IN FOCUS CANARIES


Nearly 40% of land in the Canary Islands


has been given over to rural parks, nature reserves and protected landscapes


conical mountains that spring out of the middle of the island. Fuerteventura, the second-largest


Canary Island, is being promoted as a family destination with safe beaches and as an ideal place for beginners to try their hand at water sports. The island is home to the longest stretches of beach in the Canaries. Dunas de Corralejo National Park, in the northern resort of Corralejo, attracts surfers, windsurfers and sunbathers alike, to a desert-like landscape with wind-rippled


white sand and


with several miles of footprint-free dunes.


Other island attractions


include golf courses, a zoo, a water park and marine excursions and, for the more adventurous, kite surfi ng, big game fi shing and diving. Popular winter sun destinations across


Europe have had to remodel or diversify their offering in recent times, as more travellers seek out different adventures and experiences even in so-called sun- and-sea destinations – and the Canaries are no different. Tenerife’s tourist board hopes to


capitalise on new outdoor facilities in beautiful natural areas, such as Forest Park and the Path of Sense, to promote the lesser-known areas. Forest Park, the island’s newest outdoor adventure park, opened on March 24. With the largest trees in the Canary Islands the park incorporates two tree-climbing circuits – one for families and one for the more adventurous – reaching up to 80 metres in height and featuring 30-metre-high wooden platforms, as well as zip-lines


that stretch for 200 metres. All tree- climbing circuits have been designed in harmony with nature and can be enjoyed by children from six years old and over. Tenerife is also becoming known for its excellent hiking and cycling, particularly in Mount Teide National Park. And plans are in place to re-open one of the island’s most spectacular natural hiking trails this summer following extensive


restoration. Barranco del Infi erno, also known as 'Hell’s Gorge', is a stunning gorge


located in the inland area of Adeje. It has the deepest gorge in the Canary Islands,


together with steep walls


covered in lush greenery, a number of historic burial caves, and waterfalls up to 80 metres high.


Canaries What’s new Hotel Isla Baja Suites is the latest


addition to Tenerife’s growing portfolio of boutique accommodation options. Rustic and chic combine and result in a selection of six elegantly-decorated guest rooms. Housed in a restored eighteenth century building, which was built at a time when Garachico was the capital of the island and a signifi cant trade port, the rooms are complemented by a bar, restaurant, bike hire, free wireless internet and easy access to the nearby lava rock pools. Situated in the heart of Garachico, the


intimate hotel provides a suitable base for culture and nature enthusiasts (www.islabajasuites.com). A new exhibition of white Bengal


Facing page: surfi ng in Gran Canaria Above, top: Los Organos on the island of La Gomera with, below, Tegueste on Tenerife


Tigers, a renovated sea lion stadium, new parrot species and newly-born offspring of meerkats, marmosets, parrots, orcas and dolphins are some of the new attractions at Loro Parque (www.loroparque.com) in Puerto de


la Cruz. Loro Parque also has a new parrot show for this year, featuring exotic parrot species from the park’s conservation programme. A new ‘secret garden’ has launched at the Pyramids of Guimar (www. piramidesdeguimar.es) featuring some of the most poisonous plants on the planet. The botanical garden’s unique collection offers the opportunity for visitors to discover beautiful yet highly


toxic plant species, while learning about the myths, legends and historic events related to their existence. The Pyramids of Guimar are one


of Tenerife’s most visited attractions. Believed to have been built by the ancient Guanche community, their construction continues to remain a mystery to archaeologists from around the world.


Monarch Airlines (www.monarch. 


www.sellinglonghaul.com • July/August 2012 21


thedeal The Canaries:


seal


are just a short flight from the UK and benefit from year-round sunshine


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