Things To Do in Playa de la Arena

Irish bars and Brit pubs line the waterfront, so you won’t have to walk far after dinner to find the nightlife. There are usually quizzes and karaoke on somewhere, as evenings here are about fun, not frantic partying. Some visitors pop over to Los Gigantes – it’s about 4 euros by taxi – for comedians and tribute acts.

Guinness on draft and live Irish music makes The Blarney Stone, across from the beach, a popular place for evenings. Owners Agustin and Collete also have nightly quizzes and karaoke, and there’s dancing ’til closing time around 3.30am. They’re such a friendly bunch here, they’ll even sort you out with a free taxi ride home.

Playa de la Arena has souvenir shops, but you’ll need to head out of town for a market. There’s a small one on Monday mornings at Alcala, about 10 minutes’ drive away, where African handicrafts are just some of the things you can buy from the stalls. And for bags, jewellery and local crafts, try Playa San Juan – about 15 minutes away – on Sundays and Wednesdays.

The portions at this restaurant, near the Playa de la Arena Hotel, are small but beautifully formed. Delights include beef carpaccio and red peppers, pork with beetroot chutney, and scallops with squid ink pasta – accompanied by wines recommended by knowledgeable owner Julio. He and his wife, Nuria, also hold regular themed food nights, and a popular 5-course gourmet lunch and wine-tasting for 32 euros.

This colourful 4-day carnival is usually celebrated the week after Ash Wednesday. The fabulously costumed carnival queen is joined by fancy dress parades and murgas – performers who amuse the crowds with satirical skits. You’ll also see the famous Burial of the Sardine, when a huge replica sardine is paraded through the streets before being burnt. It’s followed by a firework display and late-night dancing on Plaza Bouganvilla.

The prom is the place to go for Playa de la Arena’s restaurants. There’s a good mix of places serving up everything from Thai to Austrian, as well as local Canarian food of course. Fish will be on the menus – try the octopus salad or something simply grilled and dished up with papas arrugadas, which are crispy, salted potatoes. It’s usually accompanied by the famous mojo suace.

Opposite the beach you’ve got this popular Irish pub run by Augustin and Colette. Naturally, it’s all about the craic so expect quizzes and karaoke every night – there’s a good selection of beers, wines, spirits and cocktails to help you loosen your vocal cords for the singing. And if you fancy a good old roast, get here for their popular Sunday carvery.

With a half-Italian owner, you can expect the pizza and pasta to star here. Order the tagliatelle with mushroom in cream sauce and mop your plate clean with some freshly-baked garlic bread. Or try the panzotti – it’s like ravioli – with spinach and Roquefort. You’ve also got meat dishes and daily seafood specials here. And everything comes with top-notch views over the rocky cliffs to the island of La Gomera.

Although Playa de la Arena’s beach is sheltered, the surf can be pretty strong – which really plays to the watersports. Windsurfing and scuba diving are both popular and you can rent all the kit from one of the 3 specialist shops on the prom. And if you’d like some lessons to get you started, pop into Rhian’s Scuba School opposite the beach.

Handily, all the resort’s restaurants are lined up on the prom. You’ve got an international cast here, with everything from Austrian to Thai. It’s worth giving the traditional Canarian dishes a go, though. Try something like grilled sea bass with mojo sauce, a spicy little dressing. It’s usually served up with patatas arrugadas – potatoes that are sweet on the inside, salted outside.

Playa de la Arena has its fair share of souvenir shops, but if you like rooting around markets head for Playa San Juan, about 15 minutes’ drive away. Stalls set up here on Wednesdays and Sundays selling jewellery, bags and ornaments – though get here early as it’s all over by 2pm. And if you want more, you can pick up artsy-crafty African goodies at Monday’s market in nearby Alcala.

Street parties don’t come much bigger than Tenerife’s annual carnival – think Notting Hill meets Rio and New Orleans. There are big parades here and even bigger costumes – some of the dresses are so extravagant they need wheels to move on. It’s a 3-week party at Santa Cruz, and if you want more, nearby Los Gigantes has its own 4-day bash as well.

Over in nearby Los Gigantes, the clear waters around these parts are famous for dolphins and whales – you’ve got about 28 different types swimming about here. You can take a catamaran or glass-bottomed boat out to sea to get a ring-side view of the action. The Bottlenose Dolphins are real showoffs, so expect to see some impressive aerial leaps. Trips can be booked from Playa de la Arena harbour.

The Atlantic waters round here are home to a huge array of dolphins and whales, and a ride out on a glass-bottom boat is a great way to see them. The Pilot Whales like to lie quietly on the surface, while the lightning-quick Spotted Dolphins are the real show-offs with their aerial acrobats. You can book a trip from the harbour.

Playa de la Arena’s black sands keep sunbathers happy, while the sea is where all the watersports fans go to get their kicks. There’s a good choice here, including water-skiing and paragliding. Scuba diving is also popular – there’s a school opposite the beach that does great trips around Los Gigantes’ cliffs. Chances are you’ll see sting rays here, some of them with 2-metre wing spans.