Things To Do in Playa Paraiso

French owner Sandrine has created an informal, down-to-earth vibe at this friendly restaurant which comes with garden seating. On the menu, popular choices include the stone-oven-baked pizzas, steaks, pork chops and Tenerife-style tapas like papas arrugadas – salty potato wedges. Whatever you choose, the Listán Blanco white makes a very good accompaniment.

In Playa Paraiso, the main street and the local shopping centre, El Marques, both have it covered for souvenirs and gifts. And there’s a supermarket up the hill if you’re after picnic nibbles. For a more blinged-up retail experience, go to nearby Costa Adeje – the Plaza del Duque mall has the only Cartier store in Tenerife.

The coastline around here is rocky, which is just how snorkellers like it. And if you want to explore deeper below the water, Playa Paraiso has a couple of scuba schools which specialise in teaching beginners. If you’re lucky, you might spot sea bream, trumpet fish and even the odd eagle ray.

The restaurants on Playa Paraiso’s main street are all about home comforts, so there’s plenty of fish ’n’ chips and pub-style food on the menu. You’ll get more of a local flavour at the seafront, where you can tuck into pinchos – a toasty snack topped with anchovies or cherry tomatoes – along with huevos rotos, a mix of fried potato, chorizo sausage and egg.

Talk of the Town is a popular British pub, where holidaymakers and ex-pats come to kick up their heels. Quite literally, in fact, for Friday night’s line dancing. Or if you’re here on a Sunday, you could be bopping and jiving to Fifties rock ’n’ roll. And in between, there’s karaoke, quiz nights, live cabaret and Sixties music, all courtesy of bubbly owner Anita.

Playa Paraiso evenings are rather sedate, so it’s usually left to the hotels to put on club acts, discos and bingo. Over in Costa Adeje, there are cabaret places and live music pubs. And then there’s Playa de las Americas – the Starco Centre and Veronicas Strip where bars and clubs compete for late-night revellers.

Playa Paraiso doesn’t feel the need for raucous evenings. A night out here is mainly geared around the hotel entertainment, with a couple of bars and Brit pubs in town for when you fancy a change. And if you do want to ramp things up, the neon lights of Playa de las Americas are just 10 minutes away.

The rocky coastline around Playa Paraiso is prime turf for snorkelling. And if you want to go deeper, you’ve got a couple of scuba schools here that make a point of catering to beginners. Once you’re up and running, you can expect to spot bream, trumpet fish and the odd eagle ray.

This huge, Thai-themed waterpark gets an A-star for adrenaline rides. You can experience zero gravity on The Dragon and do a 28-metre, near-vertical drop from The Tower of Power. Even speeding down the Mekong Rapids will give your hair a good whipping. Kids get their own Lost City with pint-sized slides, and the Baby Zone will keep even the smallest family members happy.

As well as being a huge waterpark, Siam Park also takes over as host for this annual open-air dance music party that has seen Craig David take to the stage. Latin, trance and house beats all get their chance to shine for the huge crowds that gather here. It finishes at midnight, when those who want to keep on dancing continue on to Playa de las Americas.

If you fancy a bit of home from home, try this English pub in the heart of the resort. Owners Lyn and Stephen have introduced plenty of Brit touches, such as the Saturday night quiz with fish ‘n’ chip supper. On Sundays they do a full roast, and there’s always Monopoly, cards and dominoes to keep you busy.

This popular restaurant serves up seafood so fresh it’s still in the tank. The menu is pretty upscale – oysters, lobster and crab all make regular appearances. Meat fans are also well catered for, with dishes like lamb shoulder rolled in pine nuts and herbs. Considering the quality, this is good value – expect to pay around 30 euros for 3 courses.

On the main street you’ve got places serving up fish ’n’ chips and pub grub, but the seafront restaurants will sort you out for Canarian specialities. Try the pinchos – these little toasts come with different toppings, like anchovies and cherry tomatoes, and make tasty bar snacks. Or order up the huevos rotos – a potato and egg dish that makes a change from egg and chips.

Playa Paraiso’s main street and El Marques shopping centre join together to give you souvenir shops selling Canarian textiles such as embroidered tablecloths. Most people can’t resist some retail therapy in Costa Adeje’s Plaza del Duque mall – a rather high-class place as you’ll see from the Ferraris parked outside. Pop in for designer sunglasses, unusual jewellery and duty-free perfume.