Playa de las Americas Holidays

Nowhere in Tenerife draws a bigger holiday crowd than Playa de las Americas, and everything from the hotels to the dinner menus are designed with overseas visitors in mind. It’s set on the west coast, with up-and-coming Costa Adeje on one side and traditional Los Cristianos on the other. Every inch of space is put to good use in between, with waterparks, bar-packed streets and one of the island’s best golf courses slotted in.

A big portion of visitors come with the sole intention of sampling the nightlife. And when you get into the nitty gritty of what’s on offer, there’s a 50/50 split. ‘The Patch’ attracts an older crowd, with saxophone bars, Moroccan-inspired lounges and comedy clubs. Hardcore partygoers, meanwhile, head for ‘Veronica’s Strip’, where Irish bars, neon-flashing nightclubs and fast food joints form a chain.

The beach allocation’s generous here, with six sandy sweeps to pick and choose from. They’re no shrinking violets, either. Seafront bars do a roaring trade, and you can have a go at practically any watersport that springs to mind. Cafés and restaurants serve home favourites close to the sand, and big hotels occupy plots within a few steps of the shoreline.

A pair of Tenerife’s best-known attractions reside here, and you’ll need a caddy or a costume depending which one you choose. Siam Park’s one of the world’s leading waterparks, with slides rushing through shark tanks and wave pools set beside Thai-style temples. Golf las Americas, on the other hand, is about five irons instead of flumes, and stands out as the island’s top spot for hitting the fairway.