Andalucia
offers innumerable ways of experiencing this fabulous part of
the world whether it be visiting the wonderful beaches and interesting
coastal towns or venturing slightly further inland to marvel
at the picturesque “white villages” and beautiful
countryside, or to observing a vast array of animals, both exotic
and indigenous to the area in a variety of settings or indulging
in the numerous sports, family-oriented activities and excursions.
Below are just some of the many options to choose from.
In Estepona
there are The Fun Boats that as well as offering
trips to see dolphins, also offers cruises and fishing trips.
Blue Dolphin Beach Club
Estepona beach
Tel: 639 720 246
www.borntobewild.es
Similarly in Gibraltar there are Dolphin
Safari, Dolphin World and Nautilus IV to
choose from and they are all based in Marina Bay.
As an alternative, The
Dawn Approach is a classic wooden sailing ship built
in Scotland in the 1920s. Fully restored and now moored in
Fuengirola harbour, it offers cruises off the coast for informal
lunches, sunset barbecues or excursions to see the dolphins.
Tel: 952 665 607
Sealife in
Benalmadena port offers a wide spectrum of sea life inhabiting
the underwater “ruins” of Atlantis. There are also “touch
pools” where children can handle crabs, starfish and tiny
sharks, and a walk-through glass tunnel giving amazing views
of 2 metre long sharks, morays and barracudas!
Benalmadena port
Open from 10am to 8pm
Adults: 8.50 euros Children: (3-12 years) 6.50 euros
www.sealife.es
Crocodile
Park in Cartama near Torremolinos is a conservation
centre rather than a theme park with a more hands-on experience
where visitors are encouraged to pose with the offspring of
a successful breeding programme. The half-tonne adults, meanwhile,
are kept at a safe distance!
Open from 10am to 6pm
Adults: 7.50 euros. Children: 5.25 euros. Under 4s: Free
Tel: 952 118 318
www.crocodile-park.com
In Fuengirola
Zoo the animals live in re-creations of their natural
habitat, separated by glass rather than bars. The zoo is divided
into South East Asia, Equatorial Africa and Madagascan sections.
Read our “Visitors'
Guide” to
the zoo.
C/ Camilo Jose Cela, Fuengirola
Open from 10am to 7pm (to midnight in July and August)
Adults: 11.50 euros, Children: (4-12 years) 8 euros
Tel: 952 666 301
www.zoofuengirola.com
The
nearest that you’ll get to a real safari here is Selwo
Adventure Park near Estepona. With its large off-road
vehicles you are taken around a succession of extremely large
enclosures in the 100 hectares park where more than 2000 animals
from many parts of the world are able to roam free. Try to arrive
there early though as queues can get very long by 11am. See our
“Visitors’ Guide” for
more details.
Km 162.5 on the N-340/A-5
Tel: 902 190 482
www.selwo.es
The Selwo
Marina has shows throughout the day featuring dolphins,
sea lions and penguins, as well as virtual reality shows and
simulators. See our “Visitors’ Guide” for
more details.
Parque de la Paloma, Benalmadena
Open 10am to 6pm
Tel: 902 190 482
www.selwomarina.com
N.B. You can buy a special “Selwo Pack” ticket for 25 euros that
will save you 40% on the individual prices for Selwo Adventure Park, Selwo
Marina and the Telecabina.
Monte
Aventura organise cross-country four-wheel drive treks
into stunning “unexplored” terrain. You can experience
what you would probably not otherwise see as qualified environmentalist
guides lead you across hanging bridges and waterfalls to spot
Spanish ibex and golden eagles.
Tel: 952 881 519
www.monteaventura.com
Ticket
to Ride in Puerto Banus organise all sorts of adventure
days including canoeing, canyoning, hiking, quad biking and
caving.
Tel: 952 905 082
Born
to be Wild Adventures offers jeep eco-tours to the
Unesco Nature Park and local white villages, as well as picnics
and team-building activities.
Blue Dolphin Beach Club and Restaurant
Estepona beach
Tel: 639 720 246
www.borntobewild.es
The TeleCabina
Cable Car trip to the top of Monte Calamorro overlooking
Benalmadena affords some of the best views on the coast. There
are three look-out points once you get to the top and several
trails for mountain-biking or trekking your way down again.
Arroya de la Miel, Benalmadena. Exit Km 222 on the A-5
Open 10 am to 6pm
Tel: 902 190 482.
A truly amazing – Andalucian – spectacle is the equestrian ballet
organised by the Escuela de Arte Equestre Costa del Sol. Every
Thursday evening at 9.30 pm during the summer months there is a memorable show
displaying the graceful beauty of the pure Andalucian horse.
There is also an excellent riding school on
the site with some of the best facilities in Spain.
Km 159 on the N-340/A-5 heading towards Estepona
Tel: 952 808 077
www.escuela-ecuestre.com
For a family fun day out for all ages, visit Tivoli World in
Arroyo de la Miel, near Benalmadena. Offering a thrilling funfair and attractions
where children of all ages can ride, jump and fly to their heart’s content.
There are also restaurants and live shows featuring the Teletubbies and the
Tweenies, can-can dancing, flamenco, concerts and theatre. During the summer
months it is open daily every evening and in the winter the hours are from
4pm on sundays.
Exit Km 222 on the A-5
Tel: 952 577 106.
www.tivolicostadelsol.com
Especially
for those occasional days when the weather is either too hot
or too wet, Camelot Park is an indoor children’s
park and recreational park. The former is a large enclosed play
area, with coffee bar, and costs 8 euros per child for the first
hour and then 2 euros per 15 minutes thereafter. The latter includes
a bowling alley and simulators. See our
“Visitors’ Guide” for
more details.
Opposite El Corte Ingles in Puerto Banus
Open from 12am to 12pm
Benalmadena Municipal Archaeological Museum was
opened in 1970 to “gather, preserve and display the rich
prehistoric heritage of the area” and also to house a
collection of Pre-Columbian artifacts from ancient South American
civilizations.
Beaches and Water Parks
There are good beaches in San Pedro, Estepona, Puerto Banus and Marbella. A
particularly good sandy beach for young children is just the other side of
Estepona Marina where there is a gently shelving and sheltered bay with two
good chiringuitos and plenty of sun loungers.
Aqua parks are also very popular. One such park is Mijas Aqua Park in
Fuengirola with its intricate slides, rapids and tidal waves.
Fuengirola by-pass
Open from 10am, May 1st to 30th September
Tel 952 460 404
www.aquamijas.com
The Happy Diver’s Club is based at the
nearby Atalaya Park Hotel and offers a wide range of diving
courses and packages.
www.happy-divers-marbella.com
Funny Beach on the other side of Marbella
offers go-karting, mini-motor-bikes, trampolines, mini-golf,
video games and even a mechanical bull!
Tel: 952 823 359
www.funnybeach.net
For slightly
older kids (ten years and over) the exciting challenge of water-skiing
can be tried at Cable Ski Marbella on a huge
lake in San Pedro. With instructors to guide you and pulled by
an overhead cable rather than a boat this form of water skiing
is safe and practical, with minimal waiting times.
Urb. Las Medranas, San Pedro
Open 11am to 9pm (closed Mondays)
4 trips: 8 euros, 10 trips: 18 euros
Tel: 952 785 579 |