Our first visit to Playa Blanca – gorgeous!

[Kellyroberts]

last week in February and first week in March, and stayed at the Sun Royal. The wife and I are two active OAPs.

Arrived at East Midland at 4.00am for 7.00am flight. Started snowing at 5.00am and airport closed at 6.00am for 3 hours, despite the efforts to plough the runway etc.

Loaded at 8.00am and waited for plane to be de-snowed and de-iced. Talked to the person next to me about the Man. United Munich air disaster but they didn’t seem to want to listen! Took off at 10.00am and four hours later arrived to warm weather and sunshine. That’s what it used to look like is it.

Excellent service at airport and after 40min transfer first to be dropped off at Sun Royal. Well received at reception and soon in our apartment. (Review of hotel to appear later). The Sun Royal is a bit out of town but that is why we choose it. Could be a bit of a drag with young kids though.

The resort is all that we could have hoped for and more, full of great walks and interest. The Dorada beach is a very nice with lots of sun beds etc (3 Euros an item any combination). Sea a bit cold but once in………. well to be honest you want to get out pretty quick!

Weather was better than we could have hoped after all the storms etc. One short shower on the evening we arrived, one early morning it had been raining heavy but soon sunshine, one short shower one morning then nice and one shower on our last day. The rest of the time beautiful sunshine with the odd cloud.

We found it very useful to do a complete circuit on the #30 bus (1.15 Euros one price for one stop or all day). It gives you a tour of all of Playa Blanca from the Papagyo area to the light house at the other end. Make a mental note of where to get off for walks etc. There is a stop outside the Sun Royal and it then turns left to the marina and Papagyo. You get a smile from the driver and help if needed. It keeps pretty much to time and every stop has a notice of the time it picks up. There is one every 30mins and it waits at three points if ahead of schedule, at each end and the central bus station. Whilst waiting at the bus station the driver got out and cleaned his bus, along with the smile and help you don’t see that on my home bus route!

The best map of the town is available (free) from the Information Kiosk (not open Saturday and Sunday) at the start of the pedestrianised area. This map also shows the complete route of the #30 bus.

We walked from the hotel to the light house one morning taking about 3 hours there and back with the odd photo stop and drink.

We also walked to the Papagyo area at the other end of the promonard. These walks show the diversity of Playa Blanca from bars, amusement arcades to natural areas like the Papagyo beaches, something for everyone. One hot day we went on the bus to the Papagyo beach and found the walk over the hill (about 15mins) not very attractive but once there it is very nice indeed. It is of course a naturist beach with plenty of people wandering (why do I think parading?) about. Mostly men but once they had been in that cold sea it was hard to tell the difference! There is no shade or café etc. so if you intend to stay the day you must take your own sun shade.

Our favourite walk was up the extinct volcano of Montana Roja. Take the 30 bus and get off at the second stop along a very rough bit of road. Don’t worry that the bus seems at times to turn away from the volcano it will make its way back. Walk up the next road on the right and navigate toward the large phone mast that is at the start of the path. It took us about 20mins to walk to the top where you see into the crater (you can go down it is extinct!). It is then an easy walk around the rim with spectacular views aver to Fuerteventura and Playa Blanca.

The market in the marina (Wed. and Sat.) is OK but just a tourist market. The one at the top of the road opposite the Princesa Yaiza Hotel and passed the Sun Royal (also Wed. and Sat.) is not worth the effort; very few stalls, 10 at max, and very sad looking.

We ate out all the time trying a few places with our favourite being Lani’s on the Marina. Excellent waiters (especially Mohamed), nice food with spacious seating and a pleasant setting. Best value was probably Tipico Espanol up from the traffic island on the left, a bit up the hill. A bit packed in, a bit noisy, and service a bit hit and miss but nice food at very reasonable prices. Always busy with people waiting for tables. If you or perhaps the kids want a bit of home we did see a fish and chip shop which seemed to have all the things kids like. It had a few tables out side and possibly a few inside. It is situated on the sea side, in the commercial block, passed the church, up the hill and before the Princesa Yaiza.

We booked a half day tour of the North (out of laziness) with Thomsons but this was cancelled the night before due to lack of interest. Went into the office of Last Minute Travel just on the traffic island in the centre and they offered us a full day tour with meal for 38Euros. Considering Thompsons was half a day with no food and 40Euros perhaps we could see why there were no takers. Picked up outside the hotel and transferred to Puerto Del Carmen to split into a north and a south tour. The Island is exceptionably green at the moment due to them having had all of the usual annual rain fall in the first six weeks. Very good tour and guide with our favourite being the Jameos del Agua. A perfect example of Cezar Manrique’s blend of the natural and artificial. Stopped for the buffet lunch which was exceptional; soup, a wide choice of meat, fish, vegetables, rice, potatoes and fruit for dessert. Free wine and water on the tables. Almost worth the full cost of the trip! The tour ended at the Cezar Manrique Foundation (extra 8Euros and worth it) where the 4 or 5 people returning to Playa Blanca were transferred to a mini bus and taken back via the mountain road and back outside the hotel in 30mins. A very well conducted and efficient tour indeed. Later asked at the Info kiosk in the Marina and they suggested a similar tour at 38Euros with Customer Travel but you have to phone to book but the man in the kiosk said he would phone for you if you were a bit hesitant.

Our last night was Carnival!!!! This is our first experience of a carnival and what a spectacle. Just watching the people going to the start was fun. Everyone gets involved from babies to old ladies with sticks. It must take hours to make the costumes and floats. It was supposed to start at 5.00pm but didn’t start until 7.00pm but when you see how many people are involved and the food and drink carried (I wondered what the decorated supermarket trolleys were for) you can see why. The parade finished in the Plaza just above the church and went on well into the night. I just wish I was 45 years younger.

Picked up on time and again very well organised at the airport with few queues and no hassel. A fantastic resort and holiday which we would recommend to anyone.

[LBS Phil]

What a wonderful report of your holiday over here ... glad you love the place we are pleased to call home! As for carnival everyone always comes down in to the town for 5pm ... but it starts at Playa Flamingo at 5pm (ish!) and so usually doesn't get to the town centre until well after 7pm ... next time head down a little later or find a good bar to sit in and wait!
Let's hope you can tell some others about the wonderful Playa Blanca and Lanzarote offline as well as online as I'm sure all of us on the island would appreciate it!

Phil