Tenerife - a country of two parts. (Part 3)

The North

The main area in the north of the island is Puerto de la Cruz. This has all the sophistication that Playa de las Americas lacks. The main beach in the centre is very small with black sand (volcanic lava) but a short walk away is a water park built along the edge of the sea.

Here there are 3 large pools with many smaller ones for the young children. The facilities are first class; although the sun loungers are free, they do hire out sun umbrellas. There are good restaurants and snack bars and even a couple of shops. It is laid out beautifully so there is some rock climbing and a few rope bridges and it all looks just FUN!

Past the water park and you will enter San Telmo which has so many shops you could spend all day shopping, plus so many bars and restaurants you could eat in a different one each day for a week or more. In the street behind the main beach street is an English bar that used to be owned by the actor Bill Tarmy, who played Jack Duckworth in Coronation Street. He often used to mix with the regulars and would sing for them quite often.

There is a market here at the waters edge once a week, but you will have to haggle or you will get way overcharged. Carry on walking through this town and you will come to a beautiful square surrounded by shops and restaurants. This is where North Tenerife night life happens. (Apart from all the entertainment the hotels put on of course). The bars and restaurants have live music playing and often entertainers will come and perform in the square.

Moving further along the coast, you will come to the town of Playa Jardin. This is where the best beaches are and they stretch for about a mile. There are many beach cafes, restaurants and a few gift shops on the sea front which you approach via some steps or the slope down. On the top level are beautiful gardens and a few cafes serving more upmarket fare. The main difference in this town is that the accommodation is mainly villas whereas in Pueto de la Cruz it is mainly hotels. Hiring a villa here (or anywhere in Europe) is likely to cost up to 4 times as much as one in Orlando though.

Eventually if you keep walking you will arrive at the famous Loro Parque (Parrot Park). This is Tenerifes Zoo which features performing parrot shows, penguins, performing dolphins, sharks and orca whales. The other animals are pelicans, gorillas, chimps and tigers. So a full day out really.

To reach here from where we started at Puerto de la Cruz is exactly 2 miles. This stroll is a perfect way to spend a day. Have coffee in the squuare, then lunch in Playa Jardin and on to Loro Parque. Then you can either walk back or there is a dotto train which runs back and forth between the two areas.