Things to do in Maspalomas

Maspalomas is at the southernmost tip of Gran Canaria in the Spanish-owned Canary Islands. The most popular things to do in Maspalomas are probably sunbathing and swimming at Maspalomas beach but there are lots of other things to keep you entertained in this popular tourist town. 

Reasons to Get Off the Sun Lounger in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria has long been a hugely popular destination for British tourists, and is a destination synonymous with no-frills sunshine holidays. The Spanish island’s location just off the coast of West Africa means it’s a magnet for northern European sun worshippers. Many visitors hardly stray from the coastal resorts, which is a real shame as there are lots of easily-accessible sights to see. 

We left the sun lounger behind and set off exploring the other side of Gran Canaria.

Puerto Villamil: Exploring Isabela's Sleepy Fishing Village

Puerto Villamil is a blissfully relaxed fishing village and the main port of the largest Galapagos Island, Isabela.

5 Brilliant Beaches in Bocas del Toro

One of the biggest attractions of Panama’s Bocas del Toro islands is undoubtedly the beaches. Long stretches of golden sand, fringed by palm trees; they tick all the boxes when it comes to the stereotypical exotic beaches from the brochures.

Whilst certain Bocas del Toro beaches offer some amenities, many remain undeveloped and still retain a certain wild charm, without a parasol in sight. We dodged Bocas' famous storms to visit some.

Red Frog Beach (Isla Bastimentos)

This is usually most sun-worshipers first port of call in Bocas del Toro. Red Frog Beach is a popular stretch of golden sand on the windswept northern side of Isla Bastimentos. This is one of the more developed beaches on the islands - a good place to have a lazy day on the beach sunbathing, with cafes and other amenities close by. Even on a cloudy day it's very picturesque. 

To get to Red Frog Beach, follow the stony path from the Isla Bastimento docks and bear left at the crossroads. There is a large café so you can’t miss the entrance.

Ironically we didn’t spot any of the tiny red frogs the beach takes it’s name from, but there were some hiding nearby..

Tortuga Beach (Isla Bastimentos)

Just adjacent to Red Frog Beach on the eastern side of the large cliff face is the lesser known – and for us, superior – Tortuga Beach. Lacking any facilities and slightly tricky to find at first, Tortuga Beach was virtually deserted and for the majority of our time there we had the entire beach to ourselves. Like Red Frog Beach, the waves crash in pretty fiercely and spray spectacularly against the cliff face.

I was disappointed not to find any of the tiny red poison dart frogs at Red Frog Beach but managed to track one down in Tortuga Beach’s undergrowth. Barely bigger than a thumbnail, getting it to stay still long enough for a photo was a challenge!

To get there, take the stony path from the Isla Bastimentos landing dock, branching right at Red Frog Beach and then turning left down a narrow pathway shortly afterwards.

Starfish Beach (Isla Colón)

No prizes for guessing what this beach is famous for. Under the shallow water in front of the beach are scores of starfish of all shapes and sizes ranging from some hefty adults to baby, palm-sized starfish.

It’s sad that signs have to be put in place to tell people not to touch the starfish like the one below – this should probably also have a section saying not to lift them out of the water. Unfortunately any search for Starfish Beach photos online will provide some mindless examples as to why.

Starfish beach isn’t directly accessible from the road. It’s around a ten minute walk along the palm-strewn beach from Playa Boca del Drago (main image), at the end of the westerly fork of the road that crosses Isla Colón. If you’ve hired a quad, it’s best to leave it near the collection of small restaurants at Boca del Drago and then follow the sandy path past the large house onto the beach. Then turn left and keep walking until you see the sign.

Hospital Point (Isla Solarte)

It may be just a short water taxi from lively - and at times grimy -Bocas Town but it feels like a million miles away. Hospital Point is a great snorkelling spot tucked away on little-visited Isla Solarte. It's included on some boat tour itineraries, but we were lucky enough to have the tiny beach to ourselves.

Taking its name from the first hospital to be built in the islands which was nearby, this tiny, shaded beach has a wonderfully secluded ‘desert island’ feel to it. In amongst the palm trees backing the beach you can see orange poison dart frogs. 

Unfortunately due to the heavy rainfall in the days before, the visibility wasn’t good enough to take any good quality underwater photos, but there were plenty of colourful tropical fish and plants to see.

