiza gates, then, a few short steps lead down to a beach bar that made a great pre-dinner, sunset spot for a cold drink, and a sandy beach that was well sheltered from waves and wind. Then, only minutes’ walk away at the marina, there were frequent boat trips to Fuerteventura and its famous sand dunes, or to Papagayo Beach, a golden cove blessedly free of loungers and parasols, with a few nudists at one end and a nice bar serving snacks and ice creams a short clamber up the cliff.

Without any great exertion — which was exactly what the doctor ordered — there was a different means to relax every day, with just enough sense of the holiday settling into a rhythm, but no sense of boredom or routine.

And in terms of eating, any fears that it was going to be the classic chips-with-everything cliched Canaries experience and hotels in Lanzarote were quickly dispelled. L’Artisanale is a great little Italian find, up steps from the promenade and boasting a staff of Latin charmers as well as good food, while there is any amount of good-quality steak houses and some fine, modern tapas bars.

In the Yaiza itself, there is a good Japanese restaurant and several evening buffet options. Then down in the courtyard that leads onto the promenade there is also a lovely ice-cream bar, an Italian restaurant and a fantastic tapas restaurant where the food is genuinely innovative and is presented with pride.

And as a bonus, there is live music in the bandstand at the courtyard’s centre every night, around which children, big and small, dance and play without fear of disturbing anyone or getting into any danger. So they’re up a bit too late, and they probably haven’t eaten enough dinner, but you’re on your holidays, a feeling that starts the second you arrive at the Yaiza and lasts until you leave.

Which is probably why, I quickly realised, so many Irish families keep going back to it. And why, until you discover their secret, they’ve been keeping this place quiet.

More details about Lanzarote and Lanzarote holidays are at yourlanzarote.net

The Guardian reviewed some up market campsites recently, and Lanzarote made their top ten:

This yurt is part of a collection of nine eco properties located on the family-run Finca de Arrieta estate, 30km from the capital, Arrecife. It sleeps up to five and is beautifully decorated with rich fabrics, wood flooring and antique Mongolian hardwood furniture, such as the super king-size bed. It also has its own marble-floor bathroom, outdoor kitchen and garden with a Polynesian-style daybed – perfect for a sundowner. Soak up some rays on the small sandy beach just 200m away, walk to the nearby fishing village of Arrieta, then head back to the finca for a dip in the communal solar-heated swimming and plunge pools. To see all ten and the Lanzarote photograph click here

For other Lanzarote information including hotels in Lanzarote visit yourlanzarote.net

Lanzarote

Could Lanzarote’s biosphere status be under threat?

Various media including The Herald have been reporting on it recently.

Many tourists travel to Lanzarote for nothing more than a sunny beach and a pitcher of sangria with a cliff-top view.

But the Spanish Canary Island is also a Unesco biosphere site: an arid stretch of lava fields, salt marshes and coastal mountains where high-rises are taboo.

And for decades, the island’s elegant-and-ecological style of tourism defied the construction craze of its wilder island neighbours, like Gran Canaria.

At least so it seemed. Because now Unesco has threatened to strip the island of its prized biosphere status because of a rash of illegal building along the coast.

The Canary Island Supreme Court has declared that 24 hotels have been illegally built in coastal resorts such as Playa Blanca, so popular with British tourists that it’s easier to order a “typical English breakfast” than the local potato dish, papas arrugas.

According to a report in the Financial Times, the court retroactively rescinded building permits, but the hotels still stand.

Eight of the Lanzarote hotels are landmark luxury properties like the Princesa Yaiza, which boasts a restaurant complex, spa and amusement park overlooking a crescent of golden sand. The Lanzarote hotels qualified for a total of €23.6m (NZ$42.9m) in EU grants, partly thanks to the biosphere status. The EU anti-corruption office has demanded the money be returned.

The Princesa Yaiza says it holds valid operating permits, and that it is the victim of a local political row.

“We are in touch with the Spanish authorities about the situation,” Meriem Bouamrane of Unesco told the FT.

“If the developments are not respecting local needs and are impacting on the environment, the title can be revoked.”

Since May 2009, police have arrested at least 24 politicians and businessmen, including the former president of the Lanzarote provincial government and the former mayor of Arrecife, another popular resort destination, in connection with illegal building permits.

Such police swoops have become commonplace in other once-booming Spanish coastal resorts - in Marbella, for instance, the entire city council had to be dissolved - but Lanzarote was thought to be different.

“Lanzarote had a very good application,” Unesco’s Ms Bouamrane said.

“Mass tourism was not something they were developing. They promoted sustainable tourism that was more respectful to the environment.”

Of the 564 biosphere sites around the world, Lanzarote is the only entire island to win the prestigious classification. The Unesco website touts the island’s ecological charms, including a profusion of unpronounceable species like “arthrocnemum fruticosum”, and it praises the way “priority was given to blend tourist infrastructure with the beautiful but inhospitable environment”.

Thanks to a pioneering land-use plan, nearly half the island has been declared a nature reserve, the volcanic Timanfaya National Park, which is largely pristine except for a dizzying tour-bus route, camel rides and a sole restaurant where steaks are grilled over a lava-heated barbecue pit.

Unesco credits the lobbying efforts of architect Cesar Manrique, whose sustainable style of development is visible in low-key tourist attractions like the Mirador del Rio, a cafe and viewpoint imbedded in lava rock, or the Jameos del Agua, another lava-scape, which doubles a concert hall.

In fact, the Cesar Manrique Foundation, named after the late architect, blew the whistle on the illegal hotels.

The foundation’s mission is to fight the onslaught of concrete towers that has littered other islands and Spanish mainland coasts.

Aquilino Miguelez, coordinator for the Lanzarote government’s Biosphere Reserve Observatory, believes Lanzarote deserves its biosphere status despite the building abuses.

“It’s true that corruption linked to development is a great problem on the island, but in many occasions, it has been we who have blown the whistle, and Unesco knows that,” Mr Miguelez told reporters.

“What people don’t seem to realise is that this reserve is a pioneer in Spain regarding the fight against illegal hotels and taking away the title would be somewhat unfair.”