Europe’s Lanzarote is well known for her family friendly vacations, both in the summer and winter.

But now Lanzarote is attracting holidaymakers for a niche holidays market - surfing.

And for the surfer looking to catch great waves in a top beach destination, Lanzarote has just been recognised as being one of the best locations in the world to pursuit the sport - or just for fun.

A leading internet for surfing puts Lanzarote high on their list of the hundred best places in the world, coming shortly after another travel site suggested Lanzarote had one of the top beaches in the world, and hinted that other beaches in Lanzarote were good for watersports.

The recognition among the internet travel sites of Lanzarote being top for their own niche sector will come as no surprise to many Europeans, who helped Lanzarote beat the recession in 2008 with higher visitor numbers, despite publicity suggesting that some of the hotels in Lanzarote might be pulled down, having been built on land where they shouldn’t have been.

Lanzarote is already a favourite dive destination for many divers worldwide - underwater visibility in the waters around Lanzarote is 65 to 100 feet. Marine life includes angel sharks, moray eels, damselfish, groupers and many others. The occasional hammerhead shark is also known to inhabit the waters of Lanzarote.

Diving during the summer months is often more comfortable in a 7mm semidry suit - however a 5mm wetsuit will suffice any time of year. Some divers prefer a dry suit with hood and gloves during the winter months. The water is warmest from June through to around mid October usually.

One of the travel and holiday sites that recommends Lanzarote states that while Lanzarote is just a hundred miles off Africa, it is Spanish, and describe the locals as ‘passionate’.

And of Lanzarote’s 90 beaches they say the best one, which ranks among the best in the world, is on the south of the island, at Caleta del Congrio, with an 87 per cent privacy rating.

They also suggest that those who like wind surfing during their holidays in Lanzarote should head for a different Lanzarote beach - the four mile long Famara Beach. And it is this beach that has helped prompt the windsurfing fraternity to put the island as among the best not just in Europe but globally.

Sandy beaches and water sports aren’t all that await in Lanzarote, and the island is great for family holidays as well.

Puerto Del Carmen for example is a great town for many family activities. The Rancho Texas Theme Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Puerto Del Carmen. The first mayor of San Antonio, Texas, was originally from Lanzarote and the park is, in part, a tribute to that connection. Some of the park’s most popular attractions include crocodiles, parrots and a ‘Birds of Prey’ show. Pony and canoe rides and many other activities await anxious tourists and excited children.

But if it is for a watersport activity holiday Puerto Del Carmen is good for that too as it offers sports enthusiasts a wide range of activities. Locally owned diving shops often take tourists on amazing underwater adventures to various places around the island. Diving schools are available for those who wish to learn to dive or snorkel. Windsurfing, swimming, boating, jet skiing and paragliding are also very popular water sports enjoyed by many locals and tourists. Sports enthusiasts also can enjoy golfing, cycling, running, hiking, camping and other local activities, including the Ironman competition.

Costa Teguise is another town that is built around tourism. It is about 6 miles north-east of the capital city Arrecife. The entire resort is built on former lava fields and saltpans. The resort consists of several apartment blocks, bungalows and villas. Primary attractions are the golf course, a marina, commercial shops and entertainment. Many visitors enjoy the water park in the outskirts of the resort, and the Lanzarote weather is certainly conducive to water based activities.

Whatever the reason for a holiday in Lanzarote, the island is a good choice, and quite a few tour operators are offering good deals for holidays in Lanzarote for this year.

Tags: blog, blogs, diving, holidays, Lanzarote, Spain, sport, sports, surfing, travel, vacations

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 4th, 2009 at 4:11 pm and is filed under Spain, diving, holiday, holidays, surfing, travel, vacation, vacations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.