Our lovely pool

Playa Del Ingles, Gran Canaria is one of the most popular holiday resorts in Europe, especially amongst young people looking for a crazy week in the sun. It, quite aptly, translates as “The Englishman's beach” as it is filled with British and Irish tourists and English and Irish bars.

Eleven of us stayed in the Corona Blanca Apartments. Basic, but roomy and clean, we had a nice view of the pool area, which was also quite large and had a bar serving drinks (if you could stomach more alcohol) and great hangover snacks. We didn’t have far to walk to get to the beach or the nightlife, which suited us just fine.

Playa Del Ingles is known for its wild nightlife. With famous nightclubs such as Cream and Pascha in the Kasbah centre and plenty of great pubs and clubs in the English and Irish Centres, you’ll never get bored. Nightlife here goes on till the early hours (we stumbled in at seven most mornings), so you’ll be glad of a bit of relaxation during the day.
 

View of the beach

The beach is just a short walk from the centre of the resort. It does tend to be quite crowded and not the prettiest, but it does the job. Most days we opted for the pool instead but it’s a worth a visit, even if just to have a go on the jet skis!

Be sure to take a trip to Aqualand, the biggest waterpark in the Canaries. Its only a few kilometres from the resort and taxis are very reasonable. With over fifty slides and loads of pools, you can keep everyone in the group happy.

If shopping is your thing, head to one of the centres for a wide variety of goods. Beware though, the shopkeepers tend to be quite pushy and will do just about anything for your custom. One took a liking to my friend and offered me a watch for half price, if he could take her out! Also check out the market, just a short taxi ride away, for cheap and cheerful pressies.
 

One of the best ideas, is to go for the deals the hotel reps are offering (yes get up and go to the rep meeting!). They may seem expensive to begin with, but you won’t regret it!

Famous for nightlife

We went on the bar crawl, think a bunch of drunken students, ridiculous drinking games and ending the night with your bra outside your clothes.

We also opted for the foam party, which takes place in Paradise Lost, a party venue a little off the beating track. A bus takes you there and back, everyone’s up for a laugh and its all you can drink, free all night! You spend a lot less on these nights and you meet loads of people. We organised an after party on the bus journey back, pity it nearly got us kicked out of our apartments.

If after all these nights out, you’re still up for a bit of day time drinking, go for the boat ride which leaves from Puerto Rico. Get a great view of the coast, sunbath on the deck while having a drink, settle down for the onboard lunch or take a leap into the refreshing blue Atlantic (great for a hangover). Best to skip this one if you’re not feeling so fresh, as a few of our poor passengers found out!

Playa Del Ingles is a purpose built resort, aimed at young people who just want to have a bit of fun in the sun and, it does exactly what is says on the tin. If you want a cheap summer getaway that leaves you with plenty of crazy memories and a nice tan, then Playa Del Ingles is the place for you.

By Lucy Cefai