Family Holiday - All Inclusive
The hotel we stayed at was the 'Elba San Jorge', the hotel was quite large with three buildings making up the whole complex. You can choose to stay self catering, half board or all inclusive here. There are 3 pools and it is a pleasant 10 minute stroll to the beach. The views of the sea crashing against the rocks directly outside the hotel were amazing!
I liked the resort of Costa Caleta - the bay was small, partly man made, and the breakwater built into the sea made the sea calm, and ideal for children. The Island is very windy though, and sunbathing can on some days be somewhat of an exfoliation treatment!! The resort comes back from the bay up to the main coastal road, and some hotels are past this, and more inland. Although there are enough bars and restaurants in the town and a few supermarkets, it is very purpose built, and therefore lacked any real character! There is a great bar called 'Pieros' that is in the middle of a few bars that puts on entertainment every night - including X factor nights and hypnotists! They also show all the major sporting events here, and it is 'The place to meet' There are a couple of crazy golf courses, and the hotels have their own bars and restaurants you can visit. At the Marina we visited the 'Floating shop' and paid 1 euro to feed the fish - which the kids loved, and we did it nearly everyday. There was a good choice of watersports considering the size of the bay; jet skis, pedalos and windsurfing, and also these motorised pedalos called 'baby whales' which to be honest is probably the extent of my extreme sports!
We also went on a submarine designed boat called the 'ocean explorer' that toured the bay to show us the fish, and then came back to the marine conservation area for a talk on the fish and marine life they have - my 5 year old stroked an eagle ray - he was very impressed! They have a resident Sea lion called Harvey who although he is free to go wherever, lives in the bay, and performs tricks after you have been on the ocean explorer - he is adorable! You can also book to have a 'Trainers experience' A lady we met up with did this, and she loved it.
We hired a car and took a one day whistle stop tour of the Island, the dunes of Corralejo are a must - even just to jump off them! The small harbour of El Cotillo was lovely and the restaurant there does a fine paella. The mountain roads provide fantastic views and the beaches of Jandia have the best waves for body boarding (or just jumping over! - again my extent of extreme sports!)
There is a water park at Corralejo and Oasis Park zoo with animal encounters and camel rides near to Jandia at Costa Calma. Nowhere really is too far away and you can either get a car or bus or go on organised excursions. I prefer our own car!
After two weeks here I was relaxed but ready to come home! I really enjoyed myself, and so did all the family - the weather was lovely, always a breeze, and there was not a mosquito in sight! I loved sitting on the rocks watching the waves crash in, and chipmunks running around gathering the nuts passers by threw them!
If I went back I would go self catering, as the all inclusive was almost imprisoning, and not all the hotels' restaurants were included on the all inclusive deal - I found this frustrating!