Planning days out questions and answers

Hi all, well its only a few days away to our holiday so thought I would try and plan a few days out.

As most know we are staying in PDLA as our base.

One of the places we want to go too is Loro Parque, can you advise us on the best place to book this, how do we get there, is the travel within the price.

What other towns/resorts do you recommend, we like jumping on the public transport and making our way around, of course the camera will be by my side for them reviews for our forums.

The wife loves looking around nice shopping complexes, mostly clothes shops although Ill leave the credit card at home    where is best place for this around the Island, what time do they shut in the evenings etc.

Last but not least taxis/transfers from the airport to PDLA, do you guys ask for a set fare as Ive heard about people getting ripped off or what about other transfer companies can you advise, I know there is a company in Majorca that you can use that guarantees only 3 drop offs along the way do they have these in Tenerife.

Getting excited now and cant wait for this break its been along time coming.

Many thanks in advice,

Daryn

I would recommend taking a taxi to PdlA, I have never been ripped off in the 9 years of living here.  I think the problem is people don´t understand the rates going to a resort can be different to those returning because the taxis often have to take a longer route due to one way systems.  They also charge more if you flag them down than if you get in at a taxi rank.  Depending where your hotel is it should cost around €25 from the airport and the queue is well organised by a guy in a hi viz jacket.  If you need a large taxi because of numbers or perhaps child seats, tell him and he will call for what you need.  It will only take a few minutes as the cabs are on the airport site.  Taxis are metered so when they fiddle with the buttons at the end that is only adding the airport supplement and the €1 per case for each passenger so not a proper fiddle !!

You can book transfers but a private one is no different in price to a taxi and if you get a shared one there have been some horrendous tales that say they wait to collect other flights so a 20 min journey can take up to 2 hours.

Loro Parque - the company don´t offer any discounts, so whether you buy in an excursion shop or at the gate you will pay the same price. €34 for adults and kids over 6 years €23.  If you are also going to Siam Park then the 'twin ticket' gives you a good discount.  

Free bus to Siam Park but you have to book transport to Loro which you can do via the website They normally arrive between 10.30-11.00 and leave between 16.00 - 16.30 IMO not enough time especially as you are on the coach for almost 2 hours in each direction depends how many pick ups and drop offs but not less than 90 mins.

I much prefer the Monkey Park Zoo because you can interact with the animals and it is at the top of Los Cris.  You can also do the Jungle Park which is good as far as any zoos are concerned and that is a free bus from the southern resorts.

I booked taxi in advance, didn't turn up cos I booked it for 2015, oops, (got my money back), because of screwing it up we had to jump a normal cab, cost the same...

Day out, Santa Cruz, plenty shops and a bit sight seeing on route, plus when there, local bus takes about a hour and cheap if you use a bono card.

Thanks folks really appreciate the replies.

What is a bono card, take it this is a day return card are a discount card of sorts, where do you get these.

Done the Jungle Park last time it was a great day out, got the review on here, might do it again.

Bono Card, you can buy one in the arrivals hall of the airport in a small shop opposite gates 46-48 I think. You can also get them at bus stations (but not on buses).   They cost €15 (or €25 if you are planning on using it a lot)   It looks like this 
  You only need 1 per group NOT one each.  As you get on the bus you say where you are going, and put your card into the machine by the driver.  The discounted fare is printed on the back for the number of people on the trip.  As an example  From Las Americas to Santa Cruz the normal fare is €9.45 each way but using a bono this is reduced to €6.25.  If you run out of money on the card, but can pay some of it, you pay the balance in cash, this is at the discounted rate.  They are valid or 12 months.

So the fare comes out of the €15 you pay for the card but the fare is also discounted using the card soa trip for the 3 of us return we would save about €3 on the return journey. Once the €15 is used up can you still use the card for the discount.

Days out... well go to Aguillas and Siam and save on going to Loro is great but long trip and by the time you get there and have to get coach back, not enough time. Also take a boat trip, go to Los Cris harbour, second booth, guy offering fishing trips, tell him I sent you, Colin is his name do you a great deal, no fancy shite just a great trip and you will see the big whales

Gypsy wrote:Bono Card, you can buy one in the arrivals hall of the airport in a small shop opposite gates 46-48 I think. You can also get them at bus stations (but not on buses).   They cost €15 (or €25 if you are planning on using it a lot)   It looks like this 
  You only need 1 per group NOT one each.  As you get on the bus you say where you are going, and put your card into the machine by the driver.  The discounted fare is printed on the back for the number of people on the trip.  As an example  From Las Americas to Santa Cruz the normal fare is €9.45 each way but using a bono this is reduced to €6.25.  If you run out of money on the card, but can pay some of it, you pay the balance in cash, this is at the discounted rate.  They are valid or 12 months.

Daryn wrote:So the fare comes out of the €15 you pay for the card but the fare is also discounted using the card soa trip for the 3 of us return we would save about €3 on the return journey. Once the €15 is used up can you still use the card for the discount.

Think you may have it wrong there Daryn...

Correct me if I'm wrong Gypsy:-

3 times adult fairs each way at €9,45 = €56.70.

3 times adult fairs using bono card at. €6.25 = €37.50.

So you save €19.20.

So buy a €25.00 bono card, swipe it on the way up, swipe it on the way back and pay cash for the €12.50 extra....

So in UK money about £30...

Yes, Adam Spot on.

You can also use either another bus or the tram free if you use it within an hour of getting off the original bus.  So you might for instance go to Santa Cruz, then jump on the tram to La Laguna, spend a couple of hours there, then pay the tram fare back to SC.  I think it is something like €2 per person then the rest of the day in Santa Cruz and bus back to PdlA.

If you go Daryn, authentic place to eat, enter one side from a traditional Canarian street, exit the back door and get run over by a feckin tram, can't remember the name of the place but could find it on google maps for you if your heading up that way, Gypsy may know, when the tram turns ninty degrees left and heads away from the sea and starts heading up through Santa Cruz, the back door, and I mean a door, is on the right hand side...

Cheers folks better than I thought, me and the family will now put our heads together tomorrow and plan our trips