Things To Do in Puerto Mogan

Puerto Morgan’s bistros, restaurants and cafés serve up international cooking, as well as traditional Spanish and Canarian dishes. And the best evenings here are spent with a glass of chilled wine at a tapas bar down at the harbour. This is also home to some of the island’s best seafood restaurants. Try the catch of the day served up with the local mojo sauce, a spicy salsa.

If you head to the end of the pier, near the submarine, you’ll spot the watersports stand. Keep an eye out for the daily deals, which let you try everything from jetskiing to paragliding at a discount. There’s also some excellent diving round here, with sunken wrecks to explore, as well as caves and reefs. The centre in town will sort you out with lessons and kit.

Goods in Gran Canaria are pretty well tax free, giving you an excellent excuse to splurge. In Puerto Mogan you’ll find shops selling beachwear, cotton clothes and handmade semi-precious jewellery. There’s also a big open-air market on Fridays, where you can pick up local ceramics, leather accessories and even English books. You’ll find it in the plazas by the marina.

The nightlife here is pretty relaxed – think laid-back cocktail lounges and piano bars. The bandstand in the plaza by the marina is always worth a visit, as it plays host to regular jazz festivals. And if you’re looking for a lively night out, there’s always Puerto Rico, 15 minutes away. There you’ve got late-night clubs and cabaret bars around the commercial centre.

This cocktail bar is in the square by the bandstand, so on the right evening you can sit outside and hear live music. It’s a top spot for a pre-dinner aperitif – there’s a huge drinks list, and if you ask nicely the barmen will make up something for you. There’s a tapas menu, but even if you’re not eating, it’s worth phoning ahead to book one of the comfy sofas.

If you don’t fancy diving but want a close-up look at the marine life, you can always take a trip in Puerto Mogan’s resident yellow submarine. The trip lasts about 45 minutes and you’ll go down 20 metres, with every seat offering panoramic underwater views. You’ll see octopus and stingrays, and the fish often come right up to the windows.

The menu’s a one-off here. At this imaginative restaurant you’ll find dishes like sardines with grapefruit, and duck with chocolate and chilli sauce. It might all sound a bit odd, but the place is always packed. And the setting, overlooking the marina, is a winner, too.