Complete Holiday Guide

The Canary Islands have been a staple holiday destination for many decades now, and the small archipeligo of seven volcanic islands received a huge number of visitors throughout each season. But over the last decade talk turned to other islands like Ibiza, or to bigger adventure in places like South America and East Asia.

Now the tide is changing again in the Canaries’ favour. Holiday makers are looking to cheaper and shorter breaks, and they’re looking for new trampolines within the rich and varied landscape of this Spanish haven.

The Main Islands

So where to go in the Canary Islands? The four top islands provide a great range of activities, and all make a fantastic choice:

• Tenerife - this beautiful island is, with Lanzarote, a paradise for the beach-holiday fan. It is the largest island in the Canaries, and actually the largest island in Spain. With a mixture of smaller natural beaches and massive man-made beauties, you’ll find just the spot you’re looking for. Many beaches have a fantastic array of activities - including wind surfing and kite surfing - which will keep you entertained when you are not enjoying the warm waters or the perfect sunshine. For the more adventurous holiday-maker Mount Teide is beautiful site. It is the highest point in Spain and was named a World Heritage site in 2007.
• Lanzarote - like Tenerife is perfect for the beach-goer, but has a bit more variety than its larger cousin. The beautiful and isolated northern white sands make for great relaxation in relative solitude, while the souths famous volcanic beaches are perfect for sports such as bodyboarding and surfing. On the island are a great range of attractions, including the wonderful Guinate Tropical Park and the Jameos del Agua caves.
• Fuerteventura - this island has enjoyed a massive growth in popularity recently, and its all well deserved. It has beaches to die for, and you won’t have to travel a great deal to get there - the southern tip of the island is the ideal place to to start. Fuerteventura is the second largest in the Canary Island’s archipelago.
• Gran Canaria - the only island that bears the Canary name is a rich and varied destination. Not only are the beaches fantastic, there’s Reptilandia for the reptile fans, the fascinating Museo Canario museum showcasing Cro-Magnon mummies, and the Sioux City Wild West theme park!

Getting There

Many operators offer trips to the Canary Islands, but we found Broadway Travel to offer some of the best deals. They specialise in holidays to the Canaries and Gran Ventura, and have a wealth of local information on their site. Directline Holidays also have a great range of full packages at fantastic pricing.

Whether you’re looking for relaxation and recovery or for exploration and adventure, holidays should be stress free.  But as we become increasingly aware of our impact on the world around us, the affect that our holidays have on the environment and local community can be a source of grave concern.  Many communities thrive on tourism, but many are destroyed by it, and valuable natural and social resources can be irrepairably damaged by clumsy projects looking just at the next foreign dollar.

This is where ecotourism comes in, also known as responsible travel.  By sourcing your holidays from trustworthy suppliers of ecotourism, you can relax and enjoy your holiday with the assurance that you are benefiting the area that you are visiting, and making local lives better.  Many ecotourism firms will donate proceeds to local or international charities and organisations dedicated to preserving the treatures you are seeing.

One supplier that has had great success in this area is ResponsibleTravel.com, who have somehow managed to show that ecotourism doesn’t have to be costly  - it can be cheap.  They list and aggregate a large number of eco-friendly responsible tours and trips from around the world - ranging from Amazon adventures to carbon-footprint-saving domestic trips.  Whether you’re looking for a beach holiday or an extreme cultural experience, you’ll almost definitely find what you need.

Another similar company is Intrepid Travel, who aim to provide genuine adventure off the beaten track.  Their holidays all use local accomodation and transport, and the Intrepid Foundation supports regional development and aid projects.

So before you book your next trip, have a think about your impact on the local community.  And if you decide that you can relax all the better knowing that you are doing good rather than harm, try some ecotourism!