The landscape on the hillside above Tenerife’s south coast has been transformed into a mini Far Eastern paradise which holds as much of an attraction for people who enjoy strolling through enchanting surroundings and chilling out under cyan skies as it does for thrill-seekers wanting to push their fear factor levels to the limits.

Anyone who’s visited Thailand will recognise the craftsmanship which has gone into constructing perfect replicas of traditional Thai buildings, right down to their elegantly curved ‘ngaos’ (decorations on the corners of buildings), or the bejewelled sculptured elephants, symbols of good luck, half hidden in the park’s lush, tropical foliage. Wooden walkways traverse serene lily ponds filled with golden carp and lazily winding rivers.
But the pièce de résistance has to be Siam Playa; a blindingly white sand beach lapped by azure waters. It’s as if someone cut a chunk out of Phuket’s coast and plonked it down on a hillside in Tenerife. The big difference with this beach is that it’s got its own wave making machine capable of producing waves up to three metres in height, but more normally they stick to the not quite Tsunami sized, metre high waves.
It’s a wonderfully tranquil spot to stretch out to either recover from tackling the rides or simply just for a bit of deserved R&R.

However, if the idea of an inland beach might seem a bit bizarre, think about this; when the view on one side is a tropical lagoon bordered by palm trees and a Thai palace and on the other is the island of La Gomera, who cares.

Earlier this year visitors to Los Cristianos were intrigued by what looked like railway sleepers being laid along the length of the promenade. Soon Tenerife-based internet forums began to debate what their purpose was and some mischievous workman fuelled speculation and had a bit of fun with tourists at the same time by telling people that they were the tracks for a small train.

By now we all know that they had nothing to do with a tourist train, but were merely the foundations for a chic new wooden walkway which has added a splash of pizzazz to the former fishing village’s curving seafront.

It’s taken some time and parts of the promenade haven’t been exactly pedestrian friendly whilst the seafront’s been preparing for its facelift, but the results show that it was worth the wait as the town’s coastline is looking absolutely fabulous.

The wooden decking walkway snakes from the town centre in the direction of the southern end of the resort and the near deserted beach below Montaña Guaza. Flanking it is what looks like a series of modern aluminium sculptures, until closer inspection identifies them as hi-tech exercise areas. If the idea alone of exercising under a hot Tenerife sun is enough to cause rivers of sweat to break out, opt instead for the seaward side of the path where a series of smooth wooden benches are ideal for enjoying views of the revamped golden Playa de Los Cristianos and its bay filled with brightly coloured fishing boats and tiny dinghies.

It’s a joy to wander along and by the time you get to the end you might be wishing there actually was a train for the return journey.

All the fun of the fair in Puerto de la Cruz

In many towns across the island it’s the trigger for the switching on of Christmas lights and in Puerto de la Cruz it’s time for the traditional annual fair ground to occupy the lower car park beside the harbour.

Wondering through the funfair after dark is like going back in time to a traditional British seaside resort. Each ride has its own music blaring and you can hear the occasional strains of ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Tiger Feet’ competing for airspace with Latino rhythms. There are stalls where you throw darts at a wall of balloons or shoot pyramids of tin cans with an air rifle and neon coloured giant cuddly tows wait patiently in line to be won. There are baby dodgems, trampolines and a Disney runaway train for the tots while the ever popular Waltzers and the Viking Boat send waves of screams over the harbour from the teenagers who ride them.

But this year they’ve added something rather special; a giant, luminous green Ferris wheel which is a cross between a Big Wheel and the Puerto Eye. While the last of the sun’s rays catch it, it gives aerial views over the resort and the surrounding La Orotava Valley. By night, it transforms into a neon kaleidoscope flying above the twinkling illuminations that reflect off the harbour waters.

The fair is teeming with families, visitors and groups of friends clutching cuddly toy prizes and eating candy-floss, sugared almonds, cream and chocolate covered waffles and bags of churros (doughnut-like fingers sprinkled in sugar). It’s an infectious atmosphere of fun that insists you get into the Christmas spirit and it’ll be here all the way through to January 6th 2009.

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