Things to do in Maspalomas

Aside from rolling over every couple of hours on the beach to change you tanning side, and exploring the surrounding dunes of Maspalomas, there is a host of activities that ensure you won't get the beach blues. These include the following:

Palmitos Park

This park is a treasure trove of exotic birds, fish and plants. Here you will find the biggest butterfly house in all of Europe, a cacti garden, an orchid house, parrot and bird of prey shows, Gibbon Island and a crocodile house! There are various bird shows to entertain the young and old. The most recent additions are the dolphins who perform spectacular shows twice daily to adoring crowds. A 2-park ticket, for the Palmitos Park and Aqualand, is offered for a discount price of €45 for adults and €33,50 for children for admission to both parks.

Where: Barranco de Los Palmitos s/n, 35109 Maspalomas, Gran Canaria island.
Telephone: (+34) 928 797 070
Opening hours: Daily 10:00 to 18:00
Admission: Adults: €28.50, Children (4 to 12): €21.00, Children under 4: free.
A 2-park ticket, for the Palmitos Park and Aqualand, is offered for a discount price of €45.50 for adults and €33.00 for children for admission to both parks. 
To get there by bus:
 Bus 45 from Playa del Inglés beach, Bus number 45 from San Agustín and Bus number 70 from Puerto Rico and Faro.

Aqualand

Aqualand is the biggest waterpark in Gran Canaria and has an impressive 33 slides and attractions such as a Surf beach, Congo River, Crazy Race, Kamikaze and Rapids. The park is fully equipped with restaurants, cafes, changing rooms and shops.Where: Carretera Palmitos Park, KM 3, 35100 Maspalomas, Gran Canaria island.
Telephone: (+34) 928 140 525
Opening hours: Daily 10:00 to 17:00 (except for severe weather)
Admission: Adults (13 and over): €25, Children 4 to 12: €18, Children under 4: free.A 2-park ticket, for the Palmitos Park and Aqualand, is offered for a discount price of €45.50 for adults and €33.00 for children for admission to both parks.To get there by bus: Bus 45 from Playa del Inglés beach, Bus number 45 from San Agustín and Bus number 70 from Puerto Rico and Faro.

Holiday World and Punta Zero Bowling

This is the largest amusement park of the Canary Islands, featuring 15 rides suitable for adult, children, and family enjoyment. These range from more daring ones, such as the roller coaster, Sky Drop, or Centrox, to the more leisurely Panoramic Wheel, Magic Mirrors, or Merry-Go-Around carousel. There is also a bowling alley, a selection of other bars and restaurants (serving Taiwanese, Italian, and Spanish food), and even a choice of three nightclubs for you to shake a leg after the daytime funfair fun.

Where: Holiday World, Avienda Touroperador Tui, 35100 Maspalomas, Gran Canaria island.
Opening hours:
Holiday World: Daily 17:00 to 23:00 (winter), 18:00 to midnight (summer).
Punta Zero Bowling: Thursdays - Sundays 10:00am - 02:00am, Fridays 10:00am - 03:00am and Saturdays 10:00am - 04:00am.
You can reach Holiday World by bus number 25, 30, 32, 36, 45, 52, 66, 70.

Sioux City (Western Theme Park)

An exciting wild west theme park providing ongoing shows from 10am to 5pm, including visitors being caught up in bank hold-ups or saloon shoot-outs, hangings, and riots. On Friday nights there is a Wild West Barbecue organised with a hearty meat-laden grill, fruit selection, and an open bar, including after-dinner bank robbery and lasso performances.

Where: Barranco del Águila, s/n, 35100 San Agustín, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria island.
Telephone: (+34) 928 762 573
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.
Entry fee: Adults €21, Children €15; Friday’s entrance with BBQ: Adults €52, Children €22.

Watersports

This is a popular destination for surfing, windsurfing, kite-surfing, sailing, scuba diving, and recreational shoreline angling alike.

Camel Riding

You can enjoy a tour on a camel through the Maspalomas Dunes, starting from next to the lighthouse, where the camel drivers set up their camps. These trips usually take around half an hour to complete, there are usually two riders per camel forming part of a caravan, and cost around €12. Alternatively, there is also some exhilarating camel riding to be enjoyed in the Barranco de Fataga (about 30 minutes drive away inland), with breathtaking views on the Valley of Thousand Palms, featuring a village with characteristic rural houses, an attractive church, and a gift shop with wickerwork and pottery displays.

Camello Safari Dunas
Where: Paseo charca Maspalomas s/n, 35290 San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria island.
Telephone: (+34) 928 760 781
Opening hours: Daily 09:00 to 16:00
Duration of ride: 30 minutes, departs every 15 minutes
Prices: Adults €12, Children (3-12 years) €8, Under 3 years old free
 

Jeep Safaris

Some of the most breathtaking views of the island, along windy roads that lead through the arid gorges of the area surrounding Mount Tejeda, are most effortlessly enjoyed from the comfort of a back seat of a 4X4. You will gain access to some pristine countryside with stunning views over the refreshingly green pine woods, seductive reservoirs, and volcanic mountain tops – just beware of the sometimes extreme drops in temperature (from 20-30° to -2/3°) that occur with altitude rises of up to 2,000m between the beaches and the mountain peak.

UnisafariWhere: 35100 San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria island.
Telephone: (+34) 928 769 375
Tour departs daily for Guanche Route (approximately 6 hours)
Prices including lunch: Adults €55, Children €35 (including lunch)

Golf

There are three world-class golf courses in its vicinity for your enjoyment – the 18-hole, par 73, Maspalomas Golf Club (next to the Dunas de Maspalomas on the Avenida Neckermann, affording splendid views on on the surrounding dunes and underlying sea; phone: +34 928 762 581), the 18-hole, par 71, Meloneras Golf Club (west of the Gran Hotel Lopesan Villa de Conde on GC-500 road, with lush greens and many palm trees; phone: +34 928 145 309), and 18-hole, par 71 Salobre Golf Club (10 minutes drive out from the town centre, by the Barranco de Arquinegin on GC-1 Motorway, km53); a modern golf course with a golf school, driving range, hydro-massage and even its own hotel - the Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort & Spa; phone: +34 928 010 103).

Boat excursions

There is a wide range of leisure boat trips you can choose from – whether you want to take part in an all-day booze cruise on the sun deck of an ocean liner, or want to go whale and dolphin watching on one of the smaller yachts, catamarans, or want to explore the underwater world with a glass-bottom boat, you won't be short of options. Most of these also provide ample chances to go for a swim, snorkel, or take a banana boat or jet ski ride, or even do para-sailing off the deck.

Deep Sea Fishing

The island's southern coastline is home to some of the world's prime big game fish, and people fish for blue marlin, white marlin, yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, barracuda, and also mako and hammerhead sharks. With a well-equipped, fully-professional boat crew to take care of all your needs on deck, such as preparing the fishing tackle, you could be enjoying an outstanding day's fishing all through the year from €45 per rod (usually half that for spectators). The period between May and November is the best for marlin and tuna, with blue marlins averaging between 331 and 496, and the record standing at 794 lbs.

Blue Marlin Sport Fishing Charters
Office: Carretara Fataga, km 6, San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
Telephone: (+34) 607 626 237
Opening hours: Daily 09:00 to 18:00