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Playa Del Ingles weather forecast and travel guide by Cheaperholidays.com.
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Latest Playa Del Ingles forecast online, or call us on 01633 798456 and save £££'s on the latest  Playa Del Ingles holidays.
 Situated at the south of Gran Canaria island, Playa del Ingles is one of the largest and busiest in Europe and its main feature is the wide sandy beach that stretches from the Maspalomas dunes to San Agustin in the north.
Playa del Ingles has a vast array of shops, bars and restaurants and a very busy nightlife, making it a great destination for those wanting a lively holiday. Although mainly geared for the younger market, families and older visitors are also attracted by the glorious year-round climate and endless beach, but tend to stick together in the quieter areas. New >> Playa del Ingles video
Maspalomas is only a mile or two southwest of Playa del Ingles and is a little quieter and less built up than its neighbour. Its main attraction is the staggering four-mile (6km) beach, which is backed by a vast empty expanse of Sahara-like dunes, popular with nudists. Gran Canaria Weather forecast
 Shopping: There is a fine choice of shops in Playa del Ingles where visitors can indulge in some duty free delights, including cheap electrical shops and stalls selling imitation designer wear and African curios.
The shopping is mainly confined to the dozen or so Commercial Centres rather than spread out along the roads and each centre has its own distinctive character. Yumbo is the biggest and most popular and also houses the Tourist Information Centre.
Five minutes away are the Kasbah and Metro centres, but the widest selection of quality designer wear is in Plaza Maspalomas. Be aware that some salesmen can be quite aggressive: haggle hard and remember that the shop next door probably sells the same thing.
The San Fernando Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning offering all the same sort of stuff. The main shopping centre in Maspalomas is Faro 2, which also has lots of bars and restaurants, but there is more variety in Playa del Ingles.
Restaurants: There is a wide choice of places to eat in Playa des Ingles, from fast food (including McDonalds), Chinese, Italian and local cuisine, and rows of restaurants serving something with chips. One of the favourites is an Irish bar/restaurant called ‘Finnegans’, near the Yumbo Centre, and offers good British ‘home cooking’ and does great breakfasts and Sunday roasts.
Koala Burger in the Kasbah has good hotdogs and chips and nearby Bei Lelo, although German, offers good English food. There are a selection of restaurants on the Avenida de Tirajana and Avenida de Tenerife, including the Harley Rock Café – a lively American-style diner.
Those looking for some authentic local cuisine should try Casa Vieja in Calle de Fataga.
Nightlife: Playa del Ingles is packed with bars, pubs and clubs, especially in the Kasbah centre, which is home to the famous Cream and Pascha nightclubs, both of which pump out the best in dance music until the early hours.
Also in the Kasbah is the Hippodrome, Havana and, next door, Sugar a small cocktail bar that is a good place to start the evening – watch out for the two for one drinks though.
The English and Irish centres are also lively and entertaining.
The Yumbo centre is orientated towards the gay scene at night and there is a great drag show on every evening at 10pm in Cafe La Belle; the centre is also popular with families looking for a less hectic evening.
There are quieter bars along the promenade and a casino on the edge of town.
Activities: For those who have had enough of the beach there is loads of entertainment and activities for all ages, including amusement arcades, minigolf, tennis, golf, scuba diving, skydiving, water parks, go-carting, horse riding and camel riding.
Water sports include jet-skiing, windsurfing and banana boat rides.
Also watch out for the Moroccan women by the Kasbah wanting to shake your hand – they snap bracelets on your arms and then say you are cursed unless you pay them up to €15 to have them burnt off!
The beach is great, but visitors should be aware that there are lots of nudists about, particularly among the Maspalomas dunes.
AttractionsParque de los Crocodilo : This Crocodile Park is home to more than 300 crocodiles and alligators from all over the world. Visitors shouldn't miss the crocodiles' feeding time - at 12pm, 2pm and 4.15pm.
The other half of the park is a zoo, which has sections on monkeys and chimpanzees, tigers, jaguars, camels and much more.
There is a restaurant in the centre of the park where visitors can see a show where parrots perform various tricks, including doing a jigsaw puzzle and roller skating!
The park is near the town of Aguímes, a few miles southwest of the airport. Address: Villa de Aguímes; Telephone: 928 784 725; E-mail: cocodril@arrakis.es; Transport: Hourly bus between 9am and 3pm from near the fun fair in Maspalomas.
