Island-hopping
LUNAR LANDSCAPE: The unusual volcanic landscape of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Spain; below, Puerto del Carmen shoreline. Pictures: Patrick Frilet, Veronica Garbutt / Rex Features
FROM the first time I set foot in Lanzarote almost two decades ago, I liked the place. Then, I had just flown in from a whistle-stop tour of the main Canary Islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife (Fuertaventura was hardly mapped by the travel trade at that time) and I had had my fill of both.
From the non-stop head-pounding punishment of rap music in Playa del Ingles on Gran Canaria to the almost worse fate of being condemned to watch all the English soaps, one after the other, in an outdoor restaurant in Tenerife’s Playa de las Americas, the relative calm of Puerto del Carmen came as a welcome relief.
Of course, time doesn’t stand still, and today Puerto del Carmen has stretched out into the countryside at both ends to become a sprawling resort that has quadrupled in size.
Yet, it retains most of its charm, all due to the decision many years ago to allow only low-rise development unless there was a compelling reason why buildings should go higher than two storeys.
Lanzarote is situated just 70 miles off the coast of Africa and is the most easterly of the Canary Islands. The island is 37 miles (60km) long and 12 miles (20 km) wide, making it the fourth largest of the islands.
Although development continues, some things, like the weather, don’t change, and the island enjoys a mild dry climate with average daytime temperatures ranging from about 21°C in January to 29°C in August. Annual rainfall is just 140mm (5.5 inches). This makes Lanzarote a great year-round destination, although our visit in late February coincided with one of the worst weeks in over a year — only two half-days of sun and plenty of cascading rain over the rest of the week.
All of that didn’t make the slightest difference to our enjoyment of the south of the island. We stayed, for a welcome change, in the sedate and pretty resort of Playa Blanca.
As with the other Canary Islands, Lanzarote is volcanic in origin. Due to the eruptions during the 18th and 19th centuries, many parts of Lanzarote appear to belong to another world. It’s often described as lunar or Martian, so much so that the sci-fi classic Planet of the Apes was partly shot here.
Despite the volcanic nature of the island, Lanzarote has several beautiful white beaches such as at Playa Blanca and Papagayo. The tourism phenomenon has been inevitable and so, too, has been the rush to buy overseas property on the island.
As development intensifies, the local government (El Cabildo), has shown a clear willingness to improve the basic infrastructure.
Tourism in Lanzarote continues to evolve and diversify. While most of the huge number of visitors are on package holidays, many others now take to visiting independently, either to stay in their own properties, in villas owned by individuals or companies, or in country houses that are situated in quieter, more nature-friendly areas of the island.
Lanzarote has four main centres of commercial tourism. Arrecife is the capital and business centre and is only a few miles away from the long established holiday destination of Puerto del Carmen.
Costa Teguise is another established holiday destination while Playa Blanca is the newest and fastest developing holiday destination. Right now, even though it’s a bit on the quiet side, it’s shaping up to rival Puerto del Carmen in popularity.
On this latest visit, we opted to rent a villa from Jamesvillas.ie, and it was an interesting experiment.
The company has hundreds of privately owned villas in many sun destinations on its books and the single common feature is that each of them comes with a private swimming pool.
Ranging in size from mainly two to three-bedroom properties, it’s actually possible for two couples or families to share the facilities and also the cost.
The company offers all-in packages (flights and accommodation, from Dublin, Cork and Shannon) but the downside is that it doesn’t provide transfers from the airports.
Our villa on the outskirts of Playa Blanca was reached through the help of a colleague’s son who lives and works on Lanzarote, and from there we hired a car for the week. It was to prove an inspired decision, although the quality of the motor left a lot to be desired.
Basically, you find your own way to and from the villa and you follow instructions as to how to pick up the key. The arrival, late at night, could have been a disaster but for our trusty friend. The advice, therefore, is to try at all costs to get a daytime flight and have a car organised for pick-up at the airport.
The availability of the car made lots of things possible in the inclement weather. Laziness might have set in otherwise, and we would never have seen the lovely rugged northeastern coastline that has white beaches with sand blown in from the Sahara desert.
We moved down the east coast to Arrieta/Punta Mujeres, a local fishing community which has a nice beach with bar and snacks at ridiculously low prices and we travelled around to the sparsely-populated west coast and visited El Golfo salt lake and the Los Herbidores blow-holes. At the Timanfaya National Park, site of volcanic eruptions way back in the mid-1800’s, you can cook from heat still generated from just below the earth’s surface.
Undoubtedly, there are those who wouldn’t dream of taking such a comprehensive tour were it not for the poor weather. But it would certainly be a shame not to set aside some time for touring. You can research all the details in advance through the net, or just pick up some of the huge number of brochures available from the friendly tourism staff, based at the airport.
Do set aside at least one day a week to head off into the highways and byways and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
MOBILE home and camping operator, Canvas Holidays, has announced reductions of up to one-third at a choice of French sites. The offer, for bookings made by May 24, applies to the base price of 12-night holidays taken in June and early July, including St Hilaire in the Vendée.
This means a 12-night holiday at this site — set in pine woodland and offering indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and cycle hire, with accommodation in a Jubilee 29 Midi mobile home costs €1,177, saving €420, for arrivals on June 22.
For those who prefer a tent, a 12-night stay at, for instance, Dol de Bretagne in Brittany — arriving on June 20 — is now priced at €517, a reduction of €228. Prices are for two adults and up to four children with chosen accommodation only.
Reservations: 01-656 9301, www.canvasholidays.ie
IRISH Ferries are offering up to €323 off full brochure prices on selected holidays at three of Britain’s most popular family holiday parks.
On offer are Silver grade holiday apartments at Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park in North Wales and Silver grade Caravan accommodation at nearby Presthaven Sands and at Cala Gran Holiday Park near Blackpool, for 3, 4 and 7 night stays up to July 20 at Hafan Y Mor and Presthaven Sands and up to June 29 at Cala Gran.
Bookings must be made before May 25. Further information at ROI 0818 300 400, or online at www.irishferries.com.
CHINA and South Africa are two destinations that are fast becoming attractive to Irish people who want to travel somewhere a little different for their holidays. Now Tour America has launched two new brands, Tour China and Tour Africa.
For more information visit www.tourafrica.ie or www.tourchina.ie
Tour America is also introducing three new websites which offer hotels, flights and car hire — www.hotelseverywhere.ie, www.flightseverywhere.ie, www.carhireeverywhere.ie
SUNWAY Holidays offer several last minute holiday deals for travel next week.
A week-long stay in Crete starts at €309, the Lisbon Coast from €478, Majorca from €509 and Sicily from €578.
The prices are based on seven nights self catering, flights ex-Dublin, airport transfers and all taxes and charges.
Book at www.sunway.ie or 01-2886828
STENA LINE has hotel breaks to Cardiff from €125 per person a night sharing at the three star Quality Inn which is centrally located in this shopper friendly city.
Cardiff is a 30 minute drive from the Bridgend Designer Outlet Village. The deal includes one night’s hotel accommodation with breakfast based on two adults sharing and return ferry travel by car. Kids stay free when sharing with paying adults (meals must be paid direct to the hotel).
To book click on www.stenaline.ie/shortbreaks, call Stena Line on 01 204 7733, or contact any local travel agent.
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