Things To Do in Amadores

They start preparing a year in advance for this carnival in Playa del Ingles, so when it finally comes round the whole town makes sure it’s one big party. It goes on for about a week, with comedy shows, drag queen competitions, live shows, dancing – and huge street parades with everyone dressed in flamboyant costumes.

Evenings in Amadores are all about enjoying a cocktail at one of the hotel bars, where terraces put you in prime position for a sea view. That suits most visitors, though neighbouring Puerto Rico offers a livelier alternative – here you’ve got a mix of sports bars, Irish pubs and discos, mainly in the 2 commercial centres.

Very popular round here are the boat trips out to see dolphins. There’s a very good chance you’ll see a variety, from the common bottlenose to the Atlantic striped, and a whale might just come into camera view, too. Trips go from Puerto Rico’s harbour, and if the marine life is proving particularly elusive, most places will take you out again for free.

Restaurants line up along the promenade offering international menus, while more authentic cuisine shows up in the eating places at the Puerto Rico end of the beach. Here, along with octopus and paella, you’re more likely to come across the famous papas arrugadas – salty jacket potatoes – which are often served with a spicy mojo sauce.

Tranquility is pretty much guaranteed at the beach here, thanks to a ban on loud music and ball games. You won’t even be disturbed by the buzz of watersports, as pedalos are all you’ll find here. It’s so quiet that many visitors linger to watch the sun setting over Mount Teide on the neighbouring island of Tenerife.

In Amadores, a clutch of prom-side shops will sort you out for snacks, newspapers and beach kit. For a bigger choice, head over to Puerto de Mogan – about 20 minutes away – for the Friday market. Hundreds of stalls pack out the 2 big plazas at the marina, where you can pick up everything from leather goods to English paperbacks.

When it gets to the evening, Amadores keeps up the quiet vibe. A typical night here is sitting in one of the hotel’s terraced bars with a cocktail to accompany the sea view. If you need something livelier, a 5-minute cab ride gets you to Puerto Rico. Around by the shopping centre here, you’ll find Irish pubs, sports bars, discos and a couple of clubs.

You couldn’t get much quieter than this beach. Ball games and loud music have both been given the red card, and watersports can’t come any closer than Puerto Rico. That means you get a really restful spot, with just a bit of slow-paced pedalo riding if you really want to rip things up.

Around these parts, it’s a good place to spot whales and dolphins. Boat trips set off from the harbour at Puerto Rico – and usually the deal is that if you don’t see any the first time around, you’ll get a free return trip. With that in mind, you might want to go early in your holiday.

Bistro Salsa is only open during the day, so best not leave it too late to pop in. Owners Ron and Avril do a tasty line-up of hot-filled baguettes – the salmon’s a bit of a favourite – and most people can’t get enough of Ron’s special fish ‘n’ chips. They’ve also got a hot grill menu where you get to cook up your lunch yourself.

The restaurants along the prom do a good line in pasta, Chinese and Sunday roasts, but for more authentic dishes head to the Puerto Rico end of the beach. Here, you’ll get fresh paella, grilled octopus and the local speciality, papas arrugadas – salted potatoes – dished up with a spicy sauce. Just to let you know, though, many of the resort’s eating places are only open during the day.

Come spring, when the almond trees bloom, Canarians put on traditional costumes and celebrate. If you’re not up for joining in the folk singing and dancing, you can just feast on the bienmesabe – a sweet almond cream – and almond wine. The biggest parties are in Valsequillo and Tejeda, both about an hour from Amadores, but there are smaller events all over the island.

There’s a classy look to this bar-restaurant at the Puerto Rico end of the beach. During the day, visitors lounge on the double beds – they cost 20 euros to rent – while waiters bring drinks and snacks. And the chill-out vibe continues into the evening as you sip daiquiris on a white sofa in front of the setting sun. You can also expect DJs, live music and dancers.