Two of the best holidays of my childhood, which we all still remember fondly as a family, took place in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. In fact, the second time that we visited we actually returned to the exact same part of the island, Maspalomas, and the very same villa complex, we liked it so much. One of the main tourist centres on Gran Canaria, the resort town of Maspalomas went from a small hamlet to a vision of what tourism could be when it was redeveloped in the 1960s. It is touristy, to be sure, but it is also charming with lots of eccentricities, unique-looking buildings, stunning beaches, lots of places to eat and go for drinks, and plenty to see and do. For a family holiday, a vacation rental in Maspalomas is a great idea as there will be something to keep everyone in the group happy and interested. One such perfect family-friendly attraction in Gran Canaria is Palmitos Park.
At the time that we visited Maspalomas, my younger brother’s dinosaur obsession was in full swing. As birds are a direct descendant of dinosaurs and have been described as living dinosaurs, his interest carried over to them too and Palmitos Park was chosen for one of our family outings to cater to his particular interests. However, it wasn’t just him that enjoyed it, the entire family had an incredible time and we still talk about it today.
At the time that we visited Maspalomas, my younger brother’s dinosaur obsession was in full swing. As birds are a direct descendant of dinosaurs and have been described as living dinosaurs, his interest carried over to them too and Palmitos Park was chosen for one of our family outings to cater to his particular interests. However, it wasn’t just him that enjoyed it, the entire family had an incredible time and we still talk about it today.
Palmitos Park is a 20 hectare botanical garden, aviary, and zoo, located near Pilancones Natural Park, 10km north of Maspalomas. It is a subtropical oasis that is home to an astounding array of flora and fauna; including 160 different species of cacti, 42 different species of palm trees, 230 different species of birds, Europe's largest butterfly venue, the biggest Orchid collection on the island, an incredible aquarium, and much more besides. The colour and beauty of the natural gems housed within the park is truly astounding.
The park is divided into several key areas: the butterfly house in which you will encounter an incredible array of butterflies flitting about; the pond with water birds where you can spot the amazing flock of flamingos; the dolphinarium in which 6 dolphins live and live dolphin shows take place (for additional fees you can also take pictures with dolphins and swim with them); the glass cages in which the hummingbirds are housed; the aviary with its population of exotic birds; the house of orchids; the cactus garden; the amphitheatre in which there are flying birds of prey shows; the presentation room where documentaries are screened and there are shows with trained parrots; and the aquaria that house many kinds of fish and other underwater animals and a recreated riverbed.
The park is divided into several key areas: the butterfly house in which you will encounter an incredible array of butterflies flitting about; the pond with water birds where you can spot the amazing flock of flamingos; the dolphinarium in which 6 dolphins live and live dolphin shows take place (for additional fees you can also take pictures with dolphins and swim with them); the glass cages in which the hummingbirds are housed; the aviary with its population of exotic birds; the house of orchids; the cactus garden; the amphitheatre in which there are flying birds of prey shows; the presentation room where documentaries are screened and there are shows with trained parrots; and the aquaria that house many kinds of fish and other underwater animals and a recreated riverbed.
I remember being particularly blown away by seeing the flamingos in person, the bright pink flock of them was something that I had only ever seen on television. The rainbow hues of the exotic birds that lived in the aviary also still lingers in my mind, over a decade later, and my brother is still thrilled with his picture, covered in vibrant-coloured parrots. I was less impressed by this part as I was made pose with a giant blue parrot that they hung from my little child’s finger and which felt like it weighed a tonne. The picture is pretty cute, though.
Of those two trips to Gran Canaria, I recall little else by way of specifics – just the odd thing here or there, like a restaurant we frequented in the mall nearby, and the arcade next to it that was located down a staircase, which also had a slide that went down into it, and repeated journeys down the slide and running back up the stairs before going back down the slide, as we waited for our food – but I remember lots about Palmitos Park. I remember how excited we all were, how magical it all seemed. If you have found a vacation rental in Maspalomas and you’re looking for a fun day out for everyone in the family, head along to Palmitos Park.
Palmitos Park
Barranco de los Palmitos s/n.
35109 San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Maspalomas
(+34) 928 797 070
Of those two trips to Gran Canaria, I recall little else by way of specifics – just the odd thing here or there, like a restaurant we frequented in the mall nearby, and the arcade next to it that was located down a staircase, which also had a slide that went down into it, and repeated journeys down the slide and running back up the stairs before going back down the slide, as we waited for our food – but I remember lots about Palmitos Park. I remember how excited we all were, how magical it all seemed. If you have found a vacation rental in Maspalomas and you’re looking for a fun day out for everyone in the family, head along to Palmitos Park.
Palmitos Park
Barranco de los Palmitos s/n.
35109 San Bartolomé de Tirajana. Maspalomas
(+34) 928 797 070
Photo credits:
Picture 1: Thomas Tolkien / CC BY 2.0;
Picture 3: H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0;
Picture 2: Teijo Hakala / CC BY-SA 2.0
Picture 1: Thomas Tolkien / CC BY 2.0;
Picture 3: H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0;
Picture 2: Teijo Hakala / CC BY-SA 2.0
