Wanderlust

If you are heading out on recession beating a family holiday to any of the Balearics this year, try to make sure you get yourself over to one of these awesome waterparks.  There is nothing better than hitting some of the best water featured attractions in the blazing sun and it has to be said it is the most fun way to cool down in the heat.

Aqualand – Magaluf, Mallorca
This park is large.With more thank 15 different slides and other attractions, if you ever visit Majorca and are in the west of the island this is definitely one park you need to visit.  From unique slides like the boomerang, black hole and the tornado to the super slaloms and the 8 lane ‘multi-pistas’ there is an attraction for all.They even have a wave pool that can create 1m high waves, also there is a Congo river ride for the people that just want to relax.  For the younger children there is the mini park catering in smaller versions of some of the grown up slides

Hidropark – Alcudia, Mallorca
If you are over the east of the island you have the Hidropark in Alcudia.Hidropark is a smaller park than Aqualand but not short of slides. The kamikaze is well worth a ride although not for the faint hearted.This park is miniscule in comparison to Aqualand i’d reccoment going to aqualand due to the sheer size of it.

Aguamar – Playa den Bossa, Ibiza

The White Isle has two worthy waterparks the first, and larger of the two is the Aguamar located just 15 minute bus drive from Ibiza town.  The Aguamar has many slides all will depend how daring you are feeling in your quest to cool down.  There are around seven types of slides as well as your relaxing rubber ring style slides.They also offer have what other people describe as the high and fast one.This slide is a must for the daring.

Agualandia – Talamanca, Ibiza
Close by to the quieter and more family oriented resort of Talamanca lies Aqualandia.Aqualandia is a little smaller than the Aguamar park but caters more for children as it has many more children’s slides and lots of sheltered areas.  Aqualandia has the favoured multiple lane slides and twisty inflatable slides.This is the most family friendly waterpark in Ibiza.

Aquacenter – Los Delfines, Menorca

Family friendly Aquacenter in Los Delfines has many attractions for the whole family to get splashing.The Giant Toboggan and the Black Hole are by far the top highlights of this park.  They also have t he rides you expect to see in all water parks with attractions such as your multi lane slides for the whole family to race to the finish. There is also a Jacuzzi for the adults to hide from the children.

Aquarock – Cala’n Bosch, Menorca
The biggest slide in Aquarocks is kamikaze.This is an extreme slide this slide will pummel you into the water at a cracking rate.As with the rest of the parks in this article, this one also caters for the family. It has a dedicated children’s area with many smaller versions of the bigger slides.  For the water shy family members there is always the go karts to keep you occupied.

Still thinking about where to head on your summer holidays this year?  Then why not give Lanzarote in the Canaries some thought.  As this small island is big on attractions and things to do as well as offering great weather and fantastic beaches.

Lanzarote and the other six Canary Islands are all owned by Spain – but located off the coast of Morocco.  Which is the reason why they enjoy a semi tropical climate.  Making this the perfect spot for a winter or summer break.

Over the least year the cost of flights to Lanzarote from the UK has also fallen considerably – thanks to the fact that there are now a number of low cost airlines offering services from British airports.  With both easyJet and Ryanair now offering good value returns.

This has helped to stimulate an increase in the number of independent travellers visiting the island.  Many of whom seek to book all aspects of their holiday direct online.  Creating a knock on demand for apartments and villas in Lanzarote.  Although half of all visitors to the island still book a stay in one of the 200 plus hotels on the island.

All of the main tour operators feature holidays in Lanzarote in their brochures with some such as First Choice and Thomson offering big discounts on summer bookings.  With deals on accommodation in some of the larger resorts such as Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen.

Certainly wherever visitors choose to stay on the island they will find that there´s plenty to do as Lanzarote is big on attractions.  The best known of which are the Fire Mountains of Timanfaya – a huge area of volcanic activity that was created by eruptions in the 18th century but which is now safe to visit as the peaks here are all now dormant.

The heat just beneath the earth at Timanfaya is still intense though and reaches up to 400 degrees.  As park wardens are only too happy to demonstrate by pouring cold water into bore holes which is then expulsed seconds later in jets of steam.  Intrepid tourists can even enjoy a camel ride across the surreal scenery here.

Lanzarote is also located in close proximity to the Canary Island of Fuerteventura.  So visitors can take in not one island but two on their holidays by hopping onto one of the ferries that criss crosses the Bocaina Straits from Playa Blanca.