To get there (without going as part of a tour group) take a water taxi across from Bocas Town and arrange a pick-up time.

Cayos Zapatilla

Found in the outer-lying reaches of Bocas del Toro, Cayos Zapatilla are two uninhabited islands famed for their pristine white sand and clear waters. The cays are surrounded by coral reefs filled with multi-coloured tropical fish. Given the distance and the lack of amenities, it’s best to try and visit on one of Bocas’ drier days, but there’s still something special about visiting an uninhabited tropical island whatever the weather.

It’s best to visit the Cays as part of a day trip from Isla Colón as they are too far away to get to by water taxi (around an hour and a half). Many operators will combine a visit here with other popular spots around the inner islands.

Which one of these Bocas beaches would you most like to visit?

Top Things to do in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz

Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz is a popular first port of call in the Galapagos Islands and this relaxed little town offers plenty of things to do. Whether you’re using Puerto Ayora as a base to island hop or you’re on a short break between cruises, here is a selection of interesting things you can do in Puerto Ayora; and best of all, none of them require a guide.

Tortuga Bay

In the list of things that make me miss travelling, this place is definitely near the top. Tortuga Bay (main picture) is regarded by some as one of the most picturesque beaches in the world. With roughly a mile of pristine white sand and not a parasol in sight, it's easy to see why. For every guidebook erroneously describing a tourist trap beach as ‘unspoilt’, this is the real deal.
At the southern end of the beach there is usually a large colony of iguanas basking in the sun amongst the scrub and there are hordes of multicoloured Sally Lightfoot crabs dotted on the rocks along the shoreline.

The entrance to Tortuga Bay is at the southern end of Av. Charles Binford. After climbing the steps and signing-in at the gatehouse, it’s a lengthy 35 minute walk along the boardwalk that bisects the mangrove, but its definitely worth the wait. Entrance is free, but the path is only open during daylight hours.

The Charles Darwin Research Station

The Charles Darwin Research Station is ideal for learning more about the various tortoise breeding programmes in progress in the islands. It was once the focal point of a dispute between fisherman and Galapagos conservationists in 1993. This led to angry fisherman briefly occupying the station and making threats against Lonesome George – the iconic Galapagos tortoise – in protest against conservationist opposition to sea cucumber fishing.

Nowadays you can see various breeds of young tortoises, which are nurtured here until they can be released back into the wild on their native islands. So far, nearly 2000 young tortoises have been released back into the wild.

The research station is at the eastern end of Av. Charles Darwin, about five minutes walk down the path to the right of the small cemetery. A leisurely stroll around takes about an hour – entry is included in the initial $100 entry fee payable at the airport upon arrival in the Galapagos.

The Late Afternoon Fish Market

It’s more a collection of fish counters than an actual market, but it’s worth a visit in the late afternoon when the fishermen bring in their catches of the day. You can stand amongst the sea lions and pelicans as they patiently wait for the fishermen to throw them scraps. 

On both our visits there were a group of pelicans and one solitary sea lion who alternated between excited puppy and sulky teenager as he badgered them for some fish. It’s a great way to end the day after a day trip out.

The fish market is about half way along Av. Charles Darwin on the seafront, to the north of Isla Grill.

Las Grietas

Las Grietas (the cracks) is a series of deep volcanic fissures that collect a mixture of water from the Santa Cruz highlands and tidal seepage from the ocean.

Las Grietas is known for its landlocked marine life, including parrot fish and even hammerhead sharks. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much in the way of marine life on our visit, apart from some faintly visible shapes deep down below. Unfortunately, with only snorkels at our disposal, we couldn’t investigate further. That said, it’s still an interesting place to visit and a cool place to spend half a day, just keep an eye out for the locals leaping from the sides of the chasm!

To get to Las Grietas you'll need to take a brief water taxi across the harbour from the jetty. Once on the other side, walk past Finch Bay Eco Resort and Playa de Los Alemanes, past the pungent sulphur lake and then over the rocky, cacti strewn landscape that follow. Much of the walk from the jetty to Las Grietas is over rocks rather than a path so trainers are definitely an advantage.

Las Grietas is down the steep rocky steps tucked away in a chasm in the rock. Getting from the first section body of water to the second requires climbing over slippery wet rocks so tread with care!