Alternatively the park operates a service from Puerto Rico, picking up outside the Jamaica Supermarket, at 10.30am on Thursdays and Sundays; Opening time: Daily 11am to 5.30pm
Sioux City : One of the most popular days out in Gran Canaria, Sioux city was built originally as a stage set for an American western film in 1972, but developed into a Wild West theme park complete with cowboys, Indians, Mexicans and of course a sheriff.
There are shows throughout the day featuring bank robberies, saloon fights, cattle stampedes, rodeos and gunfights at the OK Coral.
Between shows visitors can enjoy a barbeque or taste the culinary delights of the Three Star Saloon.
Every Friday evening there are barbecue evenings complete with country dancing. Address: San Agustín; Telephone: 928 762 573; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm; closed Mondays.
Waterparks: There are three water parks on Gran Canaria: Aqua Park in Puerto Rico and Ocean Park and the smaller Aqua Sur in Maspalomas. All offer enough attractions to keep children and adults amused all day, including dozens of slides and swimming pools.
Aqua Sur also has a wave machine and a ‘lazy river’ where visitors can float around the complex on an inflatable tyre.
Opening time: All parks 10am to 5pm; Admission: Aqua Sur: €15 (adults), €7.50 (children). Aqua Park: €8.75 (adults), €4.25 (children) ; sunbed €1.50 extra. Ocean Park: €10 (adults), €5 (children)
Arucas: The delightful town of Arucas sits beneath a dormant volcano on the northern coast of Gran Canaria, and is one of the most popular places for tourists to visit.
The neat town is dominated by the majestic Church of San Juan Bautista, carved in stone by local workers. The town is also the centre of sugar and rum production on the island and visitors are welcome at the Fabrica y Museo del Ron to witness how sugar cane is turned into rum.
It is possible to take a short walk out of the town to the Montana de Arucas viewpoint for a panoramic look at the northern coastline.
Museo Canario : The main museum in Las Palmas is well worth a visit, boasting the world’s largest collection of Cro-Magnon skulls and a few mummies. The museum also gives a comprehensive overview of the life and times of Gran Canaria’s original inhabitants, the fair-haired light-skinned Guanche people, who were conquered by the Spanish in the 15th century.
Telephone: 928 336 800; E-mail: info@elmuseocanario.com; Website: www.elmuseocanario.com; Opening time: Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, weekends 10am to 2pm. Guided tours are available
Reptilandia: Those with a soft spot for reptiles should visit Reptilandia, situated a little off the beaten tack, near Agaete in the northwest of the island. It includes a collection of snakes, tortoises, turtles and lizards – the Komodo Dragon here is believed to be the largest lizard in the world.
There are also sections on spiders and monkeys. Address: Parque Rural de Amagro; Telephone: 928 551 269; Opening time: Daily 11am to 5.30pm
Camel rides can also be enjoyed at Fataga.
Jeep Safaris : The most spectacular scenery in the island can be found within the mountainous interior around Mt Tejeda.
Jeep safaris take visitors around this area which has been almost completely untouched by tourism and offers wonderful views over rocky peaks, alpine forests and scenic reservoirs.
Full-day tours can be organised in the resorts and leave most days of the week. Be aware of the changeable weather – in winter it can be snowing in the mountains while people soak up the sun on the beaches, up to 6,562ft (2,000m) below.
Jeep safaris cost around €35 per adult and €25 per child.
Boat Trips : Boat trips of all sorts can be arranged from the resorts. The choice of boats is quite extensive, ranging from an all-day booze cruise aboard a 350ft (107m) liner, to smaller cruisers, yachts, catamarans and glass bottomed boats where visitors can take in the marine life below.
In addition to cruising around the coast many boats drop anchor and offer swimming, snorkelling and banana boat rides.
Jet skis and parasailing can also be arranged. The highlight of any cruise is usually the sight of dolphins playing around the boat.
Big Game Fishing : Gran Canaria is one of the best spots in the world for big game fishing and there are a number of companies competing for business. While blue marlin are the most highly prized trophy fish there are plenty of other species including white marlin, wahoo, dorado, yellowfin tuna, and mako and hammerhead sharks.
Regular catches of blue marlin range from 331 to 496 pounds (150 to 225kg) with last year's record standing at 794 pounds (360kg). Trips cost around €45 including all equipment, but excluding lunch.
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