Away from the beach, there are many other sights to see.
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Palmitos Park: Palmitos Park is a botanical garden and aviary with a huge variety of plant and wildlife to be seen. Situated in the mountains, the scenery is stunning. Highlights of the park include a butterfly house, dolphinarium and an orchid house.
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Aqualand: For the family, you can visit Aqualand, near Maspalomas. Here the kids can ride the many water slides, take a trip down Congo River or the Rapids, while parents relax in the shade by the pool!
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Sioux City: And if you fancy going back in time, head to Sioux City. Here you will find a recreation of a typical Wild Western town, complete with a saloon, a ranch, and the opportunity to be caught up in a gunfight!
Activities
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Jeep Safari: Gran Canaria is an area of outstanding natural beauty, and one way to explore it is with a jeep safari.
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Water Sports: Water sports are the main attraction in Gran Canaria. Beaches such as Playa de San Agustin are perfect for scuba divers with the shallow, calm waters, but almost all beaches on the island offer a of water sports such as water skiing, jet skiing and windsurfing.
Beaches
The island of Gran Canaria has many beaches to explore that suit everybody's idea of a perfect day by the sea.
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Playa del Ingles: Playa del Ingles is one of the most popular and is located near to most major resorts. This 2.7km long beach offers an many water sports.
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Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico is another extremely popular beach on Gran Canaria. It is popular with families as it has a lifeguard service during the summer months. There is a golf course and water park. Here you can take a glass-bottomed boat trip to explore the marine life.
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Playa Taurito: Those looking for a more peaceful beach should head to Playa Taurito, near Puerto Rico. This beach tends to be more secluded but you can still find cafes, restaurants and shops nearby.
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Playa de San Agustin: Similarly, Playa de San Agustin is a small secluded beach where you can relax away from the hustle and bustle of the main beaches. The gentle sloping sands and calm waters also make this popular with both families and scuba divers.
Nightlife
Nightlife is centred around the main cities of the island. In the capital of Las Palmas, the bars and clubs are to be found in Plaza de Espana and Mesa y Lopez. Playa del Ingles, Maspalomas and Meloneras are also popular for seafront revelry, with the Yumbo Centre, Kasbah and Plaza being where the main action can be found! And if you fancy a flutter you can head to Casino Las Palmas in the capital or Gran Canaria Casino in Playa de San Agustin!
Accomodation
With such a diverse array of holiday makers visiting Gran Canaria every year, there is a huge variety of accommodation available that is sure to suit every lifestyle and budget.
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Self Catering Apartments: Self Catering Apartments are a popular choice as you can come and go as you please and the nearest shops, bars and restaurants are usually very close by.
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Playa del Sol: Playa del Sol has apartments right in the centre of Playa del Ingles. Just 15 minutes walk from the beach, each apartment has a kitchen and there is also an on-site restaurant and bar. Yumbo Centre is close by with bars, cafes and restaurants
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Apartamentos Don Diego: Apartamentos Don Diego is just 200m from the beach in Playa del Ingles, and also features a kitchen and free fresh bread each morning – perfect for breakfast!
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El Greco apartments: The El Greco apartments are in the resort of Puerto Rico and offers direct access to the beach. As well as fitted kitchens in each studio, there is also a grill restaurant, Italian restaurant and snack bar.
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Neptuno: For travellers seeking peace and quiet while still being centrally located you can stay at the Neptuno, which is an adults only hotel. There is a free shuttle bus to the beach, which is 900m away, and the site features an outdoor pool, Turkish bath and gym.
Hotel Riosol: Families will be at home at Hotel Riosol in Puerto Rico. The apartments have fitted kitchens and there is supermarket on-site for your convenience. For children, there is a pool table, video games a play area and a kids' club to keep them occupied while you enjoy the 3 swimming pools, tennis court and gym